Pump manufacturer creates test bed with end-to-end Siemens system technology
Bochum, Germany. Klaus Union GmbH & Co. KG (Klaus Union) is one of the leading manufacturers of centrifugal and screw pumps for the oil and gas industry. In order to offer its customers maximum flexibility, fast delivery, and to maintain deadlines, the company operates pump test beds for both its own products and pumps from third parties. The latest test bed is designed to support flow volumes of up to 5,000 cubic meters per hour and is also suitable for complex tests.
Klaus Union has taken Siemens on board for the electrical engineering. The end-to-end and transparent system technology makes the testing process significantly easier and provides the pump test bed’s reliability and accuracy. The test media in the new pump test bed are water and oil which are also mixed with air in multi-phase tests. One of the challenges for the new test bed was that Klaus Union did not want to dig any new cable trenches in the current hall floor. The control panels therefore had to stand on plinths. In addition to this, it was also necessary to provide the medium-voltage transformers with an identical chassis and to arrange them in line on a track, despite the variation in their sizes. These special requests were only possible by having Siemens as a project partner.
Flexibility as a competitive edge
– We were able to source everything we needed in terms of electrical, drive and automation technology from a single portfolio; from connecting to the power supply, including transformers, medium-voltage switchgear, and control center, control and drive technology, to motors for pump drives, valve controls and lubrication, explains Oliver Hacker, responsible for the test rig at Klaus Union. The transformers are fitted with low-voltage Sinamics transformers and have an output range of five kilowatts to 2.7 megawatts at operating voltages of 230 Volt AC to 690 Volt 3AC. Parameterization of the relevant combination of transformers and converters is completed from the control station via Profibus, the standard field bus communication system. Klaus Union uses Simotics motors for its own pump systems but the converters can also be configured for other motors.
– This flexibility of being able to easily operate a very diverse range of motors is vital for us and was a further reason for deciding to work with Siemens systems, says Klaus Union.
Focus on the actual work
The end-to-end system technology makes the test bed work significantly easier, allowing the Klaus Union employees to focus on the actual tests. The company also benefits from a close working relationship with Siemens customer service and technical sales support.
– Even though the equipment was bought a long time ago, if we have any questions, we can still rely on the Siemens after-sales service, Klaus Union is pleased to say.
