Ageing Cold Water Booster Set Puts Water Supply at Risk
The Challenge
During a routine service visit to a pharmacology building at a leading UK university, Dura Pump engineers identified a significant risk to the building’s water supply.
The existing triple booster set was operating on just one pump, with the remaining two pumps seized and no longer operational. This left the building vulnerable to a complete loss of water supply should the final pump fail.
Approaching 10 years old, the booster set was also showing considerable signs of wear, raising concerns about its long-term reliability and the increasing likelihood of costly repairs and disruption.
Although our engineers successfully recharged the pressure vessel during the service visit, it was clear that replacing the ageing equipment would provide the most cost-effective and reliable long-term solution.
For a busy university building supporting teaching and research, maintaining a consistent water supply is essential to keeping daily operations running smoothly.
The Solution
A More Reliable, Energy Efficient Variable Speed Booster Set.
Dura Pump specified a new Grundfos twin variable speed booster set, designed to meet the building’s existing water demands while improving reliability, efficiency and system performance.
The replacement system incorporated two1.5kW variable speed pumps, intelligent controls and stainless-steel manifolds.
Unlike traditional fixed-speed systems, the variable speed pumps automatically adjust their operation to match changing water demand, maintaining consistent pressure while reducing unnecessary energy consumption.
Our specialist engineers undertook the mechanical and electrical installation, including necessary pipework modifications, system configuration, testing and commissioning.
Working closely with the university’s facilities team, the installation was planned around a controlled six-hour water shutdown to minimise disruption to building occupants.
Following installation, the system was commissioned and operational guidance provided to support effective ongoing management.
The Outcome
Greater Reliability, Efficiency and Peace of Mind.
Replacing the ageing booster set provides the university with a more reliable and energy-efficient water supply, reducing the risk of unexpected failures and costly operational disruption.
Key benefits include:
- Improved reliability: Replacing worn and seized equipment reduces the risk of unexpected water supply failures.
- Greater resilience: Two operational pumps provide improved system availability compared with the previous single functioning pump.
- Energy efficiency: Variable speed technology adjusts pump operation to demand, helping reduce unnecessary energy consumption and running costs.
- Consistent water pressure: Intelligent controls maintain reliable pressure throughout changing building demands.
- Reduced maintenance risk: Modern, supported equipment helps minimise the likelihood of costly repairs and unplanned downtime.
- Long-term confidence: A reliable system helps protect the building’s essential services and support uninterrupted university activities.
By identifying the risks early and recommending a long-term solution, Dura Pump helped the university move from an increasingly unreliable system to a modern, efficient booster set designed around its operational needs.
Delivering certainty for critical buildings.
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Delivering Certainty for Critical Buildings
Whatever the challenge, talk to our team about keeping your critical pump systems reliable, efficient and ready when you need them.
