PARSIPPANY, N.J. - As part of its fall meeting, the Hydraulic Institute (HI) will offer the Pumping System Assessment Tool (PSAT) Qualification Workshop, presented in part by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The workshop will meet Oct. 19-20 at the Omni Hotel in Charlotte, N.C., preceding HI's fall meeting. Registration is open to HI members, as well as other interested parties, for $395. The deadline is Sept. 21 with a class limit of 25 participants.

The PSAT program was developed to assist engineers and facility operators in conducting preliminary assessments of how efficiently their pumping systems operate. Participants will learn how to acquire input data for PSAT accurately, how to prescreen pumping systems to select the "vital" systems for further review, how to use PSAT software, the difference between measurements and requirements, and the importance of a system perspective. The class features a hands-on field measurement component, using actual pumping systems.

According to Robert Asdal, executive director of HI, "Through this training, we hope to have many more HI members become "Qualified Specialists" so that they can support pump users in evaluating their facilities to address opportunities for energy savings and pump system optimization. Some of the top graduates from this program will be invited to become PSAT qualified instructors and, hopefully, go on to train larger audiences of industry end-users to address pump systems issues in their plants and facilities. The savings opportunities are very significant."

To prepare for the workshop, HI recommends a comprehensive knowledge of centrifugal pumps and pumping systems, as well as completion of the e-learning course "Centrifugal Pumps - Fundamentals, Design, and Applications."

Participants who complete the workshop and pass the final exam will be recognized by the DOE as a qualified pump specialist, and will be listed on the BestPractices Web site. To register, visit HI's Web site at www.pumps.org and click on the "members" section

HI has collaborated with DOE's office of energy efficiency and renewable energy successfully on numerous projects since 1993, when it first joined the motor challenge program. In 2001, HI became an allied partner with DOE, further strengthening their ties. Among the Institute's efforts is Pump Life Cycle Costs: A Guide to LCC Analysis for Pumps and Pumping Systems, developed and published by HI and Europump, with the support of the DOE. A highlight of the HI website is the energy savings section, featuring downloadable DOE tools, resources, software, and case studies. HI has helped promote DOE's MotorMaster+ and the PSAT, as well as information on BestPractices, and Web links to allied partnerships.

Other HI and DOE projects include a video-based education program, co-authored trade journal entries on energy efficient pumping systems, and training workshops. For more information, visit www.pumps.org or www.doe.gov.

Publication date: 08/16/2004