Distributed pumping

Up to 50% Potential savings in annual pumping energy

Auto-balanced Hydronic balancing across changing loads

Lower pressure Reduced control and balancing valve losses

BMS-ready Connected monitoring, control and performance data

How it works

Pressure where it is needed. Flow when it is needed.

Conventional chilled-water systems use central pumps to generate enough pressure for the most demanding circuit. Control and balancing valves then remove the excess pressure at individual terminal units.

Grundfos Distributed Pumping moves pressure generation closer to the cooling load. Intelligent MAGNA3 and TPE/TPE3 pumps are installed at or near the terminal circuits, supplying only the flow and pressure required by each zone or space to the equipment — AHU, PAHU, FCU or cooling coil.

01 Chilled water is circulated

Primary pumps circulate chilled water through the chiller and main distribution network while maintaining the required flow through the production side.

02 Distributed pumps serve individual circuits

A MAGNA3 or TPE/TPE3 pump supplies each terminal circuit or group of terminal units. The pump generates only the pressure needed to overcome the actual pipe and coil resistance.

03 Pump speed responds to cooling demand

The pump's integrated variable-speed control adjusts the chilled-water flow according to temperature, differential temperature, differential pressure, an external setpoint or a BMS command, depending on the system design.

04 The system balances automatically

As cooling loads change, each pump continuously adjusts its speed. This keeps the system balanced without conventional control, balancing or pressure-independent control valves. Non-return valves prevent backflow when individual circuits are stopped.

Control strategies

Grundfos pumps coordinate chilled-water flow and pressure across the primary and secondary circuits, responding automatically to changing system demand. Select any drawing to open it at full size.

Benefits

Distributed Pumping System benefits.

Up to 50% potential savings in annual pumping energy.
Automatic balancing under changing cooling loads.
Lower system pressure and reduced hydraulic losses.
Improved Delta T and more stable indoor comfort.
Faster commissioning with no manual hydronic balancing.
BMS-ready monitoring, control and system diagnostics.

Smarter control across the whole system

IWE coordinates the chiller, pumps and room terminals in real time to improve comfort, efficiency and reliability.

The Grundfos distributed pumping range: a MAGNA3 circulator alongside a TPE in-line pump.

Technical characteristics

Where the saving actually comes from.

In a conventional system, the central pumps must generate sufficient pressure for the most hydraulically demanding circuit. Excess pressure at the other circuits is then throttled through control and balancing valves, wasting pumping energy.

Grundfos Distributed Pumping replaces these pressure-regulating valves with intelligent variable-speed pumps. Each pump produces only the head and flow required by its circuit. As building load and water flow decrease, pump speed and power consumption also reduce.

Medium: Chilled water
Configuration: Primary and distributed terminal pumps
Pump ranges: Grundfos MAGNA3 and TPE/TPE3
Flow control: Demand-based variable speed
Control modes: Temperature, ΔT, ΔP, pressure or external setpoint
Balancing: Automatic across changing loads
Terminal valves: Non-return valves only
Connectivity: Grundfos GO and BMS integration

Actual savings depend on the system arrangement, operating profile, pump selection and commissioning. Full technical data is provided upon enquiry.

Exploded view of a Grundfos MAGNA3 circulator, annotated with the cataphoresis corrosion treatment, clamp ring, improved hydraul — Inside the MAGNA3. The integrated sensor measures differential pressure and liquid temperature across the pump, which is what lets the pump follow the circuit instead of a fixed curve — and what feeds the performance data back to the BMS.

Applications

Where Distributed Pumping System is applied.

Grundfos Distributed Pumping is suitable for new and existing variable-load chilled-water systems where energy performance, hydronic balancing and indoor comfort are important.