A novel strategy to save energy consumed in electric water lifting for multi storied buildings

Abstract

Electric water pumps have become almost an essential commodity for urban households. Existing practice of water lifting in multi-storied buildings employs Top Floor Storage Method (TFSM). Here considerable amount of water is pumped to unnecessary heights, resulting in energy wastage. This paper presents a novel scheme "Individual Floor Storage Method" (IFSM). Here water is pumped to the required optimum heights thus saving energy. Proposed method is analyzed for two different cases: (i) A two-storied house and (ii) A three-storied student hostel. The energy saving is to the extent of 10% for the first case and 20% with the payback period of 3.5 years for the second case. As a concept, IFSM is very simple and economic. It yields greater benefits i.e. higher energy saving if implemented for multistoried buildings with large water consumption like hospitals, hostels, flat complexes etc. In the present day scenario of mushrooming multi storied buildings and escalating energy costs, IFSM is more appropriate compared to the existing TFSM.