Case Study: a Colorado city eliminates pump startup grid impact with LSI - Logical Systems Inc soft-start motor control

Pump Station Startup Company - Customer Case Study

A pump station startup company in Colorado was experiencing significant issues with power grid instability caused by the 600% inrush current from its three large water pumps during startup. This problem not only risked causing brownouts for local residents but also resulted in high demand charges from the power cooperative. The customer, which needed a solution that required minimal changes to its existing facility, engaged Logical Systems Inc (LSI) for help.

LSI designed and implemented a solution by replacing the existing motor starters with new Allen-Bradley SMC-50 soft-start units and integrating power factor correction capacitors. This upgrade cut the inrush current in half, completely eliminating the negative impact on the power grid and the need for startup coordination. The project also significantly lowered the city's annual energy costs by reducing the peak demand charge and was completed with minimal physical expansion to the pump station.