Ecological sustainability is an important corporate goal of Volkswagen Group in the world. This goal is not limited to manufacturing more efficient and energy-saving cars. The Group also focuses on efficient and energy-saving car production lines.

Volkswagen's philosophy is that "efficient cars should come from efficient production". The introduction of Grundfos pump audit helps its green energy saving road.

Volkswagen Braunschweig Factory

The factory was built in 1938 and is the first factory of Volkswagen. At present, the products produced by Brunswick Factory include chassis parts, rear and front axles, shock absorbers, brakes, brake discs, steering devices, various pedals and plastic parts. The factory also carries out the construction of machine tools and tools, with a wide range of production, from development to final assembly. Almost every car produced by the Volkswagen Group is equipped with the products of the Brunswick factory.

The Volkswagen XL1 is equipped with a battery system manufactured by the Volkswagen Braunschweig factory.

Image source: Volkswagen

Project background

Volkswagen Braunschweig Plant hopes to use efficient technology to save energy and reduce emissions from the aspects of power consumption of plants and equipment, plant heating, etc.

To achieve this goal, Grundfos reached cooperation with the factory in 2011 and launched a pilot project - pump audit. Specifically, Grundfos assisted Volkswagen Factory to record the current energy consumption of pumps.

The project involves 3 cooling lubricant supply pumps for metal cutting machine tools used in the rotary bearing processing area.

Before the pilot project is started, the pump adopts cascade operation: at least one pump has been working; The second or third pump will be started as required, depending on the number. Their traditional operation mode still has room for improvement.

Solution

After monitoring the relevant pumps and discussing the results, Grundfos found that the pumps themselves had little energy saving potential, but their control methods could be optimized. In consideration of cost-effectiveness, the original 3 pumps were retained for further use.

Key points of pump audit: 3 MWF pumps

In order to achieve optimization as economically and effectively as possible, Grundfos has installed an external frequency converter for each pump, which is controlled by a higher-level pump controller, and finally an autonomous control system is obtained. After the water pump is controlled by an external frequency converter, the amount of cooling lubricant can be controlled as required without any modification of the old control cabinet, which can save a lot of money.

Paul Gerhard R ö mermann, Energy Officer of Volkswagen Braunschweig Factory "Grundfos aims to collect useful data related to Volkswagen. Only by understanding these data can I carry out meaningful work and achieve our most important goal: safety process!"

Energy saving effect

This groundbreaking decision soon paid off. It is expected to save energy by 22%, but after using Grundfos frequency converter, the actual energy saving is up to 37%.

Practice has proved that coolant is not required at all times. For example, the machine tool is at a standstill during tool replacement several times a day.

Paul Gerhard R ö mermann, Energy Officer of Volkswagen Brunswick Factory, "Only the newly installed control technology can identify when the machine tool does not need cooling lubricant, so the pump can stop working completely at this time."

Project achievements

The project of Volkswagen Braunschweig Factory has well proved that not only the pump has energy saving potential, but also the pump control system can achieve energy saving. The successful cooperation of the pilot project contributed to Brunswick's decision to transform other systems as well. By the end of 2014, another 5 KSS systems are also equipped with Grundfos solutions.