Affordable Single-Phase Pump Solution for Florida Sugarcane Water Management

by Ben Morris / Tuesday, 11 September 2018 / Published in News, Single Phase Motor, Sugarcane

Florida sugarcane production requires substantial quantities of water. This water supports the growth of a 2-billion-dollar economy in south Florida (rice et al. 2013). Hence the availability of irrigation water and effective and cost-efficient management of this water and the environmental impact of irrigation are a major concern to Florida’s sugarcane producers.

No Three-Phase Required
Where access to three-phase power is an issue; producers have resorted to costly and inefficient diesel engines to power the pumps necessary for their irrigation applications. These engines can cost hundreds of dollars a day in fuel to run, not to mention the cost of maintenance and subsequent environmental impact.

The BELLE™ Large Horsepower Single-Phase Motor provides a solution to growers who are looking to provide power to their seepage irrigation and ditch drainage pump operations without costly three-phase line extensions, problematic VFD’s or costly diesel engines. The BELLE™ Motor uses proprietary and patented Written-Pole® technology to produce clean, reliable large horsepower output without harmonic distortion or voltage sag on the lines. They are also extremely reliable. Their rugged design has been tested for over 20 years in some of the most demanding environments from sub-zero Canadian temperatures to the heat of northwest Texas.

High Efficiency, Cost Effective
These machines can be coupled with various pumps, including axial propeller pumps. A 30-50 HP BELLE™ Single-Phase Motor can deliver more than 20,000 gallons per minute to applications with lifts in excess of 5 feet. Making them perfect for use in pump stations found throughout Florida’s sugarcane region.

Growers replacing their diesel engines with the Belle™ Motor see immediate savings that begin paying for their investment on day one. Producers see a savings of as much as 56% over the cost of operating their old diesel engine. When you include the cost of maintenance to the equation the savings grows to as much as 66%. Many growers are seeing a return of thousands of dollars a year, per unit, to their bottom line. They also see an increase in efficiency as pumps driven by the BELLE™ Motor experience less downtime due to maintenance issues.

Description	BELLE™ Written-Pole® Single-Phase	Conventional Diesel Engine
Rated Output (HP)	75	75
Operating Efficiency	94.5%	25.0%
Hourly Operating Cost	$6.51 per hour ($0.11 per kWh)	$13.73 per hour ($3.17 per gallon)