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Single vs Three Phase Transfer Pump

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  • Single vs Three Phase Transfer Pump

    We are looking at getting a 1 HP transfer pump for around the brewery and noticed the single phase seem to be more reasonably priced. Is there any downside to going single phase? We do have three phase power, but definitely have a lot more single phase plugs around the building and would make it easier to plug in different spaces.
    Dustin Baker

    Owner/Brewer
    Roadmap Brewing Co.
    San Antonio, TX

  • #2
    The biggest difference as I just learned is you cant control the motor speed with a vfd on a single phase motor. depending on the application im assuming thats not a problem for everyone. We bought a 120v single phase pump for CIP and possibly whirlpooling and do not need speed control function.

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    • #3
      techincally you can speed control a 1phase, but its dependent on electrical design/construction of the motor. pretty much every motor/pump sanitary combo we found wasnt compatible.

      so practically speaking, you cant do the speed control on 1ph.

      if you have a decent air compressor you could try and find a stainless peristaltic pump and regulate the air pressure to control speed. although i think those might be fairly expensive as well.

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      • #4
        3 phase motors are built for industrial applications and are generally more ruggedly made.

        If you have single phase power it is possible to get a vfd that will convert it to 3 phase to run a pump. It is handy having vfds on all of your pumps so you can control them better rather than using a valve to throttle it, causing shear forces on the wort in your whirlpool which will break up the flocs you are trying to separate out among other things.

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        • #5
          One of our single phase portable assemblies will work great for you. At smaller HP (<2HP) there is no advantage to 3 phase and the single phase has the advantage of “definitely have[ing] a lot more single phase plugs around the building”. Once you get to 3 HP and above there are definite advantages to 3 phase, conductor and fuse size being the main ones.

          Originally posted by brain medicine View Post
          technically you can speed control a 1phase, but its dependent on electrical design/construction of the motor. pretty much every motor/pump sanitary combo we found wasnt compatible. so practically speaking, you cant do the speed control on 1ph.
          The misunderstanding above is the set up. You can not run a single phase pump and motor at variable speed, the motor will burn out in about 1 minute. However you can use a three phase pump on variable speed and configure it to work on single phase power. So you basically get what you need, a variable speed pump you can plug in to a single phase circuit. The magic is in the controller, it takes the single phase power, splits it in to three phase and offsets the cycles. Thus it creates 3 phase power to send to the motor. That's what we sell.

          I hope this helps.
          Last edited by CPESystems; 06-05-2018, 02:32 PM.
          Your CPE Systems Team!
          CPE Systems Inc.
          800-668-2268
          CPEsystems.com
          Thinkpumps.com
          sales@cpesystems.com

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          • #6
            Get a 3-phase motor and a 1hp VFD. Almost all low-hp VFDs will run on a single-phase input and output 3-phase. Speed control is critical for a transfer/process pump.

            The set-up from CPE above is just what I describe, plus it's cart-mounted. Probably a very good way to go.
            Timm Turrentine

            Brewerywright,
            Terminal Gravity Brewing,
            Enterprise. Oregon.

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