Design, Fabrication and Performance Testing of a Hydraulic Ram Pump System

Abstract

In rural areas, especially at hilly areas people faces multiple problems of using conventional energy. Unconventional energy is the satisfying solution of these problems. Hydraulic ram pump is one kind of unconventional energy device. Hydraulic ram pump is a device, which converts potential energy into kinetic energy and lifts up water from lower height to higher height. Present work is based on construction of a hydraulic ram pump and test of its output performance, according on different drive pipe length. When drive pipe length is 0.1m, its volumetric discharge was obtained 1.7648×10^-4 m³/sec, drive pipe discharge was 7.9384×10^-4m³/sec and efficiency was obtained 28.73%. At drive pipe length 0.35m, volumetric discharge was obtained 4.66032×10^-5 m³/sec, drive pipe discharge was 1.1232×10^-4 m³/sec and efficiency was obtained 46.32%. At drive pipe length 0.52m, volumetric discharge was 3.8602×10^-5 m³/s, drive pipe discharge was 1.27×10^-4 m³/sec and efficiency was 36.82%. A different behaviour of water flow and discharge can be observed for the different length of drive pipe and also more flow rate of water at discharge pipe. Hydraulic ram pump has a great potential to be useful device for its simple and reliable pumping mechanism in such type of hilly areas and remote places where are of no water supply coverage.