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Human-powered impellar pump question

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bd103dall

bd103dall

Mechanical
Jun 11, 2007
8
US
I am part of a humanitarian group which is designing an irrigation pump for farmers in Malawi. The pump itself is powered by an individual pedaling a bicycle, where an additional chain is connected from the rear bicycle gears to a gear around a shaft (a few feet behind the pump). The shaft then rotates and in turn powers an impellar pump which pumps the water through a hose (impellar is a propellar designed for water that as it turns pumps water).

Does anyone know a company that designs impellar pumps that work with the low power input of our device (approximately 1/8th a horsepower)? Most pumps that I have found are designed to be used in conjunction with a motor which has a much higher power output and in turn much higher rpms than are possible from our human powered device.

Any help is appreciated, thank you.
 
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The "best available technology" is very often NOT the best fit with solving the problem at hand when taking into consideration things like parts availability, local economic constraints and other miscelaneous cultural factors.

Examples:

1.) Put too much copper wire out there and it all disappears or requires such an investment in security that it rivals the capital cost of the equipment it protects.

2.) Somebody contributes 15 Solar cells that get installed in series. Because its high voltage, the word goes out for a motor. A 220 VDC comes in. Requires switchgear that costs as much as a half the pump cost. One blows and the locals wind up with a major HSE issue when they have to hold the wires together by hand.

3.) Can't get replacement part X? Pump continues to run with vibration and next week they need a whole new pump.

4.) Pump gets "misplaced" at the port of entry.

Archimedes invented his pump for the very same reasons that either still exist today... or are much worse.

 
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Forgot #5,

Village buys expensive imported seeds to take advantage of new high capacity pump and plants 100 hectares seeds and land purchase financed by local bank. Pump fails, crops fail, bank fails, village starves.

 
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In an issue of the Water Well Journal there was an article on a human powered pump. They have a merry-go-round attached to it and the kids do the pumping while they are going round and round. It pumps up to an elevated tank. I cannot find the article this morning but, am still looking for it.
 
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Biginch, that' it. Sorry I missed it on your post. As usual you are just one step ahead of me. Thanks
 
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What about a "standard" sucker rod pump (i think thats what they are called but ist similar to those used on oil wells and in "old hand operated" pumps.

The challenge would be to convert the movement of the chain (or belt) to a vertical movement - but that could be acomplised the same way as they do in oil fields.

Best regards

Morten
 
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How about an Australian windmill that turns with the wind and is connected to a basic single piston type pump drawing water up?
 
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cost , cost, and cost is the number one influencing factor followed by basic simplicity of operation and maintainence.


To bd103dall (Mechanical)

Are you still with us? As I have a few questions for you.
 
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Thank you everyone for your great input, there is a lot of information to look into, but I'll post again soon with further ideas and progress.

I really appreciate the helpful suggestions.
 
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Artisi,

I am still with you, feel free to ask me any questions you like.
 
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bd103dall (Mechanical)

A description of the site where you will use this pump/s would assist. Do you have any photo's you can post here.

What is the height from water level to the discharge point?

Are you pumping from a creek or similar to above the bank level, etc

I may well have what you need but need a bit more info from you as well as some more investigation on my part.
 
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Artisi,

Those are some great questions your asking, and sadly I don't have any exact answers for you. We are currently working in conjunction with another group associated with the University of Malawi and are waiting on a response to a whole list of questions (several of which were similar to the ones you posted). I believe we are mostly pumping out of a creek or similar open water stream to above the bank level. As for the height of water level to discharge point, that will differ from site to site - we were hoping to design these pumps to be used in as many rural farming villages as possible. In 90% of the cases, the elevation gain shouldn't be much more than 15-20 feet I would think. Although I have not personally been to Malawi, so I don't know for sure (but will try to find out asap).

I am very interested that you may have a solution to my issue, and I would love to further discuss any questions and concerns that you have. Feel free to contact me at WaterCycleCo@gmail.com, I appreciate your interest and input so far on this project.
 
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I found this human power output chart over at,


From that I derived this ideal PUMP CURVE to fit the human power output curve. I don't think you'll find a pump with a curve like this one, but you could concentrate on finding a pump with good efficiencies in the 100 to 150 GPM range making a head of between 5 and 15 feet. The different curves are for how long an average human can carry on outputing the required power to generate those heads. Optimize the exact pump characteristics you need to specify by looking at the flowrate value and the pumping time you will allow befor an average human gets exhausted.

To find the volume of water that can be pumped by the average human, just multiply your flowrate by the allowed pumping time.

humanpowerpumpcurvedh7.png



 
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