Abstract
The hydraulic ram is a device that makes use of the energy of a “water fall” to raise part of the water flow to a higher elevation by merely using the energy of the water hammer. Even though a small water volume is compressed, the device may be a solution for water supply on family farms, for home use, animal drinking troughs and watering of vegetables. Current study evaluated the performance of a hydraulic ram constructed with disposable bottles replacing the conventional air chamber model made of cast iron. Experiment was conducted at the College of Agronomic Sciences in Botucatu SP Brazil. Equipment´s performance was assessed by employing different volumes of air chambers (0.25; 0.6; 1.0 and 2.0 L) at the following pumping pressures: 70, 105, 140, 175, 210 and 245 kPa. Results showed that 0.6 and 1.0 L bottles showed higher pressure flow. Within the conditions given for polyethylene tubes, the effectiveness of the device occurred only at a maximum 1:7 ratio (slope/elevation). Key words: hydraulic ram pump, polyethylene terephthalate, outflow.
Highlights
Current study evaluated the performance of a hydraulic ram constructed with disposable bottles replacing the conventional air chamber model made of cast iron
The hydraulic ram is a simple and inexpensive device that was introduced for water supply to the rural and deprived areas of the third world countries
A hydraulic ram functions by a water hammer caused by closing a valve that interrupts the water flow from a supply to a higher hydraulic head (Abate and Botrel, 2002), with the lifting of water through no outside power source
Summary
The hydraulic ram is a simple and inexpensive device that was introduced for water supply to the rural and deprived areas of the third world countries. Equipments performance was assessed by employing different volumes of air chambers (0.25; 0.6; 1.0 and 2.0 L) at the following pumping pressures: 70, 105, 140, 175, 210 and 245 kPa. Results showed that 0.6 and 1.0 L bottles showed higher pressure flow. Analyses evaluate its performance according to the characteristics of its construction and supply flow, water pressure, loss and yield.
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