Abstract
A wind pump prototype with 3.6 m rotor diameter, 19 m hub height above ground and 0.22 mm reciprocating pump stroke has been developed at the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Mekelle University. The prototype was designed and manufactured locally. Theoretical model based on combined efficiency of the rotor and the reciprocating pump was used to estimate the performance of the wind pump. One year wind speed data collected at 10 m height was extrapolated to the wind pump hub height using wind shear coefficient. The model assumed balanced rotor power and reciprocating pump, hence did not consider the effect of pump size. The theoretical model estimated the average daily discharge to be around 50 m 3 and 30 m 3 at 8 m and 12 m head, respectively. The prototype was tested with the same pump stroke but two different size pumps at two different heads. The pumps were with internal diameter of 55 and 70 mm and the test heads were at 8 and 12 m. Measurement of the flow rate, rotational speed and wind speed were made every 10 minutes during the test period. The data collected were analyzed to find the performance of the wind pump at the two test heads and two pump sizes. The flow rate data was plotted against binned wind speed data to determine the linear fit function. The linear fit function was then used to estimate the flow rate at any wind speed. With the 55 mm pump the measured average daily discharge was 20 and 19 m 3 at 8 m and 12 m head, respectively. With the 70 mm pump the measured average daily discharge was 41 m 3 and 30 m 3 at 8 m and 12 m head, respectively. Keywords : Wind pump, Windmill, Performance testing, Pump efficiency, Pump discharge, Ethiopia.
Highlights
Energy demand for water pumping has been growing in the country for both drinking water and irrigation
Theoretical model based on combined efficiency of the rotor and the reciprocating pump was used to estimate the performance of the wind pump
The theoretical model to estimate the water discharge of the wind pump was based on the combined efficiency of the rotor and the reciprocating pump
Summary
Energy demand for water pumping has been growing in the country for both drinking water and irrigation. The source of energy for pumping in rural communities not connected to the national electricity grid has been mainly diesel fuel. In rural places, where the houses are scattered over a large area the provision of power from the main power grid consume a lot of resources; becomes unaffordable and expensive. Wind energy could be harnessed directly as a means for mechanical drive or as an electrical source using low cost and affordable resources and can be a good alternative for the rural communities. Recent wind energy resource studies indicate that the Northern and Eastern regions of Ethiopia have high resource potential (Mulugeta and Drake, 1996; SWERA, 2007; Hydrochina, 2012).
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