Hydraulic Pumps, Nepal

Hydraulic Ram Pumps?for Water Lifting

Lifting water from the source to a higher location can be carried out usually through a number of potential water-lifting options, depending on the particular site conditions. One means for lifting water is the hydraulic ram pump or hydram.
The hydram is a self-actuating pump operated by the same principle of a water hammer. If correctly installed and properly maintained, it is a dependable and useful device that can liftwater to a great height without the use of anyother source of energy or fuel other than water itself.
The hydram can be used for lifting water from a source lying at a lower elevation to a point of use located at a higher elevation for domestic use, drinking, cooking and washing, and irrigation of small areas, gardens, and orchards.
A hydraulic ram system consists of a source of water which could be:
* a stream/spring/artesian well,
* an existing gravity flow (irrigation/drinking) water system/canal,
* a water supply pipeline from the source to the hydram,
* a hydram pump unit,
* a water delivery pipeline from hydram pump to delivery point, or
* a water storage tank at delivery point.

Water from the source is collected in a locally made reservoir. From there a supply pipe is connected to the hydram located at a lower level. The delivery pipe connected to the outlet of the ram delivers a portion of the supplied water to a delivery tank located at a much higher level than the supply reservoir. Depending upon the situation of the installation site, the amount of delivered water varies from 8 – 25 per cent of the supplied quantity with the output varying directly with the increase in the supply head and inversely with the increase in delivery (lift) head. The maximum delivery head is 100 – 150m, depending on the model of pump.

Suitability for Mountain Use
Advantages
* use of a renewable energy source ensures very low running costs or none;
* simplicity and reliability give a low maintenance requirement;
* there is a good potential for local manufacture;
* automatic, continuous operation, requires very little supervision and human input or none; and
* formerly unproductive or unused lands could be made suitable for gardens, orchards and field crops with its installation.

Environmental and Efficiency Implications
* Pumping only a small portion of the available flow has little environmental impact.

Hydraulic Ram Pumps can be used with great effectiveness in mountain villages which are located at elevations higher than their water source. Because this pump works 24 hours a day for many years and requires little attention, it is suitable for areas where people have little technical expertise. Hydraulic ram installations are inexpensive and quick, so they are well suited for areas where there are extreme transport difficulties, as well as for sparsely populated villages which often make gravity flow water systems financially unfeasible.
Their use is limited to hilly areas with year-round water sources.They are limited to small-scale applications, normally under 1kw output.
(Source: “Manual for Rural Technology with Implications for Mountain Tourism”, prepared by the Centre for Rural Technology, Nepal in collaboration with ICIMOD.)

For more information on all energy-related technologies contact:
Kamal Rjal
Energy Specialist
E-mail krijal@icimod.org.np?
source:http://www.icimod.org/sus_options/bestprac3.htm