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permaculture - Ram pump design

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  • From: Jack Rowe <jackrowe@compuserve.com>
  • To: "INTERNET:permaculture@listserv.oit.unc.edu" <permaculture@listserv.oit.unc.edu>
  • Subject: Ram pump design
  • Date: Tue, 17 Nov 1998 20:51:06 -0500

Instead of using outside energy to pump water, ram pumps use momentum of
falling water itself to pump a fraction of the water involved uphill. So,
to move water from one tank to another, you'd have to release some water
and only a fraction of what was released would then be moved uphill.

Short description of operation: Water moves out the bottom of pipe with a
head of water, flowing out past a one-way valve held open by a spring. When
force of water accelerating out end of pipe is great enough to overcome the
force of the spring keeping the valve open, the valve is forced shut
against the pressure of the spring. Momentum of water and resulting
increased pressure in pipe then forces open another one-way valve (this one
held shut by only by pressure of water in pipe above pump on outlet side),
to force water into the outlet. Water moves into the outlet pipe and uphill
until the water in outlet pipe pushes back hard enough to overcome momentum
of water in main pipe (where water was falling). Not efficient, just cheap
and simple with no outside energy (wind, elec., etc) added.

The one-way valves involved can be made with rubber balls fitting inside
pvc adapters (like a 1-inch to 2-inch adapter) that move freely in larger
diameter but plug hole of smaller diameter if forced toward the smaller
pipe.

Jack




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