Sierra Leone Water Aid and Engineering Development
The hydraulic ram pump is a mechanically simple device that uses the natural drop of a flowing river (the drive head) to pump water to a much higher elevation (the delivery head). An input of a high volume of water with a low elevation is exchanged for an output of low volume and high elevation. The pump is fed with water via a long drive pipe.
How it works
The drive pipe and pump body must be inelastic and rigid to sustain the hydraulic pressure wave that travels through them. A volume of air in the vertical cylinder cushions the cyclic pressure pulse in the water and improves pumping efficiency by allowing a more constant flow. Once initiated the cyclic pumping continues autonomously.
Water distribution system
The hydraulic ram pump has only two moving parts, the impulse valve and the delivery valve, resulting in high reliability, minimal maintenance requirements and a long operation life. The hydraulic ram pump is therefore suitable for application in developing countries where access to high tolerance parts and machining can be very limited.
Prototype
The project team have built a fully functional prototype of the ram pump for testing and evaluation purposes. Valuable lessons were learned about the construction of the pump and currently technical test are being carried out in order to obtain proprietary data.
Water Distribution System
A common problem for the pump is the intrusion of air or debris into the system which can block valves and disrupt the cycle.
Preventative measures for such problems include building a drive tank to supply a constant flow of water to the pump and using gauze or mesh at the pipe inlet.
We have based our pump on Warwick University’s ‘DTU’ design.
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