Transcript What is a Hydraulic Ram?

Hydraulic Ram
for Fuel-free Water Lifting
By
Roberto A. Alaban, Jr.
Design|Fabrication|Installation
Technology transfer|Consultancy
Mobile:
0928 763 2788
E-mail:
[email protected]
Website:
http://ra-initiatives.tripod.com
What is a Hydraulic Ram?
The hydraulic ram pump may be defined
as a self-acting device that uses the energy of
a large volume of water falling from a
higher location (relative to the ram) and
passing through it, to lift a small volume to a
location significantly higher than the ram and
the source of water.
It has only 2 moving parts.
Characteristics of a Hydraulic Ram
Water-Lifting System
(1) there is no other external energy input (e.g. human,
animal, fossil fuel, etc.) that makes the ram
work other than the energy of water passing
through the pump;
(2) its operation will continue 24 hours a day, seven
days a week so long as the required volume of
water continues to flow through it,
(3) water has to come from a location higher than
the ram;
Characteristics of a Hydraulic Ram
Water-Lifting System
(4) only a small portion of this water (around 25 % or
less) is pumped up, the remainder passing out of the
ram and must be drained to a lower location;
(5) the vertical distance to which water can be
pumped up from the ram is significantly higher
than the vertical distance from its source to the
ram – up to 30 meters delivery height per 1 meter
of supply fall, although typically the most efficient
is within a ratio of 10:1 or less, and;
Characteristics of a Hydraulic Ram
Water-Lifting System
(6) due to the ram’s small output per minute, there is a
need for a storage device at the point of delivery to
accumulate this output on a 24-hour basis, e.g. an
earthen pond for irrigation or ferrocement, metal,
or plastic tank for drinking water.
History
The hydraulic ram is a very old, and wellproven, technology for lifting water.
In 1772, Englishman John Whitehurst
invented a manually-operated precursor
of the hydraulic ram called the "pulsation
engine." The first one he installed in 1775
raised water to a height of 16 ft. (4.9 m).
History
The first self-acting ram pump was invented by the
Frenchman Joseph Michel Montgolfier in 1796 for
raising water in his paper mill (Montgolfier is more
popularly known for his work in hot-air balloons).
The sons of Montgolfier obtained an English patent
for an improved version in 1816 but this was
acquired, together with Whitehurst's design, in 1820
by Josiah Easton, a Somerset-born engineer who had
just moved to London.
History
Easton's firm, inherited by his son James grew during
the nineteenth century to become one of the more
important engineering manufacturers in the United
Kingdom, with a large works at Erith, Kent. They
specialised in water supply and sewerage systems
world-wide, as well as land drainage projects. The
Eastons had a good business supplying rams for water
supply purposes to large country houses, and also to
farms and village communities, and a number of their
installations still survive up to this day.
History
In 1929 the company was acquired by Green &
Carter, of Winchester, Hampshire, who were engaged
in the manufacturing and installation of the wellknown Vulcan and Vacher rams. Green & Carter now
function from Ashbrittle, near Wellington, Somerset,
U.K.
Ram Pumps in the 21st century
In recent years there has been a resurgence of
interest in hydraulic rams, particularly in developing
countries, due to the continuing rise in fossil-fuel
prices.
In India, Vietnam, and China their governments are
very active in constructing hydraulic ram systems
and in disseminating the technology to the
countryside for irrigation and drinking water (a
German group is leading the effort in Vietnam and
China). In Africa (Zimbabwe), a British group has
been active in this field since 1994.
Ram Pumps in the 21st century
Surprisingly, in the Philippines the ram pump is still a
relatively unknown technology and has not been
part of the government’s program for irrigation or
potable water delivery. Even more surprising, many
technically-trained individuals (engineers) have not
heard about a ram pump and could not believe
that water can be continuously pumped to a
location much higher than its source by water
inertia alone, by a pump that has only two moving
parts!
Ram Pumps in the 21st century
Even in the country’s premier agricultural
engineering school the hydraulic ram is taught
mainly in theory and in passing, and one
agricultural engineering professor has dismissed it
for water-lifting work as inefficient because it can
pump only a small portion of the total volume of
water that passes through it (even though the fuel
expense is totally zero).
Parts of a Hydraulic Ram
The ram pump is a very old technology, and
for over two centuries many designs have
been tried. Today, rams come in a variety of
shapes and sizes, yet many of the
incorporated modifications are mere
variations of the same theme, and the basic
design consist almost always of the following:
ram body, impulse valve, delivery valve, air
snifter, and air chamber.
Parts of a Hydraulic Ram
Air chamber
Impulse
valve
Air snifter
Body
Feet
Shown is Chinook
MP-2 2-inch ram
designed by the
author
Delivery
pipe stub
Delivery
valve
Drive pipe
stub
Parts of a Hydraulic Ram
Air chamber
Impulse
valve
Air snifter
Body
Feet
Shown is a largebore Chinese-made
hydraulic ram pump
Delivery
pipe stub
Delivery
valve
Drive pipe
stub
Parts of a Hydraulic Ram
Different forms, same substance
Delivery pipe stub
Drive pipe stub
Air chamber
Delivery valve
Impulse valve
Air snifter
Body
Feet
TYPICAL COMPONENTS OF A HYDRAULIC RAM
WATER-LIFTING SYSTEM
Service area/Storage
facility (not shown)
Source (river, stream, spring)
Supply pipe
Delivery pipe
Drive tank
Lift
(Delivery head)
Drive pipe
Fall
(Drive head)
Hydraulic
Ram
pump
COST OF A HYPOTHETICAL HYDRAULIC RAM SET UP
with 2-INCH RAM
Assuming data as shown
Estimated output:
= (Fall * Volume * 0.60)/Lift
Delivery pipe
60 m
= (3 * 120 * 0.60)/20
= 10.8 liters/minute
= 15,552 liters/day
Supply pipe
30 m
Lift, 20 m
Drive pipe
12 m
Fall, 3 m
Source flow rate
120 liters/minute
Hydraulic
Ram pump,
2 inches
COST OF A HYPOTHETICAL HYDRAULIC RAM SET UP
with 2-INCH RAM
(Direct material costs, excluding labor and optional dam)
(Off-the-shelf)
Supply pipe: 2-inch commercial grade HDPE pipe, 60 meters – P 1,500.00
Drive tank: 220-liter PVC drum
–
900.00
Drain pipe: g.i. nipple 1” x 6” , sched. 40, 1 pc.
-45.00
Gate valve 1” , 1 pc.
–
125.00
Drive pipe: 2-inch g.i. pipe, schedule 40 , 2 lengths
–
2,600.00
G.i. coupling, 2 inches, 1 pc.
–
85.00
G.i. union, 2 inches, 1 pc.
–
105.00
G.i. nipple, 2” x 6”, sched. 40, 2 pcs.
–
140.00
PVC ball valve, 2 inches, with threaded ends
–
280.00
G.i. union, 1 ¼”, 1 pc.
-65.00
G.i. nipple, 1 ¼” x 4”, sched. 40, 1 pc.
-55.00
Swing check valve, 1 ¼ ”, 1 pc.
-215.00
Delivery pipe: 1 ¼” commercial grade HDPE pipe, 60 meters -750.00
Cement for drive tank and hydraulic ram base, 3 bags
-600.00
Mixing sand
-200.00
Miscellaneous
-500.00
(Fabricated)
2-inch hydraulic ram pump
– 12,000.00
Ram cradle
–
800.00
-----------------------
Total
P 20,965.00
LIST OF CLIENTS
1.
El Nido Foundation, Palawan
– May 2006
11.
Frank Colloquio, Guimaras
2.
Nono Cabatac, El Nido, Palawan
-- May 2006
12.
Bernardino Verano, Brooke’s Point, Palawan – February 2007
3.
Victorias City Eco-park
-- July 2006
13.
Jun Padilla, Manila
– February 2007
4.
Felino Javier, Rosario, Batangas
-- September 2006
14.
Ramon Ko, Bacolod City
– March 2007
5.
Dr. Nolasco, Roxas City
-- October 2006
15.
Virgie Neo, Tanay, Rizal
-- March 2007
6.
Antonio Villanueva, South Cotabato
-- October 2006
16.
Manolo Chua, Zambales
– March 2007
7.
Rod Plopiño, Occ. Mindoro
-- November 2006
17.
Abelardo Dapat, Limay, Bataan
-- March 2007
8.
Eric Payucong, La Union
– November 2006
18.
Juan Ochoa, Pasuquin, Ilocos Norte
– March 2007
9.
Dan Cabitac, Batanes
-- November 2006
19.
Roy Castañeda, Camotes Island
– March 2007
10.
Gil Montilla, Ubay, Bohol
-- December 2006
-- February 2007
20.
Leopoldo Avecilla, Alaminos, Laguna
– March 2007
11.
Christopher Agbayani, Puerto Princesa
– December 2006
21.
Atty. Jose Gangan, Ilagan, Isabela
– March 2007
12.
Reynaldo Rosales, Lipa, Batangas
-- December 2006
22.
Ruby Ann Baetiong, Manila
-- March 2007
13.
Mike Yukor, Dumaguete
-- January 2006
23.
Dr. Aristeo Tantoco, Rio Tuba, Palawan
-- March 2007
14.
Betty Yap, Cebu City
-- January 2007
24.
Metro Clark Waste Management Corp.
-- April 2007
15.
Leyte Prov. Gov’t
-- January 2007
25.
George Bautista, Bamban, Tarlac
-- April 2007
16.
Vince Emnas, Baybay, Leyte
-- January 2007
32 . Aurelia Rarang, Baguio City
-- May 2007
Multiple-ram set up
Six 4-inch hydraulic rams with a combined output of more than 300,000 liters
per day irrigate around 35 hectares of farmland in central Negros Occidental.