DESIGN, FABRICATION AND EVALUATION OF A STREAM DRIVEN HYDRAULIC WHEEL PUMP

Chapter I
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
The present energy crisis is, undeniably, plundering the economy of many
countries in the world including the Philippines. In line with these problems, people tend
to develop and harness every possibility to lessen the usage of non-renewable resources
of energy. Also, from the increasing problem, concentration of greenhouse gases,
environmental changes, pollution and global warming affect the need of renewable
energy and new innovations global warming increases.
Water powered pumps are probably the most useful and least explored powergenerating green equipment on the world today. Water pumps are used in irrigations
through farm, a supply of water from houses and many more.
The very principle that allows this pump to create columns of water within its
coils, that of alternately taking in air and water, also acts to increase the delivery head.
The air, which is compressed as it moves toward the centre of the wheel, expands as it
goes up the delivery pipe, producing a lift effect on the water. Blow-back occurs when
the pump pressure exceeds the cumulative pressures of the coils. The blow-back pressure
is the pressure at which this occurs. This pressure can be determined for each wheel
configuration by closing the valve on the pump output and pumping until there is a
sudden drop in pressure and a surging of water and air back through the scoop (Chris
Pirazzi, 2005).
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DESIGN, FABRICATION AND EVALUATION OF A STREAM DRIVEN HYDRAULIC WHEEL PUMP

At present, the developments have been focused on the application of nonconventional sources of energy such as solar radiation, biomass, wind and others to
industries, especially agriculture-countrys main industry. Farmers most problems in their
plantation is the supplied water from canals and irrigations is not sufficient because it is
far from the irrigation system and it is in higher altitude. These farmers, in order for a
sufficient and proper water volume supply in their farms they are forced to buy gasolinepowered pumps in order to provide the right amount of water needed. In this context, the
utilization of a free energy from streams for pumping water for agriculture crops and
water deposits is therefore, highly feasible.
1.2 Objectives of the Study
From the problems in the area of agriculture, especially farmers the researcher
thought of a way to help in the agriculture for better crop. For this reason, the design,
fabrication and evaluation of a stream driven spiral hydraulic pump will be undertaken.
Thus the objectives of this study were as follows:
1. To design a spiral wheel pump with the following parts:
a. Coiled PVC hose
b. Wheel
c. Paddle
d. Frame
e. Floater
f. Scoop
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DESIGN, FABRICATION AND EVALUATION OF A STREAM DRIVEN HYDRAULIC WHEEL PUMP

2. To provide a low maintenance spiral hydraulic wheel pump;

3. To provide a stream powered hydraulic wheel pump, and;
4. To evaluate the performance of the hydraulic wheel pump in terms of:
a. Pumping capacity (m3/s);
b. Total head delivery (m); and
c. Pump efficiency
1.3 Significance of the Study
This project will be beneficial to the following:
To the RESEARCHER. This study will provide more knowledge to the
researcher what are the beneficial of hydraulic wheel pump and its operation.
To the FACULTY. This spiral hydraulic wheel pump will serve as a helpful aid
in teaching to widen the knowledge of students to the application and principles or related
subjects to maintain and improve quality of learning.
To the STUDENT. The spiral hydraulic pump will serve as the medium to help
the students especially in understanding the concepts and principles in the Pumps and
Machine Design and in harnessing the use of free energy.
To the FARMERS. The spiral hydraulic pump will provide farmers a low
maintenance hydraulic pump, and will help in the irrigation system of the farmers.
To the FUTURE RESEARCHERS. The project will be of great help in
improving the use of free energy and a source of ideas in planning and subsequent
fabrication of the same or other equipment.
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DESIGN, FABRICATION AND EVALUATION OF A STREAM DRIVEN HYDRAULIC WHEEL PUMP

To the UNIVERSITY/SCHOOL. The project will be beneficial in

university/school especially those who are near the river that will provide water for
comfort rooms.
Scope and Limitations of the Project
This study is limited to the design, fabrication and evaluation of stream driven
spiral hydraulic wheel pump and will focus on how to help and provide sufficient water
supply for irrigations near rivers and in a small scale farm. This study does not focus on
the water purity and properties.
The study is designed for providing water and a delivery head for up to 50 feet
and can only be used when there is least -1 ft. level of water in the river bank.
1.5 Definition of Terms
1. Air lift - The air, which is compressed as it moves toward the centre of the wheel,
expands as it goes up the delivery pipe
2. Archimedes Principle any object, wholly or partially immersed in a fluid, is
buoyed up by a force equal to the weight of the fluid displaced by the object.
3. Blow-back- occurs when the pump pressure exceeds the cumulative pressures of
the coils.
4. Buoyant Force the upward force resulting from an object being wholly or
partially immersed in fluid.
5. Flow over - The flow appears to take place only when the inner coils have
insufficient volume to contain the compressed air and water passing to them.
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DESIGN, FABRICATION AND EVALUATION OF A STREAM DRIVEN HYDRAULIC WHEEL PUMP

6. Hydraulic operated by pressure transmitted through a pipe by a liquid, such as

water or oil.
7. Rotary union - allow hoses to pivot, which prevents or reduces stress from
bending, twisting and stretching.
8. Spiral hydraulic wheel pumpa method of pumping water by using undershot
water wheel which has a scoop connected to a spiral tube.
9. Stream driven powered by a running flow of water
10. Buoyancy resultant upward pressure of fluid on an immersed or floating body
11. Floater any material that is capable of floating

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DESIGN, FABRICATION AND EVALUATION OF A STREAM DRIVEN HYDRAULIC WHEEL PUMP

Chapter 2
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
Related Literature
This chapter presents the related literature which will help in conceptualizing the
study.
John Herman described that, the hydraulic wheel pump, can be made from a
single length of coiled poly pipe and is designed to be powered by water. The pipe is
coiled in a vertical plane and mounted on a horizontal axle. As the paddles rotate the coil
of poly pipe above the water, the lower part is immersed. The open end of the coil takes a
small gulp of water every time it rotates. An alternating sequence of air and water is
driven along the pipe towards the centre of the spiral. Successive coils of pipe lead to a
cumulative increase in the pumps pressure output. When a land-fixed pipe is connected
to the last and smallest coil, then water can be shifted to a higher point, such as a dam or
a tank.
Peter Tailer (1986) stated that, the Wirtz pump is constructed so that, with each
revolution of the spiral, the scoop collected one half the volume of the outer coil. As
water is taken into the coils, each column of water transmits the pressure through the air
to the preceding column of water. In this way the water in each coil is displaced to
provide a pressure head. A cumulative head is built up at the inner coils and is convey
through the rotary fitting to an ascending delivery pipe.

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Peter Tailer (1986) and Chris Pirazzi (2005) stated that, the very principle that allows this
pump to create columns of water within its coils, that of alternately taking in air and
water, also acts to increase the delivery head. The air, which is compressed as it moves
toward the centre of the wheel, expands as it goes up the delivery pipe, producing a lift
effect on the water.
Ewbank (1849) stated that, this wheel pump follows the principle of Boyles
pressure-volume relationship and the coil volumes would change with respect to changes
in the entrapped air volumes. This hydraulic wheel pump works and pumps per
revolution. As water is taken into the coils, each column of water transmitted the pressure
through the air to the preceding column of water. In this way the water in each coil is
displaced to provide a pressure head (http://lurkertech.com/water/pump/tailer/).
The advantages of these devices are their inherent mechanical simplicity
combined with the fact that, unlike an Archimedean screw, they can deliver into a pipe to
a head of up to about 8-10 m, making them more versatile (Natural Resources
Management and Environment Department).
There are records of preindustrial technology that can be a source of concepts
which can be updated with modern materials and modified to be utilized in today's
technology transfer efforts. Peter Tailer (1976) cited that one of these technologies is the
low cost and low technology pump which was created by H.A. Wirtz in 1746 and called
to be as Wirtz spiral pump. The Wirtz spiral pump was constructed so the end of the

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DESIGN, FABRICATION AND EVALUATION OF A STREAM DRIVEN HYDRAULIC WHEEL PUMP

outside pipe coil opened into a scoop. The inner coil led to the centre of the wheel where
it joined a rotary fitting at the axis of the machine.
The Wirtz pump was constructed so that, with each revolution of the spiral, the
scoop collected one half the volume of the outer coil. As water was taken into the coils,
each column of water transmitted the pressure through the air to the preceding column of
water. In this way the water in each coil was displaced to provide a pressure head. A
cumulative head was built up at the inner coils and was conveyed through the rotary
fitting to an ascending delivery pipe (http://lurkertech.com/water/pump/tailer/).
Archimedes Principle
Archimedes Principle stated that, The buoyant force acting on a body immersed
in a fluid is equal to the weight of the fluid displaced by the body, and it acts upwards
through the centroid of the displaced volume.
Archimedes principle stated that buoyant force acting on an immersed object is
equal to the weight of the displaced water. The explanation is not limited to the liquid but
the gases too. Both density of an object and fluid will determines the buoyant force.
An object will float if the object is less dense than the fluid. In contrast, an object
will sink if the object is denser than the fluid. (Law Xue Ni, 2012)
Plastic Bottle
The bottles for mineral water are utilized by Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET)
plastic, an amorphous or transparent material. A PET plastic are also included the
semicrystallinethermoplastic material that own the opaque and white surface. The latter is
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DESIGN, FABRICATION AND EVALUATION OF A STREAM DRIVEN HYDRAULIC WHEEL PUMP

widely used to store the detergent and lubricant. This material is generally good
resistance to mineral oils, solvents and acids but not to bases. The semi-crystalline
PET has better strength, ductility, stiffness and hardness compare to amorphous
type that has better ductility with less stiffness and hardness. On the other hand, the PET
will not react with oxygen and carbon dioxide and this well barrier are suitable for the use
for mineral water. (Law Xue Ni, 2012)

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DESIGN, FABRICATION AND EVALUATION OF A STREAM DRIVEN HYDRAULIC WHEEL PUMP

Chapter III
MATERIALS AND METHODS
This part of the study focuses on the design, fabrication, procedures, testing,
evaluation and the financial and technical aspects of the study.
3.1 Materials
The following are the materials and equipment will be used in constructing and
evaluation of the spiral hydraulic wheel pump.
Table 3.1: Materials that will be used in the fabrication of the wheel pump
Materials
Dimension
Quantity
Amount
Corrugated steel
9 mm diameter
10 pcs
Php 1 400.00
20 ft. long
G.I. Sheet
Gage 18
2 pcs
Php 400.00
PVC hose

Pillow block bearing

Angle bars
Sprocket
Bolts and nuts
Teflon Tape
PVC pipe

1 diameter
25 ft. long
1.5 diameter
50 ft. long
1 diameter
2 x 2
20 ft.
7 diameter

4 diameter
6 long

Fishnet
Reducer
Rotary fitting
Plastic Bottles

1 pc

Php 500.00

1 pc

Php 1,200.00

2 pcs

Php180.00

3 pcs

Php360.00

2 pcs

Php 40.00

2 pcs
1 pc

Php 30.00
Php 40.00

1 pc

Php 15.00

1.5-1
1 diameter
1.5 L

1 pc
Php 50.00
1 pc
Php 100.00
30 pcs
Php4 315.00
Estimated Total Amount:
Table 3.1 show the materials that will be used and the corresponding price in each
material.
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3.2 Tools and Equipment

The tools and equipment that will be used in fabricating and assembling the wheel
pump are as follows:
1. Hacksaw

4. Tape measure

2. Tin snip

5. Arc Welding Machine

3. Grinder
3.3 Methods
A. Design Criteria
The design and evaluation of the hydraulic wheel pump is directed toward its
ability to pump water efficiently, application to existing pump types and utilization
for domestic purposes.
Some of the physical factors to be considered are: volume flow rate, size and
number of paddles, wheel diameter, diameter and number of coils, submergence of
the coil, inlet pipe diameter and height of storage/tank.
B. Design and Construction
The hydraulic wheel pump is designed and constructed to meet the conditions
mentioned in the above criteria. The hydraulic wheel pump is constructed based on
the prepared working design.
The hydraulic wheel pump is consisted essentially of a coiled PVC hose, a
wheel, paddles, scoop, frame, floater and a rotary fitting. The materials will be used

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are those locally available to minimize the cost with the consideration in its
durability, efficiency and performance.
PVC hose.
The hose is formed in the diameter of the wheel having 12 coils fasten in the
frame of the wheel and is connected to the rotary fitting fasten by rubber. The first 4
coils will be a 1.5 diameter PVC hose and the remaining coils are 1 in diameter
PVC hose.

Fig. 3.1: (a) Isometric View of the designed coiled hose, (b) Front View of the coiled hose

Wheel
The wheel is built by 2mm corrugated bars having an outside diameter of 13
and an inner diameter of 12 with 16 frames connected to the centre and the rotary
fitting. From the centre on the other side a shaft will be welded having a in
diameter and a bearing will be used to provide a smooth rotation of the wheel. The
other side the shaft will be a hollow shaft to allow the passage of water from the
coiled pipe.

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Fig. 3.2: (a) Isometric View of the wheel, (b) Front View of wheel

Paddles
The paddles are constructed out of BI sheet gage 18, with a height and wide of
6 angled up to 30. It is connected to the outer diameter of the wheel having 16
wheels (see design).

Fig. 3.3: (a) Isometric View of the paddles, (b) Zoomed Front View of the paddle

Frame and floater

The frame is made from angle bars of 1 x 1 x 2mm size. These angle bars
will be cut and welded to form the frame having 8-8.25 in length and 1-1.25 wide.
The other side of the frame will have an angled support for better rigidity or the frame

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during the rotation of the wheel. The floater is consist of 1.5L plastic bottles that will
be joined together by a net.

Fig. 3.4: (a) Isometric View of the frame and the floater

Scoop
The scoop is made from PVC pipe 4 in diameter and the other side is cut for
about 30 - 40 for better scoop of water during the rotation of the wheel. From the
opening of the scoop a filter will also be used to avoid unnecessary materials that will
clog the pipe.

Fig. 3.5: (a) Zoomed View of the scoop, (b) Isometric View of the scoop

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C. Operation
The hydraulic wheel pump is operated by first, putting and fixing the frame
beside a stream or river. The frame will have a floater in order to vary its level
position as the water level changes. After the frame is fixed, the wheel will be
installed in the frame. The stream of the river will cause the rotation of the wheel and
will begin to pump.
The stream will cause the wheel to rotate, and will cause the scoop to get
water in each revolution. The pressure of trapped air inside the pipe will push the
water and will start to pump.
D. Machine Design Evaluation
After fabricating the machine it will be used and tested in Bued River,
Bantugan, Pozorrubio, Pangasinan.
Location

Fig.3.6 The farm that will be supplied by water

using the pump.

Fig.3.7 The river where the pump will be

placed.

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3.3 Design Evaluation

The design evaluation will help fully understand what will be the output of the
hydraulic wheel pump. It will provide what are the specific output, performance and
efficiency of the pump. It will also determine the parameters and the capacity and what
will be the minimum requirement needed for the pump to work.
The machine will be evaluated for its effectiveness in terms of the following:
1. Work Output
This will be done by getting the product of Q, H and .
Where: Q = Discharge
H = Total Head
= Specific weight of the water

(Roger S. Capote and Joel A. Mandawe, Primes Power Plant Engineering 2007)
2. Work Input
To know the work input:
Where: F = Force in pounds exerted at wheel circumference
Rev = No. of Revolutions
Circumference of the Wheel = * Diameter of the Wheel (D)

(http://lurkertech.com/water/pump/tailer/)

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3. Efficiency of the Pump (Efficiency)

To determine the efficiency of the pump, work output is divided by the work
input and then multiplied by 100.

(http://lurkertech.com/water/pump/tailer/)
4. Design for a Spiral Wheel Pump
To know the number of spiral pump coils for a given delivery head on a given
size of the wheel, these have been derived from Boyles pressure-volume law.
Where:
D = h1 = wheel and outer coil diameter and outer coil head
H = delivery head
n = number of coils
d = pipe diameter
hn = head in nth coils
From Boyles Law:
P1 = Patm + D
Pn = Patm + H
(

To find hn:
(

)
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DESIGN, FABRICATION AND EVALUATION OF A STREAM DRIVEN HYDRAULIC WHEEL PUMP

Therefore:

To find n:

Therefore:

Once the numbers of coils required for a given wheel are determined to provide a
given pressure or head, a suitable pipe size can be selected to form the coils of the spiral
pump (Pirazzi, Chris, 2005).
5.

Design for the floater

In order to get the specific numbers of bottles to be used in the floater:
Where: m = total mass of the pump
F = density of water
VF = volume of water displaced
R = density of the floater
VR = volume of the floater
AR = cross sectional area of the floater
hR = height by which the floater sinks
mR = mass of the floater = (R) (VR)
m = total mass of the pump
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Archimedes Principle => mR = mF

mF = mR = (F) (VF)
VF = (AR) ( hR)
Maximum volume of water that can be displaced is equal to the volume of the floater
submerged in the water
VF = VR
Archimedes Principle => m = mF
m= mF = (F) (VF)
mass of load = m - mR
(Visual Physics, School of Physics University of Sydney)

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Gantt Chart

September

Weeks

October
4

November
4

December
4

January
4

February
4

March
4

1.Identification
of the
Problem
2. Literature
Search
3. Planning the
Design
4. Purchase of
the Materials
Needed
5. Fabrication
of the Design
6. Testing and
Evaluation
7. Revisions
and
Improvement
of Design
8. Collecting
and Recording
Data
9. Computation
and Analysis
of Data

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DESIGN, FABRICATION AND EVALUATION OF A STREAM DRIVEN HYDRAULIC WHEEL PUMP

Flowchart of the Design

Identification of the Problem

Literature Search
Design Conceptualization and
Planning

Purchase and Gathering the

Materials and Equipment

Fabrication of the Design

Testing the Design

Evaluation of the Design

Modification of the Design

Collecting and Recording Data

Does it meet the Design
Requirements?

No

Computation and Analysis of Data

Conclusion and Recommendation

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Design Assembled Layout

Figure 3.8: The whole layout of the design

Figure 3.8 shows the isometric view of the whole layout of the design.

Figure 3.9 Closer view of the design from the rotary union.

Figure 3.8 shows the isometric view of the closer view of the design from the rotary union.

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Figure 3.10. The connection of the delivery pipe from the rotary union.

Delivery pipe

Figure 3.8 shows the isometric view of the connection of the delivery pipe from the rotary union.

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References
Anonymous. Floating and Sinking, Ideas for Teaching Science: Years P-8. Deakin
University
Anonymous. Visual Physics. School of Physics University of Sydney. Australia Capote,
Roger S.,Mandawe, Joel A. 2007. Primes Power Plant Engineering
Bittle,

Ivor

2008.

2.2

Design

Study

for

Model

Paddle

Wheels.

http://www.ivorbittle.co.uk/Articles/Paddle%20wheel/The%20paddle%20wheel%20desig
n%20study%20for%20the%20internet.htm#_ftnref1 (Accessed 2015-12-05)
Understanding

Density

and

the

Buoyant

Force.

http://physics.stackexchange.com/question/226728/understanding-density-and-thebouyant-force (Accessed 2015-11-28)

https://formulas.tutorvista.com/physics/buoyancy-formula.html?view=simle

(Accessed

2016-01-01)
https://mathforcollege.com/nm/mws/gen/03nle/mws_gen_nle_phy_problems.pdf
(Accessed 2016-01-01)
https://rraft.blogspot.co.ke/2009/01/finished.html?m=1 (Accessed 2015-12-21)
Friedl, Sarah. Buoyancy: Calculating Force and Density with Archimedes Principle.
https://study.com/academy/lesson.buoyancy-calculating-force-and-density-witharchimedes-principle.html (Accessed 2016-01-01)
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https://www.bemidjistate.edu/academics/departments/science/k12-science-unis/cartesiandiver.pdf (Accessed 2016-01-01)

https://www.boatdesign.net/forums/boat-design/floatation-formula-1487.html (Accessed
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Ron

2015.

How

Object

Float

in

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https://www.school-for-

champios.com/science/fluid_floating.htm#VopaFTPvD4l (Accessed 2015-12-05)

Floating

Rice

Bottle

science

Magic

The

https://www.stevespanglerscience.com/lab/expirements/floating-rice-bottles/

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2015-12-21)
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Klas, Roman, Pochyly, Frantisek et.al. 2014. Hydraulic Losses in the Spiral Case of Low
Specific Speed Pumps. Technicka 2, 61669 Brno, Czech Republic
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