Solar Rope Pump, Malawi, Blog 4. WATER!!!

The working solar powered rope pump paid for by Solar Aid and installed at Mzuzu University in the north of Malawi, October 2008.

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• Solar
• SolarAid
• Malawi
• Rope
• Pump

[smoochymacoolah]

I'm in Hungary, Europe and would like to use this type of pump for well 80 meters deep. It's possible according to the blog below. Where can I get design plans etc. Thanks, Tom

[caijwilliams]

@smoochymacoolah

I apologise for the very late response, the solar rope-pump is an ongoing project that is at the moment on the back burner. I hope to put together a detailed manufacturing and design guide within the next few months. I will be happy to email you details when it is ready.

Thank you for your interest

Cai

[Hamish121212]

I think id like to put one of these on my bore - would be a lot cheaper to run than the grid poweed pump I have now. Any limitations to how deep this will work? My bore s 165 meters deep and the water is about 50 meters down when not in use.

[caijwilliams]

Theoretically there is no limit to the depth a rope pump can pump from, I know of a diesel powered version of the pump that has been reported to pump frrm 90m. Its just a case of how big a motor and solar panel you are prepared to pay for.

Unfortunately the solar-rope-pump is still in development, however, it should be ready by May 2010.

Thanks for the interested and I'll be sure to keep you posted on the pump's progress.

Ta

[CakesPix]

too awesome. major accomplishment!!

for pistons, maybe wood or clay would be okay too. but the plastic is excellent. it can be sanded down to size maybe?

[caijwilliams]

Thanks, but unfortunately it wasn't me that came up with the pump design. Numerous people from Holland, Nicaragua, Zimbabwe, Britain and elsewhere have formed the pump design that I copied for the solar pump. I think clay , wood and rubber tyres resulted in too low efficiencies unfortunately but it was obviously a good idea as they wouldn't have already tried it out. The pipe as a mould is something else I'm looking into whilst trying to make the piston manufacture easier and cheaper.

Ta

Cai

[ANTIDAJAL13]

@caijwilliams hello thanks for the nice work. is it possible to have the design guide

[garyshouse305]

Water Crisis - A Solution.wmv

[DamienDelaplace]

A great video,

However, technology is usually not the matter. What matters is: does it work once the external help (the Muzungu) is gone: is there appropriation? Does is comply to the expectation of the people? Do the people maintain it? It is replicated? If not... why?

I am very interested in this experience. Three years later: what is the situation?

DD.

[gaiatechnician]

There is a new type of pump called a nano airlift pump. Basically, it uses very low pressure air and optimized tube sizes to pump water using the airlift process and plug flow. In my test video, I used enough pressure to push air 1 meter deep under water and pumped to 4 meters high. (But this is not the limit to height). It is different to normal airlift pumps because of the extremely low pressure and the extremely small submergence. Please take a look and test it. Thanks, Brian White

[eddieconnors]

Hi, Great video. Thanks.

We have a selection of renewable energy courses in our Autumn Brochure.

visit imecofarm for more details. Thanks. Eddie

[UnoRaza]

Cool idea!

Sort of like the "screw" delivery design with "cups" instead of threads pulling the water through.