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Hydraulic Ram
for Fuel-free Water Lifting
By
Roberto A. Alaban, Jr.
Design|Fabrication|Installation
Technology transfer|Consultancy
Mobile:
0928 763 2788
E-mail:
Website:
http://ra-initiatives.tripod.com
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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 ahigher location (relative to the ram) and
passing through it, to lift a small volume to a
location significantly higher than the ram andthe source of water.
It has only 2 moving parts.
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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;
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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
ramup to 30 meters delivery height per 1 meterof supply fall, although typically the most efficient
is within a ratio of 10:1 or less, and;
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Characteristics of a Hydraulic Ram
Water-Lifting System
(6) due to the rams 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.
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History
The hydraulic ram is a very old, and well-
proven, technology for lifting water.
In 1772, Englishman John Whitehurst
invented a manually-operated precursor
of the hydraulic ram called the "pulsationengine." The first one he installed in 1775
raised water to a height of 16 ft. (4.9 m).
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History
The first self-acting ram pump was invented by the
Frenchman Joseph Michel Montgolfier in 1796 forraising 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 wasacquired, together with Whitehurst's design, in 1820by Josiah Easton, a Somerset-born engineer who hadjust moved to London.
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History
Easton's firm, inherited by his son James grew duringthe nineteenth century to become one of the moreimportant engineering manufacturers in the United
Kingdom, with a large works at Erith, Kent. Theyspecialised in water supply and sewerage systemsworld-wide, as well as land drainage projects. TheEastons had a good business supplying rams for water
supply purposes to large country houses, and also tofarms and village communities, and a number of theirinstallations still survive up to this day.
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History
In 1929 the company was acquired by Green &
Carter, of Winchester, Hampshire, who were engaged
in the manufacturing and installation of the well-known Vulcan and Vacher rams. Green & Carter now
function from Ashbrittle, near Wellington, Somerset,
U.K.
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Ram Pumps in the 21st century
Surprisingly, in the Philippines the ram pump is still arelatively unknown technology and has not beenpart of the governments program for irrigation or
potable water delivery. Even more surprising, manytechnically-trained individuals (engineers) have notheard about a ram pump and could not believethat water can be continuously pumped to alocation much higher than its source by waterinertia alone, by a pump that has only two movingparts!
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Ram Pumps in the 21st century
Even in the countrys premier agricultural
engineering school the hydraulic ram is taught
mainly in theory and in passing, and oneagricultural engineering professor has dismissed itfor water-lifting work as inefficient because it canpump only a small portion of the total volume ofwater that passes through it (even though the fuel
expense is totally zero).
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Parts of a Hydraulic Ram
The ram pump is a very old technology, andfor over two centuries many designs have
been tried. Today, rams come in a variety ofshapes and sizes, yet many of the
incorporated modifications are merevariations 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.
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Parts of a Hydraulic Ram
Air chamber
Impulsevalve
Body
Feet
Deliverypipe stub
Delivery
valve
Drive pipestub
Shown is ChinookMP-2 2-inch ramdesigned by theauthor
Air snifter
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Parts of a Hydraulic Ram
Air chamber
Impulsevalve
Body
Feet
Deliverypipe stub
Delivery
valve
Drive pipestub
Shown is a large-bore Chinese-madehydraulic ram pump
Air snifter
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Parts of a Hydraulic Ram
Air chamber
Impulse valve
Body
Feet
Delivery pipe stub
Delivery valve
Drive pipe stub
Air snifter
Different forms, same substance
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TYPICAL COMPONENTS OF A HYDRAULIC RAMWATER-LIFTING SYSTEM
Fall(Drive head)
Lift(Delivery head)
Supply pipe
Drive tank
Drive pipeHydraulicRampump
Delivery pipe
Source (river, stream, spring)Service area/Storagefacility (not shown)
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COST OF A HYPOTHETICAL HYDRAULIC RAM SET UPwith 2-INCH RAM
Assuming data as shown
Fall, 3 m
Lift, 20 m
Supply pipe30 m
Drive pipe
12 mHydraulicRam pump,2 inches
Delivery pipe60 m
Source flow rate
120 liters/minute
Estimated output:
= (Fall * Volume * 0.60)/Lift
= (3 * 120 * 0.60)/20
= 10.8 liters/minute
= 15,552 liters/day
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COST OF A HYPOTHETICAL HYDRAULIC RAM SET UPwith 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 1,500.00Drive tank: 220-liter PVC drum 900.00Drain pipe: g.i. nipple 1 x 6 , sched. 40, 1 pc. -- 45.00Gate valve 1 , 1 pc. 125.00Drive pipe: 2-inch g.i. pipe, schedule 40 , 2 lengths 2,600.00G.i. coupling, 2 inches, 1 pc. 85.00
G.i. union, 2 inches, 1 pc. 105.00G.i. nipple, 2 x 6, sched. 40, 2 pcs. 140.00PVC ball valve, 2 inches, with threaded ends 280.00G.i. union, 1 , 1 pc. -- 65.00G.i. nipple, 1 x 4, sched. 40, 1 pc. -- 55.00Swing check valve, 1 , 1 pc. -- 215.00Delivery pipe: 1 commercial grade HDPE pipe, 60 meters -- 750.00Cement for drive tank and hydraulic ram base, 3 bags -- 600.00Mixing sand -- 200.00Miscellaneous -- 500.00
(Fabricated)
2-inch hydraulic ram pump 12,000.00Ram cradle 800.00
-----------------------
Total P 20,965.00
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LIST OF CLIENTS
1. El Nido Foundation, Palawan May 2006
2. Nono Cabatac, El Nido, Palawan -- May 20063. Victorias City Eco-park -- July 20064. Felino Javier, Rosario, Batangas -- September 20065. Dr. Nolasco, Roxas City -- October 20066. Antonio Villanueva, South Cotabato -- October 20067. Rod Plopio, Occ. Mindoro -- November 20068. Eric Payucong, La Union November 20069. Dan Cabitac, Batanes -- November 200610. Gil Montilla, Ubay, Bohol -- December 200611. Christopher Agbayani, Puerto Princesa December 200612. Reynaldo Rosales, Lipa, Batangas -- December 200613. Mike Yukor, Dumaguete -- January 200614. Betty Yap, Cebu City -- January 200715. Leyte Prov. Govt -- January 200716. Vince Emnas, Baybay, Leyte -- January 2007
11. Frank Colloquio, Guimaras -- February 200712. Bernardino Verano, Brookes Point, Palawan February 200713. Jun Padilla, Manila February 200714. Ramon Ko, Bacolod City March 200715. Virgie Neo, Tanay, Rizal -- March 200716. Manolo Chua, Zambales March 200717. Abelardo Dapat, Limay, Bataan -- March 200718. Juan Ochoa, Pasuquin, Ilocos Norte March 200719. Roy Castaeda, Camotes Island March 200720. Leopoldo Avecilla, Alaminos, Laguna March 200721. Atty. Jose Gangan, Ilagan, Isabela March 200722. Ruby Ann Baetiong, Manila -- March 200723. Dr. Aristeo Tantoco, Rio Tuba, Palawan -- March 200724. Metro Clark Waste Management Corp. -- April 200725. George Bautista, Bamban, Tarlac -- April 200732 . Aurelia Rarang, Baguio City -- May 2007
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Multiple-ram set up
Six 4-inch hydraulic rams with a combined output of more than 300,000 litersper day irrigate around 35 hectares of farmland in central Negros Occidental.