A Study on the Number of Waste Valves Affecting Pumping Rates of a Hydraulic Ram

Abstract

The objective of this research is to study the possibility of increasing the pumping rates of hydraulic ram. The study was conducted into 3 sub-sets which were firstly, experimented by using the prototype hydraulic ram according to the design of the National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), secondly, experimented by increased two waste valves in series, and finally, by increased three waste valves in series. The inlet water tank level was 2.15 meters high and the destination water tank was 4.45 meters high. Experimental results were shown that the prototype from NSTDA recorded a flow rate of 7.87 liters per minute, 63% efficiency. While the 2-waste valve experiment observed a pumping rate of 13.30 liters per minute, an efficiency of 52 percent, and the 3-waste valve measured a highest flow rate of 16.48 liters per minute, with an efficiency of 51 percent. From this research, it was found that when modifying the prototype hydraulic ram from NSTDA. By increasing the number of drain valves to 2 and 3 in series, the pumping rates were increased by 1.68 and 2.09 times, respectively.