STUDIES ON INCLINED WATER WHEEL SPIRAL PUMP

PROJECT REFERENCE NO.: 38S1382

COLLEGE : JSS POLYTECHNIC, MYSURU

BRANCH : CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT.
GUIDE : MR. M CHANNAMALLIKARJUNA
STUDENTS : MR. SACHIN S
MR. NINAD DINESH
MR. DARSHAN S P
MR. SHREYAS PATEL

Key words used in synopsis: Blow-back pressure, Cost effective, Delivery head, Double coil,
Hydraulic power, Low cost, Non-renewable energy, Pipe coils, Spiral pump, Water wheel.

Introduction / background:
The search for cost effective pump which can be run using renewable energy sources is a top
research priority worldwide. The spiral pump run by hydraulic power using water wheel which
was invented originally in the year 1746 by H.A. Wirtz of Switzerland is one such pump.
Unfortunately it was forgotten and lost for more than a century.
Fortunately it was reinvented in 1984 by Peter Morgan of Zimbabwe. The work of Peter
Morgan is published in a Blair Bulletin in the year 1984.
An inclined coil spiral pump was developed by David Hilton of Australia and the work is
reported in the quarterly “water lines”, Intermediate Technology Publications LTD, London, UK,
in the issues of July 1987 and October 1989.

WATER WHEEL SPIRAL PUMPS:

Water wheel spiral pump mainly consists of two parts:
¾ A spiral pipe system consisting of a number of coils.
¾ A water wheel on which the spiral pipe system is mounted.
Types:
Depending on the direction of the plan of the pipe coils. Following are the two types of
pumps.
1. Vertical spiral pump.
2. Inclined spiral pump.

Objectives:
Main objective of the project is to update and promote one of the concepts of preindustrial
technology which is about 270 years old which is an appropriate solution addressing the present
and future problems of POWER CRISIS by using one of the best renewable energy source
namely hydraulic power and encourage maximum use of natural water sources especially rivers
and rivulets.
The concept and technology involved in water wheel spiral pump system is well-known for
its low investment cost, almost nil operating cost, low maintenance cost and also low skill
required for its operation and maintenance. The most valuable part is that the system works on
hydraulic power generated by the moving water through water wheel which is a built-in apart of
the system without demanding extra cost.
The main drawback in the present context is lack of technical back up and lack of basic
information about the application of the system and the benefits. Hence it’s proposed to study the
effects of parameters’ influencing the performance of the pump.

Methodogy:
Part A
An experimental model is developed to understand the working principle of spiral pumps.

Part B
An experimental set up is fabricated to study performance of inclined spiral pump by rotating it
manually.

The experimental study is carried out by installing the pump system in a water tank of size
1.5mx1.2mx2m.

A 20 liter plastic drum is used as collecting tank for measuring the discharge of the pump
Manual power is used by rotating the pump by hands

The time taken to fill 20 liters water drum is measured

Diameter of pipe coil: Two values namely 1000mm and 800mm

Size of the pipe: Two values namely 18mm and 36mm.

Pipe material: Plastic.

Number of coils: Single coil and double coil using only 18mm pipe.

Number of coil rounds: 9 rounds.

Speed of rotation: 8 to 9rpm

Inclination: 20degree with horizontal.

Power: Manual

To study the performance of pump the discharge was measured for different static heads of
0.6m, 2.9m, 4.6m, and 8.6m.The results are calculated and tabulated.
Results, conclusion and applications:

19mmPIP 19mmPIP 38mmPIP 38mmPI

19mmPIPE, E, 19mmPIPE, E, E, PE,
1000mm 800mm 1000mm 800mm 1000mm 800mm
S
DIA DIA DIA DIA DIA DIA
L. TOTAL
COIL,SIN COIL,SI COIL,DOU COIL,DO COIL,SI COIL,SI
N HEAD IN M
GLE COIL NGLE BLE COIL UBLE NGLE NGLE
O
PUMP IN COIL PUMP IN COIL COIL COIL
LPH PUMP IN LPH PUMP IN PUMP IN PUMP
LPH LPH LPH IN LPH
1 0.6 620.7 385 705.9 590.2 1611.8 1421
2 2.6 459.8 331.8 660.6 377 1449.6 1255.9
3 4.6 377.6 295.1 600 320.5 645 **
4 6.6 361.8 143.3 ** 276.9 ** **
5 8.6 289.6 121.4 ** 115 ** **

CONCLUSIONS:
Inclined spiral pump are observed to perform satisfactorily and meet the requirement of very low
head- low to medium discharge pumps.
Higher size of coil pipes of up to 38mm diameter is observed to be more effective in case of
single coil pump of very low heads capacity.
Pumping is intermittent due to alternate water and air columns which is inevitable.
Double coil pumps are observed to be more susceptible to blow-back phenomenon and
hence are less efficient at medium and high heads
Higher size for coil pipe is more susceptible to blow-back phenomenon and hence are less
effective at medium and high heads.

Application:
SPIRAL PUMPS ARE MOST APPROPRIATE AND COST EFFECTIVE IN
OVERCOMING THE POWER CRISIS IN FUTURE YEARS AND KEY TO THE HOPES OF
FARMERS IN GENERAL.
INCLIENED SPIRAL PUMPS ARE MORE SUITABLE FOR LOW HEAD AND SHORT
LENGTH CONDITIONS LIKE STREAMS, REVULETS AND CONTOUR CANALS.

Scope for future studies:

¾ More efficient experimental setup enabling consistent results.
¾ Studies on the effect of other parameters like speed of rotation, materials of coil pipe
and wide range of values of parameters.
¾ Field study to collect the details of natural streams and rivulets to supplement data
required in design of water wheel.
 ¾ Conceiving a working model which shows the performance of pump using water
wheel and designing and fabricating it. This will help for an effective transfer of
technology through technical exhibitions.

EXPIREMENTAL SETUP TO UNDERSTAND THE WORKING PRINCIPLE OF SPIRAL

PUMP:
EXPIRIMENTAL SETUP OF INCLINED SPIRAL PUMP: