FACULTY OF ENGINEERING

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL MECHANIZATION AND

IRRIGATION ENGINEERING

DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF A PEDAL

POWERED WATER PUMP

By
Namubiru Beatrice Babirye
BU/UG/2009/16
nbeatrice06@gmail.com
+256 779230585

Supervisor: Eng. OdogolaWilfred Richard

Co-supervisor: Mr.Odongo Samuel Atochon

A research proposal presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the award
of the degree of Bachelors of Agricultural Mechanization and Irrigation Engineering of
Busitema University

NOVEMBER 2012
DECLARATION

I, Namubiru Beatrice Babirye, hereby declare to the best of my knowledge that this proposal
is an outcome of my own work and has not been presented for any academic award in any
university, college or higher institution of learning. Throughout the work I have
acknowledged all sources in its compilation

NAMUBIRU BEATRICE BABIRYE

Date.......................................................

APPROVAL

This project proposal has been submitted to Faculty of Engineering for examination with
approval from the following supervisors:

Eng. Odogola Wilfred Richard

MAIN SUPERVISOR
Date: ………………………

Mr.Odongo Samuel Atochon.

BU/UG/2009/16 FINAL YEAR PROJECT PROPOSAL Page 2

CO-SUPERVISOR
Date: ………………………

DEDICATION

I dedicate this proposal to my dear parents Mr. and Mrs. Damulira Angelo of Kirumba
Masaka, my sisters Oliver, Resty and Sarah not forgetting my uncles Swaibu and Ismail
whose love, care, support, encouragement, patience and belief in me got me this far.

BU/UG/2009/16 FINAL YEAR PROJECT PROPOSAL Page 3

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I am so grateful to God the Almighty who has seen me through the years and who by His
grace I keep shining.

I am indebted to my dear brothers, sisters, classmates and friends to whom I extend sincere
appreciation for their guidance and support.

I extend my gratitude to all my Lecturers at the Faculty of Engineering, Department of

Agricultural Mechanization and Irrigation Engineering, who have equipped me with
academic knowledge that has guided me to succeed in my studies for the four academic
years.

I wish to acknowledge the valuable assistance given to me at various stages in the preparation
of this report by my supervisors Eng. Odogola Richard Wilfred and Mr. Odongo Samuel
Atochon whose directions and guidance enabled me to successfully complete the proposal.
To my golden friends Max, Ronald, Doreen and Ibrahim thanks. You always helped me out
while I was still working out.
Additionally special regards go to Mr. Salanjaye William for the time offered during
consultation.

ACRONYMS.
FAO - Food and Agriculture Organization.
NPV - Net Positive Value.
VITA - Volunteers in Technical Assistance
ZITC - Zimbabwe Irrigation Technology Centre.

BU/UG/2009/16 FINAL YEAR PROJECT PROPOSAL Page 4

NSPH - Net Positive Suction Head
HP - Horse Power
PVC - Polyvinyl Chloride
Rpm - Revolutions per minute
CAD - Computer Aided Drawing

Table of Contents
DECLARATION..............................................................................................................................i
APPROVAL....................................................................................................................................ii
DEDICATION...............................................................................................................................iii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT..............................................................................................................iv
ACRONYMS...................................................................................................................................v
LIST OF TABLES.......................................................................................................................viii
LIST OF FIGURES......................................................................................................................viii
ABSTRACT...................................................................................................................................ix
BU/UG/2009/16 FINAL YEAR PROJECT PROPOSAL Page 5
CHAPTER ONE..............................................................................................................................1
1. INTRODUCTION.......................................................................................................................1
1.1 Background of the study........................................................................................................1
1.2 Problem statement.................................................................................................................2
1.3 Justification............................................................................................................................2
1.5 Objectives of the project........................................................................................................3
1.5.1 Main objective................................................................................................................3
1.5.2 Specific objectives.....................................................................................................3
1.6 Activities................................................................................................................................3
1.7 Scope of the study..................................................................................................................4
2. LITERATURE REVIEW............................................................................................................5
2.1 Water resources in Uganda....................................................................................................5
2.1.1 Surface water..................................................................................................................5
2.1.2 Groundwater Occurrence................................................................................................5
2.2 Pump design types.................................................................................................................6
2.2.1 Diaphragm pump:...........................................................................................................7
2.2.2 Piston pump:...................................................................................................................7
2.2.3 Centrifugal pump............................................................................................................7
2.3 Existing pedal pumping technology......................................................................................8
2.4 The pedal operated impeller water pump..............................................................................9
2.5 Pump construction...............................................................................................................12
2.5.2 Considerations in use of the pump....................................................................................12
2.6 Pump testing........................................................................................................................13
2.7 Economic advantages in relation to the other existing pumps............................................14
CHAPTER THREE.......................................................................................................................15
3. METHODOLOGY....................................................................................................................15
3.1 Literature review..................................................................................................................15
3.2 Design of proposed pump components................................................................................15
3.4 Fabrication and assembly................................................................................................21
3.5 Testing of the prototype pump.............................................................................................22
3.6 Economic analysis...............................................................................................................23
3.7 Expected results...................................................................................................................25
Time frame for the project.............................................................................................................26
Proposed Budget............................................................................................................................27
References......................................................................................................................................28

BU/UG/2009/16 FINAL YEAR PROJECT PROPOSAL Page 6

LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: Testing
results………………………………………………………………………….22

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1: Classification of water pumps, (Michael, 1972)..............................................................6

Figure 2: Model of an engine centrifugal pump..............................................................................8
Figure 3: Pressure Treadle Pump.....................................................................................................9
Figure 6: Pump Position................................................................................................................15
Figure 4: The pump arrangt...........................................................................................................15
Figure 5: The Pump Arrangement.................................................................................................15
Figure 7: The drive mechanism.....................................................................................................17

BU/UG/2009/16 FINAL YEAR PROJECT PROPOSAL Page 7

ABSTRACT

The needs of water in Uganda are increasingly becoming versatile. For example apart from
using water for domestic purposes, water is also needed in farms for irrigation due to climatic
changes that does not make rainfall suffice crop growing throughout the year.

For most of the systems, supply of water calls for a means of pumping it to greater heights
which in turn necessitates the availability of a pump. Various pumps are used for water
pumping world wide ranging from simple water lifts still being used in some parts of the
world like Egypt and India to sophisticated modern water pumps.

This study proposes the development of a manual powered impeller water pump operated by
pedals and cranks to help solve the water lifting and pumping problems in Uganda rural
communities. Included is the general information relevant to the research topic while clearly
showing the problem of interest for the intended research. It as well shows how this study
will help reduce the water access problem through the fulfilment of a number of objectives
and activities.

Furthermore it gives the current situation of water abundance in Uganda, with the main
source of information being the existing literatures written by other scholars that have been
involved with design of water pumps of similar nature and magnitude giving an account of
the existing models with emphasis on their draw backs, operation modes, testing and
economic analysis with reference to the proposed pump prototype.

Finally the study goes through the step by step procedures which will lead to the
achievement of the intended main objective, the necessary funds needed in form of a
proposed budget and the period of time with-in which the main purpose of the study is to be
achieved presented in form of a time-activity chart.

BU/UG/2009/16 FINAL YEAR PROJECT PROPOSAL Page 8

 CHAPTER ONE

1. INTRODUCTION

This chapter briefly gives the general information relevant to the research topic whilst clearly
showing the problem of interest for the intended research. It as well shows how this study will
help reduce the problem through the fulfilment of a number of objectives and activities listed
there in.

1.1 Background of the study

The New Vision published on the 11th day of October 2012 noted that Uganda’s population has
grown to 34.5 million. This is up from 33.8 million Ugandans in 2010. The population increase
is coupled with an increase in the water needs among other basic needs. Today in Uganda some
people do rain-water harvesting where by water is kept in surface, above ground or underground
tanks to cater for the future use. 

Uganda has an abundance of surface water resources which include rivers, lakes and wetlands
that cover about 20% of the total surface area on top of the underground water like springs or
oasis (WaterWiki.net, September 2012). Continuous need of water for different activities like for
agriculture, domestic use and for industrial use, calls for various ways of availing it to the
scattered rural communities. Water can be conveyed by means of natural slopes, by lifting to a
higher point and by means of pumps and pressurized pipelines. Devices for water lifting range
from age-old indigenous water lift equipment to highly efficient pumps. These are operated by
electric, petrol or diesel motors (Garg 1989; Michael 1990) in addition to natural resources like
wind and solar energy.

According to Alex Weir (1980), the suitability of a particular type of power source to be used
calls for its capital cost, simplicity and cost of operation, maintenance and repair. However for
some field applications portability and capability for indigenous manufacturers to fabricate it at
affordable prices is also desirable.

1
Pedal power as means of water pumping and lifting enables a person to drive devices at the same
rate as that achieved by hand-cranking, but with far less effort and fatigue. Pedal power can be
comparable with other methods but has particular utility because of the relatively simple
technology involved. Because pedal powered equipment is small scale and cheap, it can improve
the situation at hand.

1.2 Problem statement

The ever increasing difficulty in accessing clean water has raised concern to rural communities.
Different means of availing water have been used but have also posed challenges for example,
apart from being expensive due to high capital cost and fuel prices, the use of engine pumps is a
national threat to the environment in terms of emission of gases like carbon dioxide and carbon
monoxide which leads to the green house effect and other cancerous hazards. Similarly, the
current fluctuations in electricity supply and poor access to electricity grid in remote areas has
made the use of electrically powered pumps difficult. Solar and wind powered pumps involve
very high initial and installation costs on top of being less reliable due to the fact that their
functionality depends on weather conditions. This project therefore proposes the development of
a mobile, efficient and cost effective pedal-based impeller pump for pumping and lifting water
for domestic use.

1.3 Justification

The design of the pedal operated water pump will avail water to the local communities with
minimal limitations since it is an environmentally friendly device and is made of commonly
available materials like bicycle parts, bolts and others. The pedal operated water pump requires
less maintenance and minimum input energy is required to get the maximum output of water.
The pedal powered pump will be a comfortable choice because it is a familiar technology since
construction and maintenance expertise is readily available even among local communities.

2
1.4 Purpose of the study

This study will deal with the design, construction and maintenance of a pedal powered water pump
that will provide cheaper and reliable means of water availability for domestic use.

1.5 Objectives of the project

1.5.1 Main objective

To design and construct a pedal operated impeller-water pump.

1.5.2 Specific objectives.

 To conduct a detailed design analysis of the pump.
 To fabricate the designed pump system.
 To carry out limited on-station testing of the prototype with possible improvement
modifications.
 To carry out economic evaluation of the prototype.

1.6 Activities

1. Conduct a detailed design analysis of the pump.

 Review of literature concerning the intended design.

 Come up with the conceptual drawing and blue-prints of the prototype components.

 Determine the various forces acting on the drive system components.

 Tentatively select the materials for the different parts and components.

 Sizing of the pump drive shaft and selection of the impeller type.

2. Fabrication of the designed prototype.

 Based on the dimensioning above, the materials will be selected for the different parts
and these will be assembled to make an operational prototype with consideration to select
the most cost-effective fabrication methods for the various parts and components: say
through welding, forging, machining, etc.

3
3. Testing of the prototype.

 Using the pump prototype to pump water from certain source while timing for different
heights and different peddlers.

 Measure the quantities of water for different heads within specific time intervals.

 Calculate the discharge per peddler for the different heads.

 Analyze the data by coming up with a characteristic curve.

 Calculation of efficiency of the system.

 Recommend accordingly.

4. Socio-economic evaluation of the prototype

 Calculating of the costs estimates for the different components used in the fabrication of
the proto-type.

 Getting the labor costs.

 Carry out the cost-benefit analysis for the proto-type.

1.7 Scope of the study

This study will be limited to the design, construction, field-testing of the prototype pump and to
its economic evaluation. The project will cover the necessary design procedures leading to the
construction of pedal powered water pump using readily available materials and skills. After
construction, the prototype will be tested and the findings will be analyzed and formulated to
come up with the prototype efficiency. Costing of this prototype will also be done to come up
with the cost benefit analysis of the prototype.

4
 CHAPTER TWO

2. LITERATURE REVIEW

This chapter is a compilation of literature that is relevant to the research topic and to the problem
identified. The main source of information is from existing literatures written by other scholars
that have been involved with design of water pumps of a similar nature and magnitude giving an
account of the existing models with emphasis on their draw backs, operation modes, testing and
economic analysis with reference to the proposed pump.

2.1 Water resources in Uganda

2.1.1 Surface water

Uganda is subdivided into eight sub-basins which drain into the Nile. The eight sub-basins
include L. Victoria, L. Kyoga, R. Kafu, Lakes George and Edward, L. Albert, R. Aswa, Albert
Nile and Kidepo Valley, (Water Supply Atlas 2011).The yield from these sub-basins, though
small compared with the total Nile flow, dominate the water resources potential within Uganda.
In addition to these, there are tributaries meandering in most parts of the country e.g. River
Manafwa, River Malaba and many others. These all are potential sources of water for domestic
and irrigation but its usage being limited by lack of affordable pumps to lift the water to the
fields surface among other factors.

2.1.2 Groundwater Occurrence

Groundwater is the major source of water supply in the rural, semi-arid and arid areas in Uganda.
Groundwater development has been going on since the 1930’s through construction of deep
boreholes, shallow wells and protected springs. There are approximately 20,000 deep boreholes,
3000 shallow wells and 12,000 protected springs in the country constructed mainly for rural
domestic water supply. (Uganda national water development report, 2005)

Deep boreholes are small diameter wells that are deeper than 30m while shallow wells are wells
that are shallower than 30m and constructed in the unconsolidated formation. The average depth
of boreholes in Uganda is 60m while shallow wells are on average 15m deep.

5
Limitations to use of ground water
 Lack of power to run the pumps.
 The pumps are expensive.

2.2 Pump design types.

A pump is a device used to move fluids (liquids or gases) or sometimes slurries by mechanical
action. From (http://www.pumpschool.com/), Pumps can be classified into three major groups
according to the method they use to move the fluid: direct lift, displacement, and gravity pumps.
Pumps must have a mechanism which operates them, and consume energy to perform
mechanical work by moving the fluid. The activating mechanism is often reciprocating or rotary.
The researcher’s wish is to determine which pump design fits best for the given economic and
environmental situation associated with the project problem statement.

Irrigation pumps according to Michael (1972) are classified into two major types which include
indigenous water lifts and pumps.

Figure 1: Classification of water pumps, (Michael, 1972)

6
2.2.1 Diaphragm pump:

This kind of pump utilizes a flexible diaphragm attached to one wall of the pump which moves
water. Two valves are utilized in this pump design; one valve allows the water to enter the
pump's body while the second valve allows the water to exit.

The main advantages of this kind of pump is that it has got a high mechanical efficiency because
flexing a diaphragm requires relatively little force and also it is a self priming pump capable of
handling a high suction head.

However it is attached to several disadvantages which include the fact that the material used for
the diaphragm must be a high quality rubber, which drives up the cost on top of not being ideal
for high head pumping, and are best when used in the 5-10 meter head range.

2.2.2 Piston pump:

In a piston pump water is sucked into the cylinder through a check valve on the up-stroke, and
the piston valve is held closed due to the weight of the water above it; simultaneously the water
above the piston is propelled out of the pump with the up-stroke. On the down stroke, the lower
check valve is held closed by both its weight and the water pressure, while the similar check
valve in the piston is forced open as the trapped water is displaced through the piston ready for
the next up-stroke. This is basically characterized by the big rates of wear of the pistons which
mean continuous replacement hence high maintenance costs.

The pump design is ergonomically unfriendly; it is expected that usage of this pump for several
hours will likely lead to severe back pain.

2.2.3 Centrifugal pump:

A centrifugal pump is a rotodynamic pump that uses a rotating impeller to increase the pressure
and flow rate of a fluid. Centrifugal pumps are the most common type of pumps used to move
liquids through a piping system. The fluid enters the pump impeller along or near the rotating
axis and is accelerated by the impeller, flowing radially outward or axially into a chamber from

7
where it exits into the downstream piping system. Centrifugal pump designs utilize alternative
and renewable sources of energy.

Centrifugal pumps are attached to the advantages like, the low initial cost in comparison to the
other pump types, low maintenance costs as compared to piston pumps which involve regular
replacement of pistons due to the high rate of wear and ability to operate under a wide variety of
conditions.

Figure 2: Model of an engine centrifugal pump

Source: Pump Wikipedia, 2009

However from pump Wikipedia (March 2009), this kind of system is characterized by the draw
backs like cavitations and lack of prime.

2.3 Existing pedal pumping technology.

The most common pedal means of water pumping today utilizes the treadle pump. A treadle
pump is a form of a positive displacement pump where the feet are used to treadle. Most treadle
pumps are double acting, meaning that there is discharge on both the upstroke and down stroke.
Tests carried out at the Zimbabwe Irrigation Technology Centre (ZITC) revealed that suction
heads exceeding 3 m make the pump quite difficult to operate.

In a similar argument, delivery heads in excess of 6 m are also not recommended. This shows
that treadle pumps can only be used where there are shallow water tables. In semi arid regions,
their use could be confined to areas where the water tables are shallow, or to draw water from

8
dams or rivers (Andreas & Karen, 2001). Treadle pumps are of two types namely low pressure
and and high pressure treadle pumps.

Figure 3: Pressure Treadle Pump

Source: Human Hand Pumps, 2008

This is a relatively cheaper technology however according to Kay and Brabben (2000); treadle
pumps are attached to limitations like, the operator's freedom of movement being more restricted
so machine loading and adjusting tasks have to be arranged to be convenient from his fixed
position, there is a lot of wear of the pistons as a result of the reciprocating mode of operation
hence need for regular repair and maintenance needed and the pump design is ergonomically
unfriendly on top of producing low discharges.

2.4 The pedal operated impeller water pump

According to Kris De Decker (2011), the most efficient mechanism to harvest human energy
appeared in the late 19th century and that was pedaling. Stationary pedal powered machines went
through a boom at the turn of the 20 th century. Examples of such powered technologies being the
bicycle mill/corn thresher, bicycle blender, bicycle rope water pump, bicycle nut-Sheller, bicycle
coffee de-pulper, bicycle metal sharpener among others.

9
2.4.1 Power source for the pump

When looking at the problem statement many different energy sources come to mind for
pumping water. One source that will be further analyzed is Human Power. The many different
designs of pumps that operate with human power have a wide varying range of efficiencies in
themselves (Peruvian Andes water pump team n.d)

This is important to understand, because in most of the pump designs some type of shaft work
will be needed. This overall efficiency is calculated with the basic metabolic energy
requirements, and the efficiency of muscles for short but strenuous efforts is approximately 20 to
30%. This is particularly interesting since that power can be comparable to an internal
combustion engine. When analyzing different energy sources to use; we see that human power is
the cheapest and most cost effective solution right off the back (D.Weightman, 1976).

Another important aspect concerning the power available is the build, age, state of health and
weight of the individual; and lastly, the pump design that is being utilized and what muscles the
mechanism is exploiting. Using human muscle as a main power source can result in many
different efficiencies. To ensure that you are getting the best efficiency out of the design, the
correct muscles must be exhausted. The most powerful muscles are the leg and back muscles,
leaving the arm muscles relatively weak. When developing a pump, this information should be
closely examined and to extract the most work from an individual.

2.4.2 Mode of operation of the pump

Using the appropriate gear ratio that involves use of chains and sprockets provides a multiplier
torque mechanical advantage will drive the wheel of a bicycle which will be in contact with the
pump roller which has a keyed impeller that creates the necessary pressure to cause a suction lift
of water from a given source. The combination of a tight enclosure or housing and the high speed
rotation of the impeller create the suction lift and a delivery through the suction and the delivery
pipes respectively. In the simple design for this project, the power will be transmitted from the
drive pedals through a transmission chain to the rear sprocket. This same sprocket will rotate

10
with the rear wheel of the bicycle which will be in contact with a drive shaft for the pump
(friction drive) to increase the power output for driving the impeller.

The most suitable type of pump for this application is a centrifugal pump. Its compact size,
simplicity of design, relatively low cost, light weight and widespread availability of pumps and
spare parts make it ideal for use in this project.

The performance of a centrifugal pump is governed by the impeller diameter, rotational speed,
input power and the output piping system. The pump affinity laws give the relationship between
head, flow rate, input power, rotational speed and impeller diameter for centrifugal pumps.
(Hydraulics and Hydrology)

2.4.2 Simplicity offered by the pump.

Designing a pump that is easy to understand and repair is very important in fulfilling the design
requirements. Pedal power can be comparable with other methods but has particular utility
because of the relatively simple technology involved because it is small scale and cheap. The low
cost makes individual ownership of power sources more feasible and the simplicity of the
technology can foster development of technical skills amongst the local people themselves. The
pedal operated pump to be designed has fewer parts to account for its simple construction,
operation and maintenance.

Simplicity of the pump for this project will also reduce unnecessary fatigue. According to David
Gordon Wilson (1986), a person can generate four times more power (1/4 horsepower) by
pedaling than by hand-cranking. At the rate of 1/4hp, continuous pedaling can be done for only
short periods of about 5 minutes. However, pedaling at half this power can be sustained for
around 60 minutes. Pedal power facilitate driving of devices at the same rate as that achieved by
hand cranking, but with far less effort and fatigue and also lets one drive devices at a faster rate.
In this simple design mobility will as well be considered since the machine will also be used in
transport.

11
2.5 Pump construction

This Pump can easily be maintained and repaired in the field by an adult with reasonable
technical skills and common hand tools like spanners, screw drivers and others hence the design
lifetime will be reasonably achievable if replaceable wear prone components such as cylinder
and piston assemblies are to be excluded from the design.

Most of the design is dominated mainly by durability, efficiency, cost, safety and appearance
since target is the local community. The materials of make majorly include bicycle parts which
are in most cases readily available in the rural communities which makes simplified design.

According to Alex Weir (1980), the advantages of the pedal operated water pumps are;
availability of the parts in areas where bicycles are common, simplicity in building and operation
due to the relatively familiar technology, relatively little maintenance in comparison to the other
existing pumps say the fossil fuel pumps, adaptability to a variety of situations where hand,
motor, or animal power is now used, because of its simplicity it can be used in a wide range of
places and by a wide range of classes of people, portability and less costly because this
technology is much cheaper than gasoline or diesel engines, and repair and maintenance are
simpler.

2.5.1 Modularity of the pump

According to Mizar Fuentes-Ortega et al. (2006) it is desired to design a pumping device that can
be modified by substituting components like wood frame instead of mild steel frame since
original parts may not be available in all areas of the world. Therefore, modularity will result in a
more universally acceptable pump and this can improve on the creativity of the people. However,
this design project will use painted mild steel frame to increase its life span.

2.5.2 Considerations in use of the pump.

When using this kind of pump certain issues have to be kept in mind if you are to maximize the
service life of the pump say operation time must allow for rider fatigue, maintenance of chain

12
and sprockets requires some skill and care like regular greasing to prevent friction and wear and
the rubber seals within the pump housing need to be replaced in case of wear as this may lead to
loss of pump prime hence affecting the efficiency of the pump.

Furthermore the suction pipe should not be put to the bottom of the reservoir to prevent the
suction of particles which will lead to wear of the seals hence loss of prime and ensure that the
clearance between the impeller and the housing is maintained to the pressure needed.

2.5.2 Ergonomic considerations in designing the pump

Since the pump is to be used for extended periods of time, operator comfort is a major
consideration in the design. A single seat will be provided in the design. Furthermore the use of
pedal power equipment still remains a significant invention since it offers the possibility of using
stronger leg muscles in a continuous motion while at the same time offering a much more
compact mechanism than the capstan or the tread wheel.

Designing a pump that focuses on relaxed posture, is user friendly, and can operate at a
comfortable speed is the main concern. This is aided by using different sizes of diameters on the
two sprockets. The most effective pumps are foot operated. Hand operated devices are easier to
install, light weight and smaller, but pumping large amounts of water at one time is difficult
(David Weight man 1987).

2.6 Pump testing

A number of literatures indicate that pumps can be characterized for practical purposes by
measuring their output at different heads and speeds. To get the optimal efficiency or production
of an impeller pump, the head, flow, and speed of operation combination must be correct. It is
important to maximize the power output with the least amount of power input.

Pumps are readily tested by fitting a flow meter, measuring the pressure difference between inlet
and outlet, and measuring the power consumed. (Pump Wikipedia). The pump prototype under
consideration will be tested by getting discharge by different people within the same time and at
the same head.

2.6.1 Pump efficiency

13
Pump efficiency is defined as the ratio of the power imparted on the fluid by the pump in relation
to the power supplied to drive the pump. Its value is not fixed for a given pump; efficiency is a
function of the discharge and therefore also operating head. For centrifugal pumps, the efficiency
tends to increase with flow rate up to a point midway through the operating range (peak
efficiency). The researcher’s wish is to build a simple and reliable pump. (Pump Wikipedia).For
this particular design the discharge produced by different people in comparison to the electric
pumps with the same power rating will be used to get the efficiency.

2.7 Economic advantages in relation to the other existing pumps.

According to David Gordon Wilson (1986), this kind of technology is cheap in construction with
in the rural setting due to the availability of most of the components which are bicycle parts,
human power usage is far cheaper than the use of other pumping modes like the fossil fuels and
electricity because these involve large sums ob bills in installation where as human effort is
always readily available at no cost.

Further more, the mantainence is easy and these skills are always available among the local
natives since in most cases they have the knowledge of bicycles where as electricity requires
monthly bills and engine pumps require refueling. The repair facilities are not so advanced for
the local setting when compared to engine pumps which may require skilled personnel in the
field to fix certain conditions.

14
 CHAPTER THREE

3. METHODOLOGY

This chapter provides the step-by-step discussion on how the proposed study will be conducted
starting with problem identification and rational, through to agreeing on the design of the water
pump that targets current local people’s constraints in accessing water, to construction, testing
and socio-economic evaluation of the prototype equipment.

3.1 Literature review

Data will be collected by reading different soft copies of data to review the literatures to identify
the problem by considering issues like cost, efficiency, size; space, power and maintenance
among others in regards to the current technology. There will be use of soft wares like AutoCAD
and Solid edge in the preparation of drawings. Academic manuals and journals and other hard
copy material will also be used in providing of the necessary information on top of lecture notes
and consultations from different people.

3.2 Design of proposed pump components.

Throughout the design proposed, the use of standard parts will be emphasized where possible.

Frame
Delivery pipe
Rear tyre
Pump head

Suction pipe

Figure 5: Pump Position

Figure 4: The pump arrangt

Figure 6: The Pump Arrangement

15
3.2.1 Frame
i. Size and material specification

The frame will be made of mild steel angle bars and will be designed to have a wide base for
stability and cross-bracing to improve the structural rigidity of the part under lateral loading.
This is simply for stability while minimizing material. It will have a provision for an axle grip
and a tightener for locking and releasing the frame under the pumping and transport conditions.

General requirements

 The frame must be able to support the weight of the machine and the operator.
 It should be strong and rigid to with stand vibrations during operation.
 The specifications shall include the height and base width. The height will be determined
by the radius of the rare wheel while the width will be determined by the length of the
pump arrangement which will be located under the rear wheel.

 The frame shall be fabricated out of appropriate standard mild steel angle bars joined by
welding for rigidity and stability.

(iii) Analysis for stability.

The compressive stresses in the frame shall be determined by:
total load
σ=
total cross sectional area ……………………………………………………....…
(1)

This shall be compared with the maximum compressive stresses of the mild steel and it should be
less for stability.

The axle grip will be modeled as a fixed cantilever hence will be analyzed for deflection using
the relationship below:
2 3
ML WL WL 3
δ= + ML 2+ ¿ + ¿
2EI 3 EI 2 EI 3 EI ¿ …………………………………………………
¿

…………….…….. (2)

16
Where:

M the bending moment at the free end of the beam

L the length of the beam

E Young’s modulus for the material

I moment of inertia for the member

W the weight exerted.

3.2.2 The drive mechanism

(i) Component parts

This will comprise the Crank wheel, drive shaft, pedals, sprockets, and drive chains. The pump
will be driven by friction drive between the rear tyre and the pump drive shaft.

Figure 7: The drive mechanism

Standard bicycle part dimensions will be used in this analysis.

Where:
1. Drive sprocket
2. Driven sprocket.
3. Rear wheel of a bicycle
4. Pump drive shaft
This can be analyzed as follows:

17
 ωpump nchain ring D whee l
= ×
ω pedal nsproket D shaft ……………………………………………………………..
(3)
Where:
wpedal peddling speed

wpump pump operating speed (rpm)

nchain ring number of teeth on front chain ring

nsprocket number of teeth on rear sprocket

Dwheel rear wheel diameter (mm)

Dshaft pump driving shaft diameter (mm)

(ii) General requirements

 The drive mechanism should be able to deliver the desired speeds to provide the rotation
of the impeller and the shaft.

 It should easily be operated through the cycling action.

The performance of a pump is directly related to the speed at which the impeller spins. It is
therefore important to find a pump with a rated electrical power that matches as closely as
possible with the power that a person can realistically generate on a bicycle. The pump will be
used for around 20-30 minutes for each pumping session and from literature healthy men can
expect to generate around 250 Watts and an optimum speed of 80 RPM when peddling for this
period of time. (J.Leary, 2008).

These specifications (input power and speed) will be compared with specifications of a small
electric powered centrifugal pump with nearly similar power specifications and the gear ratio
will be calculated and this will be compared with the tabular values of gear ratios to select the
combination of sprockets teeth to use for the bicycle using the equation below.

18
 nchainwheel ω pump D pumpshaft
= × =gearratio
nsprocket ω pedal Dwheel .……………………………………..……
(4)

The chain for the pump will be selected according to the following specifications:
 Diameters of sprockets on the drive and driven shafts.

The diameter of the driving sprocket will be bigger than that of the driven sprocket to produce
an amplified output force and increased rotation speed of the pump shaft.

 Horsepower (HP) to be transmitted.

 Center distance of the shafts.
 Pitch of the teeth of the sprocket

The tension in the chain may be calculated from

33000HP
×F( Table)
T= S ………………………………….…………………………………….
(5)

Where:

F Speed factor.
HP Transmission power.
chain pitch×n×r
S is the chain speed= 12 ……….……………………………………………..
(6)
The pitch of the chain shall be determined by the formula
D θ
P=2( )sin
2 2 …………………………………………………………………………………..
(7)
Where P is the pitch of the chain
D is the pitch circle diameter (this shall be obtained from the sprocket)
Ө is the angle subtended at the center of the sprocket by the chord distance
between centers of the adjacent pins.

19
 360
θ=
T
Where T is the number of teeth on the sprocket

Check the catalog and decide the appropriate type of lubrication (manual or drip).
(www.renoldjeffrey.com • advancing chain technology)

The absorbed horse power of the impellers creates torsional and bending stresses on the
shaft.The torsional stress is due to the rotational speed of the impellers and their transmited
torque while the bending stress is due to the fluid hydraulic forces acting on the impellers.Hence
the shaft analysis is to calcurate the combined stresses in the shaft.This is where the design of
the shaft strength and rigidity shall be based as an aid in material selection.

Bending stress
32Mb
δb = ∏ d3 ……………………………………………………………………..………..
…...(8)
16M t
Torsional shear stress=
∏ d3 …………………………………………………..……….….. ....
(9)
Where :

Mb is the maxmun bending moment of the shaft.

Mt is the maxmum torsion moment of the shaft.

d is the diameter of the shaft.

The shaft lengt will be dictated by the length of the the cylinderical connector in which it will
sit.the power transimitde by the drive shaft will be given by:

Power=Tractional force×tangential velocity ……………..………………………………….

(10)

20
3.2.5 Pump assembly
The driven shaft shall have a flat plate with impellers keyed on it and will be enclosed in a water
tight housing.
Impeller: This is a rotating plate having the backward curved vanes fixed in the casing on a
shaft.
The casing is made up of a suction pipe, discharge pipe, bearings and seals.
KD2 b 2 HS
F=
2 .31 ………………………………………………………………………………
(11)
Where:
K radial load constant
D2 diameter of the impeller
b2 impeller width
H design head
S Specific gravity

Bearings: The purpose of bearings is to support the weight of the rotating shaft and to minimize
radial and axial movement and therefore, vibration. The parameters that shall be used to select
the bearings from the manufactures catalogue are, dimensional limitations, bearing load,
rotational speed, bearing tolerances and installation and disassembly. The reactions at the
bearings will be calculated using static force and moment balances. The expected life, L
(millions of revolutions), of the bearings can be calculated:
Cr a
L=( )
R ..…………………………………………………………………………………….
(12)
Where:
R is the radial loading at the bearing and for ball bearings, a=3[10].
Cr, is the basic radial dynamic load rating (catalogue rating load that will give a life of 1 million
revolutions of the inner race)

The pipe diameters will be selected depending on the suction and delivery flange as they have to
tightly fit on the flanges to prevent loss of water through leakages with the diameter of suction

21
pipe kept larger than the diameter of the delivery pipe to increase the maximum suction. The
lengths of the hydraulic pipes will depend upon the requirement.

Polyethenyl (Pe) pipe will be used for the delivery and suction pipes because of its flexibility and
also it has good properties like high hardness and a mechanical property like hardness are very
essential in pressurized systems and Pe is a polymer with good electrical properties.

3.3 Material selection

The materials shall be selected according to the strength, availability, cost and the different
loading considerations like stress.

3.4 Fabrication and assembly

 Using the engineering drawings produced from the CAD model, the prototype will be constructed
in the work shop.
 Workshop machines, equipments and tools will be used. For example, lathe machine, drilling
machine, tape measure, scribers, welding rods and angle grinder. This will mainly assist during
construction.
 Safety equipments, like workshop boots, goggle, hand gloves, overalls will be used.
 Basically parts will be produced by machining and where joining is necessary it will be
welding.

Main frame: Here a series of activities which include Cutting of bars ,machine angles on bottom
ends and round off top ends ,drilling, turning ,milling and boring will be done and finally
welding.

Drive shaft and impeller: Here activities like cutting, turning and machining will be done and
blades will be welded onto a flat plate in a backward curved manner. This will be keyed to the
pump drive shaft.

Pump housing: this will be a thin metal that will be bored for provision of the pipes and then
rolled to form a cylinder. All outlets will have seals to provide an air tight condition within.

22
 3.5 Testing of the prototype pump

The major aim of the preliminary pump testing is to see its performance over different loading
conditions. The following apparatus will be used :Stopwatch, a foot valve to prevent backflow
into the supply ,delivery hoses water supply barrel Ruler to measure depth of water in measuring
bucket and a measuring (delivery) bucket. The prototype will be tested at different pumping
heads while timing and the discharge will be calculated at the different heads as:
Volume
Discharge=
Time …………………………………………………………………………
(13)

The results will be tabulated as below:

Table 1: Testing results

Age (years) Sex Discharge (L/min) Mean discharge (L/min)

T1 T2 T3 T4 T5
Male
20
Female
Male
30
Female
Male
40
Female
Male
50
Female
60 and Male
above Female

The efficiency will be calculated by comparing the theoretical parameters with the practical
values on ground say the head and discharge and then recommendations will be stated
accordingly.

23
 Head×Discharge×Specific weight
Efficiency=
Input Power …………………………..………………..
(14)

A graph of head (m) against discharge (l/min) will be plotted for different peddlers say males and
females for the same time period

Preliminary testing will be carried out on the prototype after construction to determine whether
the pump drive shaft is slipping on contact with the wheel, if this is the case then the contact
friction will be increased by applying grip tape to the roller or coating it with gritted paint or
coating it with gritted paint.

3.6 Economic analysis.

Here the total machine cost will be computed as a sum of the cost of the different elements and
the labour cost. This value will depend on the material used and the labour or workshop where
the fabrication will be carried out from.
Total cost=cost of components+labour costs ……………………………………………..
(15)

Annual depreciation cost: The annual depreciation rate of this structure was calculated using the
straight line formula below with an assumption of the salvage value being zero after 4 years of
the service life.
total cost−salvage value
Annual depreciation cost =
life time ………………………………………
(16)
Interest: This was the total investment multiplied by the decimal form of the interest rate. Even
if money was not borrowed, it represented the opportunity costs of converting liquid assets into
equipment.
Interest=Interest rate×Total cost ……………………………………………………………
(17)

24
Total annual operating Cost or life cycle costs: Operational costs will include labour costs,
repair and maintenance of the pump. The costs are estimated as 5% of the initial investment of
the pump (World Bank, 1984).
Total Annual Operating Cost =5 0 0 ×total cost
…………………………………….... …….
(18)

Unit-output costs: These can be got by attaching a certain quantity of water through a given head
to a hydraulic cost value.

Net Present Value (NPV) or Net Present Worth: This will be the difference between the
benefits (say hiring the pump or selling the water that is pumped) that will have been realized
and the initial costs of the pump.
NPV=Benefits−Total initial cost …………………………………………………………..……
(19)

Cost Benefit Ratio: A variation on the concept of Net Present Value is to calculate the total life-
cycle benefits and the total life-cycle costs and then to divide the former by the latter to obtain
the Cost Benefit ratio. If this ratio is greater than one, then the benefits exceed the costs and the
option is worthwhile.
Total Lifecycle Benefits
Cost Benefit Ratio=
Total LifecycleCosts ……………………………………..………..
(20)(Source: Molenaar, A., Water Lifting Devices for Irrigation, FAO, Rome. 1956)

3.7 Expected results

• The prototype pump is expected to give a maximum discharge of 40 liters per minute and
a maximum head of 6 meters.
• Changing from the pumping mode to the transport mode should take very little time (2-
3minutes) maximum.
• Offer reduced human labor in pumping water yet with some degree of comfort while
doing the work.

25
 • The machine should be friendly to the user and environment.

Time frame for the project.

Planned activities Time in months: 2012 Time in months: 2013
Aug Sep Oct Nov De Jan Feb Mar Apr May
c
Identifying project title and
project proposal writing.
consultations

Presentation the project proposal.

26
Design on paper

Report writing

Fabricating the machine.

Testing of the prototype pump

Presentation of the Final project.

27
 Proposed Budget

SN ITEM QUANTITY RATE AMOUNT

1 Internet 40,000
2 Transport 50,000
3 Airtime 20,000
5 Printing of proposal 22,000
6 Printing of project report 25,000
7 Binding 5,000
8 Bicycle 1 150,000 100,000
9 Mild steel bars 3m 10,000 30,000
10 Welding rods 1 Kg 5,000 5,000
11 Impeller 1 85,000 85,000
12 Paint 0.5 litres 10,000 5,000
13 Rubber seals 5,000
14 Round steel bar 1 10,000
15 Key 1 5,000 5,000
16 Hydraulic pipes 3 5,000 15,000
17 Labour 70,000
18 Foot valve and circlips 10,000
19 Miscellaneous 100,000
20 Total 602,000

References

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University of Dar.es Salaam

Alex Weir (1980), a pedal power unit, VITA publication Rhode Island Avenue Mt. Rainier,
Maryland 20822 USA ISBN 0-86619-072-4

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October 2012].

Cambridge, Dixon, S L, 1998, Fluid Mechanics, Thermodynamics of Turbo machinery (4 th

edition), Butterworth-Heinemann, Oxford.

28
Elwin.A.Ross. Leland.A.hardy, 1997. Irrigation Guide, Engineering Handbook,): National
conservation service: National cartography and Geographical centre. United
States Department of Agriculture (USDA

Fraenkel P.L, 1986. Water Lifting Devices, FAO Irrigation and Drainage Paper 43: Rome, Italy

Grundfos. Undated. Pump Design Manual.

http://www.newvision.co.ug/news/18769-Uganda-s-population-now-at-34-5-million.html on

http://www.pumpschool.com/accesed on 22/10/2012

http://www.ubos.org/index.php?st=page&id=1&p=Facts%20about%20Uganda%20Bureau%20
accessed on 11/09/2012

Jonathan Leary, 2008, Design of a Novel Product Using Waste Material University of Sheffield.

Linsley R. K., Franzini J. B, 1972.Water-Resources Engineering, second edition: New York,

McGraw-Hill

Longenbaugh., Duke, 1980. Farm Pumps Chapter of Design and Operation of F Mono Pump:
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Mizar Fuentes-Ortega,Bryan Lee,Deepti Limaye and Robert Liston,2004,Human Powered Water

Pump

Molenaar, A.1956, Water Lifting Devices for Irrigation, FAO, Rome.

Muhammad Nabeel Aslam, Kayton Lenhart, Matthew Perelli (n.d), Peruvia ades water pump
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Of%20Statistics accessed on 11th .Oct. 2012.

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Republic of Uganda., Ministry of Water & Environment, 2008. Department of water for
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Uganda national water development report, 2005

Water Supply Atlas 2011, Ministry of Water and environment Journal.

Weight man David, (1976). The use of pedal power for agriculture and transport in developing
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Whitt, F R and Wilson D G 1982, Bicycling Science (2nd edition), MA: MIT Press,

www.renoldjeffrey.com • advancing chain technology accessed on 3/11/2009

www.WaterWiki.net, September 2012

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