Experiment No # 01

Objective:
To determine the efficiency of hydraulic ram pump.

Apparatus Required:
o Hydraulic ram pump
o Hydraulic bench
o Meter rod
o Stop watch

Diagram:

Theory:
Hydraulic ram pump:
A hydraulic ram pump is a water pump that used potential energy stored in water to deliver
it’s at higher heights. The basic principle of this pump is water hammering action. This
pump used pressure head to lift water from lower level to higher level. But efficiency of
this pump is very low because large amount of water is wasted and very small amount of
water is delivered which shows very small volume flow rate. The hydraulic ram pump is
sometimes used in remote areas, where there is both a source of low-head hydro power and
a need for pumping water to a destination higher in elevation than the source.

Operation of hydraulic ram pump:

A simplified hydraulic ram is shown in figure given below. Initially, the waste valve [4] is
open (i.e. lowered) because of its own weight, and the delivery valve [5] is closed under
the pressure caused by the water column from the outlet [3]. The water in the inlet pipe [1]
starts to flow under the force of gravity and picks up speed and kinetic energy until the
increasing drag force lifts the waste valve's weight and closes it. The momentum of the
water flow in the inlet pipe against the now closed waste valve causes a water hammer that
raises the pressure in the pump beyond the pressure caused by the water column pressing
down from the outlet. This pressure differential now opens the delivery valve [5], and
forces some water to flow into the delivery pipe [3]. Because this water is being forced
uphill through the delivery pipe farther than it is falling downhill from the source, the flow
slows; when the flow reverses, the delivery check valve [5] closes. Meanwhile, the water
hammer from the closing of the waste valve also produces a pressure pulse which
propagates back up the inlet pipe to the source where it converts to a suction pulse that
propagates back down the inlet pipe. This suction pulse, with the weight or spring on the
valve, pulls the waste valve back open and allows the process to begin again. A pressure
vessel [6] containing air cushions the hydraulic pressure shock when the waste valve closes,
and it also improves the pumping efficiency by allowing a more constant flow through the
delivery pipe.

1. Inlet — drive pipe

2. Free flow at waste valve
3. Outlet — delivery pipe
4. Waste valve
5. Delivery check valve
6. Pressure vessel

Procedure:
o First of all set hydraulic ram pump on hydraulic bench.
o Then measured the value of supply head H.
o Then measured the value of delivery head to which want to pump water Hd.
o Then supply water and measure the volume flow rate at waste and delivery
section by the help of stop watch.
o In next step measure the amount of water for five minutes in waste and delivery
section and find the value of Qw and Q.
o Similarly took three more readings by changing delivery head Hd.
o Then found the value of efficiency by given formula in observations table.
 Observations Table:
Sr# Supply Head Delivery Total Head Delivery Waste flow e e
(H) Head (Hd) (Hi=H+Hd) flow rate rate =Q(Hd)/ =Q(Ht)/
(cm) (cm) (cm) (Q) (Qw (Q+ Qw) (Q+
(Litre/min) ) H*100 Qw)H*100
(Litre/mi
n)

Sample Calculations: