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Improvement of Treadle Twin Diaphragm Pump for Low-lift Irrigation

M. S. Islam
Post Graduate Student, Department of Irrigation and Water-Management, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh

A. Khair
Department of Irrigation and Water Management, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh

M. Ahmed
Department of Irrigation and Water Management, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh

A.K.M. Adham
Department of Irrigation and Water Management, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

A study was undertaken to modify the twin treadle diaphragm pump to improve its discharge and operational suitability. For this purpose, the distance between the diaphragm boxes was reduced so that the power can easily be transmitted vertically from lover to connecting rod. Besides, different parts of the pump such as pulley, pedal rod (treadle), suction pipes and inlet and outlet valves affecting the pump performances were modified. For evaluating the performance suitability, the pump was tested in the laboratory at different suction heads. The pump failed to draw water beyond 1.7 m depth when 3 inch suction pipe was used, whereas, the pump was found active to draw water from a depth of 2 m when the size of the suction pipe was 2 inches. After analysis of collected data, it appears that three inch diameter inlet pipe is suitable for low lead (<1.5 m) and 2 inch for diameter inlet pipe may be used where suction head is greater than 1.5 m. An average size adult man would be able to operate the pump for more than 1.5 hours continuously without much physical troubles and tiredness. The discharge of the pump is also very satisfactory in comparison to that of other low-lift devices. Hence, it is. expected that the pump would be suitable to draw .water from a shallow depth (<1.5 m) to irrigate small plots like vegetable and seedbed with less physical effort.

Keywords: Treadle twin diaphragm pump, irrigation, Seedbed

Location:

Start Date: 12-11-1996

End Date: 32-04-1997

Program Area: Farm Mechanization

Commodity: Water management

Objectives:

To improve the construction of a foot operated twin diaphragm pump using indigenous resources and local skills so that poor farmers can use it with low investment and the performance characteristics of the constructed pumps under different suction heads for varying sizes of suction pipes.

Methodology:

The pump was constructed in the workshop according to the design. A round box diaphragm pump was constructed with a diameter of 28 em having a height of 18 em. The main component of diaphragm pump was rubber diaphragm with inlet and outlet pipes. One end of this suction chamber (diaphragm) was sealed with steel sheet and another end of this chamber was constructed to work as a suction mechanism, and it was attached with rubber by nuts and bolts. Angle bar, nuts and bolts are used for tightening the rubber with suction box.The lever was made of wooden block of (5 em x 6.35 em) and 178 em length. The middle portion of the lever was attached to the connecting rod of round box diaphragm. A pulley adjusted with the lever by a rope at middle of the liver. The connecting rod was made of M.S. rod, which was 1.25 cm dia. and 11.5 cm height. The front side of the lever was attached with the base frame and the opposite side of the lever is used as a pedal which is used to operate the pump with foot volumetric method was used to measure pump discharge. A graduated bucket was filled for a known period of time and the time was measured with a stopwatch and discharge in 1 pm was calculated. For each suction head three data were taken.

Source of Information: Bangladesh J. Agril. Sci. 32(2): 155-162, July, 2005

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

The pump was tested in the Hydraulic Laboratory of the Department of Irrigation and Water Management. Under variable suction head and varying sizes of suction pipe to find out the discharge capacity, power requirement, efficiency and operational suitability. Operation suitability was quantified by the maximum operation time during which an average sized man can operate the device without much physical troubles. Suction head (m), speed (spm) and discharge (l pm) of the pump were computed. The performances of these water lifts have been described in terms of these operating variables (head, speed and discharge) in the subsequent sections.The treadle twin diaphragm pump was redesigned and fabricated to improve its performance so that a single man could operate the pump without applying much physical efforts. The improved treadle twin diaphragm pump (redesigned and constructed) with 3 inch suction pipe under the head from 0.5 to 1.7 m, the discharge was found to vary from 138.46 to 69.23 l pm while with 2 inch suction pipe discharge ranged from 112.53 to 51.43 l pm. In this study it was found that under lower suction head (0.5 to 1.5 m) the pump with 3 inch suction pipe was found more efficient than that of the pump with 2 inch suction pipe. On the other hand under higher suction head (greater than 1.5 m) the pump with 2 inch suction pipe was found more suitable than that of 3 inch suction pipe. Most of the agricultural lands in Bangladesh are fragmented. So, this pump is expected to be attractive for the poor farmers as low lift irrigation device (<2 m) and will be suitable especially for small fragmented land holdings to deliver water in vegetable fields.

Knowledge Management: Journal