Experiment No. 1 Hydraulic Ram

MAPÚA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY Department of Mechanical Engineering Experiment No. 1

Performance Test of a Hydraulic Ram OBJECTIVES: •

To familiarize ourselves with hydraulic ram To be able to know its basic components, function, operation as well as its application To be able to determine its discharge capacity and efficiency •

•

THEORY AND ANALYSIS: Hydraulic ram is a machine for raising water by means of the energy of the moving water of which a portion is to be raised. When the rush of water through the main pipe d shuts the valve at a, the momentum of the current thus suddenly checked forces part of it into the air chamber b, and up the pipe c, its return being prevented by a valve at the entrance to the air chamber, while the dropping of the valve a by its own weight allows another rush through the main pipe, and so on alternately.

EXPERIMENT NO. 1 Performance Test of Hydraulic Ram

The hydraulic ram is a special type of pump that uses the kinetic energy of moving stream of fluid; usually water, to raise a portion to a higher pressure or elevation. A section of a typical hydraulic ram is shown in figure 1. It consists of an air chamber H, to which is connected the discharge pipe I. There is a check valve G opening into the air chamber from the lower chamber A into which water is brought by the pipe S. There is a waste valve at B. This valve is weighted and opens inward. By means of a nut J on the stem of this valve, the lift or amount of opening of the valve can be regulated. When water is supplied to the ram, it escapes through the waste valve B with a velocity corresponding approximately to the head under which the water is supplied. The effect of this velocity head is to reduce the pressure on the upper side of the valve so that it becomes unbalanced and closes suddenly. The momentum of the column of water in the pipe S becomes sufficient to open the valve G and will discharge some water into the discharge pipe I against a considerable head. As soon as the pressures become equalized, the valve G closes, the waste valve B opens, and water from the supply pipe is again wasted. This alternate action is produced with regularity, and as a result the water in the supply pipe acquires a certain “backward and forward” wave motion. This apparatus is usually tested by measuring the supply and the discharge heads, the weight of water discharged through the delivery pipe (W 1) and that passing through the waste valve (W 2). Then the available energy in the water is (W 1 + W2) hs. ;


Where: hs = is the supply head W1hd = useful work hd = discharge head

Then the efficiency of the ram is:

E=

W1Hd (W1 + W2 )Hs

FORMULA:

E=

W1Hd (W1 + W2 )Hs

=

W1Hd W3Hs

W1 = Weight of water delivered in the drum W2 = Weight of water wasted in the concrete tank W3 = Weight of water supplied in the drive pipe = W1 + W2

Hd

= Dynamic discharge head =

Pd δ

+

Vd 2g

2

+ hf d

Hs = Dynamic suction head

hs = Height of water in the supply tank – friction loss = hs -hfs l where:

hf s = f

V2

d 2g

LIST OF APPARATUS 1 Hydraulic ram . Pressure gauge Platform scale

Steel tape/Meter stick Concrete tank Steel drum


Stop watch

Steel tank

PROCEDURES 1. Maintain the level of the main supply tank by allowing water to flow from the auxiliary tank 2. Measure the initial level of waste water in the concrete tank 3. Measure the tare weight of the discharge drum 4. Place the discharge hose directly to the discharge drum 5. For trial 1, open the quick release supply valve and gate valve and simultaneously with the stop watch 6. Maintain a desired pressure by throttling the discharge valve 7. Duration of each trial is for one (1) minute 8. Count the number of clacking during the trial 9. After the duration of the trial, close the quick release supply valve and the gate valve of the auxiliary tank 10. Measure the final weight of water discharged in the drum and the final level of waste water in the concrete tank 11. For trial 2, adjust the frequency setting of the ram 12. For the rest of the trials, vary the frequency and repeat the above step by step procedure 13. Compute all the necessary requirements needed to complete the data

SETUP OF APPARATUS sheet

WHERE: A. Discharge Pressure Gauge C. Platform Scale E. Depth Scale

B. Globe Valve D. Discharge Tank F. Discharge Pipe


G. Waste Water Reservoir I. Standard Elbow K. Quick Opening Valve M. Main Supply Water Tank

H. Float J. Hydraulic Ram Pump L. Suction Pipe


FINAL DATA SHEET

TRIAL

FRE Q

Pd psi

Hw ft

Wd Kg/min

Ww Kg/min

Dimension of the Waste Water Tank: __________ Pipe Diameter at the Discharge: ______________

Ws Kg/min

Qs cfs

Qd cfs

Hs ft

Hd ft

EFF %

Pipe Diameter at the Suction: ______________



SAMPLE COMPUTATION

SAMPLE COMPUTATION


SETUP OF APPARATUS


DISCUSSION

•

, a machine for raising water by means of the energy of the moving water of which a portion is to be raised. When the rush of water through the main pipe d shuts the valve at a, the momentum of the current thus suddenly checked forces part of it into the air chamber b, and up the pipe c, its return being prevented by a valve at the entrance to the air chamber, while the dropping of the valve a by its own weight allows another rush through the main pipe, and so on alternately. Hydraulic ram pumps are water-lifting devices that are powered by filling water. Such pumps work by using the energy of water falling a small height to lift a small part of that amount of water to a much greater height. The main and unique advantage of hydraulic ram pumps is that with a continuous flow of water, a hydraulic pump operates automatically and continuously with no other external energy source - be it electricity or hydrocarbon fuel. It imparts absolutely no harm to the environment Hydraulic ram pumps are simple, reliable and require minimal maintenance. All these advantages make hydraulic ram pumps suitable to rural community water supply mud backyard irrigation in developing countries.


QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

What is a Hydraulic Ram? What is the method of operation of a Hydraulic Ram? What are the advantages of the Hydraulic Ram? Discuss briefly the operation of the Hydraulic Ram? How does impulse develop in the Hydraulic Ram?


CONCLUSION

After the experiment that we have done, I can say that we were able to familiarize ourselves using the Hydraulic Ram. We were able to have the knowledge about is basic component, function, operation and its application. And also we were able to compute its discharge capacity and efficiency. In referring with the experiment, when a moving mass of water was suddenly stopped, this explains that the Hydraulic ram lifts water by utilizing the impulse developed. It only shows that a relatively large amount of water must be available at moderate head to lift a small volume to higher head.

I also conclude that the lesser the amount of waste water the greater the frequency. As the Hydraulic ram is said to be wasteful of water, it is also advantageously employed in situations where no other source of power is available. The possible source of error is in the pumping flow rate. I suggest that there must be desired pumping flow rate through the delivery pipe to the destination. And should have constant water flow and must be 3 feet away from the pump location



Experiment No. 1 Hydraulic Ram

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