KDK College of Engineering, Nagpur

Mechanical Department
Session 2020-21

Megaproject Topic : Hydraulic Ram Pump

Guide : Presented by :
Prof A. N. Madne. Aadhesh Rokde
Akhil Bhagat
Himanshu Raut
Nikhil Ganeshkar
Navnath Kannake
Shreyas Naik
 Content
• Abstract
• Introduction
• Objective
• Liturature Review
• Working
• Block Diagram
• Future Scope
• Application
• Conclusion
• References
 Abstract
A hydraulic ram is a pump in which the momentum of a driving stream of water undergoing a small head drop
is used to pump a small portion of the stream to a head considerably greater than that of the supply. In the
current study, a hydraulic ram was designed, manufactured and tested
 Introduction

The hydraulic Ram pump[1] or hydram is a complete automatic device that uses the energy of the flowing water
such as spring, stream or river to pump part of the water to a height above that of the source. With a continuous
flow of water, a hydram operates continuously with no external energy source.
A hydram is a structurally simple unit consisting of two moving parts. These are the impulse valve (or waste
valve) and the delivery (check) valve. The unit also includes an air chamber and an air valve. The operation of a
hydram is intermittent due to the cyclic opening and closing of the waste and delivery values. The closure of the
waste valve creates a high pressure rise in the drive pipe. An air chamber is required to transform the high
intermittent pumped flows into a continuous stream of flow. The air valves allow air into the hydram to replace
the air absorbed by the water due to the high pressure and mixing in the air chamber.
 Objective
The overall goal of this project is to help alleviate clean water problems . The specific objectives of this project
are to:
• design low cost hydraulic ram pumps based on available prototypes
• conduct a comprehensive feasibility study for the product installation; and
• implement the proposed design in communities .
 Liturature Review
The Hydraulic Ram Pump has been around for quite some time now, the first device in the modern era is
reported to have been devised by an Englishman John Whitehurst in 1775. His design was not automatic and
was controlled by opening and closing a stopcock. Easier than carrying water by hand but sure sounds like it
was still a lot of work and very time consuming.
The first reported fully automatic hydraulic ram was developed by Joseph and Etienne Montgolfier (of hot air
balloon fame) in the late 1700’s (1793-1797). The original design performed well on first start-up but suffered
from a design flaw which caused a loss or “dissolving” of air in its pressure chamber. This in turn caused an
intensive banging in the entire mechanism. It was his son Pierce Montgolfier that solved the problem by
developing and designing-in the air or “snifter” valve to reintroduce air into the chamber.
The UK based company Green & Carter now holds the original patents of both John Whitehurst and Joseph
Montgolfier and are in business today manufacturing and installing their Vulcan Ram’s the world over.
 Working
The hydraulic ram pump is works on the principle of “Water Hammer.”The system has a chamber with two flap
valves and an air vessel. This chamber is connected to the water supply from a supply tank or a water reservoir
at a small height. The supply tank and the pumping chamber are separated by a valve which controls the flow of
water.

When the inlet valve fitted on the supply line is opened, water starts flowing from the supply tank to the
pumping chamber. The chamber has two valves, “B” and “C.” Valve “B” is the waste valve and “C” is called
the delivery valve. The valve “C” is fitted to an air vessel. As water is flowing from the supply tank, the
chamber gets filled up and valve “B” starts to move upwards. A moment comes, when the valve “B” suddenly
closes. This sudden closure of valve “B” creates high pressure inside the chamber. This sudden increase in
pressure opens “C” which is the delivery valve. Thus the water from the chamber enters the air vessel and
compresses the air inside the vessel. The compressed air exerts a force on water which is inside the air vessel.
Thus a small quantity of water is raised to a greater height. As the water in the chamber looses momentum, the
waste valve “B” gradually opens in downward direction and flow of water from the supply tank starts flowing to
the chamber and the cycle will be repeated.
Block Diagram of Hydraulic Ram Pump
 Application
• .The hydraulic ram is sometimes used in remote areas, where there is both a source of low-head hydropower
 and a need for pumping water to a destination higher in elevation than the source.
• In this situation, the ram is often useful, since it requires no outside source of power other than the kinetic
energy of flowing water.

Advantages
•  No Electricity or External Power Source
• Continual Operation
• Easy to Maintain
• Long Life
• Reliable
 Future Scope

The ram pump is a 'mature' technology. Over the last two centuries pump designs have stabilised and many
variations to the basic configuration (of drive pipe, pump, pump house and delivery pipe) have been tried. One
might think that no further significant change was likely in the ram pump itself or in the system in which it is
used. However, there are changes occurring in both pumping needs and in materials.
With electric powered pumping using mains, photo-voltaics or transported batteries, the procedure is a little
more complex. Ram pumping is more complex again. There has therefore been a growing interest in simplifying
the technology, especially in order to serve irrigation operated by peasant farmers.
 Conclusion
The hydraulic ram pump worked perfectly. It was observed that if the water in the tank decreased the time taken
between strokes increased and the pump ceased to work. Shortening the stroke increased the frequency of
strokes. Thus, a certain amount of water has to be maintained in order to pump water via the ram pump
satisfactorily.
 References
• Shuaibu Ndache MOHAMMED, “Design and Construction of a Hydraulic Ram Pump”, Leonardo Electronic
Journal of Practices and Technologies, Issue 11, July-December 2007, p. 59-70.
• "New Patents: Pierre François Montgolfier," The Annals of Philosophy, 7 (41) : 405 (May 1816).
• Whitehurst, John (1775). "Account of a Machine for Raising Water, executed at Oulton, in Cheshire, in
1772". Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society. London: Royal Society. 65: 277–279.
doi:10.1098/rstl.1775.0026
• Executive Documents of the House of Representatives at the Second Session of the Twenty-first Congress …
, vol. 2 (Washington, D.C.: Duff Green, 1831), pages 328 and 332.
• “Hydraulic Ram Pumps”, Practical Action, United Kingdom, 2010.
• “Hydraulic Ram Pumps”, John Perkin, Green and Carter LTD.
• Green. Carter. (2002). Hydraulic ram leaflet. RetrieHydraulic
http://www.greenandcarter.com/main/rampumpleaflet.htm
• “NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN HYDRAULIC RAM PUMPING”, Hydraulic Ram Pump Research
Programme, Development Technology Unit School of Engineering, University of Warwick, Technical
Release 13, 1996.