A-level project, boat pump.

[Danny123]

For my A-level product design project i have made a pump,
designed around the idea of using it on a boat.
More specifically in open top tenders.
The idea behind it was to create a solution to having to bail out your tender whenever it rains,
it has a water sensor, so it turns itself on and off when there is water present.
It also has a wind turbine on top so that it will trickle change the battery, this makes it self-sufficient and therefore does not need attending at all.
The whole product floats and therefore doesn't get blocked with any dirt etc, that may be at the bottom off the water.
Here is a picture of the final prototype;

View attachment 31400

Any thoughts or comments would be appreciated

Danny

 

[davidej]

Probably quite expensive to make with a turbine, regulator battery etc.

The rival technology uses the pulling on the mooring rope to pump - search this forum and you will come across it..

Your's would work on boats in a marina _ though the probably have mains to power a pump, while the other will only work for boats on a mooring.

 

[nigelmercier]

Nicely made, but looks unstable. Is the long boat-shaped base really necessary?
How high will it pump? What is the rate? Will it cope with grit?

 

[[70521]]

I like a bit of engineering...

Will it cope with being swamped?

 

[Danny123]

Yes, the whole project is water proof,
so none of the electrical components will get damaged,
it starts pumping as soon as it senses water so this means there should never be an opportunity for it to get swamped

 

[Danny123]

the boat shaped base houses a large battery so that if there isn't any wind it could still work for extended periods ,
Also not sure of the flow rate as i have not tested it, and i could make a filter for it?

 

[[70521]]

Where do I attach the pipes too?

How high can it pump?

 

[nigelmercier]

the boat shaped base houses a large battery so that if there isn't any wind it could still work for extended periods

Things that float don't have to be boat shaped. Why not circular?
Does the vane turn into the wind?

 

[rogerthebodger]

Why do you need and electrics. Lots of wind pump designs that work very well without any electrics.

http://www.google.co.za/search?q=wi...QeMl4C4AQ&sqi=2&ved=0CD0QsAQ&biw=1280&bih=612

 

[Danny123]

i just liked the shape at the time,
also with it having a long profile,
as it floats it should point wind as it is

 

[Danny123]

there is an exit pipe that comes the bottom of the product,
sorry i forgot it in the picture

 

[Danny123]

Why do you need and electrics. Lots of wind pump designs that work very well without any electrics.

http://www.google.co.za/search?q=wi...QeMl4C4AQ&sqi=2&ved=0CD0QsAQ&biw=1280&bih=612

oh, i didnt find this during my research, thankyou

 

[nigelmercier]

as it floats it should point wind as it is

If only that were true. Back to the drawing board I'm afraid.

 

[npf1]

seems like a good idea - well done. The rival technology referred to above is useless in a marina environment as it relies on dinghy movement.

Your idea would solve a problem I have - my dinghy is in section of a marina that does not have shore power. So that leaves me with the following choices:

- manual pumping. In Jan, it took me 763 actions of the pump to empty the dinghy. Now, I know it's sad that I counted but I was curious how much effort was required to empty an almost full dinghy.
- carry a car battery, bilge pump and hose down in he car so have the kit if I need it
- rig up a bilge pump, battery & solar panel in a suitable box, but that would run to £100-£200 and be yet another project to do.

So, I'd buy something based on what you have and would be happily to pay circa £75 if 'does what it says on the tin'.

if you want it testing in a real life situation, give me a shout.

Thanks

 

[prv]

Also not sure of the flow rate as i have not tested it

Why would you build the whole thing before finding out whether it will work? Surely you'd bench-test the pump and the generator as soon as they arrived?

For what it's worth, that windmill looks just about big enough to run a few LEDs, but not to pump any useful amount of water.

Also, depending on how much of the float is foam and how much battery, I could see it capsizing as soon as there's much wind. Alternatively, it will drift over to the leeward side of the flooded boat and then the blades will jam on the side.

Sorry

Pete

 

[Danny123]

Why would you build the whole thing before finding out whether it will work? Surely you'd bench-test the pump and the generator as soon as they arrived?

For what it's worth, that windmill looks just about big enough to run a few LEDs, but not to pump any useful amount of water.

Also, depending on how much of the float is foam and how much battery, I could see it capsizing as soon as there's much wind. Alternatively, it will drift over to the leeward side of the flooded boat and then the blades will jam on the side.

Sorry

Pete

the windmill only trickle charges the battery,
and the battery is situated almost under its waterline to ensure no capsizing
also the problem of the blades jamming on the side i never thought off, thanks

I also made both the pump and generator in house specifically for the project

 

[Danny123]

seems like a good idea - well done. The rival technology referred to above is useless in a marina environment as it relies on dinghy movement.

Your idea would solve a problem I have - my dinghy is in section of a marina that does not have shore power. So that leaves me with the following choices:

- manual pumping. In Jan, it took me 763 actions of the pump to empty the dinghy. Now, I know it's sad that I counted but I was curious how much effort was required to empty an almost full dinghy.
- carry a car battery, bilge pump and hose down in he car so have the kit if I need it
- rig up a bilge pump, battery & solar panel in a suitable box, but that would run to £100-£200 and be yet another project to do.

So, I'd buy something based on what you have and would be happily to pay circa £75 if 'does what it says on the tin'.

if you want it testing in a real life situation, give me a shout.

Thanks

thankyou

 

[nigelmercier]

Alternatively, it will drift over to the leeward side of the flooded boat and then the blades will jam on the side.

Exactly, which is why a circular shape would be better. It also seems to rely on the boat automatically heading into the wind

 

[tillergirl]

it starts pumping as soon as it senses water

Sounds a bit like my bladder since the doctor started me on those water tablets!

 

[prv]

the windmill only trickle charges the battery,

Quite a small trickle, I expect

So what happens when the battery has run flat, there is still water in the boat, and the windmill is effectively powering the pump directly?

and the battery is situated almost under its waterline to ensure no capsizing

Ah, so you have at least tank-tested the thing so you know how deep in the water it floats?

also the problem of the blades jamming on the side i never thought off, thanks

So is the thing meant to be "moored" in the middle of the boat, then? Or does it just drift around? I guess by default it'll be moored by its discharge pipe. Where does that emerge? If it comes off the "bow" then I guess you have a hope in hell of the windmill pointing into the wind. But only if the hose is very, very flexible.

I also made both the pump and generator in house specifically for the project

Really? You've done well to wind your own dynamo small enough to fit in that black housing behind the propellor. But a home-made version must be horribly inefficient compared to a factory part (not just cos you made it, I couldn't make a good one either ) so you have even less power to play with.

What kind of pump did you make? Centrifugal? Diaphragm? A piston?

Pete