The energy of moving water can be used to perform physical work, or harnessed to produce different forms of energy, like electricity in micro-hydro systems.
I started this topic to catalog and discuss different water based technologies that can be very useful in an off-grid situation.
Putting Water to Work
Re: Putting Water to Work
This device is an interesting combination of two technologies:
1. The ram pump that uses water to pump water.
2. The trompe that uses water to compress air.
It appears that by combining these two technologies, the device can achieve a much higher air pressure with a much lower water head than is otherwise required, and the compressed air can be used for things like driving pneumatic tools, or for refrigeration.
1. The ram pump that uses water to pump water.
2. The trompe that uses water to compress air.
It appears that by combining these two technologies, the device can achieve a much higher air pressure with a much lower water head than is otherwise required, and the compressed air can be used for things like driving pneumatic tools, or for refrigeration.
Re: Putting Water to Work
Since I also mentioned a trompe, here is a video of one in action.
In this case, it is used to aerate a fish pond without the need for any external energy source. But they can be used for any situation where a steady flow of air is required.
In this case, it is used to aerate a fish pond without the need for any external energy source. But they can be used for any situation where a steady flow of air is required.
Re: Putting Water to Work
Water, Restoration of Mills & other Energy projects using water http://www.angelfire.com/journal/millre ... links.html
I can't guarantee all the links are still valid.
I can't guarantee all the links are still valid.
"The urge to save humanity is almost always only a false-face for the urge to rule it." -- H.L. Mencken https://www.archive.org 
