Bellows type water pump

Abstract

This project studies the attempt to raise water from one level to a higher one by means of 'bellows'. The latter is a device, with a flexible air chamber, which alternately expands and contracts. In so doing, it causes suction of water, which it then pumps to a higher level through one-way valves. To illustrate the principle involved, a piston cylinder arrangement is used to act as ‘mechanical bellows’. Driven by a motor, a cam acts on a rocker arm causing reciprocating action of the piston within the cylinder. Hence, there is compression and expansion of air which results in the suction of water through one valve and delivering it via another valve. A small rig of this bellows type water pump was constructed, mostly from materials already available in the workshop. After machining the various parts involved, the rig was assembled as a whole and was ready for testing. An investigation was then carried out into the performance characteristics of the pump and in determining a relationship between the head obtained, motor speed for various pipe diameters.