Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture Technology (JKUAT) have released the first ever water pump that does not require diesel or electricity to operate.
According to JKUAT renewable energy expert and lecturer Richard Njihia the technology called hydraulic ram pump aka hydram pump is built from locally-available materials runs entirely on sound mechanical principles and needs no source of energy other than the flow of water.
“The technology is unique because it is a one-of-its-kind machine where water is being lifted without any fuel or energy. That is where hydram pump stands out when compared to other technologies” he says.
He explains that hydram is a time-tested technology that uses the energy of a large amount of water falling from a small height to lift part of the liquid to great heights. In this way, water from a spring or stream can be pumped to the village for domestic use, irrigation or any other farm activity on the uphill.
“The power of the pump relies on the height of the falling water. For instance, if the fall is one metre in depth, the pump can push water from the base to a height of eight metres,” he adds.
He revealed that the pump can push out one out of every 10 litres of water received and has alternating valves that allow continuous inflow and outflow of water. With reservoirs in the irrigation field or homes, the pump can push water for 24 hours.
“Hydrams range in size, with the smallest pushing 5000 litres per day while others manage up to 20,000 litres over the same period. The cost ranges from Sh60,000 to Sh120,000,” he says.
He urges farmers to embrace this technology saying that the pump is a perfect alternative to diesel or electricity, of which if a farmer cannot afford them at a given time, farm activities would stagnate.