Design of a Vertical Windmill for Water Pumping Applications

Abstract

Water is a major component of the environment, covering 70% of the earth's total surface area. Yet, the demand for potable water in most locations remains high. Alternative solutions have been put in place coupled with the energy crisis for power sources to the existing hydro and thermal plant to ensure constant pumping of water. This paper presents a feasible solution in the quest to make potable water more available in deprived areas - design of a wind-powered system to drive water pumps. Unlike other existing models, this design is unique because it works without an electric motor or a generator thereby making it nonelectrical but solely mechanical powered. This design has a height of 10m above the ground and per mathematical calculations can produce 291 W power to drive pumps. The maximum torque in the system was found to be 24.69 Nm.