ARS | Publication request: SELECTING THE PROPER PUMP FOR A WIND-ELECTRIC WATER PUMPING SYSTEM

Submitted to: American Physical Society
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: October 26, 1995
Publication Date: N/A

Technical Abstract: Using the power generated by a 1.5 kW wind turbine, four different submersible pumps with a 1.1 kW motor were tested at the USDA-ARS Conservation and Production Research Laboratory in Bushland, Texas. The 1.5 kW wind turbine had a rotor diameter of 3.05 meters and generated power with a permanent magnet alternator. The submersible motor and pumps tested dcould be bought off-the-shelf without any modifications. A 1.1 kW, 230 V, 3-phase submersible motor was used to drive the pumps. The pumps tested were rated at 0.75 kW and differed by the number of stages and flow capacity. The number of stages on the pumps tested were 7, 10, 15, and 19. Each pump was tested at three different pumping depths in order to determine which was the best pump for each pumping depth. It is a well known fact that a pump needs more stages for deeper pumping depths. However, this research also determined that more stages are needed for a less energetic wind site.