1. Hydraulic Ram for Fuel-free Water LiftingBy
Roberto A. Alaban, Jr.
Design|Fabrication|Installation
Technology transfer|Consultancy
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2. What is a Hydraulic Ram?
The hydraulic ram pump may be defined as a self-acting device that uses the energy of a large volume of water falling from a higher location (relative to the ram) and passing through it, to lift a small volume to a location significantly higher than the ram and the source of water.
It has only 2 moving parts.

3. Characteristics of a Hydraulic Ram Water-Lifting System
(1) there is no other external energy input (e.g. human,
animal, fossil fuel, etc.) that makes the ram
work other than the energy of water passing
through the pump;
(2) its operation will continue 24 hours a day, seven
days a week so long as the required volume of
water continues to flow through it,
(3) water has to come from a location higher than
the ram;

4. Characteristics of a Hydraulic Ram Water-Lifting System
(4) only a small portion of this water (around 25 % or
less) is pumped up, the remainder passing out of the
ram and must be drained to a lower location;
(5) the vertical distance to which water can be
pumped up from the ram is significantly higher
than the vertical distance from its source to the
ram – up to 30 meters delivery height per 1 meter
of supply fall, although typically the most efficient
is within a ratio of 10:1 or less, and;

5. Characteristics of a Hydraulic Ram Water-Lifting System
(6) due to the ram’s small output per minute, there is a
need for a storage device at the point of delivery to
accumulate this output on a 24-hour basis, e.g. an
earthen pond for irrigation or ferrocement, metal,
or plastic tank for drinking water.

6. History proven, technology for lifting water.
The hydraulic ram is a very old, and well-
proven, technology for lifting water.
In 1772, Englishman John Whitehurst
invented a manually-operated precursor
of the hydraulic ram called the "pulsation
engine." The first one he installed in 1775
raised water to a height of 16 ft. (4.9 m).

7. History
The first self-acting ram pump was invented by the Frenchman Joseph Michel Montgolfier in 1796 for raising water in his paper mill (Montgolfier is more popularly known for his work in hot-air balloons).
The sons of Montgolfier obtained an English patent for an improved version in 1816 but this was acquired, together with Whitehurst's design, in 1820 by Josiah Easton, a Somerset-born engineer who had just moved to London.

8. History
Easton's firm, inherited by his son James grew during the nineteenth century to become one of the more important engineering manufacturers in the United Kingdom, with a large works at Erith, Kent. They specialised in water supply and sewerage systems world-wide, as well as land drainage projects. The Eastons had a good business supplying rams for water supply purposes to large country houses, and also to farms and village communities, and a number of their installations still survive up to this day.

9. History
In 1929 the company was acquired by Green & Carter, of Winchester, Hampshire, who were engaged in the manufacturing and installation of the well-known Vulcan and Vacher rams. Green & Carter now function from Ashbrittle, near Wellington, Somerset, U.K.

10. Ram Pumps in the 21st century
In recent years there has been a resurgence of interest in hydraulic rams, particularly in developing countries, due to the continuing rise in fossil-fuel prices.
In India, Vietnam, and China their governments are very active in constructing hydraulic ram systems and in disseminating the technology to the countryside for irrigation and drinking water (a German group is leading the effort in Vietnam and China). In Africa (Zimbabwe), a British group has been active in this field since 1994.

11. Ram Pumps in the 21st century
Surprisingly, in the Philippines the ram pump is still a relatively unknown technology and has not been part of the government’s program for irrigation or potable water delivery. Even more surprising, many technically-trained individuals (engineers) have not heard about a ram pump and could not believe that water can be continuously pumped to a location much higher than its source by water inertia alone, by a pump that has only two moving parts!

12. Ram Pumps in the 21st century
Even in the country’s premier agricultural engineering school the hydraulic ram is taught mainly in theory and in passing, and one agricultural engineering professor has dismissed it for water-lifting work as inefficient because it can pump only a small portion of the total volume of water that passes through it (even though the fuel expense is totally zero).

13. Parts of a Hydraulic Ram
The ram pump is a very old technology, and for over two centuries many designs have been tried. Today, rams come in a variety of shapes and sizes, yet many of the incorporated modifications are mere variations of the same theme, and the basic design consist almost always of the following: ram body, impulse valve, delivery valve, air snifter, and air chamber.

14. Parts of a Hydraulic Ram
Shown is Chinook MP-2 2-inch ram designed by the author
Air chamber
Delivery pipe stub
Impulse valve
Delivery valve
Air snifter
Body
Drive pipe stub
Feet

15. Parts of a Hydraulic Ram
Shown is a large-bore Chinese-made hydraulic ram pump
Air chamber
Delivery pipe stub
Impulse valve
Delivery valve
Air snifter
Body
Drive pipe stub
Feet

16. Parts of a Hydraulic Ram
Different forms, same substance
Delivery pipe stub
Drive pipe stub
Air chamber
Delivery valve
Impulse valve
Air snifter
Body
Feet

17. TYPICAL COMPONENTS OF A HYDRAULIC RAM WATER-LIFTING SYSTEM
Service area/Storage facility (not shown)
Source (river, stream, spring)
Supply pipe
Delivery pipe
Drive tank
Lift (Delivery head)
Drive pipe
Hydraulic Ram pump
Fall (Drive head)

18. COST OF A HYPOTHETICAL HYDRAULIC RAM SET UP with 2-INCH RAM
Assuming data as shown
Estimated output:
= (Fall * Volume * 0.60)/Lift
= (3 * 120 * 0.60)/20
= 10.8 liters/minute
= 15,552 liters/day
Delivery pipe 60 m
Supply pipe 30 m
Lift, 20 m
Drive pipe 12 m
Hydraulic Ram pump, 2 inches
Fall, 3 m
Source flow rate liters/minute

19. COST OF A HYPOTHETICAL HYDRAULIC RAM SET UP with 2-INCH RAM
(Direct material costs, excluding labor and optional dam)
(Off-the-shelf)
Supply pipe: 2-inch commercial grade HDPE pipe, 60 meters – P 1,500.00
Drive tank: 220-liter PVC drum –
Drain pipe: g.i. nipple 1” x 6” , sched. 40, 1 pc
Gate valve 1” , 1 pc –
Drive pipe: 2-inch g.i. pipe, schedule 40 , 2 lengths – ,600.00
G.i. coupling, 2 inches, 1 pc –
G.i. union, 2 inches, 1 pc –
G.i. nipple, 2” x 6”, sched. 40, 2 pcs –
PVC ball valve, 2 inches, with threaded ends –
G.i. union, 1 ¼”, 1 pc
G.i. nipple, 1 ¼” x 4”, sched. 40, 1 pc
Swing check valve, 1 ¼ ”, 1 pc
Delivery pipe: 1 ¼” commercial grade HDPE pipe, 60 meters
Cement for drive tank and hydraulic ram base, 3 bags
Mixing sand
Miscellaneous
(Fabricated)
2-inch hydraulic ram pump – 12,000.00
Ram cradle –
Total P 20,965.00

20. LIST OF CLIENTS El Nido Foundation, Palawan – May 2006
El Nido Foundation, Palawan – May 2006
Nono Cabatac, El Nido, Palawan May 2006
Victorias City Eco-park July 2006
Felino Javier, Rosario, Batangas September 2006
Dr. Nolasco, Roxas City October 2006
Antonio Villanueva, South Cotabato October 2006
Rod Plopiño, Occ. Mindoro November 2006
Eric Payucong, La Union – November 2006
Dan Cabitac, Batanes November 2006
Gil Montilla, Ubay, Bohol December 2006
Christopher Agbayani, Puerto Princesa – December 2006
Reynaldo Rosales, Lipa, Batangas December 2006
Mike Yukor, Dumaguete January 2006
Betty Yap, Cebu City January 2007
Leyte Prov. Gov’t January 2007
Vince Emnas, Baybay, Leyte January 2007
Frank Colloquio, Guimaras February 2007
Bernardino Verano, Brooke’s Point, Palawan – February 2007
Jun Padilla, Manila – February 2007
Ramon Ko, Bacolod City – March 2007
Virgie Neo, Tanay, Rizal March 2007
Manolo Chua, Zambales – March 2007
Abelardo Dapat, Limay, Bataan March 2007
Juan Ochoa, Pasuquin, Ilocos Norte – March 2007
Roy Castañeda, Camotes Island – March 2007
Leopoldo Avecilla, Alaminos, Laguna – March 2007
Atty. Jose Gangan, Ilagan, Isabela – March 2007
Ruby Ann Baetiong, Manila March 2007
Dr. Aristeo Tantoco, Rio Tuba, Palawan March 2007
Metro Clark Waste Management Corp April 2007
George Bautista, Bamban, Tarlac April 2007
Aurelia Rarang, Baguio City May 2007

21. Multiple-ram set up
Six 4-inch hydraulic rams with a combined output of more than 300,000 liters per day irrigate around 35 hectares of farmland in central Negros Occidental.