THERMAL WATER PUMP WITH STEAM

Abstract

This research aimed to study operating principles of steam-powered thermal water pump, the use of various heat sources, height level study, coolant quantity and temperature, and air quantity in the system affecting driving and pumping water. From the previous studies, it was found that using steam to drive and pump water was a way to increase pumping capacity. This was relied on the steam power produced to drive water and release heat by the coolant. Reducing the coolant temperature, increasing the coolant volume, and direct water cooling allowed the system to pump water at greater depths. This was due to fast dropping temperature in the tank leading to condensation and vacuum pressure. Therefore, as the temperature inside the tank dropped, the absolute pressure also dropped, so the system was able to pump at a higher level. Moreover, the proportion of air inside the system could increase the water-driving pressure. Therefore, after driving water was completed, the air inside the system had to be released along with steam ventilation to get the system pressure to be as close to the atmospheric pressure as possible. Condensation was still problematic because air collapse was difficult, so the system needed filling new air in every operating cycle. In terms of pump efficiency, it depended on the input power into the system and the amount of water pumped and the total height of water pumping. Therefore, reducing the temperature inside the pumping tank during the cooling process was able to increase the vacuum pressure, and this allowed the system to pump at a greater depth. To increase pump efficiency by reducing the loss of energy supplied to the system can be achieved by increasing the number of operating cycles that is more than one cycle. In addition, by increasing the amount of water pumped per cycle and increasing the pump tank size when the system can pump water at a higher level, the pump efficiency is also increased.