Welcome to WildWaterPower!
Shown below are my various forms of new hydro power. These hydro-power projects
have been the core of my site for many years. I have decided to update this site with
some of my side projects. I hope you enjoy seeing them as much as I have in building
them!
My first attempt at hydro-power was an overshot wheel design with a chain drive.
My second attempt was a Persian Waterwheel design which makes electricity, which I
call a Gravity Wheel.
My last and by far the best, my Pressure Wheel design which I am still developing.
The problem with the chain drive Overshot wheel was: It was made of wood: and the
gearing (1 to 600) was much too complicated. Getting the chain onto the wheel was
always a problem. Even when i got it to go on perfectly, the pressures involved were
great. This caused wear and tear on the
system. Pictures of this wheel are on the bottom. It is probably best to go with a
gear box. There are a few links on my “contacts” page showing wheels that use gear
boxes.
The Gravity wheel was my second design. The flow of the river rotates the wheel,
which lifts water in buckets which are connected to the side. This was inspired by the
ancient Norias, or Persian Water Wheels. The difference between the Norias and the
gravity wheel is just the materials used to build it and the water that is raised is run
down to a turbine, not put on an aqueduct for irrigation.
The problem with my Gravity wheel design was that of size. To create
fifty foot of head, you had to make a fifty foot wheel. This is not a solution for a
homeowner, nor is it all that practical for mass production.
My latest design I call a Pressure Wheel. I got the original idea from this site: http:
//aquamor.tripod.com/Wheel.htm. I realized that this fellow had created a wonderful
water lifting devise. It also dawned on me that it has the perfect characteristics to
garner power off a river. Using a spiral pump changes rotational movement into
pressure.
My design differs from the Aquamor site since I run the pressurized water through a
turbine and the pressurized air through an air motor. Both of these run one generator.
The small one below is for test purposes. It is created out of PVC pipe and fiberglass
reinforced plastic. It has and enclosed system. The fluid is scooped from the reservoir
on the side; the fluid then goes through the spiral pump; which changes the movement
of the wheel into pressurized air and fluid; that fluid then leaves the wheel through the
rotating coupling and into the separator tank. From here the air goes to an air motor
and the fluid through a Pelton turbine. The final step is when the fluid leaves the
turbine and is gravity fed back into the reservoir. For this small prototype I did not
spend the money for the turbine or air motor, it is for demonstration purposes.
It takes slow movement and converts it into pressure. How much pressure? That is
determined by four main factors.
-The size of the Restriction the spiral pump goes into
-The number of spirals that are in the spiral pump.
-The inside diameter of the spirals that are in the spiral pump. -
-The air to water ratio in each spiral.
So, what does this get rid of? It gets rid of any type of transmission or gearing to make
the flow of the river or ocean usable. The pressure developed can be run into an off the
shelf turbine. The wheel and spiral pump are made of things you can pick up at your
local Hardware Depot .It is ridiculously simple, the spiral pump have one wearable
part, the rotating coupling that allows the pressurized water to come out of the wheel .
This system can be used on overshot, breast and undershot wheels. Traditionally
overshot wheel have been the true prime movers
of the Wheel world. But this is now not the case. Large rivers will be much easier and
cheaper to harness with an undershot design. In the ocean there is no limit to how big
this system can be made.
Note: Think of it this way, this is not so much a waterwheel as an extension of a
turbine that allows that turbine to harness large quantities of water, without a dam.
A little about myself. I have an Associated Degree from Denver Automotive and Diesel
College. I was in the Navy for four years working on the electrical systems of F-14's as
an Aviation Electrician. And I recently graduated from the University of Connecticut
with an independent study degree in the History of Technology.
Shown below are my various forms of new hydro power. These hydro-power projects
have been the core of my site for many years. I have decided to update this site with
some of my side projects. I hope you enjoy seeing them as much as I have in building
them!
My first attempt at hydro-power was an overshot wheel design with a chain drive.
My second attempt was a Persian Waterwheel design which makes electricity, which I
call a Gravity Wheel.
My last and by far the best, my Pressure Wheel design which I am still developing.
The problem with the chain drive Overshot wheel was: It was made of wood: and the
gearing (1 to 600) was much too complicated. Getting the chain onto the wheel was
always a problem. Even when i got it to go on perfectly, the pressures involved were
great. This caused wear and tear on the
system. Pictures of this wheel are on the bottom. It is probably best to go with a
gear box. There are a few links on my “contacts” page showing wheels that use gear
boxes.
The Gravity wheel was my second design. The flow of the river rotates the wheel,
which lifts water in buckets which are connected to the side. This was inspired by the
ancient Norias, or Persian Water Wheels. The difference between the Norias and the
gravity wheel is just the materials used to build it and the water that is raised is run
down to a turbine, not put on an aqueduct for irrigation.
The problem with my Gravity wheel design was that of size. To create
fifty foot of head, you had to make a fifty foot wheel. This is not a solution for a
homeowner, nor is it all that practical for mass production.
My latest design I call a Pressure Wheel. I got the original idea from this site: http:
//aquamor.tripod.com/Wheel.htm. I realized that this fellow had created a wonderful
water lifting devise. It also dawned on me that it has the perfect characteristics to
garner power off a river. Using a spiral pump changes rotational movement into
pressure.
My design differs from the Aquamor site since I run the pressurized water through a
turbine and the pressurized air through an air motor. Both of these run one generator.
The small one below is for test purposes. It is created out of PVC pipe and fiberglass
reinforced plastic. It has and enclosed system. The fluid is scooped from the reservoir
on the side; the fluid then goes through the spiral pump; which changes the movement
of the wheel into pressurized air and fluid; that fluid then leaves the wheel through the
rotating coupling and into the separator tank. From here the air goes to an air motor
and the fluid through a Pelton turbine. The final step is when the fluid leaves the
turbine and is gravity fed back into the reservoir. For this small prototype I did not
spend the money for the turbine or air motor, it is for demonstration purposes.
It takes slow movement and converts it into pressure. How much pressure? That is
determined by four main factors.
-The size of the Restriction the spiral pump goes into
-The number of spirals that are in the spiral pump.
-The inside diameter of the spirals that are in the spiral pump. -
-The air to water ratio in each spiral.
So, what does this get rid of? It gets rid of any type of transmission or gearing to make
the flow of the river or ocean usable. The pressure developed can be run into an off the
shelf turbine. The wheel and spiral pump are made of things you can pick up at your
local Hardware Depot .It is ridiculously simple, the spiral pump have one wearable
part, the rotating coupling that allows the pressurized water to come out of the wheel .
This system can be used on overshot, breast and undershot wheels. Traditionally
overshot wheel have been the true prime movers
of the Wheel world. But this is now not the case. Large rivers will be much easier and
cheaper to harness with an undershot design. In the ocean there is no limit to how big
this system can be made.
Note: Think of it this way, this is not so much a waterwheel as an extension of a
turbine that allows that turbine to harness large quantities of water, without a dam.
A little about myself. I have an Associated Degree from Denver Automotive and Diesel
College. I was in the Navy for four years working on the electrical systems of F-14's as
an Aviation Electrician. And I recently graduated from the University of Connecticut
with an independent study degree in the History of Technology.
WildWaterPower.com
By Dennis Buller
By Dennis Buller
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Short video explaining the basic concepts that make
it work. Videos use Quicktime. Please ignore Flash,
he is a bad boy.
it work. Videos use Quicktime. Please ignore Flash,
he is a bad boy.
I found this one online. It is a spiral pump in its traditional
job, raising water. I think it is about six foot tall (the site does
not say), and raises 16 l/min up to 25m ht. That is a lot of
pressure to lift that high. Even though it is very crude, is not
floating (one has to wonder what happens when the big flood
comes) it is the largest, heavy duty spiral pump I have found.
If this was mine I would fit it to not only raise water but also
produce electricity. It gives an indication of what is possible.
One day I would like to think of this as small.
job, raising water. I think it is about six foot tall (the site does
not say), and raises 16 l/min up to 25m ht. That is a lot of
pressure to lift that high. Even though it is very crude, is not
floating (one has to wonder what happens when the big flood
comes) it is the largest, heavy duty spiral pump I have found.
If this was mine I would fit it to not only raise water but also
produce electricity. It gives an indication of what is possible.
One day I would like to think of this as small.
CHAIN DRIVE OVERSHOT WATERWHEEL- This
was my first water power project. It is nine foot in diameter, five foot wide
and produces 1500 watts with approximately 1000 gallons per minute. The
chain drive is much more complex than a spiral pump setup. The wheel itself
is great, it is made of 4x4's and used plastic buckets. This is very cheap and I
am going to eventually retofit it to have a spiral pump and turbine.
was my first water power project. It is nine foot in diameter, five foot wide
and produces 1500 watts with approximately 1000 gallons per minute. The
chain drive is much more complex than a spiral pump setup. The wheel itself
is great, it is made of 4x4's and used plastic buckets. This is very cheap and I
am going to eventually retofit it to have a spiral pump and turbine.
Spiral Pump Sites!!!!
This is my latest work. It has 400 foot of 3/4 hose and makes 50 PSI
with the spiral pump plugged. I am currently working on prototyping
new paddles. With the spiral pump I am looking to run the wheel very
slowly and generate high pressure. With this model in mind, I am
making paddles with vanes to increase the impact area, decrease the
turbulence created. In many respects I am trying to copy the
efficiency of a turbine blade on my paddles.
with the spiral pump plugged. I am currently working on prototyping
new paddles. With the spiral pump I am looking to run the wheel very
slowly and generate high pressure. With this model in mind, I am
making paddles with vanes to increase the impact area, decrease the
turbulence created. In many respects I am trying to copy the
efficiency of a turbine blade on my paddles.
This is the prototype put together by Mark in Canada. It
floats, pumps 2.5 gallons a minute and maintains a
pressure of 45 PSI. It provides grey water to his cabin
and here it is making 6 Watts. We should be able to get
much more power, but the bladeless turbine which he
had been experimenting with is a disappointment.
Until a much bigger version is built it is not
economically practical to buy a turbine and air motor to
produce electric power.
floats, pumps 2.5 gallons a minute and maintains a
pressure of 45 PSI. It provides grey water to his cabin
and here it is making 6 Watts. We should be able to get
much more power, but the bladeless turbine which he
had been experimenting with is a disappointment.
Until a much bigger version is built it is not
economically practical to buy a turbine and air motor to
produce electric power.
Here is a great illustration. It clearly shows how the
columns of fluid build on one another and how the
rotation of the wheel and the Spiral pump work in
counter directions. The air compresses and allows the
pressure of the columns to build on one another.
Notice the air going out of the lift pipe. It provides
buoyancy and lifts the water higher than the pressure
alone.
columns of fluid build on one another and how the
rotation of the wheel and the Spiral pump work in
counter directions. The air compresses and allows the
pressure of the columns to build on one another.
Notice the air going out of the lift pipe. It provides
buoyancy and lifts the water higher than the pressure
alone.
Gravity Wheel-converts the flow of a river into water pressure by lifting the
water; thus creating head. It acts as a huge transformer, changing high
volume-low
pressure into low volume-high pressure. The problem with this design is
the head created is limited to the size of the wheel itself.
water; thus creating head. It acts as a huge transformer, changing high
volume-low
pressure into low volume-high pressure. The problem with this design is
the head created is limited to the size of the wheel itself.
Links to improve my Google standing :
Alternative energy Store
Water Lifting Devices:
Water Wheel Engineering
Paddle experiment. By making
blades out of PVC I am trying to
create a much larger surface area
for the water to push against,
while minimizing turbulence.
blades out of PVC I am trying to
create a much larger surface area
for the water to push against,
while minimizing turbulence.
My first test bed for the Spiral pump. The all PVC wheel made
me a believer in using PVC for water power. It is one spiral
pump distributed between both sides for balance. It makes
between 30-35 PSI. It is an enclosed system, the fluid goes from
the reservoir, through the spiral pump and then back again. I
use this as a proof of concept prop now.
me a believer in using PVC for water power. It is one spiral
pump distributed between both sides for balance. It makes
between 30-35 PSI. It is an enclosed system, the fluid goes from
the reservoir, through the spiral pump and then back again. I
use this as a proof of concept prop now.
Mark has passed on. I would like to dedicate this site to his memory. He was a much greater
technologist than me and his presence in my life will be sorely missed.
technologist than me and his presence in my life will be sorely missed.
The New concept for Gearing up a
waterwheel.
waterwheel.
Spiral Pump Videos On Youtube
A team of student engineers at Robert Gordon University approached me about using a spiral
pump to enter into an engineering competition. The competition was to design something to
pump water and shoot it as high as possible. Flow into pressure.
They came in second!
Take a look at the video posted on Youtube and pictures.
pump to enter into an engineering competition. The competition was to design something to
pump water and shoot it as high as possible. Flow into pressure.
They came in second!
Take a look at the video posted on Youtube and pictures.
