A Low-cost, Low-carbon, modular, highly-efficient grid-independent Pumping Solution
This project proposes the development of a novel pumping solution that addresses aspects of all three target areas of the funding call: water, energy and food.
This shall demonstrate:
* the possibility of a highly efficient "one-size fits all" pumping mechanism, based around a centrifugal pump, but with an electronically controlled fluids system that shall maximise the use of available energy, whilst ensuring optimal operation of the pump irrespective of the height to which it is pumping;
* a system that, due to its modularity, operates equally effectively and reliably when powered by a number of small-scale energy sources, including wind, solar (PV), bio-electricity, or combinations of these with or without battery back-up, or hybrids with grid connections;
* the electronic systems to control the interface between the above energy sources themselves, and between the sources and the pumping system
The "one-size fits all" nature of the entire system is expected to significantly reduce costs, through providing economies of scale. In doing so, a single, non-site-specific, low-cost pumping unit would be able to use a variety of energy sources to pump water (or other fluids) from a multitude of sources, to any given height-demand, be it for animal drinking water or irrigation.