Water use
Fact: Water stress
Over two billion people live in states with high water stress. As a result of the increasing water shortage, the supply of clean drinking water and irrigation in agricultural fields in particular is becoming more difficult. This mainly affects the less developed countries.
Water harvesting and drainage as targets:
From this realization we developed within GREEN DESERT the non-profit project idea “OPEN WINDPUMP”. With our project we intend to promote drinking water supply and irrigation of fields with the help of wind energy.
Another area of application is the drainage of swamp and marsh areas for land reclamation or malaria control.
The KUKATE34 wind turbines can pump groundwater and river water as well as water from standing water.
Westernmills as wind pumps are long established practice:
The twelve-bladed rotors of the KUKATE34 are similar to those of the Westernmills, whose easy start-up in moderate winds and robust serviceability are indisputable. The decisive factor for this type of pump is not particulate maximum performance, but as many operating hours per year as possible.
In the book “Wind Turbines. Fundamentals, Planning and Operation” by Robert Gasch and Jochen Twele, the expert Erich Hau gives the figure of six million Westernmills produced by 1930. They are mainly used for livestock watering in Australia, Peru, Chile and Argentina. Hau estimates the number of plants remaining in the U.S. today at about 150000.
Clean drinking water supply:
The clean drinking water supply for people has special requirements. Disease-causing microorganisms and pathogenic germs must not be in the water. The permitted concentration of minerals must also be observed. If necessary, disinfection measures are required as needed.
The KUKATE34 piston pump mainly pumps groundwater from wells. These must be specially sealed against contamination for the pumping of drinking water.
If livestock is to be watered with the water, it is also important to observe required conditions regarding purity.
If drinking water tanks are exposed to tropical temperatures, a high germ load in tanks and pipes can be particularly problematic.
Reliable water supply:
If the wind fails, storage facilities must have enough water to cover a low wind period or a repair period.
Liberation from time-consuming human labor
Especially in Africa, but also in South America and India, countless women and children are employed to transport water – often over long distances. This dull and hard work wears away at their life substance. There is little or no time for school and emancipation.
Here, wind pumps have an elementary significance for a liberation from captivating and inhumane activities that are diametrically opposed to personality development.
Land Irrigation:
The supply of plants with water is absolutely necessary. If artificial irrigation is possible, harvests can be increased.
If openly accessible bodies of water are nearby, the KUKATE34M diaphragm pump designed by Ms. Göbel and Mr. Hakar is suitable for supplying water.
Torben Bankonier has shown with his work “Technical concept of an agricultural water supply in Uganda” (Hyperlink! After point 4.7, there the work must be described and the access to it must be made possible)exemplarily demonstrated, how a land irrigation can take place efficiently with simple means.
The graphic illustrates how complex an autonomous water supply system is.
