Air-operated water pump used in the summer of 1993
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Air-operated water pump used in the summer of 1993 |
by Bob Buchanan, Alberta Agriculture, Barrhead, Alberta
This past summer Alberta Agriculture staff worked on four interesting cattle watering projects in the Edmonton area. Windmills and new air-operated pumps were set up at four farms in the Redwater, Westlock and Athabasca areas and used to supply water to cattle at three dugout sites and a creek. Koenders Manufacturing Limited, from Englefeld, Saskatchewan, manufactured the pumps and windmills.
The projects were initiated by farmers and local municipalities who were concerned over the destructive impact cattle were having while watering directly from some farm dugouts and natural surface water sources. Of particular interest was the pumping capacity, performance and water quality improvements provided by such a system. All the water sources were fenced to exclude cattle. Each project costs about $1,500 to $2,000 to install, including $750 for the windmill and water pump. Another $750 to $1,250 was required for a 5,000 litre plastic storage tank, a stock tank, a cement pad, plastic pipe, valves, and fencing.
The pump consists of a compression chamber with two valves. One valve allows water into the compression chamber and the second allows compressed air to escape so the chamber can refill with water. The pump is submerged just below the dugout water surface. Compressed air from the windmill is supplied to the pump via a 3/8 inch diameter plastic line. Each time the pump chamber refills with water, the compressed air pushes approximately 10.5 litres of water from the pump. A 3/4 inch plastic water line supplies water to a storage reservoir and/or a stock tank system. A oneway cheek valve on the water line prevents water from flowing back into the pump.
| Site | Association Heifer Pasture (100 km north of Edmonton) |
Project (60 km northeast of Edmonton) |
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| Total Water Pump (70 days) | |||
| Weekly Average | |||
| Lowest Week (July 16 to 23) | |||
| Highest Week | |||
| Water Pumping Elevation Lift | |||
| Note: The water pumped was measured in cubic meters (m3) and 1 cubic meter= 1,000 litres or 220 Imperial Gallons |
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During the summer, weekly water metre readings were taken to estimate the pumping capacity. Three times during the summer a series of water samples were taken for chemical, nutrient and bacteriological analysis. The following table is a brief summary of the water pumping capacity at two of the test sites located north of Edmonton.
At the Pembina site, the windmill kept up nicely to the water requirements of 80 yearling heifers. Twice in June a gas pump was used to top up a 50,000 litre elevated water reservoir. Lower pumping capacity (26%) at this site is mainly attributed to higher lift of the water. At the MyKyte farm, the pump kept up to 36 cow-calf pairs watering from a stock tank plus a 5,000 litre plastic tank. Improved clarity was observed in the dugout water. Staff noted that adequate water storage is essential because of varying wind conditions. One unique benefit of the pump is that it aerates the water, thus improving water quality. Overall, the farmers were happy with the performance of the water pumping system.
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Some recommendations for the Koenders windpowered water pumping system are:
For more information on windpowered water pumping systems, contact the writer, manufacturer, or Rob Proctor at the Alberta Farm Machinery Research Institute in Lethbridge. Rob Proctor is involved in monitoring and testing of a number of water pumping systems, including the Koenders unit. He is also completing a booklet entitled "A Consumer's Guide to Windpowered Water Pumping".
