Efficiency of Hydraulic Ram Pumps Made with Alternative Materials

This study evaluates the effect of different angles of inclination of air chamber and ratios of fall/elevation heights (h/H) on the efficiency of hydraulic ram pumps made with alternative materials. The experiment is divided in two stages. In the first, an entirely randomized design is used, with five replications, in a 3×2 factorial scheme, considered in the composition of the treatments, with combinations of three alternative materials of the air chamber (polyethylene terephthalate bottle, polyvinyl chloride tube and the cylinder of a fire extinguisher) at two angles of inclination (45° and 90º). In the second stage, the experiment is again conducted with an entirely randomized design, with five replications, in a 2×4 factorial scheme, considered in the composition of the treatments, with combinations of two angles of inclination of the air chamber (45° and 90°) in four h/H ratios (1/3, 1/4, 1/5 and 1/6). The alternative material of the air chamber provides the highest efficiency in the first stage. The variables studied are subjected to normality analysis (Shapiro-Wilk) and homoscedasticity (Bartlett), with the T test being performed with the correction of Bonferroni (P < 0.05). The hydraulic ram with a PET bottle camber, inserted at an angle of 90º, submitted to an h/H ratio of between 1/4 and 1/6, provided the highest efficiency.