A solar hand pump is a water pumping device that utilizes solar energy to draw and
pump water from a bore well during the day and offers and option to store water
in an over head tank, for use when solar energy is not available. It is an
eco-friendly and sustainable use of technology without any impairment to the
environment. Since it only requires solar power for operation, it proves to be
more cost effective than the pumps that use electricity.
The solar powered submersible pump can be
installed on a bore well, and operates on the electricity generated by the
solar array. Batteries are not required for power storage. The submersible pump
directly stores water in a overhead tank, for use in the absence of power from
the solar array. The set up is convenient and simple, which entails no
operational costs, while the cost of maintenance is also relatively low.
The pump head is made up of stainless steel
and the body is lightweight. The size of the operating head can be chosen from
15m to 90m as per requirement. The pump discharges water ranging from 500 to
4500 liters per hour. The pump can be installed in bore/tube wells of 100mm and
above diameter, and requires a brushless DC or a specially designed AC motor
for operation. The voltage requirement of the motor ranges from 30 to300 volts,
depending on the quantity of water drawn. The optimum rate speed of the pump is
500rpm, and can reach a maximum of 3600rpm. Monocrystalline or multicrystalline
photovoltaic cells are fitted into an aluminum frame to create the solar array.
A galvanized piping structure is used for mounting the solar array, which makes
it corrosion resistant. The solar panel can also be tilted in any suitable
direction for the optimum utilization of the panel. Power out put of the panel
ranges from 500-2000 watts at 15 to 100 volts, and the operating temperature
ranges from 40 to 80 degree Celsius.
A deep well hand pump can also be installed
on the same bore, using riser pipes, as a backup, for assurance against lack of
solar power.
