Micro CoGen.

So we have and use both water from a creek and from a well at our retirement homestead.  We use a hydraulic ram pump  to pump the water from the creek into underground concrete tanks that provide 10,000 gallons of storage capability.  We store all this water primarily for our fire suppression system and secondarily for our irrigation system.  We have fire hydrants on these tanks that allows attaching a gasoline powered water pump and fire hose with proper nozzles.  There is a 1 HP submersible pump in these tanks to pump this creek water into our domestic/irrigation water system.  There is a 1 HP submersible pump in our well to pump well water into our domestic/irrigation water system.

Normally, one would have a separate pump controller and a separate bladder tank for the creek and well water supply systems.  However, I decided to accomplish this with just a single pump controller and bladder tank.  I also wanted our domestic/irrigation water system to be able to toggle between each water source by just toggling a single switch to keep things as simple as possible for my wife.

So I used a power relay triggered by a standard wall switch to send the pump controller power to the desired water source  pump.  This wall switch also powers and un-powers an electrical outlet that two solenoid valves are plugged into.  One solenoid valve is normally open when not  powered.  The other solenoid valve is normally closed  when not powered.  These solenoid values are used to absolutely ensure that we can never back feed creek water into the well of vice versa.  There are also one-way check valves in these water lines too for redundancy.  We use the normally open solenoid valve for the creek water path as that is our preferred source of water.  If the creek gets low or goes dry, we can just flip the wall switch to use the well water.  We also occasionally use the well water just to exercise the pump and ensure that system is in good working order.

One has to be very careful anytime you have a valve between a pump and the pressure switch that turns it ON and shuts it OFF.  If the valve is closed and the pump gets turned ON, something is going to fail in a dramatic and perhaps painful way!  So to avoid this possible mistake and resulting calamity, I have pressure relief valves in the creek and well water lines prior to the manual and solenoid valves.  These pressure relief valves will prevent an over-pressure event and dump the water outside my shop.

We have a pretty extensive water filtration system too.  Well water has its own pre-filtration system to aerate the water and to remove some undesirable minerals from the well water before it reaches the shop filtration panel.  All the water (creek and well) gets sediment filtration, carbon filtration and UV light treatment.  The drinking water faucets have reverse osmosis and additional sediment filtration, carbon filtration and UV light treatment.

As many of you know, we built our retirement homestead in southern Oregon a couple years ago.  I thought I would share some photos of the masonry heater that we built and report on its performance.  This is our second Winter using it and I can report that it works amazingly well in our high efficiency 2400 SF home.  One 30 pound wood firing every other day will easily keep our home at 70F for this 48 hour period.  

I should also add that our home is a passive solar design so about 40% of of our daily heat comes from the sun shinning through the south wall windows.  Our other heat source is hydronic radiant floor heating.  When we are not using the masonry heater, we can heat both our home and our detached 1800 SF garage/shop/guest quarters building for about $30/month just using small electric boilers located in each building that are expressly designed for hydronic radiant floor heating.  When we use the masonry heater, this heating cost reduces to about $12/month.

I built a masonry heater performance calculator:

https://www.borstengineeringconstruction.com/Masonry_Heater_Performance_Calculator.html

Here's some specific info on our masonry heater core and the fire mason we used to construct it:

https://www.borstengineeringconstruction.com/Masonry_Heater_Builders.pdf

Here's some info on the NexGen boiler we used for the hydronic radiant floor heating:

https://www.borstengineeringconstruction.com/NextGen_Boiler.pdf

And finally, you can find construction photos of both buildings here:

https://www.borstengineeringconstruction.com/About-Us.html

Anyhow, I hope someone finds this info useful in the future.

Cheers,
Bob

I recently developed two software calculators that folks who frequent this forum might find useful.  Both of these calculators may be used to determine the GPS coordinates from a legal property description so as to accurately determine property boundaries, property perimeter and property area and Google map the property as illustrated here:

https://www.borstengineeringconstruction.com/Sample_Property_Boundary_Determination.pdf

Known and documented survey monument latitude and longitude coordinate points (e.g., township, range and section corners) accurate in degrees to seven significant decimal digits or about 1/2 inch accuracy may be found here:

https://www.earthpoint.us/TownshipsSearchByLatLon.aspx

The first calculator (i.e., "Latitude Longitude Distance Calculator") is used to determine either:

1) The unknown North/South and East/West distances if the known latitude and longitude coordinates of both the survey reference point and the second reference point are entered into the calculator.

2) The unknown second reference point latitude and longitude coordinates if the known survey monument reference point latitude and longitude coordinates are entered into the calculator and the known North/South and East/West distances between these two points are entered into the calculator.

3) The unknown second reference point latitude and longitude coordinates if the known survey monument reference point latitude and longitude coordinates are entered into the calculator and the known bearing and great circle distance to the unknown second reference point are entered into the calculator.

https://www.borstengineeringconstruction.com/Latitude_Longitude_Distance_Calculator.html

If you enter 97537 for the first input parameter (i.e., "Point 1 Latitude") of the first calculator (i.e., "Latitude Longitude Distance Calculator"), you will quickly see how Point 2) of the "True Point of Beginning" was determined by using the associated legal property description bearing and distance and see it Google mapped.

The second calculator (i.e., "Planimeter Calculator") determines the perimeter and area of an arbitrary shaped section of land if you know the latitude and longitude coordinates of several points that define the enclosed land area.

https://www.borstengineeringconstruction.com/Planimeter_Calculator.html

If you enter 97537.1 for the first input parameter (i.e., "Point 1 Latitude") of the second calculator (i.e., "Planimeter Calculator"), you will quickly see all the "True Point of Beginning" markers Google mapped.

If you enter 97537.2 for the first input parameter (i.e., "Point 1 Latitude") of the second calculator (i.e., "Planimeter Calculator"), you will quickly see the all property boundary markers Google mapped.

The associated instructions for each calculator clearly explain how they should be properly used.  If you use survey monument latitude and longitude coordinate points accurate in degrees to seven decimal digits and use the oblate spheroid earth option, overall 1/2" accuracy may be expected.

These are water pumps that just use energy extracted from the water source to pump water.  I designed these for a friend many years ago who manufactured and sold them, but he passed away and his family asked me to keep them available as folks seem to prefer this design over other hydraulic ram pump designs.  So we manufacture a batch every year or so.  The Amish community love them as do folks who live off grid.  If you place a storage tank sufficiently high above your home, you can generate sufficient domestic water pressure without using any electricity.

https://www.borstengineeringconstruction.com/Landis_Hydraulic_Ram_Pumps_for_Sale.pdf

Hydraulic ram pumps are relatively simple machines, but the physics that govern their operation is very complex and took me some time to properly work out and code into a calculator to allow accurate operational performance forecasting for different installation sites:

https://www.borstengineeringconstruction.com/Hydraulic_Ram_Pump_Performance_Calculator.html

I sell these on several sites such as Bonanza, Etsy, Sheepbuy, etc., but the best price is direct from my website.  So if you or anyone you know is looking for something like this, please point them that way.  It is likely best to send any questions to support@borstengineeringconstruction.com to ensure a timely response.

Thanks,
Bob Borst

Thought some here might find the attached subject discussion useful.  Do to the file size, I had to break it up into two files.

At Bob G's request, here is the current list of calculators that you may find useful that are located on our website:

http://www.borstengineeringconstruction.com/Calculators.html

Masonry Heater Performance Calculator

Passive Solar Altitude Angle Calculator
Passive Solar Roof Overhang Calculator
Passive Solar Window Exposure Calculator

Cross Flow Turbine Design Calculator
Ditch Capacity Calculator
Electric Pump Capacity Calculator
Hydro Ram Pump Capacity Calculator
Pipe Capacity Calculator
Pulley Drive System Design Calculator
Sprinkler Capacity Calculator
Undershot Water Wheel Design Calculator

I have also attached the current Calculator Instruction PDF file.  I expect to refine and add additional calculators as friends and clients request.

Cheers,
Bob B.

Fans of waterwheels might find these articles interesting/useful:

http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles/behrens16.html

http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles/behrens17.html

http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles/behrens18.html

While undershot waterwheels are not the most efficient, they are very easy to build and one doesn't need a penstock to feed them water either.  You do need to have a fast moving stream (i.e., average velocity greater than 4 FPS) in order to generate a significant amount of energy because the effective head created by this fast moving water is proportional to the square of this velocity.  It should be noted that the British industrial revolution was initially started with these machines before steam engines came along.

I created and attached an Excel spreadsheet to help you waterwheel fan DIYs with such a project. 

Cheers,
Bob B.

Perhaps a fun project to do with your kid or grandkid 

http://www.windstuffnow.com/main/index

Also has some three-phase basics:

http://www.windstuffnow.com/main/3_phase_basics

Bob B.

Last week we received our approved irrigation "perfected" water right certificate from OR department of water resources.  Interestingly, this 1979 permit had never been formally "perfected" (i.e., certificated) and had been administratively back-logged for 30+ years because of agency budget/resource issues.  Here are the hydro ram pump system details extracted directly from our recent "perfected" water right certificate application:

An environmentally friendly, non-electric, hydro ram pump system was implemented to provide domestic and irrigation water for beneficial use.  

Point of Diversion (POD) is Spriggnett Creek, and surface water is taken from approximately 20 feet downstream from the county road culvert.  The POD inlet is fish screened and connected to a 2 inch diameter poly line (150 roughness coefficient) that runs 80 feet downstream with a total fall of 1 feet to supply an 8 inch diameter, 5 feet tall standpipe.  There is a ball valve located at the standpipe location to allow shutting off the water flow into the standpipe and thereby also allow shutting down the entire system.

A standpipe (please see photo) was required to address terrain issues at the site and to remove any air and grit from reaching the hydro ram pump.  Per Hazen-Williams Formula (please see calculation), the capacity of the 2 inch diameter poly line supplying the standpipe is 0.055 CFS.  However, this capacity can only be sustained for a few seconds until the standpipe is filled with water.  Thereafter, the flow rate into the standpipe is ultimately governed by the flow rate exiting the standpipe that the hydro ram pump actually uses.

The standpipe is connected to a 1 1/2 inch diameter galvanized steel "drive pipe" (120 roughness coefficient) that runs 63 feet downstream which results in a total fall of 5.1 feet to supply a hydro ram pump.  Per Hazen-Williams Formula (please see calculation), the capacity of this 1 1/2 inch diameter drive pipe supplying the hydro ram pump is 0.056 CFS.  However, the actual flow rate that exits this drive pipe is first limited by the aforementioned 2 inch diameter poly line capacity of 0.055 CFS and is ultimately governed by the flow rate that the hydro ram pump actually uses.

The hydro ram pump (please see photo) is connected to 3/4 inch poly line (150 roughness coefficient) that runs 280 feet uphill with a total elevation gain of 27 feet to supply a storage tank (please see photo).  The 27 feet of elevation results in the hydro ram pump effectively delivering water to the supply tank at 11.6 PSI (i.e., 0.43 PSI per foot of elevation).  This 11.6 PSI was also verified at the pressure gauge located at hydro ram pump location.  There are two ball valves located at the hydro ram pump location which allow shutting off both the water supply to the hydro ram pump and the holding tank to facilitate hydro ramp pump operation and maintenance.

A brief description of hydro ram pumps and principal of operation may be found here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydraulic_ram

A video of the actual hydro ram pump being used at this location in compliance with the 0.01 CFS flow rate of the permit may be viewed here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HU5d69Vgcv4

Hydro ram pump performance is governed by following equations:

1)  S = P + W

2)  P = (E x S x F) / L

or equation 2) in alternative form

3)  E = (P x L) / (S x F)

where:

S = Supply Rate to pump in CFS,
P = Pumping Rate to storage tank in CFS,
W = Waste Rate used for pumping energy in CFS,
E = Efficiency of pump system,
L = vertical elevation Lift from the pump to the storage tank in feet, and
F = vertical Fall from the water source through the drive pipe in feet.

The actual Pumping Rate, P, to the supply tank has been measured to be 0.0024 CFS (1550 GPD).

The actual Ram Rate, W, that is used by the hydro ram pump for pumping energy (which then goes directly back to the creek) has been measured to be 0.0180 CFS.

Applying equation 1) and using the measured 0.0024 CFS for P and the measured 0.0180 CFS for W; the measured drive pipe Supply Rate is 0.0204 CFS.  This corresponds to the total flow rate being diverted to provide domestic/irrigation water and betters the 0.01 CFS permit value; hence the full permit 0.01 CFS is claimed.

Applying equation 2) and using the calculated drive pipe capacity of 0.055 CFS for S, 27 feet for L, 1.0 for E, and 5.1 feet for F; the theoretical pump capacity is calculated to be 0.0104 CFS.

Applying equation 3) and using the measured 0.0024 CFS for P, measured 0.0204 CFS for S, 27 feet for L, and 5.1 feet for F; the Efficiency of the system is calculated to be 0.623.

The storage tank is plumbed to allow general irrigation use via gravity flow, drip irrigation use via a 1/8 HP pump, and domestic/irrigation use via a 1/2 HP pump.  Any excess water pumped by the hydro ram pump to the storage tank that is not used is returned to the Spriggnett Creek POD via 3/4 inch diameter poly line (150 roughness coefficient) that runs 200 feet downhill with a total elevation loss of 21.9 feet.

Cheers,
Bob B.

Thought that there might be others that may one day want to build one of these (illustrative photo attached) too.  The attached Excel design worksheet that I created for this project works for both English and Metric units and pretty much calculates everything one requires to design and build a cross flow turbine.  It also validates the design is acceptable and provides warnings as required.  I also attached one of the key references used to develop this worksheet.  A well crafted design/build should produce a turbine with about 75-80% efficiency...and across a wide range of flow rate.  Coupling a cross flow turbine to a low RPM, high efficiency (+90%) PMG (e.g., like those used for wind turbines), provides a reliable, low maintenance means of generating power 24/7/365.

Cheers,
Bob B.

While designing the subject system for our new home, I came across this website:

http://www.pexuniverse.com/

I was very pleasantly surprised to learn that the components are relatively affordable and I expect to DIY our 1700 SF place for under $5K.  The most expensive item is the condensing boiler for about $3K.

I have calculated that our annual home BTU heat loss will be 46 million BTU's (R29 walls, R49 ceiling and Medford OR climate).  The house passive solar design will provide 25 million of these BTU's (about 55% of our total heating requirements).  When we are home, the 90+% efficient masonry heater will backup the passive solar design and provide the BTU difference.  When we are away, the hydronic floor heating system will backup the passive solar design and provide the BTU difference.  The hydronic floor heating system will also be used during the winter months to keep the floors in most rooms at a comfortable temperature and to keep the bathroom floors nice and warm.  Since the required hydronic floor heating system water supply temperature is only 94 deg F, I can use a condensing boiler that is 95+% efficient (the exhaust temperature is so low that standard PVC can be used).  Either the masonry heater OR the hydronic floor heating system is each fully capable of providing 100% of our total daily/monthly heating requirements, if necessary.

I have attached the Excel spreadsheet that I developed to perform the necessary calculations should someone here have a similar interest.  The hydronic floor heating calculations are based on the information from John Siegenthaler's "Modern Hydronic Heating".  The passive solar calculations are based on the information from Edward Mazria's "The Passive Solar Energy Book Expanded Professional Edition".  The solar celestial calculations used to design roof overhang and corresponding south glass solar exposure are from NOAA.  The masonry heater calculations are elementary and can easily be derived.  

Bob B.

Attached is a good design white paper on water rams.  

There is also an interesting theory that The Great Pyramid was a giant water ram used to irrigate higher elevations of the Nile:

http://www.newdawnmagazine.com/Article/How_the_Great_Pyramid_Was_Built.html

Bob B.

Thought some of you might want to join or pay this place a visit:

http://www.thegeekgroup.org/

Hello All,

Well, I finally found the time to find and join this esteemed forum.  My 6/1 & ST5 setup is documented here:

http://listerenginegallery.com/main.php?g2_itemId=351

Looks to be a great place to hang out.  

Bob B.