Bicycle Water Pump as an Exercise Machine

BICYCLE WATER PUMP AS AN EXERCISE MACHINE

Abstract

The use of fuel in pumping water contributes to air pollution because of the emission of its gaseous products to the atmosphere, which harms our environment. The escalating cost of fuel also affects the productivity of those who are using fueled pump to irrigate their plants.

The use of bicycle either mobile or stationary can help lose weight and improves one’s health. Depending on your riding style and local road conditions, you could easily burn 600 calories an hour through brisk cycling1. The user can both irrigate the plants and do exercise at the same time [1].

The researcher decided to combine the two attributes to create a device, which will help reduce pollution, and improves one’s health, the bicycle water pump. This project is also helpful for communities where electricity is not available.

It consists of a conventional bicycle and a centrifugal pump. The bicycle can be mobile or stationary. The pump will be powered by pedaling the bike, the back wheel, makes direct contact with the armature of the motor and drives it through friction. Through series of tests, the pump can draw out water from irrigation canals or river from 10 meters distance or from wells up to 7 meters deep. This can also lift water up to 10 meters high. This can be used for small farms around 5000 sq. meters to irrigate plants.

The device can extract 30 liters of water in a minute. Further innovation of this device is to attach a calorie counter, which will convert this bike into an exercise machine.

Keywords: foot pedaled pump, bicycle powered pump, water pump, foot powered pump, friction

1. Introduction

Water is the driving force of all nature.

—Leonardo da Vinci

1. The Development of Pumps and its Effect to the Environment

Water is an important element of human life. The availability of water defines the development of civilizations.

Man needs access to water resources in order to ensure survival and to improve quality of life. The ability to transport water influenced the development of agriculture and securing water supply for the population. The issue of transporting water over long distances and uphill, working against gravity, has always been a problem since the ancient times.

The need to draw, transport and distribute water by overcoming the forces of friction and gravity found its solution in the various forms of pumps (water lifting devices).

Since 3000 BC, water lifting devices such as water wheels and chutes were constructed and animals (muscle energy) were used to provide the energy required in moving the wheels. Several types of water lifting devices were later on invented, such as helicoid pumps known as “Archimedean” and “tympana” (drums), and were widely used for irrigation and mining and still in use nowadays in remote areas where electricity is not available[1].