Madurai:
A solar-powered hand pump developed by a teacher has simplified and reduced the costs involved in irrigation of small fields.
M Manikandan, a wiring and electrical teacher at the TVS community college in Madurai, said that this would be the good solution to many small farmers who do not have electric powered motors on their land. “It costs about Rs15,000, but I am ready to help any farmer who needs it because I want my invention to benefit farmers and the public,” he said. If fitted to street taps, in water scarce areas, the solar power hand pump would save time and energy for many women.
V Murali, from Paravai who works in a private firm said that he was always passionate about having his own orchard, but his financial situation enabled him to purchase only five cents of land. He had started planting a variety of saplings on his land, and each morning watered them manually with the help of his father by catching water in buckets. But it was time consuming and laborious as the plants started growing. “I went to banks seeking loans for setting up a pump system, but was refused the same because my plot was too small and it did not have a building on it,” he said.
In desperation he decided to dig a borewell and fit an electric motor and work out the finances later. It was then that he came across Manikandan who decided to invent a solar power hand pump for him, as his plot received copious sunlight during the day.
Solar panels were fitted on two pillars along with two 12-volt batteries and a small 1 Ah motor connected to them. The handle or force rod of the hand pump is connected to the motor. The device can pump out 1,200 litres of water per hour, and 12,000 litres per day. Murali is relieved because he has now dug out channels in his plot so that when the water reaches all his plants.
His well is just 100 feet deep, for deeper wells the handle of the hand pump will have to be elongated, according to Manikandan.
He is now in the process of inventing a submersible pump which can be powered by solar power. This would be a breakthrough technology and will go a long way in saving power, he added.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / News Home> City> Madurai / by Padmini Sivarajah / TNN / July 11th, 2016