An open oscillatory heat pipe water pump

The use of an open oscillatory heat pipe (or open pulsating heat pipe) for pumping water is considered, as the need to pump water in rural areas remains a primary requirement in developing rural areas. A possible design for the pump is given and has been constructed and tested and the pumping results are reported. A mathematical model whereby the pump may be theoretically simulated and its performance calculated is also given. The theoretical model is shown to reflect the complex non-linear behaviour of such a pump and a sensitivity analysis is conducted. Experimental flow rates of typically 0.2 mg/s at a pumping height of 100 mm were obtained. The simulation model calculated mechanical and theoretical efficiencies of 3% and 0.03% respectively. An experimentally determined thermal efficiency in the order of 0.00003% was obtained. It is concluded that unless the low pumping flow rates and pumping height limitations can be overcome that it is unlikely that an open oscillatory heat pipe water pump will be suitable for pumping the relatively large quantities of water required for agricultural purposes.