How to Build a Spiral Pump

June 26, 2011 by kris de decker Filed Under: DIY, Random, Water, Water management, Water powered machines, Water pumps, Water wheels

spiral pump

“A spiral pump, first invented in 1746, has been recreated and tested at Windfarm Museum using lightweight and inexpensive modern materials. A 6 foot diameter wheel with 160 feet of 1-1/4 inch inside diameter flexible polyethylene pipe is able to pump 3,900 gallons of water per day to a 40 foot head with a peripheral speed of 3 feet per second.

With its low torque requirements, the pump is particularly suited to be mounted on and driven by a paddle wheel in a current of two feet per second or greater. This easily built, low maintenance spiral pump can be used to provide water without the need for fuel wherever there is a flowing stream or river. It can also be hand turned or otherwise driven to provide a low cost, efficient pump.”

Read more: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4. Thanks to Paul Nash.

See also:

DIY Heirloom Technology

June 17, 2011 by kris de decker Filed Under: DIY

Heirloom technology at makeprojects.com. Small collection for now.

Home Made Air Conditioner

June 13, 2011 by kris de decker Filed Under: Air conditioning, Cooling, DIY

Low-tech cooling2 From the comments:

“How about using the toilet tank? In the US all accept the most expensive low water toilets have a large enough tank. This would eliminate the cooler, the water would circulate avoiding unwanted mold/bacteria, each flush would bring in cool water, and the pump and cold packs would reduce water usage.”

“So, would you want me to make a looped system using a toilet tank as a source of constantly cool water?”

“I freaking love this idea.”

“It’s entirely doable, if you’re willing to have a decent length of tubing running through your house. It might be a great way to cool a bedroom thats near a bathroom though… Great Green idea!”

Home Made Air Conditioner at Instructables.

Appropriate Technology Sourcebook

June 6, 2011 by kris de decker Filed Under: Books & Reference, DIY

appropriate technology sourcebook “Welcome to the online edition of the Appropriate Technology Sourcebook which reviews over 1,150 of the best books on appropriate technology.

This is the online version of the latest edition guide to practical books on village and small community technology. Over 50,000 print copies of the previous editions have been used in more than 130 countries to find a wide range of published technical information that can be used by individuals and small groups.

In the new edition, 1150 publications are reviewed, covering small water supply systems, renewable energy devices such as water mills and improved cook stoves, agricultural tools and implements, intensive gardening, nonformal education, small business management, transportation, small industries and other topics.”

All previous entries in ‘Books & Reference‘.

Solar Heating System with Water Battery

May 30, 2011 by kris de decker Filed Under: DIY, Heating appliances, Pools, Solar

Solar Heating System with Water Battery

Dutch inventor Kees van der Geer sends us this paper and wants to know what we think of it. Comments are open.

“Heating with a sun collector costs nothing and contaminates nothing. In this article I propose a solar heating system consisting of a large solar collector, suitable for the heating of a house and a heat store, capable to bridge a week of cloudy weather. Both are made from simple materials.”

“Maybe a practical solution to make a heat store is to buy a inflatable swimming pool of 17m3 and construct an insulating box around it. ”

Large area solar heating system (pdf), Kees van der Geer, 2011. (Artículo en Español).

How To Build Your Own Industrial Civilization

May 15, 2011 by kris de decker Filed Under: Construction, DIY, Energy, Engines & Motors, Factories, Farming

how to build your own industrial civilization“The Global Village Construction Set (GVCS) is an open technological platform that allows for the easy fabrication of the 50 different Industrial Machines that it takes to build a small civilization with modern comforts. Key features of the GVCS: Open Source – Low-Cost – Modular – User-Serviceable – DIY – Closed-Loop Manufacturing – High Performance – Heirloom Design – Flexible Fabrication.”

“A modern, comfortable lifestyle relies on a variety of efficient Industrial Machines. If you eat bread, you rely on an Agricultural Combine. If you live in a wood house, you rely on a Sawmill. Each of these machines relies on other machines in order for it to exist. If you distill this complex web of interdependent machines into a reproduceable, simple, closed-loop system, you get these 50 machines.”

The GVCS is a work-in-progress. See the wiki, the blog and (the best introduction) the movie.

Related: How to make everything ourselves: open modular hardware.