Archimedes screw that doesn't work

After the initial successful trial of my hand-crafted Archimedes screw , I've tried to improve on the trial version . Supplying enough power to get the thing to turn could be a bit of  a challenge and weight of it is probably a factor, so instead of 6" ducting i thought I'd try some downpipe - 68mm diameter or  about 2 3/4" . So after dismantling the original and taping the plastic tubing I had another go.

And this time it didn't work .

• Didnt pick water
• Didnt move it along the pipe
• Didnt come out at the end 

Either the outer tubing is too large or stiff for the diameter of the downpipe and its not patent (enough) or the pitch and incline  of the tubing and tube is important and Ive got it wrong.
So I think Im going to have to do a bit of research on the limits and design principles of this and then come back  once I've sorted out what is wrong.  I think the starting point will be here . An incline of 22 degrees is most efficient. So Some exploration of the burn is  needed as well.

I think I might need an Engineer!

Archimedes' Screw

Im going to need to get water into the bit that will eventually be used as an allotment/garden . The burn is adjacent but down a few feet , so i need to raise the water. And I thought an Archimedes screw might be the answer . So its time for some experimentation.




The necessary bits:

• a long hollow tube ( plastic for its lightness) . this is 6" diameter ducting 
• some tubing to transport the water . 1 1/2 " plastic pipe
• Ducktape (you cant make anything without ducktape)

And then taped the tube to the outside of the ducting and took it to the pond 

and rotated the top ( replacing it in the notch in the bench each time . 

And water was lifted out of the pond and deposited in a bucket ! 

So the principle is good.

The outstanding problems are :
getting the thing centred on an axle. Ive got length of 2"x 2" timber but it will be too heavy.

fixing it in the burn. Some sort of cone arrangement fixed to the bank ,that the ducting pipe sits on  so that the water pipe dips into the flow  and the ducting pipe to rotate?

Getting it powered. Something wind powered is the obvious source of energy. Attached to the top? Gearing ? Fail-safe so it stops in 70mph winds ?

This pipe is too heavy , so the next thing to try is a length of downpipe.

Not the Somerset Levels

A wet hen

But we have had quite a lot of rain, and there are bits of fields under standing water  and there is  a lot of mud around.  And the water that falls has to find its way down to the Bay.

The engineering for the new pond has been successful  - too successful in fact because there is a little stream running out from the pond .

 

 And then the water runs down through the small field. Its good job we moved the hen- house - if we hadn't it would now be in the middle of a  little stream .
  And then the water runs down through the field . We have the burn , but the water is finding its own way to the Bay - we have another ad-hoc  burn .

Looking down the hill as the water winds its way down towards the burn.

And back up the hill

and a bit lower down

But we do also have  quite a lot of standing water around the place . And i haven't taken any more pictures of mud

The mystery of the vanishing ducks - a suspect

The European Otter (Lutra lutra) eat fish and anything else that moves  near water. This can inlcude water birds. The burn is an otter super-highway.

So its likely that the pet ducks  were taken by the otter.  So the next project is to lock the ducks up at night. Last time we tried that, they were too stupid to cotton on . So we will have to try again.  Perhaps the ducks would have received a Darwin Award , were animals eligible.

The burn is very nice, but.........................

Dreich

a storm blew through last night - the wind was due to peak at about 1am. So this morning we could have a look and see what the anenometer said. the wind was coming from the   north-east so it is only sheltered a little by the stack.  So  gusting to almost 41 mph

And this morning it is really dreich .

And I took a couple of pictures to prove it.

And we have had a lot of rain over the last 18 hours or so.  Earlier in the year the pond was quite attractive

 now its  overflowing

 but the ducks are of course nowhere in sight - too stupid to  realise and prefer to waddle  around in some mud. 
 
 And the burn is very noisy - and very full.

I feel a hydro micro -generation project coming on !