Intakes: Design, Types and

Selection | Water Collection

Design of Intakes:

An intake should be designed and constructed on

the basis of the following points:

(i) Sufficient factor of safety should be taken so that

intake work can resist external forces caused by heavy
waves and currents, impact of floating and submerged
bodies and ice pressures etc.

(ii) Intake should have sufficient self-weight, so that it

may float by the up-thrust of water and washed away by
the current. To prevent floating of intake structure
massive masonry work should be done and broken
stones should be tilled in the bottom.

(iii) If intake work is constructed in navigation channels,

it should be protected by clusters of piles all around
from the blows of the moving ships and steamers.

(iv)The foundations of intakes should be taken sufficient

deep so that they may not be undermined and current
may overturn the structure.

(v) To avoid the entrance of large and medium objects

and fishes, screen should be provided on the inlets,
sides.

(vi) The inlets of intakes should be of sufficient size and

allow required quantity of water to enter.

(vii) The positions of inlets should be such that they can

admit water in all seasons near the surface of water
where quality of water is good. Number of inlets should
be more so that if anyone is blocked, the water can be
drawn from others. The inlets should be completely
submersible so that air may not enter the suction pipe.

Types of Intakes:

Intakes are used to collect water for water works from

various sources. The sources may be lakes, rivers,
reservoirs or canals. The intake work for each type of
source is designed separately according to its
requirements and situations.

Depending on the source of water the intake works

are classified as follows:

(a) Lake Intake,

(b) River Intake,

(c) Reservoir Intake, and

(d) Canal Intake.

(a) Lake Intake:

For obtaining water from lakes mostly submersible

intakes are used. Fig. 7.1 shows a typical submersible
type of intake used for collecting water from the lakes.
These intakes are constructed in the bed of the lake
below the slow water level so as to draw water in dry
season also. It essentially consists of a pipe laid in the
bed of the river.
One end, which is in the middle of the lake is fitted with
bell mouth opening covered with a mesh and protected
by timber or concrete crib. The water enters in the pipe
through the bell mouth opening and flows under gravity
to the bank where it is collected in a sump-well and then
pumped to the treatment plants for necessary treatment.

These intakes have so many advantages such as no

obstruction to the navigation, no danger from floating
bodies and no trouble due to ice. If one pipe is not
sufficient two or more pipes may be laid to get the
required quantity of water.

Fig. 7.2 shows another type of submersible intake. These

intakes should be placed in the streams or lakes at a
place where they may not get buried under the silt in
due course of time. These intakes are cheap in
construction, therefore are widely used for small water
supply schemes which collect their water from streams
or lakes with little change in water surface throughout
the year.
As these intakes draw small quantity of water, these are
not used on big water supply schemes or on rivers or
reservoirs. The main reason being that they are not
easily approachable for maintenance work.

(b) River Intake:

Water from the rivers is always drawn from the

upstream side, because it is free from the contamination
caused by the disposal of sewage in it. Figure 7.3 shows
atypical intake used to draw water from the rivers. It is
circular masonry tower of 4 to 7 metres in diameter
constructed along the bank of the river at such place
from where required quantity of water can be obtained
even in the dry period.

The water enters in the lower portion of the intake

known as sump-well from penstocks. The penstocks are
fitted with screens to check the entry of floating solids
and are placed on the downstream side so that water
free from most of the suspended solids may only enter
the jack-well.

The water from the sump-well of the intake to upper

portion of the intake as shown in Fig. 7.3. Number of
penstock openings is provided in the intake tower to
admit water at different levels. The opening and closing
of penstock valves is done with the help of wheels
provided at the pump-house floor.
Fig. 7.4 shows another type intake well which is
generally constructed inside the river at suitable place.
This is also known as wet intake and essentially consists
of a concrete circular shell filled with water up to the
water level inside the river. If the elevation of the water
treatment plants is lower, the water will directly flow
under gravitational force through withdrawal conduit.

Openings for the entrance of water is provided on the

outer concrete shell as well as on the inside shell as
shown in Fig. 7.4. In case the elevation of the water
works is more than the elevation of top of water in the
river, the water is taken to the bank of river through the
withdrawal conduit in the sump well, from where it is
pumped to the water works.
Some rivers have too much variation in their discharge
of monsoon and dry season. If in dry weather the water
level falls below the lowest penstock of the intake well, a
weir is constructed across the width of the river to raise
the water level and maintaining some storage of water
for dry period.

In the case of shallow and broad rivers an approach

channel is constructed, so that sufficient quantity of
water may reach the intake even in dry period.

Figure 7.5 illustrates another typical type of intake well,

which can equally be used for collecting water from river
or reservoir. It is commonly known as dry intake tower.
The main differences between dry and wet intakes are
that, in wet intake tower the water enters first in the
outer shell and then it enters in the inner shell but in
case of dry intake the water directly enters the
withdrawal conduit as shown in Fig. 7.5. The entry of
water through the ports is controlled by the cylinder
gates operated from the top, by means of wheels.
As when there is no water inside the withdrawal conduit,
the dry intake will be subjected to greater buoyancy
force. Hence, the structure of this intake should be more
massive than the wet intake. The water from the desired
depth of the river of reservoir can be collected by
opening the desired port.

In case of emergency and temporary works, movable

intakes can be used. In this type of intake pumping plant
is installed in a carriage or trolley and the suction pipe
having strainer pipe at the end is lowered in the water.
The water is directly pumped from the river and sent for
the treatment and distribution.

(c) Reservoir Intake:

There is large variation in discharge of all the rivers

during monsoon and summer. The discharge of some
rivers in summer remains sufficient to meet up the
demand, but some rivers dry up partly or fully and
cannot meet the hot weather demand. In such cases
reservoirs are constructed by constructing weirs or
dams across the rivers.

Figure 7.7 shows a reservoir intake which is mostly used

to draw the water from earthen dam reservoir. It
essentially consists of an intake tower constructed on
the slope of the dam at such place from where intake
can draw sufficient quantity of water even in the driest
period. Intake pipes are fixed at different level, so as to
draw water near the surface in all variations of water
level.

These all inlet pipes are connected to one vertical pipe

inside the intake well. Screens are provided at the
mouth of all intake pipes to prevent the entrance of
floating and suspended matter in them.

The water which enters the vertical pipe is taken to the

other side of the dam by means of an outlet pipe. At the
top of the intake tower sluice valves are provided to
control the flow of water. The valve tower is connected
to the top of the dam by means of a foot bridge gang-way
for reaching it.

In the case of earthen dams intake towers are separately

constructed but in R.C.C. of masonry dams it is
constructed inside the dam itself and only porters or
intake-pipe are provided at various levels as shown in
Fig. 7.8.
(d) Canal Intake:

As the water level in the canals remains more or less

constant, there is no necessity of providing porters at
various levels. Canal intake is a very simple structure
constructed on the bank. Figure 7.9 essentially shows a
canal intake. It essentially consists of a pipe placed in a
brick masonry chamber constructed partly in the canal
bank. On one side of the chamber as opening is provided
with coarse screen for the entrance of water.

The end of the pipe in side chamber is provided with a

bell-mouth fitted with a hemispherical fine screen as
shown in Fig. 7.9. The out-let pipe carries the water to
the other side of the canal bank from where it is taken to
the treatment plants. One sluice valve which is operated
by a wheel from the top of the masonry chamber is
provided to control the flow of water in the pipe.
Selection of Intakes:

The main function of the intakes works is to collect the

water from the surface source (within limitations of the
water levels) and then discharge water so collected, by
means of pumps or directly to the water treatment
plants.

Intakes are structures which essentially consist of

opening, grating or strainer through which the raw
water from river, canal, or reservoir enters and is
carried to a sump well by means of conduits. Water from
the sump well is pumped through the rising mains to the
treatment plant.

The following points should be kept in mind while

selecting a site for intake works:

(i) The best quality of water should be available at the

site so that it can be easily and economically purified in
less time by giving less load on the treatment plants.

(ii) At the site, there should not be heavy current of

water which might endanger the safety of the intake
works.
(iii) The site should be such that intake can draw
sufficient quantity of water even in the worst condition,
when the discharge of the source is minimum.

(iv) The site of intake should be easily approachable

without any obstruction.

(v) The site should be such that intake work can draw
more quantity of water if required in the future i.e.,
there should be sufficient scope for future.

(vi) The site should not be located in navigation

channels, because such water is polluted and contains
toilet and other discharges from the ships.

(vii) As far as possible the selection of the site should be

near the treatment works, it will reduce the conveyance
cost from the source to the water-works.

(viii) As far as possible the intake should not be located

in the vicinity of the point of sewage disposal. If at all it
becomes necessary due to unavoidable reasons to locate
intakes in the close proximity of the sewage disposal, a
weir should be constructed upstream of the disposal
point, and the intake should be located in the upstream
side of the weir.

(ix) At the site sufficient quantity should be available for

the future expansion of the water-works.

(x) In case of rivers which meander or change their

water course or the discharge reduces considerably, a
diversion weir of a barrage should be constructed, which
will ensure sufficient quantity of water around the
intake.

Even after taking all precautions and locating the best

site of intake, the quality of water will be affected by
temperature, seasonal turnover, current due to wind and
so many other causes.
Pumping Stations: Location,
Selection and Sizing
In this article we will discuss about:- 1. Location of
Pumping Stations 2. Site Selection for the Pumps and
Pumping Stations 3. Sizing of Pump Units and Stand
by Capacity.

Location of Pumping Stations:

The location of the pumping station is very important

and should be done carefully. If the water is drawn
from the tube-well it is the usual practices to
construct the pumping station just above the tube-
well, will be safe as well as the length of the suction
pipe will be minimum.

In case the steam is used for the operation of the

pumps, the pumping stations should be so located
that coal and coal ashes can be easily stored and can
be easily transported. If the water from the tube-well
is pumped to the overhead storage tanks, it is
necessary to place the pumping station as near to the
storage tank as possible.

If the capacity of the storage tank is large and the

land is very costly, it is advisable to construct the
pump house and the overhead tank one over each
other. But if land is easily available, it is preferable
to construct the pump house slightly away from
storage tank in the same campus.

When the water is drawn from the rivers, lakes or

impounded reservoirs, the pump house should be
directly constructed on the intake well. This will
reduce the length of the suction pipe. If the water is
supplied from the underground reservoirs located at
the waterworks, the pump house should be located
on one side of the reservoir from where it should
pump the water in the mains. Such location of the
pump house will eliminate the priming of the
centrifugal pumps.

As pumps are the most important points of the water

works, and in case of their breakdowns, the area will
remain without water. Therefore, it is utmost necessary
that the pumps should be reliable and should work for
long periods without stoppage for cleaning, repairs,
maintenances etc. Maximum quantity of water can be
lifted with minimum consumption of fuel.

Site Selection for the Pumps and Pumping Stations:

Following points should be kept in view, while

selecting the site for the pumps and pumping
stations:

(i) The location of the pumps should be above H.F.L.

(ii) Required quantity of water should be available as the

site.

(iii) The pumping station should be at higher level above

all the sources of contamination.

(iv) The location site should be such that future growth

and expansion may be possible.
(v) The source of water should be permanent. In case of
meandering rivers, the site should be such that the
water is available at the pumping station.

In case site selection is not done properly, there will be

scarcity of water causing permanent trouble.

Fig. 6.13 shows typical layout of a pumping station and

Fig. 6.14 shows the section through a typical pump-
house.
Sizing of Pump Units and Stand by Capacity:

A water works pumping station is generally not

operated at full capacity, all the times. Since the
efficiency of a pumping unit varies with the load, it is
a usual practice to so design such a station, that
some of the pump units can be operated at full
capacity all of the time. Hence, two, three or four
pumps can be installed.

Say for example, if there are four pumps the two largest
may supply the maximum demand; one of these and the
smallest may handle the normal demand, and the other
pump may care for the minimum requirement.

Thus, there will always exist some standby capacity to

take care of repairs, breakdowns. etc. Generally 100%
stand by capacity against average demand, and 33y to
50% standby capacity against the peak demand is
considered sufficient and may, therefore, be provided at
the pumping stations.

Selection of Pumps:
Broadly, following are the main factors which
should be considered while doing selection of pump
for a particular scheme:

1. Capacity:

It should be capable of pumping required quantity of

water.

2. Reliability:

It should be reliable and should not fail suddenly and

cause trouble.

3. Cost:

It should be cheap in initial cost.

4. Power:

The power which is used for running pumps should be

available easily at low cost.

5. Maintenance:
The maintenance cost of running pumps should be as
small as possible.

6. Efficiency:

Pump should have high efficiency.

7. Depreciation:

It should have long life and depreciation cost should be

small.

8. Cost of labour:

It should be low.

9. Number of pumping:

Units required.

10. Total lift of the water required.

11. Quality of water to be pumped.

In addition to the above points, pumps should require

less floor area; can meet variation in load; have
flexibility in operation can be easily started and should
have high suction lift. Mostly centrifugal pumps are used
in all water-works, because they are most satisfactory,
economical than all other types of pumps, for pumping
water from wells.

When the water contains suspended impurities, air lift

pumps are found most satisfactory. Reciprocating pumps
are suitable when the water is to be pumped against
high but variable head with higher suction lift.
Reciprocating pumps can only be used for pumping very
clear water, because if water contains suspended
particles, it will interrupt in the working of the pumps.
Now a days the reciprocating pumps are out-dated. For
all the ordinary pumping centrifugal pumps should be
used, as they work satisfactorily and require less
maintenance. For small discharge rotary pumps may be
used as they are equally good to centrifugal pumps.

Against very high head but variable head higher suction

lift reciprocating pumps may be used. Horizontal spindle
centrifugal pumps are very commonly used. As these
pumps require priming if placed above the water, hence
if large quantity of water is to be pumped, as far as
possible these pumps should be kept under water.

If the water’s to be taken from number of wells at a time,

the air lift pump may be cheapest, as one compressor
unit will operate all the air lift pumps. But the efficiency
of these pumps is low.

Classification of Pumps | Pumping

Stations
1. Displacement Pumps:

In these types of pumps vacuum is created mechanically

by the moveable part of the pumps. In the vacuum first
the water is withdrawn inside the pumps, which on the
return of mechanical part of the pump is displaced and
forced out of the chamber through the valve and pipe.
The back flow of the water is prevented by means of
suitable valves.

The following are the two main types of

displacement pumps:

i. Reciprocating pumps.
ii. Rotary pumps.

i. Reciprocating Pumps:

Reciprocating pumps may be of the following types:

(a) Simple hand-operated reciprocating pump.

(b) Power operated deep well reciprocating pump.

(c) Single-acting reciprocating pump.

(d) Double-acting reciprocating pump.

(a) Simple Hand-Operated Reciprocating Pump:

This is the simplest and cheapest type of pump which is

widely used in the towns and villages of India, where the
first water bearing stratum is within reasonable depth
from the ground surface. In cities also these are
provided in private houses and on roads for general
public use, in case of failure of the water works supply.

Fig. 6.1 illustrates the details of a simple hand-operated

single-acting reciprocating pump. It essentially consists
of a strainer suction pipe, gun metal cylinder, G.I.
cylinder pipe, piston, piston rod and set of valves. In
ordinary pumps instead of gun metal cylinder, G.I.
cylinder is used. But for longer life and more quantity of
water, it is recommended to use the gun metal cylinder.

The piston or plunger moves up and down by means of

handle as shown in Fig. 6.1. When the piston is raised
up, vacuum gets created in cylinder below the piston,
thereby opening the check valve V 1, automatically closes
up, valve V2 (piston valve) is opened and the water
enters in the space above the piston. In this way with
each upward stroke it moves up and starts flowing
through the spout fixed for this purpose.

This pump can give continuous supply of water which is

sucked from the ground through strainer, which removes
sand, clay and other impurities up to reasonable limit.
These pumps are usually used when the water table is
6.0 m of so from the ground level.
(b) Power-Operated Deep Well Reciprocating Pump:

This is similar to hand-operated reciprocating pump,

with the difference that its piston is kept below the
water table and secondly it is operated by power instead
of hand.

Fig. 6.2 illustrates this type of pump. These pumps are

used to lift the water when the depth of water table is
more than 6.0 m or so. As the cylinder is kept below the
water table, these pumps have only to lift the water. No
suction pipe is provided in these pumps. The strainer is
directly fixed to the cylinder.

At some places the cylinder is provided 6.0 m above the

water table inside the ground. Sometimes additional
check valves are provided in between the suction pipe to
increase the suction capacity of the pumps.
(c) Single-Acting Reciprocating Pump:

In a single-acting pump, a piston moves inside a cylinder

with the help of piston rod operated by a wheel through
connecting rod. One suction and one delivery pipe are
provided in the cylinder as shown in Fig. 6.3. When
piston moves outwards in the cylinder vacuum is created
in it, which carries the opening of suction valve and
closing of delivery pipe.
The water enters in the cylinder through suction valve.
Now when the piston moves inwards, it forces the inside
water of cylinder outward through the delivery pipe. In
this way the flow of water is not constant but it is
intermittent and gives vibration, shock and loss of
energy. This condition can be partly overcome by using
double- acting pumps.

(d) Double-Acting Reciprocating Pump:

Fig. 6.4 illustrates the double-acting reciprocating

pump. These pumps have two sets of solution and
delivery valves as shown in the figure. The discharge in
these pumps depends on the number of revolutions per
minute of the pump and the efficiency varies from 40%
to 85%.
Rotary pumps are not suitable for handling liquid
containing suspended matter, because of the close
fitting of the rotors in the casting. The efficiency of these
pumps is between 50 to 85 per cent.

Advantages of Rotary Pumps:

1. They do not require any priming as they are self-

primed. Due to this advantage these are used in priming
large centrifugal or reciprocating pumps.
2. The efficiency of these pumps is high at low to
moderate heads up to discharge of 2000 litres/min.

3. These pumps have no valves, are easy in construction

and maintenance as compared with reciprocating
pumps.

4. These pumps give steady and constant flow without

any pulsations.

5. These pumps can be easily employed for the individual

building water supply and for fire protection.

Disadvantages of Rotary Pumps:

(i) The initial cost of these pumps is high.

(ii) Their maintenance cost is high due to abrasion of

their cams and gears.

(iii) They cannot pump water containing suspended

impurities as the wear and abrasion caused by the
impurities will destroy the seal between the cams and
the casing.

2. Centrifugal Pumps:

These pumps work on the principle of centrifugal force,

therefore, named centrifugal pumps. The water which
has entered inside the pumps is revolved at high speed
by means of impeller and is thrown to the periphery by
the centrifugal force.

The water enters in the pump at the centre of the

impeller called the eye usually at right angle to the plane
of the impeller.

There are two types of centrifugal pumps:

i. Volute type centrifugal pump.

ii. Diffuser or Turbine type centrifugal pump.

i. Volute Pump:

In this pump Discharge the channel into which the,

water flows after leaving the impeller has a volute shape
of such proportion that the velocity of flow remains the
same at all points in the channel. The impeller is usually
rotated by an electric motor and due to the centrifugal
force the water to rise in the delivery pipe at high rate.

ii. Diffuser or Turbine Pump:

In the turbine type pump the impeller is surrounded by

the stationary guide vanes, which reduce the velocity of
water before the water enters the casing. Thus, these
pumps convert the velocity head into pressure head in
the casing itself. The casing surrounding the guide vanes
is usually circular and concentric with the impeller.

In this pump, the channel into which the water flows on

leaving the impeller has the same cross-sectional area
throughout. The velocity of the water which leaves the
impeller blades is changed in direction and the velocity
head is changed to pressure head by means of diffuser
vanes.
Centrifugal pumps using one impeller are known as
single stage pumps. Pumps using two or more impellers
are called double or multistage pumps. These pumps are
employed for high lifts. In cast of deep well turbine
pumps, which is commonly used in tube-well, several
impellers are installed on one vertical shaft which is
suspended and rotated inside the tube- well by prime
mover motors installed at the ground surface.

Fig. 6.14 shows the section through pump houses

installed with typical types of centrifugal pumps.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Centrifugal
Pumps:

The centrifugal pumps have the following

advantages:

(a) Due to compact design, they require very small

space.

(b) They can be fixed to high-speed driving mechanism.

(c) They have rotary motion due to which there is no

noise.

(d) They are cheap in cost.

(e) They have simple mechanisms due to which they can

be easily repaired.

(f) They have very simple operation.

(g) They cannot be damaged due to high pressure.

The following are the disadvantages of centrifugal

pumps:

(a) The rate of flow of water cannot be regulated.

(b) They cannot be operated without prime movers.

(c) Their speed cannot always be adjusted to the prime

mover without speed regulating mechanism.

(d) For operation they have restricted suction.

(e) Any air leakage on suction side will affect the

efficiency of the pump.

(f) They have high efficiency only for low head and
discharge.
(g) The pump will run backward, if it is stopped with the
discharge valve open.

Priming and Operation of Centrifugal Pumps:

Before starting the centrifugal pumps, usually they

require priming. Priming is the process of removing the
trapped air from the pump and filling it completely with
water. The centrifugal pumps which are installed below
the water level do not require priming. While doing the
priming of these pumps, the water from an outside tank
(which is kept for this purpose only) is filled in the
suction pipe and the pump fully.

The trapped air is allowed to escape through the air-vent

made for this purpose in these pumps. When the air has
been removed completely water will start coming
through the air-vent. Now the air-vent screw is tightened
and the pump started.

Fig. 6.7 illustrates the installation of a typical centrifugal

pump. Sometimes just after starting the pump, it may
allow entrance of air through leaky joint or trapped air
which could not be removed during priming comes in
between and the flow of water is interrupted. Under
such conditions the pump is stopped and the priming is
done again.
Characteristics of Centrifugal Pumps:

All the centrifugal pumps and axial flow pumps have

certain operating characteristics depending on their
design, speed and discharge.

Fig. 6.8 shows typical characteristic curves of

centrifugal pump. Efficiency, RHP and water head
curves are plotted in Fig. 6.8. These curves are very
useful while selecting the suitability of a particular pump
for particular purpose.
While studying these curves following points
should be noted:

(i) When the discharge of the pump is increased, there is

reduction in the produced head of water i.e., in other
words the lifting capacity is reduced. From the curve the
maximum head up to which the water can be lifted at the
maximum discharge can be determined. From the curve,
it is clear that at zero discharge the head developed is
maximum, which is known as shut off head.

(ii) The maximum efficiency shall be available at a

particular discharge which is known as normal or
discharge rated capacity of the pump at the given speed.
The rating of the pumps are determined for maximum
efficiency. From the curve it is clear that only the pumps
can work at a particular speed for maximum efficiency.

If the speed is increased or reduced than the rated

speed, the efficiency of the pump shall be reduced. Now
as the demand of water by the town varies hour to hour,
therefore, to meet the demand it is not possible to
decrease or increase the discharge of the pump from
hour to hour.
To meet up the demand one method is to install several
pumps instead of one to meet the maximum demand
rate. When the demand decreases the number of pumps
are closed accordingly. But it is a cumbersome method.
In the second method which is commonly used, the pump
of maximum demand rate is installed and operated.
During less demand the excess water pumped is stored
in the storage reservoir.

3. Air Lift Pumps:

When the water contains suspended matter and acids or

alkalies which may damage other types of pumps, the air
lift pumps can be used very successfully. These types of
pumps are suitable for lifting water from small wells or
deep wells. These are simple in operation and give least
trouble because they have no remote or submerged
moving parts.

The given Fig. 6.9 shows the arrangement of an airlift

pump. It consists of a vertical pipe known as ‘educator
pipe’ placed in a casing pipe. Air inlet pipe is lowered in
the educator with the direction of its outlet upward as
shown in the figure. Top end of the air-lift pipe is
connected to the air compressor.
Working of an air-lift pump is as follows:

The compressed air is released through the air diffuser

connected at the lower end of the air-inlet pipe in the
educator pipe. This air is mixed with water and forms
bubbles having low specific outside of the educator pipe
is the same, but when compressed air is passed, the
density of water inside the educator pipe is reduced due
to which the mixture of water rises in the educator pipe
becomes equal to the weight of only water from A to C
outside the educator pipe the water starts coming out
from the outlet at the level of B.

Sufficient submergence of air-pipe in the water is

necessary for the lifting of water. If the well is deeper,
the submergence should be more. There is minimum
submergence ratio (D/D + h) required for different lifts
[h] of water, which can be calculated.

4. Impulse Pump:

This is also called hydraulic ram and works on the

principle of impulse. The advantage of a small fall is
taken in lifting the water to great heights by means of
the hydraulic ram. Fig. 6.10 shows the essentials of
hydraulic ram. It essentially consists of an inlet pipe,
waste valve, delivery valve, ram, air chamber and
delivery pipe. When not working the waste valve remains
open and delivery valve remains close due to force of
gravity only. In the beginning the water enters the ram
through inlet pipe and flows out through the waste
valve.

But as the incoming water valve is automatically raised

and suddenly closed, due to which an impact or impulse
is created in the ram causing the delivery valve to get
opened, and some quantity of water enters the air
chamber and starts flowing through the outlet pipe.

When the impulse ceases the waste valve again opens

and the same cycle is repeated. Hydraulic ram can make
200 strokes per minute and can lift the water up to a
height of 30 times the working fall. The efficiency of
these pumps is about 50 percent.
Following are the advantages of hydraulic ram:

(i) The ram has long life and is durable.

(ii) Its working is very simple and automatic. After

stalling it, usually no attention is required.

(iii) No power, engine, fuel etc. are required for its

working hence it is most economical.

Following are the disadvantages of hydraulic ram:

(i) While in operation, it creates noise, which may cause

great inconvenience during working hours to the
workers.

(ii) Considerable quantity of water is wasted during its

working.