Eighteenth century pump and solar power technology provide irrigation solution
A pump developed at the beginning of the industrial revolution has been combined with modern solar power technology to help subsistence farmers in sub-Saharan Africa irrigate their fields.

Increasing soil moisture levels through irrigation can lead to substantial increases in agricultural productivity, but most smallholder farmers in Africa do not have enough money to buy expensive equipment.
The system, being developed by product design engineering agency the Imagination Factory as part of an InnovateUK-funded competition for the Department for International Development, is designed to pump up to six tonnes of water per day, while requiring very little operation or maintenance.
The device, which under the terms of the competition must have a production cost of no more than £30 per unit, is based on a steam-powered pump, according to Julian Swan, co-founder of the Imagination Factory.
“The pump dates back to the very beginning of steam engines, the Thomas Savery pump, developed at the beginning of the industrial revolution, and patented in 1698,” said Swan. “It has no moving parts other than a ball valve, no pistons, no seals, and is very simple.”
Register now to continue reading
Thanks for visiting The Engineer. You’ve now reached your monthly limit of news stories. Register for free to unlock unlimited access to all of our news coverage, as well as premium content including opinion, in-depth features and special reports.
Benefits of registering
-
In-depth insights and coverage of key emerging trends
-
Unrestricted access to special reports throughout the year
-
Daily technology news delivered straight to your inbox
Experts speculate over cause of Iberian power outages
The EU and UK will be moving towards using Grid Forming inverters with Energy Storage that has an inherent ability to act as a source of Infinite...