Title: Design of pedal powered water lifting machine.
CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Overview
A literature review provides an understanding of the existing research,
methods, and technologies related to water lifting devices and pedal-
powered systems. Many rural communities, especially in developing
countries, depend on underground or surface water sources for domestic
use and irrigation. Various water-lifting mechanisms have been developed
throughout history to make water accessible in these regions. This chapter
discusses traditional and modern water lifting methods, focusing
particularly on pedal-powered mechanisms.
2.2 Types of Water Lifting Devices
2.2.1 The Shaduf
The Shaduf is one of the oldest known water-lifting devices, used for over
4,000 years in ancient Egypt and the Middle East. It consists of a long pole
balanced on a vertical frame, with a bucket on one end and a
counterweight on the other. The counterweight helps lift the filled bucket
with minimal human effort. Despite being simple and effective, its output
is low, and it can only lift water from shallow depths.
2.2.2 Bucket and Windlass
The bucket and windlass system is a more advanced mechanism used
widely in Africa and Asia. It involves a rope wound around a horizontal
drum that can be turned by a handle to raise or lower the bucket. This
method is efficient for deeper wells but requires significant manual effort,
especially when lifting large volumes of water.
2.2.3 Bucket Pump
The bucket pump consists of a cylindrical casing (usually PVC or metal)
with a chain and bucket mechanism inside. The bucket has a simple non-
return valve allowing water to enter but not escape when lifted. Although
it improves efficiency, it still depends entirely on manual power and is
suitable for medium-depth wells.
2.2.4 Rope and Washer Pump
This system uses a continuous loop of rope with rubber washers at
intervals. The rope passes through a pipe into the water source and back
up through a wheel or pulley. As the rope rotates, the washers pull water
upward. It is low-cost and easy to maintain, but not ideal for large-scale
irrigation.
2.2.5 Persian Wheel
The Persian wheel (or saqiya) uses animal power to rotate a series of
containers attached to a wheel, continuously lifting water from a well or
river. It was an important historical innovation but has become less
common due to the decline of animal-powered systems and the rise of
mechanical alternatives.
2.3 Pedal-Powered Water Lifting Systems
Pedal-powered devices convert human mechanical energy (through
pedaling) into rotational energy used for lifting water. These systems are
inspired by bicycle mechanisms and include components like pedals, chain
drives, shafts, flywheels, and pulleys. Pedal power is a sustainable energy
source since it does not rely on electricity or fuel.
Pedal-powered water lifting machines are particularly effective in rural
areas where:
Electricity and fuel are scarce or expensive.
Maintenance and spare parts are difficult to access.
There is a need for affordable and portable irrigation solutions.
Advantages include:
#Low cost: Locally made from available materials.
#High reliability: Minimal maintenance and no electrical components.
#Environmental safety: No emissions or noise pollution.
#User-friendly: Simple to operate and repair.
#Flexibility: Can lift water from various depths by extending the rope or
adjusting the pulley system.
A typical pedal-powered water lifting system uses human effort to rotate a
flywheel, which drives a shaft and pulley mechanism. The rope attached
to a bucket lifts water from the well and discharges it into a storage tank
or irrigation line.
2.4 Summary of Literature Findings
From the literature, it is clear that:
Traditional systems like the Shaduf and windlass are simple but inefficient.
Mechanized and animal-powered systems like the Persian wheel improved
capacity but added complexity.
Pedal-powered mechanisms offer an ideal compromise between efficiency,
affordability, and sustainability for small-scale irrigation and domestic
water supply.