Water wheel system

WATER WHEEL SYSTEM

INTRODUCTION

Created a water wheel system using a conical vessel, spline curved paddle. Gained knowledge about streamline flow of liquids, their properties, the use of spline curved paddle greatly improved the water flow thus increasing overall efficiency of the system. 

APPARATUS:

Conical vessel, vessel stands, spline paddle shaft, paddle stand, tank.

APPARATUS DESCRIPTION:

Conical vessel: A vessel which is a cone with a diameter of 4’ and height 5’. It has volume of 18 to 19 in³.

U connector: The U connector specially designed to connect the conical vessel to the stand.

Vessel stands: The stands made out of MDF with dimensions of 12’ x 4’ x (1/4)’. The main purpose of the stand is to balance the weight of vessel with water.

Paddle and its accessories:  Includes a spline paddle designed to push more water flowing down the vessel. The other components are shaft that goes right through the paddle and stands to hold the paddle and shaft.

Tank: A tank made of acrylic to hold water before pumping it back. It’s very important that the volume of tank should be 1.5 times greater than the volume of conical vessel failing which water will overflow.

PROCEDURE:

Arrange apparatus as shown in the picture. The water is poured onto the conical vessel. Water flows down due to gravity and moves the paddle.

OBSERVATION:

The flow rate of the water falling down under gravity is less hence it’s a linear or stream-line flow. Also there’s very little amount of water being splashed when it hits the paddle. Usually turbulent flow of water colliding with a solid object will result in water splashing all over the place. 

CONCLUSION:

It’s good to demonstrate using this apparatus. Also due to linear flow and no water splashing, the water will last for an hour or more in a day but it’ll eventually evaporate.