Recommendation on water pumping system

[fredy2360]

Hi everyone,
The requirements for a water pumping system that is going to be powered entirely by solar energy is the use of 40 HP pumps to pump the water to around 300m with a flow rate of 36 liters/sec. Based on your experiences do you have any suggestions on good manufacturers where I can find pumps with the mentioned characteristics? There are no restrictions on the selection of AC or DC pumps.

Thanks for your support!

[Amy@altE]

What's the water source? is it a well that you need a submersible pump, or an open water supply like a pond or stream where you need a surface pump?

[Wy_White_Wolf]

40 HP pumps? Not going to happen with solar.

WWW

[Amy@altE]

40 HP pumps? Not going to happen with solar.

WWW

You are right, I just did the conversions of what they are trying to do. 570 gallons per minute at almost 1000'. Not with any solar pumps I know of.

[Sunking]

Hi everyone,
The requirements for a water pumping system that is going to be powered entirely by solar energy is the use of 40 HP pumps to pump the water to around 300m with a flow rate of 36 liters/sec.

That is some funny stuff I don't care WTF you are. What an idiot.

[SunEagle]

You are right, I just did the conversions of what they are trying to do. 570 gallons per minute at almost 1000'. Not with any solar pumps I know of.

I think the OP is thinking of a 40hp 3 phase pump. That will require a very very big solar/battery system.

We need to know more like where he plans on installing the pump and why he doesn't want to go with a Utility connection for his power.

[fredy2360]

Thanks for the replys. The water source is the water stream of a river in a place with an average insolation of 5.34 kWh/m^2/day. The connection to the Utility is not an option on this case basically because there is no grid connection nearby. The PV system is going to be definitely big, but I was thinking that maybe it has more sense to use as back up a diesel genset instead of a huge bank of batteries. Any ideas?

[SunEagle]

Thanks for the replys. The water source is the water stream of a river in a place with an average insolation of 5.34 kWh/m^2/day. The connection to the Utility is not an option on this case basically because there is no grid connection nearby. The PV system is going to be definitely big, but I was thinking that maybe it has more sense to use as back up a diesel genset instead of a huge bank of batteries. Any ideas?

I would first find a pump that will provide the required flow rate. Once that is established you can calculate the amount of watt hours the pump motor will use in a day.

Unless you find a small DC pump that can run directly from a solar panel and controller you will need some type of battery system to keep the pump motor running consistently.

Once the batteries system is sized you can calculate your panel wattage size.

All solar/battery systems will require a genset of some kind. Either big enough to run the pump if the batteries fail or big enough to recharge the batteries if the sun don't come out for a couple of days.

I would also imagine the entire pump, solar array, battery and genset will require some type of security fencing to keep out the 2 and 4 legged critters.

IMO I would seriously look at the total cost to install the solar/battery/generator system and compare it to only a genset with a large fuel tank. Unless getting more fuel to the genset requires a helicopter the cost of installing and running it will be much less than the cost of installing and maintaining a solar/battery system.

[Amy@altE]

I have no idea about where to find a pump that size. But just for an example of the size PV system you are talking, with VERY rough numbers, if 1HP = 750W x 40HP = 30,000W for 1 pump. You said pumps, but not how many, so I'll do again, very rough math for 1 pump running 1 hour. You can do the math out from there.

30,000W x 1 hour = 30,000 Wh / 5.34 sun hours / .67 efficiencies = 8385W of solar per hour one pump is running.
30,000Wh /.92 inverter efficiency x 1 day autonomy x 50% DoD /48V = 1359Ah 48V battery bank per one hour one pump running

I see a large generator in your future.

[SunEagle]

I have no idea about where to find a pump that size. But just for an example of the size PV system you are talking, with VERY rough numbers, if 1HP = 750W x 40HP = 30,000W for 1 pump. You said pumps, but not how many, so I'll do again, very rough math for 1 pump running 1 hour. You can do the math out from there.

30,000W x 1 hour = 30,000 Wh / 5.34 sun hours / .67 efficiencies = 8385W of solar per hour one pump is running.
30,000Wh /.92 inverter efficiency x 1 day autonomy x 50% DoD /48V = 1359Ah 48V battery bank per one hour one pump running

I see a large generator in your future.

Too bad the OP couldn't use a small pump to fill a large tank that can gravity feed the water instead of using a large HP motor to do all the work.

[Amy@altE]

Too bad the OP couldn't use a small pump to fill a large tank that can gravity feed the water instead of using a large HP motor to do all the work.

The most powerful solar pump for a river that I know of is Dankoff's SolarForce. It would take a lot of them to do what he wants.

From Dankoff's description: A Dankoff SolarForce provides as much as 5600 Gallons per day (21,000 ltrs.) pushing as high as 230 Feet (70m) or 100 PSI (7 kg/sq. cm). Solar Force Piston Pump draws water from a shallow well, storage tank or surface water source. It can push water uphill and over long distances for home, village, irrigation or livestock uses. It can use power directly from a photovoltaic array, or from storage batteries, to fill a storage tank or to pressurize water.

[hobertek]

solar water pumping system

Thanks for the replys. The water source is the water stream of a river in a place with an average insolation of 5.34 kWh/m^2/day. The connection to the Utility is not an option on this case basically because there is no grid connection nearby. The PV system is going to be definitely big, but I was thinking that maybe it has more sense to use as back up a diesel genset instead of a huge bank of batteries. Any ideas?

according to your sunshine ,40hp ,you can choose the ac 3 phase pump , 30kw solar pump inverter , 39kw solar panel can meet your need ,without battery , water storage replaces battery power storage,or you can use diesel genset at night if water cannot storage big ,just suggestion ,details need to design according to local situation

[russ]

according to your sunshine ,40hp ,you can choose the ac 3 phase pump , 30kw solar pump inverter , 39kw solar panel can meet your need ,without battery , water storage replaces battery power storage,or you can use diesel genset at night if water cannot storage big ,just suggestion ,details need to design according to local situation

hobertel - Get real or get lost! Who do yo know that us running a 40 hp pump off solar - wit or without batteries?

[Bala]

Those are some serious numbers for moving water.

300m is 426psi,

It must be a typo,

Anyone seriously needing to move that sort of water that height and distance would not likely be on a forum trying to sort it out.

[hobertek]

hobertel - Get real or get lost! Who do yo know that us running a 40 hp pump off solar - wit or without batteries?

Without battery,