Irrigation pumping with wind energy.
ABSTRACT A40-kW, vertical-axis wind turbine was erected at the USDA Southwestern Great Plains Research Center, Bushland, TX. Objectives of the research were to assem-ble a complete wind-power pumping system, adapt or modify existing pumping equipment so that it could be effectively powered by a wind turbine, and make engineering analyses of the wind-pumping system. The pumping system used both a wind turbine and an electric motor to power an existing deep well irrigation pump in a wind-assist concept. The turbine pump delivered 104 m3/h against a dynamic head of 105 m. An over-running clutch was used to synchronize the two power sources. All components of the wind-assisted pumping system worked satisfactorily. During the test reported, the wind turbine power averaged 36 kW and provided an energy savings of 65 percent for the pumping system. Analyses of historical windspeed data indicated that at least 40 percent of the energy used to pump irrigation water with this wind-assist system can be provided from wind.