Koidu Government Hospital Solar Water Pump Technical Specifications.

Version 1 July
10, 2015

Koidu Government Hospital Sierra Leone Solar

Water Pump Technical Specifications

http://www.solarpumpsafrica.com/grundfossqflexafrica.html

Author: Trish Morrow, Senior WaSH Engineer

Date Last Updated: July 10, 2015
Document location: KGH Dropbox/Water Sanitation and Hygiene/Solar Pump KGH specs.docx

Executive Summary
To prevent a recurrence of Ebola and enable an adequate response focusing on infection prevention and control, a
reliable water source is needed. Partners in Health plans to repair and upgrade the water supply at Koidu
Government Hospital. As the Hospitals administration finds it very difficult to purchase fuel to keep their generator
running, a solar-powered pump is ideal. Using solar radiation data for Sierra Leone obtained from NASAs website,
sizing calculations have been carried out to enable a pump of adequate size to be selected.

A manufacturers nomograph or set of performance curves is used to select the correct Grundfos pump which can
provide the required minimum flowrate for the necessary Total Dynamic Head. This indicates that the pump
required is a Grundfos SQF 3A-7 requiring a useful motor power rating of 3 kWp.

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1. PUMP SIZING
The groundwater table is at a height of 7-16m during the dry season (assume 16m), and the elevated tank is at a
height of approximately 10m, so the water supply between the pump and the elevated tankstand will use a HDPE
pipe with the following dimensions: DN 63 mm PN 10

For sizing of the pump, the total dynamic head (TDH) must be calculated. Total Dynamic Head (TDH) is the total
equivalent height that a fluid is to be pumped, taking into account friction losses in the pipe. This is calculated
from the pressure differences on the suction side and the lift side using the following equation:

TDH = Hs + Hp + Lp + Pu
Where :
- Hs represents the suction head ie. The difference in height between the pumps central axis (below
the groundwater table) and the surface of the ground (approximately 20m during the dry season)
- Hp represents the lift head ie. The height difference between the pumps central axis (below the
groundwater table) and highest point of storage (the top of the 2x5000L tanks on top of the
tankstand).This is approximately 10metres for the case of Koidu Government Hospital.
- Lp represents the pressure loss in the piping between the pump and the elevated tower. This
depends on the diameter of the piping and the type of piping (stainless steel, HDPE or PVC) and the
number and type of fittings such as elbows, tees, valves and stoptaps in the pipeline and
- Pu represents the useful pressure required when a tap is opened. Generally this is between 10 and
30 metres. In our case we shall select 2.5 bars or 25 metres of pressure.

Calculation of Total Dynamic Head : TDH

Koidu Government Hospital requires at least 18655 litres per day. A solar pump supplying little more than
this amount (20000 litres) operating over a six-hour period, would require a flowrate of 20000L/6h = 3333
L/h = 3.333 m3/h = 0.00092 m3/s. The total length of pipeline required is 20 metres from the pump to the
ground surface + up to 50 metres horizontal length from the well to the bottom of the elevated tankstand
+ approximately 10metres height of the tankstand = 80 metres. A pipe diameter of DN 63mm (2) has
been chosen.

Lp Pressure or head losses due to friction in the pipeline H can be calculated using an equation known as the
LECHAPTT CALMON equation:
H = 1.1x10-3 x Q 1.89 x D -5.01 x L

Where :
Q is the flowrate in the pipe, expressed in m3/ s ;
D is the external diameter of the pipe, in m
L is the length of the segment of the pipe network being considered, in m

H = 1.1x10-3 x 0.00092 1.89 x 0.066 -5.01 x 80

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H = 0.132 m for a pipe nominal diameter D =63 mm (external diameter = 66mm). If we add an allowance of 10%
for elbows, tees, valves etc, the head loss becomes 0.145 m.

Total Dynamic Head TDH = 20 +10+ 0.145 + 25 = 55.15 m

The solar pump chosen for the Koidu Government Hospital must have a flowrate (Q) of 0.00092 m3/h or
0.926 L/s for a Total Dynamic Head of 55.15m.

Solar Pump Sizing

Grundfos table of pump sizes above reveals that the SP 3A-10 would be suitable. Its solar-powered
equivalent is SQF 3A-10. A manufacturers nomograph or set of performance curves is used to determine
the power requirements for the Grundfos pump which can provide the required minimum flowrate for the
necessary Total Dynamic Head. (see overleaf, or consult their website
http://net.grundfos.com/doc/webnet/renewables/literature.html) This indicates for the chosen pump
Grundfos SQF 3A-10 requiring a useful motor power rating of 3 kWp.

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3000Wp for
SQF3A-10

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A typical installation is illustrated overleaf: