The Trompe - An Almost Forgotten Air Compression System

The simple, yet brilliant, Trompe

http://mac1enterprises.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/trompe.jpg

A Trompe (also spelled Trombe) is a water powered air compressor system. This simple device was used for hundreds of years to produce compressed air for furnaces, mining equipment, ventilation systems, and even for air conditioning and ice production. Trompes were almost entirely replaced when fossil fuels, with their high energy potential, came into more general use at the beginning of the twentieth century (I believe the only large scale Trompe still in use is at the Ragged Chute plant on the Montreal River in Ontario, Canada). Unfortunately, the knowledge of these systems has been almost completely forgotten. At this time of increasing energy prices and likely post-peak oil, this is the type of information that needs to be shared and implemented.

The Trompe at the Ragged Chute Plant in Canada.

http://www.cobaltmininglegacy.ca/gallery.php?image_string=images/historic/Ragged_chutes_plan

The function of a Trompe is brilliantly simple. It has no moving parts. Water is directed into a tall, vertical pipe that decreases in diameter. As the column of water is constricted from the piping, air is sucked in through ports. The air bubbles in the water are pressurized – the higher the column of water (i.e. the more head), the higher the pressure. At the end of the vertical pipe, the water with pressurized air bubbles, flows into a larger chamber (called a plenum or reservoir) where the air bubbles are released. The water flows out and the air, now compressed in a tight space, can be harvested.

Correct me if I am wrong, but from my understanding there is a loss of heat energy in this process which cools the air. Actually, the air compression is isothermal (no change in heat energy), but then the air coming out of compression is cooling. This cooling effect can then be utilized for simple air conditioning systems or refined for ice production.

The compressed air can be used directly as a power source to pump pistons or turn gears, or it can be stored in tanks and used elsewhere.

There is a lot of physics involved with a Trompe, but it is really a basic design. The higher the water origin, the greater the potential of energy produced. This is why many of the larger systems were built near waterfalls. However, I think there are plenty of smaller applications in a home or homestead where a Trompe could be used. It is time to bring this almost lost technology back to modern use.

For More Information:

http://www.cobaltmininglegacy.ca/power.php

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trompe

http://www.motherearthnews.com/renewable-energy/hydro-power-zmaz77jazbon.aspx

Book Review: Water Storage

Water Storage: Tanks, Cisterns, Aquifers, and Ponds for Domestic Supply, Fire and Emergency Use.

From the Publisher:
A do-it-yourself guide to designing, building, and maintaining water tanks, cisterns and ponds, and sustainably managing groundwater storage. It will help you with your independent water system, fire protection, and disaster preparedness, at low cost and using principles of ecological design. Includes building instructions for several styles of ferro cement water tanks.

This is a book that I will reference often when I finally get my land and start to build, design, or improve the water systems on it. This book is on water storage and all aspects of it. It focuses mainly on tanks and tank storage, but gives some mention cisterns, ponds, and aquifers. It discusses how to make tanks and ways to set them up. I was hoping for more on pond making as well, but the book doesn't get much into that. What I like the most about this book is the information on things I never really thought much about... preventing mosquitos from breeding in your stored water, preventing animals from getting into it, zoning, drain design, fire fighting systems/set-up, to name a few.

In this day of terrorism, climate issues, and economic uncertainty, I think everyone should have some form of stored water (from high-rise dweller to most rural land owner). It is really just a matter of how much you can store. This book will go a long way to help in that endeavor.

Berkey Water Filters

The Berkey family of filters.

http://sunshineworks.com/images/berkey/berkey-family-500.jpg

I thought I would do a quick post describing our water filter system. We use the Berkey Water filter. I think it is fantastic. It is basically a can on top of another. Water is poured into the top, and filters in the top can allow the water to pass to the storage can below. There is a simple lever "faucet" on the storage can to pour the water out - like on a typical office water cooler.

There is a bit high up front cost, but then that is it for a long, long time. The cleaner the water that is placed in the top, the loger the filters last. When the filters start to clog up, they can be cleaned with a regular Scotch pad (like the back of a regular kitchen sponge). Some of the filter material is worn away, but then the filter is like new again. Eventually the filter is worn down to the point it cannot go any futher, and at this point the filter is changed. As the filters nears the end of its life, it does not become less effective either.

We have used our filter every day for about two years, and it is showing no sign of slowing down yet... with no cleaning or scrubbing of the filters at all. It is estimated that the average person will eventually spend only 2 cents per gallon of filtered water using this system in the U.S.

The Berkey Systems are literally used around the world by many mission, humanitarian, and relief organizations as the sole water filter system. Eventually larger, more permanent water filter systems are established (like for whole communities), but often the Berkey is it.

The water is filtered free of bacteria, viruses, and heavy metals. And the water tastes really good.

I make no money and have/will get nothing for my endorsement of this product. I just thought I would share what I think is the best water filter system around today.
Here is a really cheesy promotional video I found on the Berkey Filters, but it does a pretty good job.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8FBBw-UQxY

RainSaucers

www.rainsaucers.com

I was going to start this post by saying how much I hate it when I come up with a great idea only to find out that someone else has already beat me to it.  But in reality, I don't care that much.  It makes be feel good that I had an idea that works!

My idea was to have a large circular sail that could open up flat (horizontal) when it rained.  It would have a very large surface area of at least 1,000 square feet (300 square meters).  This would be used for rain water collection, mainly for livestock tank filling, but also for human consumption as well.

The simple, yet elegant, RainSaucer.

Then, just a few days ago, I heard an interview with Tom Spargo on The Survival Podcast.  This gentleman created a scaled down version of my idea... okay, so it was his idea! :)

The RainSaucer can easily be connected to many different systems.

The RainSaucer is a rain harvesting tool.  It is portable.  It is durable.  It can be connected to many different collection systems (buckets, barrels, troughs, etc.)  It is also not that expensive at only $55.  He has completed many field trials in Guatemala providing locals with inexpensive ways to obtain clean drinking water.

RainSaucers incorporated into a trellis on a sustainable garden.  Love it!

No, I don't own stock in this company (I doubt they actually have stock), but I see a great product here. This is one that will be incorporated into my Permaculture System in the future.  Here is a link to the only place the currently sells the RainSaucer online, but I think that will change quickly as this company continues to grow.  And here is a video on installing the RainSaucer.  It shows how simple this system is, and typically all great ideas are simple but brilliant.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mUMQ4Dzq_0

Check out these other Water Harvesting posts:

Dew Ponds
Gabions for Creek Restoration
Hugelkultur
Rain Harvesting from Your Roof
Swales

Permaculture Projects: Rain Harvesting

Don't waste all that free water!

http://www.flash-screen.com/free-wallpaper/free,wallpapers,49299.html#

This is is just going to be a quick post to reference the formula for calculating how much water can be obtained from a roof (it is A LOT, by the way).

Formula for calculating rain collection - from Gaia's Garden.

For those who don't like to do a lot of math, here is a quick reference for rain water collection.

http://www.roofrsi.com/images/rain-water-chart.jpg

The basics of rain harvesting from your roof is quite simple.  First you need gutters.  Then you need somewhere to store the water.  That is it.  To make things more efficient, your storage tank is situated above (higher) than the location you need it, so gravity will take it to where you need it.

Traditional style of rain barrel.. what most people think of.

http://www.bluerivermn.com/assets/wooden%20barrel.JPG

Modern Rain Barrels come in a variety of shapes and sizes.

http://www.onmilwaukee.com/images/articles/ra/rainbarrelsblog/rainbarrelsblog_story1.jpg

More styles of rain barrels.

http://images.younghouselove.com.s3.amazonaws.com/2009/07/RainBarrelCompanyGiveawayOp.jpg

The basic function of a rain barrel.

http://camdencenterfortransformation.org/images/rain_barrel_en-2.jpg



Another diagram of a rain barrel.

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZY6Xy21ZmiZiS4kO0hoJcjY128SkYLbb3Y2h5ezYMQ6zHVuhA892_nGPTGa1yC7x0kJVA5T-RB52dpbXaHKSVRNWDChfU7l4lOdKd1S1CzlEAzDRpdmj_gy18gp5t57j1o0WalrXwwOOZ/s320/rainbarrel+diagram.gif

Here is a more detailed diagram of a rain water collection system.  If you are going to reuse the water in your own home, there are a few additional components to think about.  First is a pump.  If you are fighting against gravity, this is obviously needed.  Second, a filtration system is needed if you will be drinking the water.  Third (or maybe considered part of the filtration system) is a way to separate the first water off the roof which carries roof dust, bird droppings, and other particles that you don't want in your water storage tanks.  These contraptions go by various names such as "roof washer", "flush diverter", or "first flush diverter".

http://www.chelseagreen.com/content/wp-content/uploads/rainwater_cfh.png

A "Roof Washer"

http://www.solarhaven.org/WaterStorage.htm

More detailed photo of the "Roof Washer"

Note the ball that floats as the first roof water flows past.

As the water rises (and becomes more and more clean) the ball will eventually form a seal, and the clean rain water will be diverted to the storage tank.

http://www.spec-net.com.au/press/1009/images/esac071009_img01.jpg

Another more basic design.

http://www.tightspottanks.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/flush-diverter.gif

Yet another variation of a first flush diverter.

http://www.caes.uga.edu/applications/publications/files/html/B1372/images/Fig7.JPG

Here is a link to a PDF from the University of Georgia Extension Agency on Home Rainwater Harvesting.  It is a pretty good article.