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What is The Hydrautomat?

The Hydrautomat (a.k.a. 'Water Staircase') is a self-powered water pump thatwas invented in the 1920's by Thomas Gaskell Allen. It uses both air and waterpressure to push and pull water upward into successively higher tanks. In it's time:it was hailed as one of the greatest engineering marvels of the 20th Century, evenprompting the famous physicist Sir Oliver Lodge to opine in a book he wroteabout the device:

"I can only express my admiration of the simplicity and beauty of the invention,and my wonder that humanity has had to wait so long for the construction of anarrangement which must prove of the greatest service." – Sir Oliver Lodge “TheAllen 'Hydrautomat' Water Self-raiser”

What Is It Made of? – The Hydrautomat is a series of interconnected open andclosed tanks, which are powered by a vessel known as the Operating Tank, whichperiodically fills and drains to produce partial vacuums and pressures on theclosed tanks above it. These negative and positive pressures cause the water to becyclically pushed and pulled upward into a series of open and closed tanks. Theaction of the water being pushed and pulled upward in a piecemeal way hadprompted observers to nickname the device a “Water Staircase”.

About the Hydrautomat – The Hydrautomat was found to be 80% efficient interms of the air pressure used, and it's ability to pump water is proportional to thedistance between the Feed Tank, Operating Tank, and the end of the Siphon. Thedistance from the Feed Tank to the Operating Tank largely determines how highwater can be pushed upward during the pressure cycle. And the distance from theOperating Tank to the end of the Siphon largely determines how high water can bepulled upward during the suction cycle.

Applications – The Hydrautomat can be configured to perform various tasks, suchas pumping water for irrigation and for livestock, to supplying water for solardesalination, salt-gradient ponds, and hydroelectric power. The pump can also beused to supply an array of gravity-fed water filters to make freshwater availablefor human consumption. The principle of this device is simple and highlyadaptive, making it a suitable for a wide variety of uses.

Operation of The Hydrautomat

How Does It Work? – The Hydrautomat works by feeding water from the River Bed(B) into the bottom of the Operating Chamber through the Inlet Water Pipe (G), whichthen pressurizes the air inside the Operating Chamber, and subsequently pressurizes thetwo Closed Containers (C) that are connected to the top of the Operating Chamber by anAir Pipe (F). The water in these tanks is then pushed upward into the Open Vessel (D)and the Reservoir (E). The water eventually fills up the Operating Chamber until waterstarts flowing out through the Siphon Outlet (H) onto a paddle that is part of theOperating Mechanism (V). The paddle is then forced downward, and the lever runningfrom the Operating Mechanism to the Inlet Control (W) is pushed upward, closing theInlet Control valve.

The water then continues draining outfrom the Operating Chamber (A)through the Siphon Outlet (H). Whichcreates a vacuum in the OperatingChamber, and the two ClosedContainers (C) via the Air Pipe (F).This vacuum then causes water in theRiver Bed (B) and Open Vessel (D) tobe sucked upwards into the two ClosedContainers. The Operating Chambereventually drains, disengaging theSiphon (H), and the paddle on theOperating Mechanism (V) is forcedupward by the counter-weight on theother side of the OperatingMechanism. The counter weight alsoreturns the Inlet Control (W) to theopen position, allowing water to flowback into the Operating Chamber andstarts the process all over again.

Hydrautomat Mk. 4

Miniature Hydrautomat

Development of the Replica

Discovery of the Hydrautomat – I first found out about the Hydrautomat when a pagefor the Hydrautomat was published on RexResearch.com. I wasn't very interested in thedevice at first, but the idea of the action of a siphon being able to lift water wasintriguing, so I learned more about the device and all of the possible uses for it. When Istarted to find out how important this device could be for the world (namely developingcountries): I decided to build one.

With only a patent illustration, news articles, and excerpts from a fewbooks as guides: I set out to design and develop a fully functionalHydrautomat.

First Prototype – The first attempttoward replicating the Hydrautomat involved using a seriesof plastic containers with small 1/4” vinyl tubes to transferwater from one container to the other. The design alsoincorporated a tank with a float switch inside to replace thelever-type switching device that T.G. Allen used. Thisswitching device didn't work, and the rubber grommets andacrylic caulk that were used as bulkhead fittings wouldleak. So many improvements needed to be made.

Second Prototype – Thesecond prototype featuredmany differentimprovements over thefirst. The first of these wasthe selection ofcomponents for thebulkhead fittings, these

components combined connectors for tubing withcouplings. The second improvement was the use of a 15quart container with an automatic water feeder that wascaulked with marine bulkhead caulk. This design,although more leak resistant, would still experiencewater and air leaks. And the caulk used for the devicehad many disadvantages, among them being: long curetime, inability to bond to certain plastics, difficult toremove, made a terrible mess, and the caulk would stillallow leaks. The caulk seals on the Operating Tank

Hydrautomat Version 1

Hydrautomat Version 2

would also break with very little force, as the caulk did not bond with the plasticcontainer that was used.

Successful Prototype – I finally succeeded in replicating theHydrautomat when I used a 2 gallon refrigerator bottle forthe Operating Tank, and settled upon creating a container thatheld an upside-down float valve with a tray at the end thatwould act as a flow switch. The tray of the flow switch wasconnected at the end to a pulley and counter-weight, whichreplaced the see-saw type of device that T.G. Allen used forthe original Hydrautomat. The device also had an improvedInput Tank, and used check valves to prevent water or airfrom flowing back containers.

Current Hydrautomat –The current replica of theHydrautomat is a smallermodified version of theoriginal 1921 Hydrautomat,with plastic tubing andcontainers in place of metalpipes and containers. Thelever-type switchingapparatus that T.G. Allenused was replaced with apulley-type switchingapparatus. The wholeswitching apparatus is alsohoused within a plastic

container, which increases the modularity of the device,as it can be taken out and repaired with ease. The FeedTank also has an automatic waterer attached to it, so theflow of water going into the Feed Tank willautomatically shut off when the water reaches a certainlevel in the Feed Tank.

This version of the Hydrautomat is essentially the same as the original. And islight-weight, easy to maintain, and inexpensive to build. The device features FlexiblePVC tubing (which is much easier to handle than the vinyl tubing), plastic bulkheadfittings , and a 3/4” tube with an adapter to allow the device to directly connect to agarden hose.

History

History of The Hydrautomat

There have been several different self-propelled water pumps thatwere developed throughout history.

Hero of Alexandria – Hero (or Heron) ofAlexandria was an ancient polymath whodeveloped a fountain that used air andwater pressure to power a fountain in anattempt to create a perpetual motiondevice. The device was not perpetual, asthe bottom container would eventually fillup and the fountain would stop working.

Leonardo Da Vinci – Leonardo Da Vinci had constructeda waterwheel that would turn two water screws to lift waterfrom running streams.

– This type of pump was later used in the early 20 th Century to supply the city ofLondon with water in by means of a reciprocating pump that was driven by awaterwheel in the Thames River.

Thomas Gaskell Allen Jr. - Thomas Gaskell Allen Jr. wasan accomplished engineer who made it possible to useacetylene usable for cutting and welding. He also designeda widely used system for applying brakes to the frontwheels of cars. He is best knownfor his trip across Asia on abicycle in 1890. After which hejoined a firm of engineers that helater became the head of.

Allen, although already being anaccomplished engineer, did nothave any experience in

hydraulics. Instead he “Rushed in where angels fearedto tread.”

Water Lifting Devices by Leonardo Da Vinci

Hero of Alexandria

Illustration of Hero's Fountain

Portriat of Leonardo Da Vinci

The Hydrautomat's Debut

When the Hydrautomat made its debut, it wasfeatured in several academic journals,newspapers, and textbooks all around the world,and was hailed as one of the GreatestEngineering Marvels of the 21st Century.

The Hydrautomat was later taken to WashingtonD.C. and tested by the US Department ofWeights and Measures and found to be capableof lifting water at the rate of 70,000 gallons perday.

Sir Oliver Lodge, a famous British physicist, had attendedone of these exhibitions and was so amazed by this devicethat he said of the device:

"I can only express my admiration of thesimplicity and beauty of the invention, andmy wonder that humanity has had to waitso long for the construction of anarrangement which must prove of thegreatest service." – Sir Oliver Lodge

What Happened?

It isn't exactly known what happened to theHydrautomat, but from what could be gathered about thefate of Hydrautomat Limited and the Hydrautomat: ThomasGaskell Allen did not apply for any more patents after 1927,and Hydrautomat Ltd. went into voluntary liquidation in1931. Hydrautomat Ltd. Reformed after this liquidation, butdid not produce any new Hydrautomats or similar devicesafterwards.

Sir Oliver Lodge

Thomas Gaskell Allen Jr.

Original Photo of the Hydrautomat

Possib

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Agricultural and Utility Applications

Pump – The Hydrautomat can be used to pump water to distant locations for uses inirrigation, utilities, water-filtration/de-salination*, cooling, etc. The Hydrautomat doesn'tjust lift water, it can also evacuate and pressurize water the water for uses in sprinklers,sprayers, fountains, etc. All that is needed, is the difference in elevation.

Lift Other Fluids – Fluids like hydraulic fluid, natural gas, air, light chemicals, etc. canalso be moved by the action of this device. Instead of water being lifted by a series ofopen and closed tanks, other fluids can be taken in and be moved by the device. Only acylinder or other device would be needed to keep the water in the Operating Tank frommixing with the air in the containers.

* The Hydrautomat can be used to supply water for filtration and de-salination purposes.

Maritime and Energy ApplicationsWave-Powered Pump – In this form,the Operating Tank has an openbottom, and is partly submerged in theocean. The action of these waves thenpulls water from the ocean upward intoa closed tank through a tube with acheck valve. This water is then pushedout of the tank and into a storagecontainer on dry land where thesaltwater can be used for a variety ofapplications.

Pump for Salt-Gradient Ponds – TheHydrautomat can be used to supplysaltwater for use in solar gradientponds, which can be used to produceelectricity, salt, and even distilledwater.

What is a Solar-Gradient Pond? – Asolar gradient pond is an artificialpond that is filled with brine andwater. The top layer of the pondconsists of water, while the bottomlayer consists of brine (a denser formof saltwater). The water on the topallows light from the Sun to passthrough and heat the brine below thewater. The heavier salt content in thebrine absorbs heat from the sun andprevents the brine from losing heat viaconvection, which would normally

happen with freshwater or seawater. The brine in this pond can get as hot as 194 degreesFahrenheit. - Power Generation from Gradient Ponds – The heat from a solar gradient pond canbe used to heat a refrigerant which would then be sent to a turbine for generatingelectrical power. Waste heat could be sent through a heat exchanger to preheat theincoming refrigerant for even more power.

- Distilled water – The water that evaporates from the pond can be condensed and usedfor utilities and other purposes.

Solar-Desalination – The Hydrautomat can be used to pump water forSolar-desalinations systems, both supplying seawater for evaporation, and water for useas coolant in a condensing coil.

Add-on for Hydroelectric Dams –Dams and waterfalls can provide thedifference in elevation for lifting waterto incredible heights by aHydruautomat. Water falling from anaccumulator (water tank) that is manytimes higher than a dam, could provideturbines with more power than watersimply falling from the dam's highwater mark.

Future Designs and Improvments –

Pulser Pump Hybrid – The Pulser Pump (or Bubble Pump) is a simple water pump thatuses air to lift water via buoyancy. The pump works by feeding a combination of waterand entrained air (air that gets sucked down with the flowing water) into a tank that issubmerged below the water line. The air naturally rises to the top and seeks to rise, andthe air and water compete with each other in trying to regain equilibrium. The tank alsohas an outlet near the bottom that allows water to drain out to a point that is below thewater line of body of water that supplies the device.

This principle can be combined with the Hydrautomat by feeding some of the air in theAir Tube into venturis at the base of the tubes that connect each tank. The air beinginjected into the tube would help displace the weight of the water, and allow theHydrautomat to lift water to an even greater height than before.

Pneumatic Wave Pump –

The Hydrautomat can also be connected to a pneumatic oscillator to provide pulsed air.This can turn the Hydrautomat into a power source for a Wave Pump. Wave Pumps arevery useful as they can be used to pump water from deep wells, and use only a fractionof the power required for a normal pump.

Useful Links –

LightTech's Homepage - http://www.bluejersey112.wix.com

BlueJersey112 – YouTube Channelhttps://www.youtube.com/user/BlueJersey112

Hydrautomat page on Appropedia.org - http://www.appropedia.org/Hydrautomat

LightTech on YahooGroups - https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/LightTech/info

RexReserach.com http://www.rexresearch.com