MICROFICHE REFERENCE LIBFUUW - Cd3wd.com

Chapter 5Prime Movers5.1 IntroductionIn the preceding chapters, the operations and construction of waterlifters and pumps have been discussed with only illustrative mentionof the various prime movers that can be used to drive them. The followingsection will review briefly the operation, construction, and cost of thedriving devices which can be used to power water lifters and some of thecommon methods of transmitting this power (i.e., gears, belts, shaft, etc.).5.2 ManualManual power is an easily transported prime mover which can be usedto provide a variety of motions, e.g., circular, reciprocating, twisting,etc. One of the major benefits of utilizing manual power in developingcountries is that it helps to alleviate the high unemployment and under-employment rates in these areas. Because human power can be utilized toperform other tasks (e.g., seeding, cultivating, etc.), the cost ofwmaintaining manual power for water lifting can be shared among several duties.When labor must be employed to operate a water lifter, the prime movercost will be the wages and/or benefits paid to the laborer. These wagesvary kidely depending on the economic situation in a specific locale. Insome developing hL.eas, $.lO/hr or $2.40 plus food per month is not uncommon(Molenaar, 1956), but may range up to a few (i.e., l-2) dollar per hour.When wages include food or family members are utilized, the cost of foodmust be considered. Allison (1975) reports that in a season requiring120 man-days of water-lifting labor, 30 kg of rice were eaten by the labor,121.