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[http://www.washdoc.info/docsearch/title/118633 Water Lifting Devices, A handbook for users and choosers], 3rd ed. UK, Rugby: Intermediate Technology Publications Ltd, 2006.</ref>. The earliest report of the design in the west is cited <ref> Olsen, J. P. [https://utorontopress.com/us/greek-and-roman-mechanical-water-lifting-devices-1 Greek & Roman Mechanical Water-Lifting Devices: The History of a Technology]. Toronto, Canada: University of Toronto Press, 1984. </ref> as that illustrated by the Sienese early renaissance engineer, Tacolla, circa 1433 <ref> Tacolla, Mariano. ''De Ingeineis'', Liber Primus Leonis, Liber Secundis Draconis, Addenda. c. 1433, folio 80. </ref>, a copy of which is given in the figure to the right <ref>Weisbaden, Ludwig, ed. et al. [http://digital.library.cornell.edu/k/kmoddl/pdf/037_001.pdf Facsimile of De Ingeineis], Liber Primus Leonis, Liber Secundis Draconis, Addenda [online]. Germany: Satz Und Druck, 1984. [April 2009]</ref>. In the 1970 and 80s the basic design was adapted by numerous individuals, the most prominent of which were R. van Tijen of Demotech, J. Haemhouts <ref>Sandiford, Peter, et al. [http://www.washdoc.info/docsearch/title/116194 The Nicaraguan Rope-pump]. ''Waterlines'', January 1993, Vol. 11 (3).</ref> <ref> Lammerink, M.P. et al. [http://www.ircwash.org/resources/evaluation-report-nicaraguan-experiences-rope-pump-final-report EVALUATION REPORT NICARAGUAN EXPERIENCES WITH ROPE PUMP] The Netherlands: IRC, 1995. </ref> and R. Lambert <ref>Lambert, R. A. [http://www.washdoc.info/docsearch/title/110481 How to make a rope-and-washer pump]. London: Intermediate Technology Design Group, 1990.</ref>. They applied the simple design as a tool aimed at economic and social development. They took advantage of low cost and versatile modern plastics to produce the modern rope-pump design. They applied this pump as a homemade, low lift pump. However the early models did not really take off and a successful scaling up of the Rope pump only started in 1988 in Nicaragua where the pump was technically improved by Van Hemert of the organization SNV and Alberts of Bombas de mecate. They made it into a compact metal model fit for commercial sales, produced and sold by local private companies. V. Hemert and Alberts <ref>Alberts, J. H. [http://www.ircwash.org/sites/default/files/Alberts-2004-Rope.pdf The rope-pump - an example of technology transfer]. ''Waterlines'', January 2004, Vol. 22 (3), 22-25.</ref> Holtslag.
[[Image:An illustration of the basic rope-pump design in the west circa 1433.jpg|thumb|right|200px|[[Rope pump| Rope Pump]] first illustrated in the west circa 1433 <ref>Weisbaden, Ludwig, ed. et al. [http://digital.library.cornell.edu/k/kmoddl/pdf/037_001.pdf Facsimile of De Ingeineis], Liber Primus Leonis, Liber Secundis Draconis, Addenda [online]. Germany: Satz Und Druck, 1984. [April 2009]</ref>]]
===Suitable conditions===[[Image:Rope_pumphorse rope pump.PNGjpg|thumb|right|150px200px|[['''Horse Rope pump | ''', powered by horses or donkeys. Pumps from wells to 65 m deep. Pump capacity 5 times more than a hand powered model. Used in Nicaragua. Photo: Henk Holtslag]]A Rope pump ]]can be used to draw water from large diameter hand dug wells of 3 meters to boreholes as small as 6 cm. One person can draw water up from 35 m deep, two persons can pump from 60 m deep (Victory modelusing a second crank) on and if powered by an engine it can pump from 100 meters or more. A Rope pump can be driven by hand, bicycle, animals, wind or engines. If well made, a hand-dug Rope pump delivers 35 litres / min from 10 meters depth and halve of that if the well is 20 meters metres deep well. Rope Pumps can be [http://www.mawama.org/rope-pump/rope-pump-efficiency very efficient] but typically have an efficiencies of 65%, made in a local workshop in northern Ghana ][http://www.mawama.org/rope-pump/rope-pump-efficiency model equations of the rope pump]confirm the best rope speed to around 1.2m/s and the piston spacing to be 1m. Hand pump models are most commonly used at depths less than 35m.
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! width="50%" style="background:#efefef;" | Advantages
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| valign="top" | - Simple, no “black box” <br> - Easy to maintain <ulbr>- Easy to train on production, maintenance- Can be made locally by workshops <libr> - Significantly cheaper (up 5 to 5 8 times) cheaper than imported piston pumps.for the same depth </libr> - Rotating movement, no dynamic force like in piston pumps<libr>If made well, one pump can supply up to 250 people as experiences - Pump parts in Nicaragua, Ghana the wells plastic and other countries indicate. However, suggested use is for maximum of 20 families concrete (100 peopleno corrosion)</libr> <li>Easy to maintain.</li><li>Easy - Rotating shaft, easy to train on maintenance.</li><li>Can be made locally power by workshop.bicycle, animals, windmills, electric motors or combustion engines </libr> <li>- Ideal to be used by one or two families in a shallow well on their own yard.</libr><li>Can be used - Fit for irrigation., therefore used as income generation </libr><li>Can be driven by hand- If made well, windmillone pump can supply up to 250 people as is the experience in Nicaragua, motorTanzania, bicycleMalawi and other countries. However, animals.</li>suggested use is for maximum of 20 families (150 people) </ul>| valign="top" |<ul><li>The rope pump - It is "too simple", therefore it which is easy good but also leads to copy, but experiences indicate "Simple is not easy": If not made well, the pump breaks bad copying resulting in early break down to much and can not be easily repaired.bad image </libr><li>Many Introductions have failed because of lack of training of users in - Requires frequent maintenance and production and installation errorslike oiling the bushings,so the pump parts wear if not leads to early wearing out too fast, or parts break.</li><li>With different depths, different sizes and breakage of pump pipes are needed, otherwise the pumping becomes to heavy. See manuals on websites of [http://www.practicafoundation.nl/library/manuals/ Practica Foundation] and [http://www.connectinternational.nl/english/smartmodules/smart-tec/pumps/ropepumpproduction Connect International].handle </libr><li>The pump needs a - A “blocking system” is needed on the handle to avoid return of the handle, which can be dangerous , especially for children.</libr>- It cannot pump higher than the pump outlet <libr>- Compared to piston pumps the rope pumps Rope pump is semi-open at the top which in theory, can cause contamination of the well. (if well made this is hardly a problem in practice) <br> - The Rope pump splashes morethan piston pumps. </libr><li>Similar to Piston pumps, a cement slab and a good soak away are needed to avoid splash water becoming a cause - Not suitable for pollutioncommunities larger than 20 families.</li>
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== Capacity =Construction, operations and maintenance===[[Image:Rope_pump_action_diagram.jpg|thumb|right|200px|[[Rope pump| Rope pump]], An illustration of the pumping action of a rope pump. However, this drawing needs adaptation. The pipe diameter at and above the Tee piece should be larger than the pump pipe. This is essential for good functioning of the pump. Now most of the water will come out at the top!]][[Image:Rope_pump.PNG|thumb|right|200px|[[Rope pump | Rope pump]], (Victory model) on a hand-dug of 20 meters deep well, made in a local workshop in northern Ghana. Photo: Netherlands Water Partnership. ]] With deeper wells, smaller diameter pump pipes are needed, otherwise the pumping becomes too heavy. See manuals on websites of [http://practica.org/publications/ Practica Foundation], [http://www.connectinternational.nl/english/smartmodules/smart-tec/pumps/ropepumpproduction Connect International], and [http://www.ropepumps.org ropepumps.org].<br> Many different types of rope pump exist, powered by hand, bicycle, wind, horse, [http://www.mawama.org/rope-pump/powered-rope-pump/solar-pv-powered-rope-pump solar] etc. Similar to piston pumps, a cement slab and a good soak away are needed to avoid splash water and recontamination of the water in the well. ====Design====* Pumping depth (Lift): 0 to 35 m * Cylinder diameter: (pump pipe) 32 mm for 1 to 10 metres deep, 25 mm for 10 to 20 metres deep and 19 mm for 20 to 35 metres deep* Pistons: Rubber or HD PE (plastic) pistons spaced at 1 m* Yield: (50 watt input) at a 10 m head the yield is 2 m³/hour. [http://www.mawama.org/rope-pump/rope-pump-efficiency Model equations can be found here] * Population/field area served: Max 150 people or irrigation of 0.1 hectare * Type of well: dug well of 3 metres to borehole of 6 to 20 cm diameter The Rope pump can be made in any country since the design can be adapted to the materials that are locally available. After due training it can be produced, by small or medium metal companies or blacksmiths that have a welding machine and standard hand tools. Although simple does not mean easy. It is essential to build the pump with 10 basic design rules. (See [http://www.ropepumps.org ropepumps.org] FAQs). In general, training is needed for good quality in production and, as important, good installation. The pump frame is made of galvanized pipes or mild steel. The handle is a galvanized steel pipe with metal bushings (there are also designs with ball bearings, or wooden bushings). The pulley wheel is made of the sides of a used car tire and mounted with clamps and spokes on the handle. The wheel should have a sharp 'v' shape to get a good traction on the rope. The ropes are made of Polyethylene, Polypropylene, or Polyamide fibers varying from Ø 4 to Ø 8 mm. Natural fibers are not suitable, as they will stretch when wet, and degrade too fast. The pistons are made of the side of the siude of a used car tire or injection molded HD polyethylene. The rising main are PVC pipes with wall thickness of 1.5 to 2 mm and diameters of 20 to 50 mm (depending on depth of the water level). The guide box is made of concrete (with a ceramic piece or small glass bottle as turning point), galvanized pipe or wood with a PVC turning point. ====Maintenance====One of the main strengths of the Rope pump is that maintenance and repairs are relatively simple and can easily and genuinely be done at village level by local technicians. Because of the local production, spares are available and knowledge to do repairs. The most frequent repairs consist of replacing the rope and pistons and weekly oiling of the bushings. The installation and repairs of the pump part does not require special tools, and pump pipes are very light so no need for any lifting equipment. Although easy and simple, it is important that users are instructed in why and how to maintain and repair their pump. Evaluations show that pumps (including Rope pumps) on communal wells have a tendency to fail for reasons like a lack of ownership and problems with generating funds for repairs and replacements. See example of Ghana, below. If Rope pumps are produced and installed properly (and if the users have ownership), 90% of Rope pumps remain operational, even after many years as is proven by pumps in Nicaragua, Zimbabwe Tanzania, Malawi and other countries. Compared to piston pumps the repairs of Rope pumps is simpler and cheaper, plus because of local production, spares are available.
===Costs===* The Hand Rope pumps cost between US$ 30-150 depending on model , location of production, and cost of materials and labour.* Cost of introduction: between US$ 10,000-30,000 per project, including 20 pumps, engineering and hands-on training.* Rural water programme: US$ 150,000-200,000 per project, including 1,000 pumps, start up of production facility and hands-on training.
== Applying conditions =Field experiences===<ul><li><b>Numbers[[Image:</b> 70RopePumpBicycle.jpg|thumb|right|200px|[[Rope pump| Pedal Rope pump]], bicycle model,000 produced and used in Nicaragua, 20,000 in Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Ghana, Senegal, Tanzania, Zambia, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Cambodia, India, Vietnam, and others. </li>]]<li><b>Range of depth[[Image:</b> 1-35 meter (60 m with two cranks)RopePumpMotor.</li><li><b>Application</b> Communal wellspng|thumb|right|200px|[[Rope pump| Motor Rope pump]], housholdpowered by a diesel motor, used for irrigation, cattle watering. </li>Pumping from a 25m well. Photo: Netherlands Water Partnership.]]<li><b>Suggested use</b> The [[Image:RopePumpZambia.jpg|thumb|right|200px|[[Rope pump can be | Hand Rope pump]] used by single families, or up to 20 families (100 people).for irrigation in Zambia]]<li><b>Models</b> [[Image:Rope pump models exist that are driven by hand, small motors, windmills, bicycle, and horsescross section. They can be placed on hand dug wells or boreholes. </li><li><b>Cost jpg|thumb|right|200px|[[Rope pump| Rope pump]] Cross section diagram of introduction:</b> US$ 10a Rope pump with a complete wheel cover,000-30,000 per project, including 20 95% of the Rope pumps, engineering have a small wheel cover to reduce cost and hands-on trainingmake maintenance easier.</li> <li><b>Rural Also water programme:</b> US$ 150,000quality of semi-200,000 per project, including 1,000 covered Rope pumps is the same as completely closed Rope pumps, start up of production facility and hands-on training.</li></ul>]]
In 2013 the government of Ethiopia decide to make a long term program to improve and standardize the Rope pumps and is doing this with funds from the Japanese aid organization JICA and technical support of the Dutch organization Meta.
====Tanzania====
Here the local organization [http://www.SHIPO-TZ.org SHIPO] in Njombe (South Tanzania) introduced the Rope pump in 2006. With support of the Dutch organization Connect International and funds from the Dutch government and Aqua for All, a so-called SMART Centre started. This Centre demonstrates a range of low cost water technologies like manual drilling hand pumps, water tanks, household filters etc. and trains organizations and the local private sector in production, maintenance, business skills etc. The centre organizes trainings for organizations like Winrock, Msabi and others. The result after 6 years is some 20 local companies trained, over 4000 SHIPO model Rope pumps installed, 800 manual drilled boreholes and cost reduction for rural water points of 40 to 15US$/person. In the last 2 years, out of the 4000 Rope pumps, some 30% now is sold to private families who pay for the pump with cash or via small loans.
====Malawi, Blantyre trials====
Several rope pumps were introduced in order to provide a better alternative for the Afridev Community handpump, which is the standard handpump in Malawi. The Afridev is not popular due to many breakdowns and not available spare parts, especially in the more remote areas. However, the rope pumps also broke down many times, sometimes several times per month, due to the high number of users and was therefor not considered by the users as a good alternative for a community pump, although repairs were possible. Another disadvantage mentioned was that children found it difficult to pump and sometimes got hurt when the handle security break system was not functioning (in that case the handle turns back with a high speed due to the weight of the water in the riser pipe). The communities now prefer a more reliable handpump than the Afridev, with less need for spares.
====Mozambique====
As in Malawi, the Rope pump was seen as a viable alternative to the Afridev which is generally the official pump of choice. WaterAid had first introduced a bucket and windlass system in the Niassa province as an alternative due to the high failure rate of Afridev pumps, but the Mozambican government refused to accept these as official community water supplies. WaterAid, in partnership with the Swiss Agency for Development Cooperation (SDC), UNICEF, CARE and the Government of Mozambique, therefore began a lengthy process of piloting a robust community rope pump, first relying on support from Bombas de Mecate in Nicaragua, but later adapting the design from Madagascar which is a pump model with a closed wheel cover. The new model meets a number of key well protection and water quality criteria set down by the development team. Three manufacturers were in operation in three provinces and through a process of skill sharing improvements have been made to the design resulting in a robust high quality model. A manufacturing standard has also been produced with the help of SKAT. After final stages of this process there was a final approval of the pump in 2011 as well as the licensing of the manufacturers by the Governments standards laboratory.
There are now more than 300 Rope pumps installed across three provinces (Niassa, Cabo Delgado and Zambezia) and in Niassa particularly WaterAid funded projects continues to offer communities a choice of either the Rope pump of the Afridev. The pumps were monitored twice per year in order to better understand the pumps sustainability. At this moment (July 2013) The trained manufacturers are not producing anymore and most of these pumps are defect. Reasons are as mentioned before, lack of ownership and payment for repairs and technical breakdowns because the number of people using the pumps was too large. Also the complete cover of the pump complicated the repairs.
Another organization ADPP in Itoculo (near Nampula ) trained workshops in the production of the so called SHIPO model of which there now are 4000 in Tanzania. Some 350 of these pumps are installed on hand dug or manual drilled tube wells and some 70% are working. At this moment (July 2013) this pump model is being produced in Monapo.
It was not considered by the users as a good community pump, although repairs were possible. Another disadvantage mentioned was that children found it difficult to pump (caused by too large of a pump pipe diameter) and sometimes got hurt when the handle security break system was not functioning. Due to lack of quality control the pumps did not have an anti-return system. This results in the handle turning back with a high speed due to the weight of the water in the riser pipe. In 2008, over 2000 simple Pole model Rope pumps for irrigation were installed near Blantyre made by the organization DAPP.
In 2012, a Water training centre (SMART Centre) at the Mzuzu University introduced the SHIPO model Rope pump. This centre, supported by Connect International, is now (in 2013) training local companies in manual well drilling and Rope pumps. A focus is on quality control via certification. After initial problems, now good quality pumps are produced and some 100 installed. [https://www.facebook.com/SMART.Centre.Mzuzu/ Mzuzu Smart Centre].
Apart from this initiative, PumpAid has also been active in the Chimoio province installing Elephant Pumps which are also rope pumps.
Please see the external links below for further information.
====Akvo RSR projects====
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|[[Image:project 1349.jpg |thumb|center|140px|<font size="2"><center>[http://rsr.akvo.org/project/1349/ RSR Project 1349]<br>Safe water <br>for Wajir</center></font>|link=http://rsr.akvo.org/project/1349/]]
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* [http://www.appropedia.org/Rope_pump Rope pump article at Appropedia]
* [[Solution_of_the_week_7|Akvo solution of the week 7]]* [[Solution_of_the_week_9|Akvo solution of the week 9]]* [http://www.rural-water-supply.net/en/resources/details/307 'Low Cost Hand pumps' RWSN Field Note 2011-3]* [http://www.ropepump.com/ Rope Pumps (Nicaragua)]* [http://www.rural-water-supply.net/en/resources/details/337 Rope Pumps (Madagascar)]* RWSN: The Rope Pump Concept [http://www.rural-water- WaterAid in Mozambiquesupply.net/en/resources/details/294 English], [http://www.wateraidrural-water-supply.orgnet/en/internationalresources/what_we_dodetails/where_we_work296 French], [http:/mozambique/2595www.asprural-water-supply.net/en/resources/details/336 Portuguese] ===References===<references/> ===Acknowledgements===* Elephant Pump - PumpAid [http://www.pumpaidhenkholtslag.nl henkholtslag.nl], [http://www.300in6.org 300in6.org], [http:/The-Elephant-Pump/www.connectinternational.nl connectinternational.shtmlnl]