User:Jshin722/ENES-100/project 3/Water ram testing

Problem Statement

 * The waste valve gets stuck in the closed position and will not return to the open position solely due to its own weight. Test the water ram adding different weights to the waste valve.


 * Explain the principles behind the water ram design while testing.



Training and Operations
The previous tests of the water ram without the spring in the waste valve demonstrated that the waste valve will not come back down to the open position (Note: the check valve is already spring-less so that it will take more water pressure to close the waste valve than to open the check valve. Further explanation in testing videos' narratives). To resolve the issue, weight, in the form of bolts were added one at a time to the waste valve. The theory was that this weight would be enough to prevent the waste valve from getting stuck in the closed position, allowing the waste valve to return to the open position, repeating the water ram effect in a cyclical manner. The check valve is positioned upright with no spring or added weights. The waste valve was in an inverted position with no spring but with added weights.

The results showed that the waste valve still continued to get stuck in the closed position or there was not enough water pressure to even get it to the closed position. This is due to the testing set-up, which has the problem of not being able to deliver water at a constant pressure for any prolonged period of time. A new testing set-up has been suggested in the Next Steps section.

A new design, in which the waste valve generates a pressure wave when it slam shut DOWNWARD was also tested (see last test video). Further testing should be performed with even more added weight to the waste valve to confirm if this test was valid.

Poster

 * http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qWqDurunnK8 (Water Ram effect occurs when the waste valve slams to the UPWARD position and not the downward position)
 * http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKoaY0kbpew&feature=youtu.be (Added weight to waste valve. PVC joint breaks during testing)
 * http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8Rjf2Fankc&feature=youtu.be (Close-up of the broken PVC joint)
 * http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLX3_Pk2y-8&feature=youtu.be (New "one-man" water ram set-up)
 * http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MC5do1m0tZc&feature=youtu.be (Test #2 after duct tape repair)
 * http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvCI91N1vjk&feature=youtu.be (Test #3 with more added weight)
 * http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BUIlapN9aY0&feature=youtu.be (Test #4 with same weight but added a continuous stream from hose)


 * http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDiy_LFy4SA&feature=youtu.be (New water ram design Test #1. The waste valve has been turned upside-down so that the closed position is when the valve is DOWNWARD position. Further explanation in video narrative.)

Next Steps

 * Design a method of delivering a constant stream of water pressure so that further testing can be done. An idea is to cut the bottom of a five gallon water jug and hang it from a tree upside-down while delivering water through the top using a hose.


 * Further test the water ram theory behind the last test video by adding more weight to the waste valve (See video "New water ram design Test #1").