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Windpump - Quiz
Contributed by: Drew
  • 1. What is the primary design feature of a multi-bladed rotor?
A) High starting torque
B) Low aerodynamic drag
C) Automatic yaw control
D) High tipspeed ratio
  • 2. What is the maximum efficiency of a multi-bladed rotor?
A) Less than 30%
B) Exactly 35%
C) More than 50%
D) Exactly 40%
  • 3. Why do modern wind rotors outperform multi-bladed rotors in efficiency?
A) They have more blades
B) They operate at a higher tipspeed ratio
C) They do not use pistons
D) They are made of lighter materials
  • 4. What does a multi-bladed rotor need to achieve better efficiency according to the text?
A) A faster wind speed
B) A larger rotor diameter
C) A highly variable stroke mechanism
D) A more powerful piston
  • 5. To what factor is the energy demand of a fixed-stroke piston pump proportional?
A) Wind direction
B) Pump speed
C) Rotor diameter
D) Cube of wind speed
  • 6. To what factor is the energy supply of a wind rotor proportional?
A) Length of the crank
B) Square of wind speed
C) Pump speed
D) Cube of wind speed
  • 7. What happens when a wind rotor runs at over speed?
A) Mechanical failure of the crank
B) Improvement in load matching
C) Loss of aerodynamic efficiency
D) Increased suction force
  • 8. How much can the flow rate increase with a variable stroke windpump compared to a fixed stroke one?
A) Three times
B) Two times
C) Ten percent
D) Four times
  • 9. What device can help spread the torque of a piston pump to the crank descent?
A) A hydraulic regulator
B) A secondary rotor
C) A counterweight
D) An electric sensor
  • 10. Where were variable stroke windpump experiments conducted between 1988 and 1990?
A) A manufacturing plant in Texas
B) USDA-Agriculture Research Center-Texas
C) A private laboratory in California
D) A university in New York
  • 11. Why did the USDA variable stroke experiments fail to influence the market?
A) The designs were patented by competitors
B) The mechanical systems were too expensive
C) They did not attract the attention of manufacturers
D) The pumps required too much wind to function
  • 12. After the variable stroke experiments, what did research focus on?
A) Wind-electric water pumping systems
B) Improved multi-bladed rotor blades
C) Solar-powered piston pumps
D) Larger tower construction
  • 13. Which phase of a piston pump is described as very light?
A) Descending phase
B) Yawing phase
C) Upstroke phase
D) Suction phase
  • 14. What type of patent was the Elmo G. Harris design?
A) Patent #877.617
B) Patent #189.900
C) Patent #617.877
D) Patent #4.392.785
  • 15. Which type of pump is best paired with high solidity rotors?
A) Waterladder pumps
B) Positive displacement (piston) pumps
C) Chain and washer pumps
D) Centrifugal pumps
  • 16. Which rotor type is recommended for driving an electricity generator?
A) High solidity rotors
B) Single-acting rotors
C) Fixed-stroke rotors
D) Low solidity rotors
  • 17. What is the common nickname for multi-bladed windpumps in the US and Canada?
A) Weathercocks
B) Wind vanes
C) Butler mills
D) Piston pumps
  • 18. In which years did the Butler brand introduce improvements to windpump technology?
A) 1897, 1898, and 1905
B) 1895, 1900, and 1905
C) 1897, 1902, and 1910
D) 1887, 1890, and 1900
  • 19. How much water can a 16 ft diameter windpump lift per hour at 100 ft elevation with 15–20 mph winds?
A) Up to 3200 US gallons
B) Up to 500 US gallons
C) Up to 800 US gallons
D) Up to 1600 US gallons
  • 20. How often do most windpumps require a change of gear box oil?
A) Every six months
B) Monthly
C) Annually
D) Every five years
  • 21. What is the approximate number of windpumps still in use in the United States?
A) 250,000
B) 10,000
C) 60,000
D) 100,000
  • 22. What is the annual windpower conversion efficiency range of common multi-bladed windpumps?
A) 4%–8%
B) 20%–30%
C) 10%–15%
D) 1%–2%
  • 23. What is the main cause of the low conversion efficiency in multi-bladed windpumps?
A) Poor load matching between rotors and fixed-stroke piston pumps
B) Excessive weight of the blades
C) High friction in the gear box
D) Low wind speeds at most locations
  • 24. Which pump types are best suited for use with low solidity rotors?
A) High-pressure hydraulic pumps
B) Only electricity generators
C) Centrifugal, waterladder, and chain and washer pumps
D) Only piston pumps
  • 25. Which country is particularly well known for its windpumps?
A) Kenya
B) Nicaragua
C) The Netherlands
D) Australia
  • 26. Which company manufactures the Kijito windpumps in Kenya?
A) Bobs Harries Engineering Ltd
B) Nicaragua Pump Systems
C) East African Engineering Works
D) Intermediate Technology Development Group
  • 27. Who provided engineering support for the development of Kijito windpumps?
A) The Kenyan Government
B) Intermediate Technology Development Group
C) United Nations Water Council
D) Dutch Drainage Experts
  • 28. How does a rope pump transport water?
A) By using a vacuum seal and rotating blades
B) By using a high-pressure air compressor
C) By using a series of interlocking gears
D) By pulling a knotted rope through a pipe
  • 29. What material is usually used for the pipe in a rope pump?
A) Reinforced rubber hose
B) PVC pipe
C) Copper tubing
D) Cast iron pipe
  • 30. What is a windpump also known as?
A) A drainage mill
B) A windmill generator
C) A water wheel
D) A steam engine
  • 31. In what century were windpumps first used according to the text?
A) 17th century
B) 15th century
C) 12th century
D) 9th century
  • 32. Who suggested improvements to windpumps in 'Van de Molens'?
A) Simon Stevin
B) Daniel Halladay
C) Benjamin Franklin
D) Isaac Newton
  • 33. In what year did Simon Stevin receive a patent for his windpump innovation?
A) 1586
B) 1620
C) 1602
D) 1550
  • 34. What type of wheel was used in Murcia, Spain, to raise water?
A) A gear wheel
B) A turbine
C) A flywheel
D) A noria
  • 35. Who invented the self-regulating farm windpump in 1854?
A) George Stephenson
B) Daniel Halladay
C) Simon Stevin
D) Thomas Edison
  • 36. What material replaced wood in the construction of later windpump towers?
A) Aluminum
B) Concrete
C) Steel
D) Carbon fiber
  • 37. What was the estimated total capacity of US windpumps in 1930?
A) 300 megawatts
B) 50 megawatts
C) 150 megawatts
D) 500 megawatts
  • 38. What happens if a pump rod is pushed down faster than gravity allows?
A) The water freezes
B) The rod buckles
C) The rotor stops
D) The tower collapses
  • 39. What is the US term for the pipe containing the pump output?
A) Suction line
B) Pressure conduit
C) Drop-pipe
D) Rising main
  • 40. Where were fluttering windpumps developed?
A) Thailand
B) Turkey
C) Netherlands
D) Canada
  • 41. In what year did research begin on the modern variable stroke windpump in Turkey?
A) 2004
B) 2014
C) 2000
D) 1994
  • 42. What type of rotor is used in the 30 kW variable stroke windpump design?
A) Multiblade-type
B) Savonius-type
C) Darrieus-type
D) Common sail
  • 43. What does a high pressure vertical axis wind pump (HP-VAWP) combine with?
A) Archimedean screw
B) Paddle pump
C) Drip irrigation system
D) Waterladder pump
  • 44. In the Netherlands, what device is connected to the tjasker's common sails?
A) Waterladder
B) Paddle pump
C) Archimedean screw
D) Darrieus rotor
  • 45. What supports the windshaft of a tjasker?
A) A tripod
B) A concrete pillar
C) A steel tower
D) A bamboo frame
  • 46. Where are traditional Thai windpumps used?
A) Deep water wells
B) Large irrigation canals
C) Salt pans
D) Mountainous regions
  • 47. What materials are used to construct traditional Thai windpump sails?
A) Hardwood planks
B) Plastic sheets
C) Steel or aluminum
D) Fabric or bamboo-mat
  • 48. What kind of connection is created in a vertical axis wind pump?
A) Wireless connection
B) Belt drive connection
C) Basic shaft connection
D) Gearbox connection
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