How can we draw water from the bottom of a hill to the top? (200 feet - give or take)?

Question

We have a natural spring at the bottom of a hill but want to pump the water to the top of the hill for livestock so we don't damage the natural spring and have easier access to the water.

We currently have a 3000 gallon tank the natural water spring runs into and a pipe coming out of the tank to our pond. How can we incorporate this into our wind-mill/ water pump?

****** There's no electricity on premises. *(*****

Answer 1

If what you mean by "draw" is to suck or pull water up 200 ft, no you cannot. But you can push it if you have the power and the right pump. That pump will need to be at the low point. You will need nearly one horsepower capability for each ten gallons per minute of pump capacity at about 95 psig. I doubt that a windmill pump will develop that much pressure unless it is a piston -type pump. Even at reduced capacity you will still need that pressure.
Putting a 1 KW generator on the windmill to run a 1 hp, 115 VAC motor still leaves you with the pressure problem.
The pressure problem remains even with a gas-powered engine, because iIf you are considering a small centrifugal pump, you will have trouble finding one to develop that pressure. Perhaps another type of positive displacement pump could be adapted, like a hydraulic pump.

Answer 2

Since water has a vapor pressure of 0.339 psia at 20C, you do have a limit on your suction. This limit is 14.7-0.339=14.36 psi. 200 feet of water is equal to 87 psi, which exceeds your 14.36 psi. If it is exceeded the water in the start to bubble in the suction line, ie. the bubble point pressure has been reached and the pump will cavatate or not pump at all. Friction can't be neglected either because it will only add to the 200 feet of head you already have. The pump should be placed further down the hill. As for the wind mill you will have to determine how much power that it can actually have to deliver.

I am not saying it can't be done I know it has.

You could set it up like a well pump, but I don't know how well it will work on an incline.

Answer 3

Not sure what your budget it but theres always solar powered pumps.