The Relationship Between Windspeeds and Kijito Windpump Discharges in Rusinga Island, Lake Victoria

Abstract

A 6.1m rotor diameter Kijito wind pump was tested for the relationship of water discharge and wind speed in a micro-irrigation setup on Rusinga Island along the shores of Lake Victoria in Kenya. Wind speed measurements were recorded using an installed 10m-cup anemometer placed approximately two rotor diameters away from the wind pump. Discharge record measurements were made using an Arad water meter positioned immediately after the wind-pump air chamber. The objective was to establish a field relationship of the wind-pump discharge and the wind speed. The results indicate the performance of the wind-pump at site to be within the cut-in speed and mostly below the rated wind speed. The cubic model (Q = KV3) was not appropriate as the constant depended on arbitrary fitting or choice. A linear model was instead found to be a suitable relation between wind-speed and discharge for synchronous recording intervals greater than 3 hours.



Journal of Civil Engineering, JKUAT (2001) Vol 6, 27-44