1 10/13/2014

A Solar-Pumped Domestic Water Supply for the

Mountains of Rural Haiti

Eric Sabelman*, Trudy Reagan, Rose Ashford, Elisee Abraham, Randy Mont-Reynaud

“If Pigs Could Fly – Helping Hillside Haiti”

Palo Alto, California USA

* Member IEEE-EMBS

IPCF: A micro-NGO for a specific locale in Haiti

“If Pigs Could Fly – Helping

Hillside Haiti” established in 2001

Operates at “Mon Bouton” in

roadless Zoranje region above

Leogane (2010 quake epicenter)

Projects on children’s health &

education, income-producing

crafts & agriculture, lighting

On-site management by Elisee

“Thomas” Abraham, veterinarian

& community organizer

Family dwellings in Mon Bouton

Need: Bring water closer to point of use

Water is carried by women &

children from 3 sources; largest

is “Ouache-ouache” (circled)

about 700 m downhill

Solar water pump design criteria

• Provide kits of all parts not locally available

• Assemble with simple tools (provided)

• Solar panels positioned above vegetation & anchored against high wind

• Raise water in 2 stages for 460 ft (140 m) rise

• Length of pipe 1000 feet (300 m) or more

• Pump 400 gallons (1500 L) per day

• Use excess power for charging batteries

• Engage local “watermaster” to manage system

Components & prototyping

Two kits, each containing:

• 180 watt BP solar panel

• 24VDC ShurFlo 9300 pump

• Pre-formed brackets for

panel support tripods

• Controller with level switch

• Electric cables and

connectors (pre-assembled)

• Hardware and tools

• Graphic instructions

Timeline

• April, 2011 - Earth Day

demonstration, Sunnyvale CA

• July, 2012 - shipped two kits

• September, 2012 - released from

customs in Port au Prince

• August, 2013 - construction

began; stopped by rockslide

• December, 2013 - construction

resumed at new mid-level site

• January, 2014 - water delivery

< Power vs. pressure head

Solar panel support tripod

• Brackets were cut, punched, pre-formed & labeled

• sample with U-bolts installed

• Bracket “F” allows seasonal tilt

• Bracket “A” detaches to lower tripod in hurricane wind

Critical components: pump & panel

ShurFlo Model 9325-043-101

24VDC Submersible Pump for potable water

BP Solar BP SX170 170W Multicrystalline Solar Panel

Maximum power (Pmax) 170W

Voltage at Pmax (Vmp) 35.4V

Current at Pmax (Imp) 4.8A

Kit assembly with in-country supplies

Purchased in Haiti :

1. 3/4 inch PVC water pipe, PVC glue & primer

2. water storage tanks, 300 gal

3. concrete & cement blocks for footings & reservoir

4. steel EMT conduit for lightning rod & solar panel tripods

Transportation to Mon Bouton

• Airfreight to Port au Prince

• Truck to Leogane, then south to end of road

• Mule & human porters across river and up

Hardware kits (larger has toolbox)

Source: reservoir at “Wach-wach”

Workers had experience

with block construction of

reservoir at Bain Neuf

Lower pumping trial before

tripod was finished

Construction: lower tripod assembly

Assembling tripod brackets

with tools from kit

EMT tubing cut to size on site

(1 ½, 1, ¾ inch diameters)

Partly completed tripod on

concrete footings at initial

lower site above reservoir

Laying pipe to mid-level site

Initial middle site had 80 ft (24 m)

rise from source; near footpath on

actively eroding slope

First mid-level tank & panel site

Rockfall after overnight rain

damaged partly assembled

tripod & covered footing

After test of pumping to

initial top site, work was

stopped until a safe

middle site was found

Second lower & mid-level pump sites

Lower pump, panel & tank

relocated to west

Mid-level pump, panel

& new tank at safe site

Upper tank site water delivery

Storage tank – sign from

community meeting held

by Elisee Abraham

Spigot is gravity fed from

storage tank

Map of water system

Nelis’ house

Mon Bouton

Source reservoir

Abandoned middle site

Gravity flow New lower site

New middle site

Upper site & spigot

Pumped flow

N

Results to date

• 32 months from prototype to water delivery in Haiti

• Total cost about $8100 ($3000 in US for kits & shipping)

• Installation by 28 skilled (cement block construction) &

unskilled workers in 6 days

• Re-routing & re-assembly after rockslide cost $2100

• New route resulted in better upper site, closer to users

• Some features not installed (storm protection, charger)

• Measured delivery of 280-300 gallons (>1000 L) per day

• “Watermaster” Mesye Nelis oversees operation; has

repaired breaks in PVC pipe

• Kit components could be minimized by local metal

fabrication; kits can be easily replicated

Height & distance measurement

19 10/13/2014

distance height

traverse sine angle ft m ft m

source to lower tank 0.042 -2.39 425.7 129.8 17.74 5.4

lower to mid tank 0.528 31.86 308.5 94.0 162.82 49.6

mid to upper tank 0.556 33.75 269.6 82.2 149.78 45.7

Continued benefit

20 10/13/2014

Water for bathing, laundry, cooking

Acknowledgements & resources

• Jonathan Bass & Solar City - solar panel donation

• Margaret Fruth - donation of tools

• Jean Ronel Noel & ENERSA - assistance with customs

& transport in Haiti

• Other donors – technical & financial contributions

For more information:

www.ifpigscouldflyhaiti.org

www.haitinextdoor.org (blog)

www.causes.com/causes/529435-if-pigs-could-fly-haiti

If Pigs Could Fly-Haiti

4250 El Camino Real, C126, Palo Alto CA 94306