Faculty of Engineering and Technology

Department of Mechanical, Energy & Industrial Engineering

Design Methods

Technical Report

TUMO PONO: 20001351

KOCHASA TSHEGISA: 19000894

MBAKO BOTEPE: 19000891

NONOFO DINAKANYANE: 190001404

JOHN MOMPE: 19000810

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Contents
ABSRACT................................................................................................................................................3
METHODOLOGY.....................................................................................................................................5
Final Design...........................................................................................................................................8

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ABSRACT

A mechanism which is fully operated by human effort to lower a submersible pump into a
well was to be designed as it was more unfordable and tedious for small scale farmers to
lower their pumps using vehicular power or motorised systems of cranes and pulleys. The
methodology employed to solve the problem comprised of coming up with an objectives tree
diagram, transparent box and functional diagrams, objective specification, morphological
chart, concept selection and evaluation using the weighted objectives method. The final
solution comprises of a mechanism made of two pulleys, a shaft, support frame, cable, and a
handle.

KEY WORDS

Submersible pump, Lowering- mechanism, Human effort, Motorised power exclusion,

Manual pump lowering and Lowering pump into well.

ITRODUCTION

The problem presented to the group was the lack of a mechanism to lower a submersible
pump manually using human effort entirely. This problem is experienced by small farmers
the reason being it is difficult to lower a submersible pump using human effort, taking into
consideration the heavy weight of the submersible pump. The farmers end up finding
themselves having to use a vehicle acting as a support for the pulley and installing a wheel
rim to act as a pulley. The pump is attached to the vehicle via a rope and placed over the
wheel rim at the mouth of the well. The vehicle would be then driven slowly forward until the
pump reaches down to the water table and the lowering would stop. Generally, for more
sophisticated and professional installation or lowering of a submersible pump a system of
cranes and motorised hoisting mechanisms would facilitate the process. In these processes a
submersible pump may be attached to an automated lift hook which is actuated either
mechanically, hydraulically, pneumatically, or electrically that under the control of the
hoisting mechanism can be moved along some preinstalled guide rails and is able to grasp the
bail of the submersible pump. Conventionally lowering is implemented by using a chain
permanently attached to the bail of the pump and this has been problematic as the pump could
not be hoisted in a single operation, but rather several clumsy and possibly risky intermediate
support steps.

The submersible pump lowering mechanism to be designed should be able to be assembled

or setup and be disassembled in a short period of time. Also, the mechanism should be able to
input human force and enlarge it for it to enough to lower the pump, at the same time the
supporting the weight of the pump. For connection, the lowering mechanism to be designed
should be able to attach securely to the pump, thus hold the pump and pipe assembly, and
release it when always needed and during lowering process keep the pump aligned to the
centre of the well as in keeping the pump aligned to the well. As well as the lowering
mechanism should be able allow and let the pump and pipe assembly to be lowered into the
well, it should also be able to control and adjust the rate or speed at which the pump is
lowered into the well and give an indication that the pump has now reached the bottom of the
well where it is supposed to be positioned and position it in place. Hence the mechanism to
be designed should be able to perform all the specified objectives for it to effectively achieve
the main aim of lowering the submersible pump into the well.

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The report is comprised of the methodology employed and presentation of the final design.
Under the methodology section is the objectives tree, transparent box and functional
diagrams, objectives specification, morphological chart and concept selection and evaluation.
In the objectives tree the design objectives and sub objectives are clarified and the
relationships between them. Here the design objectives were taken from the design brief that
was provided and from discussions between the group members too and were ordered into list
grouping them hierarchically into objectives and subobjectives and eventually a
diagrammatic tree of objectives is drawn showing the hierarchical relationships and
interconnections of the objectives. It shows how the sub-objectives are means of achieving
the higher objectives. The transparent box and functional diagrams, thus the functional
analysis part shows the functions required and these were expressed in terms of inputs and
outputs. The functions are broken down into essential functions and sub functions and in the
transparent box the interconnections between the sub functions are clarified. The system
boundary was also drawn, and which defined the functional limits for the pump lowering
mechanism. These were formed into functional diagrams. The performance specification
section of the report makes an accurate specification of the performance required of the
submersible pump lowering mechanism and determines the level of generality at which the
mechanism will operate. The other part of the report which is the morphological chart shows
the complete range of alternative design solutions for the mechanism and it comprises of
different combinations of sub-solutions. The part of concept selection and evaluation
comprises of weighted objectives method which compares the utility values of the alternative
design proposals that were presented. This was done based on performance but taking into
consideration the weighted objectives. The best alternative was chosen looking at the highest
sum value. The final design comprises of two pulleys connected to two shafts and a handle
for human force input. The mechanism is also made up of a frame that supports and anchors
the mechanism on the ground. The pump is attached to the mechanism via a wire rope sling
and when the handle is rotated the submersible pump is lowered into the well.

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METHODOLOGY

OBJECTIVE TREE DIAGRAM

This method of designed was aimed to clarify design objectives and sub – objectives and the
relationships between them in the form of a tree diagram. Statements between objectives and
sub-objectives are in the form {verb, noun}. Sub-objectives answer the “why” and “how”
part (why a certain objective is to be achieved and how). The diagram below shows the
objectives tree diagram for pump lowering mechanism.

Figure 1:
Objectives tree
diagram

TRANSPARENT BOX FUNCTIONAL DIAGRAM

This is method expressed the overall functions of the mechanism as a conversion of inputs
and outputs by breaking down the overall function into a set of subs – functions. Interactions
between sub functions and functions were shown using arrows as shown below.

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Figure 2: A graphical representation of the Transparent box functional diagram
PERFORMANCE SPECIFICATION
Requirements or customer needs were generated at three levels of generality being: Product
alternatives, product types and product features. The quality function deployment method (a
specification tool) was used to translate the customer requirements into measurable design
targets.
MORPHOLOGICAL CHART
This method of generating alternatives involved us brainstorming as many solutions as
possible to lower the pump.

Figure 3: A representation of the Morphological Chart

CONCEPT SELECTION AND EVALUATION

After obtaining many designs from the morphological chart it was necessary to narrow our
designs and select the most suitable design. The weighted objectives method was employed.
There 5 quantitative methods to evaluate alternatives with the weighted objectives method.
However, we only needed two of them to solve the problem. Objectives created in the
objectives tree diagram were listed. Using the relative weighting of sub-objectives against
objectives method numerical weights were assigned to different criteria. This allowed us to
consider the difference in importance between criteria. Lastly, an eleven-point scale was used
to grade or assign points to the objectives against the corresponding concepts. Each concept
was given a score according to simple arithmetic between the weight factor (obtained from
relative weighting of objectives) and the point (from eleven-point scale). The concepts were
evaluated and the concept with the highest score was chosen to be the most suitable. This
concept is considered by the datum of which all the concepts are compared.

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OBJECTIVES

1. RELATIVE WORKING MODEL

1.1 Use human force.
1.1.1 Receive force from human.
1.1.2 Mechanical advantage
1.2 Deliver the pump and pipe assembly into the well.
1.2.1 Easy transportation
1.1.1.1. Lightweight materials
1.1.1.2. Portable
1.2.2 Steady lowering of pump and pipe assembly
1.3 Support the load.
1.3.1 Minimize effort required from the user to hold the pump.
1.3.2 Hold the pump and pipe assemble.

Figure 4:
A figure
showing
the
Relative
weightin
g of sub-
objective
s vs
objective
s.

Figure 5: A figure
showing the Datum.

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Final Design

Figure 6: Isometric View of the Submersible Pipe assembly done using SolidWorks.

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