Windmill Air Cylinder

Windmill Air Cylinder ENERGY Wind Power 9-1-10 Colorado ranchers Kletis Kelly and Harold Stoddard, of Walsh, have designed an air cylinder for windmills that uses air to force water out of the well. Stoddard explains that the ABS plastic tubing air cylinder costs $100, about half the cost of a conventional cylinder and weighs much less. Instead of powering the cylinder via a rod connected to the windmill, the new-style cylinder uses air from an air compressor which is powered, via a pulley system, by the windmill. Stoddard says this gives you the option of locating the well in one spot and the windmill in another. He's tested the system with a well 200 ft. from the windmill and figures that it'll even work at greater distances, using a larger compressor. The air cylinder is a section of 2 in. dia.,16 in. long plastic pipe inserted into the well casing. Air from the compressor is sent to the cylinder via 5/16 or 3/8 in. flex hose. Air mixes with water in the cylinder, then brings the water back to the surface through 3/4 or 1-in. plastic pipe. Stoddard says the plastic cylinder has a lift equal to a conventional cylinder and works to depths of 100 ft. An added benefit, he points out, is that both the air cylinder and return pipe are plastic so it's easy for one man to pull the cylinder and pipe out. Stoddard has the cylinders for sale. He notes that you'll need to rig up a compressor off your windmill to provide air to the cylinder. He belt-drives his compressor off the windmill shaft. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Harold Stoddard, Box 603, Walsh, Col. 81090 (ph 303 324-5752).

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