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Step 5 Pump selection

For the selection of the right pump, we limit ourselves to the programme of the German solar pump specialist Bernt Lorentz. Pico Sol has built up good experience with these pumps: Reliable pumps with excellent service. There are also other manufacturers, like Grundfos en Conergy. An interesting introductoin for these pumps is found in the website of Oasis Montana Oasis Montana surely worth your visit.

The pump selection is mainly based on the water demand and water head.

Surface mounted pump

Lorentz Badutop

At lower pump heads (typically some meters, maximal 14 meter) a surface mounted pump could provide the best solution. The Bernt Lorentz-programme offers the PS600-Badu-Top 12. On the website product information and tables are presented with the expected performance, as a function of the pump head, solar capacity and solar panel.

◄ Bernt Lorentz’s surface mounted pump. Dependent on the solar panels and the pump head, this pump can pump up to over 100 m3 per day.

Sizing Badutop

Submersible pump

At larger pump heads, the submersible pump is a better choice. This pump goes under water in the well or borehole. Bernt Lorentz’s programme offers a wide range of pumps, each with it’s own flow-head characteristics. Depending to the depth of the well and the power of the solar panels these submersible pumps can pump up to 50 m3 per day, and up to a total pump head of 240 meters.

HR pumps Lorentz

▲ Bernt Lorentz’s programme for submersible pumps. Left: The stacked centrifugal pump (in their type-naming recognisable with the C); Right: The helical rotor (“cork-screw”) pump (in the type-naming recognisable with the letters HR).

Sizing HR pumps Lorentz

▲ Part of the design table of the PS-600 pump for pump head of 30 meter. At installed power of 840Wp of solar panels this pump supplies 20 to 24m3 water per day, dependent of the irradiation. These characteristics are online available at Lorentz’s website. small size: PS150 medium size: PS200 big size: PS600 very big size: PS1200

In the design table you will find the words "fixed" en "tracked" on top of the colums. This refers to the way how the solar panels are mounted: Fixed or tracking the sun.