218 



THE I R R I G A T ION AGE. 



A KEROSENE MOTOR FOR 

 IRRIGATION 



By Raymond Olney. 



A large and rapidly growing percentage of irrigation 

 farmers in the United States have to depend upon isolated 

 pumping plants to supply the water needed for their crops. 

 These plants are used to pump water either from streams 

 or wells. 



The well-and-pump system is considered the best sys- 

 tem and the one most generally used. It is to be found in 

 use particularly in the rice fields of Texas, Louisiana and 

 Arkansas. The water from these wells is soft and fresh, 

 and has a constant temperature of about 70 degrees Fahren- 

 heit, which insures good growing conditions for the rice 

 plant. The water thus obtained is free from harmful weed 

 seeds, which often come to the land in the flood waters. 



One of the big problems in connection with the mechani- 

 cal lifting of water is power. The successful operation of 

 any pumping plant will depend very largely upon the kind of 

 power used. Reliability, capacity and low cost of operation 

 should be the deciding factors in the selection of the power 

 unit. 



The two forms of power most generally used are steam 

 and internal combustion engines. In the past the steam en- 

 gines have been favored because of the lack of reliable 

 gasoline engines. At the present time, however, steam i.s 

 rapidly being superseded. 



The increasing demand for gasoline and the large sur- 

 plus production of kerosene are the means of turning the 

 attention of certain manufacturers to the development of a 

 kerosene burning engine. This condition of affairs is being 

 taken advantage of by the M. Rumely Company, 1741 Main 

 street, La Porte, Indiana. This company is building an 

 internal combustion engine which is known as the Oil-Pull 

 "E" Motor. It is the same motor which is used on their 

 Oil-Pull Type "E" Tractor. 



It has a rated capacity of 60 brake horsepower. In 

 actual tests, when running at about two-thirds load, it has 

 delivered 2.000 gallons of water per minute from a well 

 with a 40 foot lift. It will ordinarily flood from 200 to 400 

 acres. In cases where a number of wells can be united and 

 run by one pump, it is possible to flood 500 to 600 acres. 



This motor burns kerosene or distillate, economically at 

 all loads and under all climatic condition.',. The Secor- 

 Higgins principle of carburetion, which is used, makes it a 

 most successful kerosene-burning engine. 



The fact that the price of kerosene is steadily growing 

 cheaper is the means of placing the kerosene motor in strong 

 competition with the steam and gasoline types. The table 

 given herewith was reproduced from results obtained by a 

 Government investigation conducted in 1910 by Pr,of. W. B. 

 Gregory of Tulane University. It was assumed in the report 

 that each pumping plant was operated 80 days per season for 

 24 hours per day, or 1,920 hours. The figures given here 

 show the total cost of fuel per brake horsepower for the 

 entire season of steam and gasoline as compared to kero- 

 sene. The Oil-Pull "E" Motor was not included in the 

 work carried on by Prof. Gregory. The data are given here 

 merely for comparison. 



Cost of fuel for a season of 80 days per brake horse- 

 power: 



At Uvalde, Texas, this motor is used to drive an 8 inch 

 double suction pump, delivering 2,000 to 2,300 gallons per 

 minute against a total head of 82 feet. A cheap grade of 

 kerosene is used costing 7 cents per gallon. The engine con- 

 sumes 5 gallons per hour. 



Oil Pull "E" Motor Pumping 2,000 Gallons Per Minute. 



It is found that a minimum amount of attention is re- 

 quired for operation. The regulation of the power plant 

 is automatic, which enables the operator to give a greater 

 part of his time to other work. This simplicity of operation 

 of the kerosene burning engine gives it a decided advantage 



Oil Pull "E" Motor. 



over other forms of power. Where the steam engine is used, 

 it is necessary for the operator to be in constant attendance. 



COST OF I-T'EI. FOR A SEASON OF Ml DAYS PER HRAKE HORSEPOWER. 



TYPE OK ENGINE. 





