Interactive Ram Pump Display Project

During a senior level thermal system design class given at York College of Pennsylvania, a customer-based design project has been implemented. This project provides the students with the opportunity to apply the knowledge that they learned in class and allows them to think creatively to achieve the given task. For this project, students are required to prepare a project proposal based on the needs of the customer and deliver a written report at the end of the semester. The main purpose of the project is to design an interactive museum display to show the working principle of a ram pump for the York County Heritage Trust Museum. The hydraulic ram pump utilizes the power of flowing water to operate without the use of electricity. The project requires students to apply energy and cost analysis. This paper presents the details of the design requirements, procedures and the final design. Examples of student work and the assessment of the work are also provided.