Identifying technical and economic improvements to the MoneyMaker Hip pump through multi-objective optimization

Water-lifting technologies in rural areas of the developing world have enormous potential to stimulate agricultural production and economic growth. The MoneyMaker Hip pump designed by Kickstart is a human-powered low cost pump, which can help subsistence farmers increase financial returns. This work optimizes the design of the MoneyMaker Hip pump, which is the cheapest and lightest portable water pump from Kickstart. A mathematical model of the working fluid and MoneyMaker Hip pump structure is developed. Deterministic optimization methods are then employed to maximize the flow rate of the groundwater pumped, maximize the lift height, and minimize the volume of material used for manufacturing. Design variables for the optimization included the dimensions of the pump, well depth, and speed of various parts of the system. The solutions are subject to constraints on the geometry of the system, the bending stress in the handle and cylinder, and ergonomic factors. Findings indicate that several technical improvements can be made on the current MoneyMaker Hip pump design to reduce the cost and human workload.