In this case, water starts from the source above the pump. (This is important.) As this input water goes down from the source, it increases speed and the waste valve is released. But this moving water causes check valve A to close, stopping the water from flowing out. But as the water enters the closed valve, it changes direction up From the other check valve, B, and causes the air gap to be compressed. After the air is compressed, the water stops flowing and valve B closes. Once that valve is closed, the compressed air acts as a spring to push the trapped water up the outlet pipe. Then the whole process starts again.
That is very complicated; It’s hard to adjust the values to make the thing work properly. So I didn’t build a ram pump, but if you want to give it a go, here’s a great video that shows how it works. (best wishes.)
Until then, let me point out the key features of this pump. First, the pump is lower than the water source, but the output is higher than the water source. That may sound strange, but it’s true. Second, every time the water is pumped to a higher level, some water comes out of the pump – this is waste water.
Okay, back to the TikTok video. Could it be the ram pump? Remember that you need three levels for such a pump: the output is at the top, the water source is in the middle, and finally the pump is at the bottom. If you don’t have all three of these steps, you don’t have a ram pump.
In the diagram I drew above, based on that video, the man is drawing water from what appears to be a spring. Therefore, this cannot be a ram pump, because the water cannot come directly from the river. Remember, the pump must be in a Low level rather than the source. And in this case, the source, not the pump, is the lower level of the system.
Another thing to look for is drainage. In the real ram pump, there should be more water shooting from the lower level. Without that, you don’t have a ram pump. And in the video, there is no visible waste water.
Well, then how can it work? who knows. Maybe it was just an illusion. Maybe there is an electric pump connected to a pipe submerged in the river. I tried to message the person who posted the video and got no response.
The big question is does a ram pump generate free energy? It certainly looks like this, because you are taking water to a higher place. That increases gravity instead of moving it down and reducing its potential.
But that’s not exactly what happens. Let’s assume we have a working RAM pump. Let me start with 20 kg of water from the source. There is a 1 meter pipe going down to the pump. After that, some water (let’s say 10 kg) is thrown up to a height of 1 meter. Above The main source, therefore It increases Gravitational potential energy. This meant that only 10 kg of water was discharged as waste at the pumping stage – but after it was pumped down, Reduction by gravity. In general, when 10kg is dropped 1m and 10kg is raised 1m, the net energy change is… zero. The pump “compensates” for the higher energy water at the output by making water flow to a lower area.
Of course, in this example, the pump will be 100 percent efficient – and this will never happen. Energy is lost in the resulting water and in the friction between the water and the pipe.
And this leads us to one last problem: even if you have an impossibly efficient generator powered by water from a ram pump. Still It doesn’t give you free energy. Since some water has to come out at the bottom end, the water source will eventually dry up. This means that you have to use energy to lift it up More Water to add to your fountain. no way! You have now lost your free energy plan.
Finally, both siphon and ram pumps move water without any external power input—but they don’t. More From the energy you started with. But you can find water anywhere you want. And this is the pump point.
