Jim, given the water screw turned at only 10 RPM, and the fact that it pumped only a few litres per turn, then yes I do think such a small water flow was easily controlled and returned to the tank without much spillage.jim_mich wrote:Bill, do you really thing that little return trough was catching all the water that was sploshing and splashing out of the water screw?
Did anyone stop to think about how much slippage and friction would have been present with the square pulley and rope drive system?
The square pulley and rope drive, and the bearings on which the water screw turned, would have been quite efficient at its low operating speed of 10 RPM. Even if water screw efficiency was as low as 50% (unlikely) then total work done, assuming your own flow rate estimate, is still only about 25 Watts.
It seems logical that if a 25 Watt load applied to the Kassel wheel slowed it down from 26 RPM to 20 RPM then 112 lbs could not be lifted directly from the axle at those speeds without some form of additional assistance (lift reduction).