Delft spin-out aQysta develops irrigation pump to be commercially exploited in Asia, Africa and Latin America.
Delft University of Technology’s cleantech spin-out aQysta has developed an irrigation pump that requires no fuel or electricity to run. The technology could prove significant for developing nations.
Dubbed Barsha pump (Barsha is Nepalese for rain), the technology relies on a flowing stream of water. The concept, dating back to Ancient Egypt, revolves around a water wheel in a river that compresses air through a spiral mechanism, which then pushes the water up to three kilometres inland. The technology is able to increase crop yields up to five times.
The company was incorporated in 2013, based on research by Pratap Thapa, Fred Henny and Lennart Budelmann.
The first Barsha pump was built in July 2014 in Nepal, and aQysta is now setting up its business there. It will manufacture the pump in Nepal and market it throughout Asia, with Latin America and Africa next on the company’s radar.
