Bionic domes revolutionize pump design to combat Himalayan river erosion.
Sediment in Himalayan rivers damages pumps. Scientists studied how different sediment sizes and concentrations affect erosion in a pump. They found that smaller sediment causes erosion in different places and with varying strength, while higher sediment concentration increases erosion strength. By adding bionic convex domes to the pump, erosion can be reduced by changing water flow and decreasing the amount of sediment hitting the blades.