Paddle wheel

This article is about waterwheels. For ships propelled by paddle wheel, see Paddle steamer.

A paddle wheel is a waterwheel in which a number of scoops are set around the periphery of the wheel. It has several usages.

• Very low lift water pumping, such as flooding paddy fields at no more than about 0.5 m (1 ft 7.69 in) height above the water source.
• Low head hydro power.

A paddle wheel is a form of impeller, designed to push on stationary bodies of water, either propelling a Paddle_steamer, or pushing water, usually along a channel, as in the raceway ponds used for algaculture.

Dry raceway pond for algae production, showing paddlewheel.