Siphon acceleration or equilibrium?

In summary, the conversation discusses the comparison between the drain rate of a hole at the bottom of a barrel and a siphon tube of the same diameter. It is mentioned that Bernoulli's equation needs to be applied to both situations and that the velocity of the siphon tube depends on the height of the drain point. It is also mentioned that with a mechanical pump, the barrel can be drained as fast as the pump can pump.
  • #1
LocktnLoaded
32
0
If I had a barrel of water on a pedistool, and at the bottom of the barrel there is a siphon, that would pump out, my question is, whether the rate of water that would normally flow from the barrel following down the path of least resistance, would the syphon be able to increase the volume and thus the velocity from the barrel ,or would it equal out to a natural drain rate?
 
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  • #2
LocktnLoaded said:
If I had a barrel of water on a pedistool, and at the bottom of the barrel there is a siphon, that would pump out, my question is, whether the rate of water that would normally flow from the barrel following down the path of least resistance, would the syphon be able to increase the volume and thus the velocity from the barrel ,or would it equal out to a natural drain rate?

I interpret this to mean you are comparing the drain rate from a hole or short pipe at the base of the barrel to a siphon tube of the same diameter. You need to apply Bernoulli's equation to both situations. Here is a link to the considerations for a siphon.

http://www.answers.com/topic/siphon
 
  • #3
First, thanks for the link, it is an excellent site for info, after I reread my post , I concur it could have been phrased a lot better.
A follow up question would be, is this right?, no matter how much you force the water through the siphon, by manually pumping, it is theoreticly impossible to increase the discharge more than what I would have if it just drained out of the barrel?
Same size hole as diameter of siphon tube.
 
  • #4
LocktnLoaded said:
First, thanks for the link, it is an excellent site for info, after I reread my post , I concur it could have been phrased a lot better.
A follow up question would be, is this right?, no matter how much you force the water through the siphon, by manually pumping, it is theoreticly impossible to increase the discharge more than what I would have if it just drained out of the barrel?
Same size hole as diameter of siphon tube.

I don't know what you mean by manually pumping it. With a mechanical pump, you could drain the barrel as fast as the pump can pump. The result for the siphon shows that velocity depends on how far the drain point is below the upper surface of the liquid, as ling as the intermediate height is not excessive. That means you can increase the flow rate by lowering the drain point. If you just had a hole at the bottom of the barrel, what would the velocity be? Think about what happens as the upper surface gets near the bottom of the barrel.
 

1. What is siphon acceleration?

Siphon acceleration is the increase in flow rate of a liquid through a siphon due to the difference in pressure between the two ends of the siphon. This difference in pressure creates a suction force that pulls the liquid through the siphon at a faster rate than it would flow through a regular tube.

2. How does siphon acceleration work?

Siphon acceleration works by creating a pressure difference between the two ends of the siphon. This pressure difference creates a suction force that pulls the liquid through the siphon at a faster rate than it would flow through a regular tube. As the liquid flows through the siphon, it accelerates, creating a faster flow rate.

3. What is siphon equilibrium?

Siphon equilibrium is the point at which the liquid in the siphon is at the same level on both ends, resulting in a balanced pressure and no flow. This can occur when the siphon is initially filled with liquid and there is no pressure difference, or when the flow rate is equalized by the siphon's design.

4. How is siphon equilibrium achieved?

Siphon equilibrium is achieved by balancing the pressure at both ends of the siphon. This can be done by designing the siphon with equal lengths and diameters on both sides, or by adjusting the flow rate to match the rate of liquid entering the siphon. Once the pressure is balanced, the siphon will reach equilibrium and there will be no further flow.

5. What factors affect siphon acceleration and equilibrium?

The factors that affect siphon acceleration and equilibrium include the difference in pressure between the two ends of the siphon, the length and diameter of the siphon, the viscosity of the liquid being siphoned, and the design and positioning of the siphon. Other external factors such as gravity and atmospheric pressure can also impact siphon acceleration and equilibrium.

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