head of water

[ollski]

Ok brush me up some info if you would. Obviously water pressure from a gravity tank is governed by the head of water but does the same also apply to a syphonic flow?

 

[bengasman]

Syphonic flow is mainly fluid dynamics, though the principal of that a higher column, if you can call it that, creates more suction, remains.

Unlike a static head where a tee in any direction keeps an equal pressure, fluid moving past a tee will create a negative pressure on the perpendicular side; same principal as petrol in carburetor or venturi in fan.

 

[ollski]

Ben does that mean yes?

 

[doitall]

The greater the head the greater the flow/volume.

 

[ollski]

The greater the head the greater the flow/volume.

But you don't really have a 'head' of water dia if you see what I mean. The top of the syphon is higher than the head of water which is why I wasn't sure if I could increase the flow / volume.

 

[doitall]

The greater the vertical distance between the source and the outlet the greater the volume.

Increasing the pipe size would also increase the volume.

What are you trying to do.

 

[bengasman]

Ben does that mean yes?

That means it really depends on the combination of pipe size, flow speed, direction, and blah blah blah.
If at any point the regular flow changes to turbulent flow, the whole set of parameters changes drastically.

It is not dissimilar to a one mile stretch of traffic; if it is gridlocked, any sideroad is better. To figure out what the most effective speed/stoplight sequence is to get the highest number of cars across 3 junctions is slightly more complicated.

What are you up to?

 

[ollski]

It isn't a complicated application to be honest. I have a fishtank with an overflow / syphon box on it which transfers the water to the cleaning tank / sump on a shelf in the cupboard room behind where it is returned by a trustygrunny. I just want to increase the turnover as I'm installing a chiller for the hopeful summer and was wondering if lowering the bottom tank would accomplish it....its all plumbing after all.

 

[mickyg]

Yes

 

[doitall]

Yes, as would increasing the pipe size.

 

[mickyg]

interesting, I've done a few installs for large aquariums and ponds, bit of a sideline/hobby
what ya got?

 

[namsag]

FISH

 

[giblets]

FISH

Namsag's on form tonight!

 

[ollski]

What about the fact that it drops to a bend and then a horizontal run half way through its vertical travel?

 

[doitall]

If you increase the vertical distance you increase the flow rate.

If you are thinking a foot or so it won't make much difference, increasing the pipe size would be better.