The Cole Siphon

[Guest Aemilius]

THE COLE SIPHON

Magnetically Enabled Continuous Circulation Of Diamagnetic Fluid

A theoretical system wherein an inverted U shaped tube formed of two branches of unequal length can transfer fluid from a higher level to a lower level within a single resevoir over an intermediate elevation by the force of excess of weight of the fluid in the longer branch which when once filled causes a continuous flow, and pressure of the atmosphere in forcing the fluid up the shorter branch of the tube immersed in it at reduced pressure.

CraigD "Since the end of the left tube is lower than where the right tube enters the water, per the

simplified, approximate hydrostatic pressure equation, there will be pressure difference,

where is the height difference, the density of the fluid and the acceleration of gravity. So fluid will flow from the right end of the tube to the left end. Because the tube is higher in places than the water surface, this is called a siphon. As long as there’s a height difference, there will continue to be pressure, and right-to-left flow."

Theory Of Indefinite Operation.... Running The Experiment

As this thought experiment begins (seen in the diagram at the moment the left end of the siphon, already filled with fluid, is exposed to atmospheric pressure) gravity will immediately begin to do work on the fluid within the siphon due to the excess of weight on the left by forcing the column of fluid within the left tube of the siphon to begin falling. Fluid will begin to exit the end of the tube on the left from a region of higher pressure (fluid pressure at the the end the tube that terminates in mid air) to a region of lower pressure (atmospheric pressure at the air gap) with a force equal to the difference in weight between the two columns due to a difference in height.

 

Resulting directly from the work being done on the fluid within the siphon by gravity, in forcing the fluid column on the left to begin falling, atmospheric pressure will immediately begin to do work on the fluid in the resevoir. Fluid will begin to enter the immersed end of the tube on the right from a region of higher pressure (fluid pressure in the resevoir) to a region of lower pressure (fluid pressure at the end of the immersed tube) with a force equal to the difference in weight between the two columns due to a difference in height.

 

Once started, the operation of a siphon will continue for as long as a potential difference continues to exist between the weights of the two columns due to a difference in height, and a steady supply of fluid is available. The magnet (static magnetic field) installed around the siphon tube in close proximity to the surface of the fluid in the resevoir will act indefinitely (downward diamagnetic repulsion of the fluid) to maintain a depression on the surface of the fluid. Two distinct fluid levels will then exist side by side in the same resevoir, enabling continuous flow of fluid by allowing for the tube on the left to indefinitely terminate in mid air at a lower level than the level at which the tube on the right emerges from the surface of the fluid in the resevoir while exposed to the same level of atmospheric pressure.

 

As this process continues, the total volume of fluid in the system will not change, and for every drop of fluid that's added to the resevoir by the tube on the left, a drop of fluid will be removed from the resevoir by the tube on the right. Because of that, the lower fluid level in the depression caused by the magnet (static magnetic field) and the fluid in the rest of the resevoir under normal atmospheric pressure will both remain constant as the normal operation of the siphon continues.

 

Under the conditions outlined above the fluid in the system will continue to circulate indefinitely.

 

Analysis and Comments follow....

Edited July 7, 2013 by Aemilius

[Guest Aemilius]

I may use more than one resevoir or even a straight tube initially for several of the foundational example diagrams. I'll just make one post after another to describe it until an error becomes apparent. Here we go....

 

Here's a siphon (already filled with water) where the ends of the inverted U shaped tube terminate beneath the surface of the water in the resevoir. In this situation nothing will happen.... the height of the two water columns (as measured from the surface where they emerge from the water) created by the tube are equal, and gravity acting on the water is uniform (in the tube and the resevoir). Normal atmospheric pressure coming to bear on the surface of the water in the resevoir will be exerting equal pressure at the base of each column of water keeping the water from just falling into the resevoir (as it would in a vacuum). The sum of all the equal and opposite forces acting on the system is zero.... static equilibrium.

 

 

Here's a siphon (already filled with water) where the two ends of the inverted U shaped tube terminate beneath the surface of the water in two separate resevoirs with two distinct water levels. In this situation water will move up the tube from the resevoir on the right (the higher level) and down the tube to the resevoir on the left (the lower level) until the height of the two water columns created by the tube (as measured from the surface where they emerge from the water in each of the resevoirs) are equal. At that point, the height of the two water columns created by the tube will be equal, and gravity acting on the water will be uniform (in the tube and the resevoirs). Normal atmospheric pressure coming to bear on the surface of the water in both resevoirs will be exerting equal pressure at the base of each column of water keeping the water from just falling into the resevoirs (as it would in a vacuum). The sum of all the equal and opposite forces acting on the system will be zero.... static equilibrium.

 

Edited July 5, 2013 by Aemilius

[Guest Aemilius]

Below is depicted a straight tube open at both ends (already filled with water). The lower end of the tube terminates beneath the surface of the water in the resevoir and the upper end is exposed to normal atmospheric pressure (seen in the diagram at the moment of exposure). In this situation, under the force of gravity, the water will fall downward into the resevoir until the level of water inside of the tube and the level of water in the resevoir are the same, and air under normal atmospheric pressure will flow into the upper end of the tube to occupy the volume formerly occupied by the water. The sum of all the equal and opposite forces acting on the system will be zero.... static equilibrium.

 

Edited June 27, 2013 by Aemilius

[Guest Aemilius]

Now I'll begin exploring/describing how the behaviour of the fluid in the system might be affected using magnetism. Since bismuth is twenty times more diamagnetic than water, for the rest of the thought experiment I'll use a (saturated?) solution of bismuth chloride and water (henceforth referred to as just "fluid") in order to enhance the magnetic susceptibility of the weakly diamagnetic water. I'd originally thought the highest permanent magnet field strength currently available was 1 Tesla, but looking around I see there's actually a 5 Tesla permanent magnet under development.... so for the thought experiment I'll use a cylindrical 5 Tesla permanent magnet with a hole through it (for the tube to pass through).... one pole at the top and the other pole at the bottom. Below is depicted the same straight tube open at both ends (already filled with fluid). The lower end of the tube terminates beneath the surface of the fluid in the resevoir and the upper end is exposed to normal atmospheric pressure (seen in the diagram at the moment of exposure) as before, but now with the 5 Tesla permanent magnet installed around it at about the middle of the tube providing an externally applied magnetic field. In this situation, as the fluid falls downward into the resevoir under the force of gravity, its advance will be diamagnetically resisted as it enters the externally applied magnetic field from above, and it's retreat will be diamagnetically aided as it exits the externally applied magnetic field below on it's way to the resevoir with a net gain of zero in either upward or downward force. Essentially it will behave just as if the magnet was never installed, with the same result as before.... the fluid will fall downward into the resevoir until the level of fluid inside of the tube and the level of fluid in the resevoir are the same, and air under normal atmospheric pressure will flow into the upper end of the tube to occupy the volume formerly occupied by the fluid. The sum of all the equal and opposite forces acting on the system will be zero.... static equilibrium.

 

Edited June 27, 2013 by Aemilius

[Guest Aemilius]

Below is depicted a straight tube closed at one end and open at the other (already filled with fluid). The lower open end of the tube terminates beneath the surface of the fluid in the resevoir and the upper end is closed, preventing normal atmospheric pressure from acting on it. In this situation nothing will happen.... the fluid level within the tube will not rise or fall. Gravity acting on the fluid is uniform (in the tube and the resevoir) and normal atmospheric pressure coming to bear on the surface of the fluid in the resevoir will exert pressure at the base of the water column created by the tube, keeping the water from just falling into the resevoir (as it would in a vacuum). The fluid will remain at rest within the tube. The sum of all the equal and opposite forces acting on the system will be zero.... static equilibrium.

 

Edited June 27, 2013 by Aemilius

[Guest Aemilius]

Below is depicted the same straight tube closed at one end and open at the other (already filled with fluid). The lower open end of the tube terminates beneath the surface of the fluid in the resevoir and the upper end is closed as before, preventing normal atmospheric pressure from acting on it, but now with the 5 Tesla permanent magnet installed around it at about the middle of the tube providing an externally applied magnetic field. The fluid at rest within the tube immediately above the externally applied magnetic field will be diamagnetically repelled upward, and the fluid within the tube at rest immediately below the externally applied magnetic field will be diamagnetically repelled downward with a net gain of zero in either upward or downward force. In this situation nothing will happen.... the fluid level within the tube will not rise or fall. Gravity acting on the fluid is uniform (in the tube and the resevoir) and normal atmospheric pressure coming to bear on the surface of the fluid in the resevoir will exert pressure at the base of the fluid column created by the tube, keeping the fluid from just falling into the resevoir (as it would in a vacuum). Essentially it will behave just as if the magnet was never installed, with the same result as before.... The fluid will remain at rest within the tube. The sum of all the equal and opposite forces acting on the system will be zero.... static equilibrium.

 

Edited June 30, 2013 by Aemilius

[Guest Aemilius]

I could continue to explore this, but at this point (with reference to posts 4 and 6), I'm just going to go ahead and jump to the conclusion that....

 

No imposition of any externally applied magnetic field anywhere along the length of the siphon in this scenario will result in any tendency on the part of the diamagnetic fluid within the tube to move in one direction or the other, whether the fluid be at rest or in motion.

 

Fluid at rest within the siphon tube. Magnet installed on the right.... No effect.

 

 

Fluid at rest within the siphon tube. Magnet installed on the left.... No effect.

 

 

Fluid in motion within the siphon tube. Magnet installed on the right.... No effect.

 

 

Fluid in motion within the siphon tube. Magnet installed on the left.... No effect.

 

Edited June 27, 2013 by Aemilius

[Guest Aemilius]

As I continue to look into this I see that a mouse weighing 10 grams has been levitated by researchers using a 17 Tesla electromagnetic field. Then I looked to see what percentage of the average mouse is made up of water and found it to be approximately 75 percent.

 

I have three or four questions I need answers to before I continue that I hope someone (CraigD?) can help me with if it's not too much trouble....

 

First.... Based on the above information, it would seem logical to assume that the 17 Tesla electromagnetic field that levitated a 10 gram mouse made up of approximately 75 percent water should easily be able to levitate at least 7.5 grams of water. Would that be a reasonable assumption? If not, could someone correct me/provide a more accurate figure?

Edited June 27, 2013 by Aemilius

[Moontanman]

Aemilius, can you tell me why you would expect a static magnetic field to move anything?

[Guest Aemilius]

Hey Moontanman....

 

I never said I expected the static magnetic field to move anything. In fact, the whole point of the thread so far has been to illustrate why it won't. What I expect it to do is affect the behaviour of the fluid in the system, there's a difference. The meaning of that will become clear soon enough, and if I'm wrong, then everyone can open fire and watch me go down in flames.... just hold your fire for a little while (I'm guessing six to eight more posts).

 

Can you help me with the question I asked in my last post?

Edited June 27, 2013 by Aemilius

[Guest Aemilius]

I'm thinking now that asking a bunch of detailed questions about particulars when it comes to this whole thing (concerning field strength, the best configuration, degree to which the diamagnetic fluid will be affected, etc., etc.) before posting the remaining images might be a mistake since this is really just a thought experiment intended to generally illustrate, in principle, how something like this might work. Besides, I'm really anxious for the likes of CraigD (mathematics/science instructor), Moontanman (familiarity with siphons), C1ay (hydraulic systems specialist) and others to have a look at it and evaluate it in principle. So, I'll just go ahead and finish the written portions meant to accompany each of the last three illustrations not yet posted and put them out there, one at a time, for consideration. It's an extraordinarily simple arrangement consisting of one permanent magnet, one tube, one resevoir, and only one moving part (the diamagnetic fluid) so I wouldn't imagine that it will take very long for the brighter lights here to confirm or deny its viability. Either way I'll have learned something.... and had a little fun in the process!

Edited June 29, 2013 by Aemilius

[Guest Aemilius]

Here's a siphon (already filled with fluid) where one end of the inverted U shaped tube terminates beneath the surface of the fluid in a resevoir and the other end terminates in mid air at a lower level than the level of fluid in the resevoir (dotted line) exposed to normal atmospheric pressure (seen in the diagram at the moment of exposure). In this situation fluid will move up the tube from the resevoir on the right and down the tube on the left exiting the end of the tube that terminates in mid air until the height of the two fluid columns created by the tube (as measured from the surface where the tube emerges from the fluid in the resevoir and the point where the open end of the tube terminates in mid air) are equal. At that point, the height of the two fluid columns created by the tube will be equal, and gravity acting on the fluid will be uniform (in the tube and the resevoir). Normal atmospheric pressure coming to bear on the surface of the fluid in the resevoir and the open end of the tube at the point where the tube terminates in mid air will be exerting equal pressure at the base of each column of fluid, keeping the fluid from just falling into the resevoir or out of the end of the tube at the point where it terminates in mid air (as it would in a vacuum). The sum of all the equal and opposite forces acting on the system will be zero.... static equilibrium.

 

Edited June 28, 2013 by Aemilius

[Guest Aemilius]

Second to last illustration.... Here's the same siphon as in the last post (already filled with fluid), where one end of the inverted U shaped tube terminates beneath the surface of the fluid in a resevoir and the other end terminates in mid air at a lower level than the level of fluid in the resevoir (dotted line) exposed to normal atmospheric pressure (seen in the diagram at the moment of exposure) as before, but now with the 5 Tesla permanent magnet installed around it near the open end of the tube that terminates in mid air, providing an externally applied magnetic field. In this situation fluid will move up the tube from the resevoir on the right and down the tube on the left. Its advance will be diamagnetically resisted as it enters the externally applied magnetic field from above and it's retreat will be diamagnetically aided by the externally applied magnetic field below with a net gain of zero in either upward or downward force on it's way to finally exiting the end of the tube that terminates in mid air until the height of the two fluid columns created by the tube (as measured from the surface where the tube emerges from the fluid in the resevoir and the point where the open end of the tube terminates in mid air) are equal. At that point, the height of the two fluid columns created by the tube will be equal and gravity acting on the fluid will be uniform (in the tube and the resevoir). Normal atmospheric pressure coming to bear on the surface of the fluid in the resevoir and the open end of the tube that terminates in mid air will be exerting equal pressure at the base of each column of fluid, keeping the fluid from just falling into the resevoir or out of the end of the tube that terminates in mid air (as it would in a vacuum). The sum of all the equal and opposite forces acting on the system will be zero.... static equilibrium.

 

Edited June 29, 2013 by Aemilius

[Guest Aemilius]

THE COLE SIPHON

 

A theoretical system wherein an inverted U shaped tube formed of two branches of unequal length can transfer fluid from a higher level to a lower level within a single resevoir over an intermediate elevation by the force of excess of weight of the fluid in the longer branch which when once filled causes a continuous flow, and pressure of the atmosphere in forcing the fluid up the shorter branch of the tube immersed in it at reduced pressure.

Edited July 6, 2013 by Aemilius

[Moontanman]

Are you asserting that the magnetic field will support continued flow? Siphons stop and lose suction if both ends are not immersed when the levels become equal. I'm still not sure what you are saying here.

[Guest Aemilius]

Hey Moontanman....

 

Moontanman "Are you asserting...."

 

No assertions are being made and I was careful to characterize "The Cole Siphon" as being a hypothetical arrangement (in my last post).

 

Moontanman "....that the magnetic field will support continued flow?"

 

No. What I'm saying is that (hypothetically) a strong magnetic field in close proximity to the surface of the diamagnetically enhanced fluid in the resevoir may enable continued flow by taking advantage of the diamagnetic property of the fluid tending to create a depression in the surface of the diamagnetic fluid in the resevoir that permits the tube on the left to terminate at a lower level than the level at which the other end of the tube on the right emerges from the surface of the diamagnetic fluid it's immersed in while both continue to be exposed to the same level/degree of atmospheric pressure.... satisfying the conditions required for the normal operation of a siphon.

 

Moontanman "Siphons stop and lose suction if both ends are not immersed when the levels become equal."

 

That's incorrect. Direction of flow/equilibrium within a siphon is entirely dependent on the difference/lack of difference in height between the two columns of fluid. At no time during the normal operation of a siphon (whether the fluid is flowing or in static equilibrium) is it required that both ends of the tube be immersed. Both ends being immersed will work too but only one end is required. I'm sure CraigD and/or C1ay would back me up on that.

 

Also, the word "suction" is a misnomer and has no place in a discussion about siphons. Atmospheric pressure is what drives a siphon or maintains it in static equilibrium, not suction. I'm sure CraigD and/or C1ay would back me up on that too.

 

Does that answer your questions?

Edited July 4, 2013 by Aemilius

[Moontanman]

Hey Moontanman....

 

Moontanman "Are you asserting...."

 

No assertions are being made and I was careful to characterize "The Cole Siphon" as being a hypothetical arrangement (in my last post).

 

Moontanman "....that the magnetic field will support continued flow?"

 

No. What I'm saying is that (hypothetically) a strong magnetic field in close proximity to the surface of the diamagnetically enhanced fluid in the resevoir may enable continued flow by taking advantage of the diamagnetic property of the fluid tending to create a depression in the surface of the diamagnetic fluid in the resevoir that permits the tube on the left to terminate at a lower level than the level at which the other end of the tube on the right emerges from the surface of the diamagnetic fluid it's immersed in while both continue to be exposed to the same level/degree of atmospheric pressure.... satisfying the conditions required for the normal operation of a siphon.

 

Moontanman "Siphons stop and lose suction if both ends are not immersed when the levels become equal."

 

That's incorrect. Direction of flow/equilibrium within a siphon is entirely dependent on the difference/lack of difference in height between the two columns of fluid. At no time during the normal operation of a siphon (whether the fluid is flowing or in static equilibrium) is it required that both ends of the tube be immersed. Both ends being immersed will work too but only one end is required. I'm sure CraigD and/or C1ay would back me up on that.

 

Also, the word "suction" is a misnomer and has no place in a discussion about siphons. Atmospheric pressure is what drives a siphon or maintains it in static equilibrium, not suction. I'm sure CraigD and/or C1ay would back me up on that too.

 

Does that answer your questions?

 

 

No, either you misunderstood me or I have misunderstood you, when you are using a siphon when the water level of the reservoir become equal to the level of the other end of the siphon the siphon will loose it's suction if it is not immersed in water. if the down flow end is is immersed in water at the same level as the reservoir the siphon will stop but not lose it's connection with the reservoir.

 

I use this principle everyday in my culture vats.