| harry k 2005-09-23, 12:21 am |
|
Ulysses wrote:
> "harry k" <turnkey4099@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:1127257927.074537.10300@g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
>
>
> I have read time and again that it is not physically possible to "lift"
> water with a pump from a depth of more than 26 feet (this number seems to
> vary a small amount depending upon who states it, but still within a foot or
> so). Consequently I have not bought an auxillary pump for my well because
> during droughts my water level can be a little lower than that. I would
> guess that this would also apply to siphoning but I am of the mindset that
> sometimes scientists are wrong (for example the world is flat and the Earth
> is the center of the universe) or there may be another factor involved that
> could allow certain obstacles to be overcome. Personally I would experiment
> and see what happens. There is always a way (well, just about always). At
> one point I had a siphon coming from a creek running uphill (slightly, just
> a few feet) that ended at a faucet. I was able to turn the faucet on and
> off. It stopped after several weeks and I have no idea why it worked in the
> first place. But it did. I started the water flow with a pump so maybe
> there was some kind of a venturi effect going on. Either way scientists
> would probably say it was impossible. My guess is that if you got the
> siphon going the water pressure (or vacuum as it may be) from the water
> flowing out of the pipe would be great enough to pull the water that is
> behind it and keep the siphon going.
>
> Please post your results.
>
>
The 26 ft is an old rule of thumb. The actual lift ability of
atmospheric pressure varies by altitude. Approx 34 ft at sea level and
reducing as you go up. Then there is pipe friction, tubulent flow
around fittings, etc. that further reduce it below what would be
theoretical.
Harry K
|