What is Siphon?

Used to refer to a wide variety of devices that involve the flow of liquids through tubes. In
a narrower sense, the word refers particularly to a tube in an inverted 'U' shape, which causes a
liquid to flow upward, above the surface of a reservoir, with no pump, but powered by the fall of
the liquid as it flows down the tube under the pull of gravity, then discharging at a level lower
than the surface of the reservoir from which it came.

What is the Working Principle of a Siphon?

Siphon can be described as a tube or pipe that allows

liquid to flow from the higher level to the lower
level. Siphon allows liquids to flow uphill, above the surface of
the tank or reservoir, without pumps. Liquids flow down the tube
under the pull of gravity. The liquid is discharged at a level lower
than the surface of the reservoir or the tank. The pull on the
surface of liquids from a higher to lower altitude is known as
siphoning. Records show that siphoning has been practiced in
ancient cultures.

Siphon works because of gravity. The gravity pulling

down on the taller column of liquid causes less pressure at the
top of a siphon. The mass of water entering the tube and flowing
upward is equal to the mass of water flowing downwards and leaving the tube. A siphon draws
the liquid out of the reservoir until the level of the tube or pipe falls below the intake of the
liquid. It continues to work until the outlet of a siphon equals the level of the reservoir.

Theory
There are two leading theories about how siphons cause liquid to flow uphill, against
gravity, without being pumped, and powered only by gravity. The traditional theory for centuries
was that gravity pulling the liquid down on the exit side of the siphon resulted in reduced
pressure at the top of the siphon. Then atmospheric pressure was able to push the liquid from the
upper reservoir, up into the reduced pressure at the top of the siphon, like in a barometer or
drinking straw, and then over. However, it has been demonstrated that siphons can operate in a
vacuum and to heights exceeding the barometric height of the liquid. Consequently, the cohesion
tension theory of siphon operation has been advocated, where the liquid is pulled over the siphon
in a way similar to the chain model. It need not be one theory or the other that is correct, but
rather both theories may be correct in different circumstances of ambient pressure. The
atmospheric pressure with gravity theory obviously cannot explain siphons in vacuum, where
there is no significant atmospheric pressure. But the cohesion tension with gravity theory cannot
explain CO2 gas siphons, siphons working despite bubbles, and the flying droplet siphon, where
gases do not exert significant pulling forces, and liquids not in contact cannot exert a cohesive
tension force.

Working Equation
Using Bernoulli’s Equation
Bernoulli's equation may be applied to a siphon to derive the
flow rate and maximum height of the siphon.
Let the surface of the upper reservoir be the reference
elevation.
Let point A be the start point of siphon, immersed within the
higher reservoir and at a depth −d below the surface of the
upper reservoir.
Let point B be the intermediate high point on the siphon tube
at height +hB above the surface of the upper reservoir.
Let point C be the drain point of the siphon at height
−hC below the surface of the upper reservoir.
Bernoulli’s Equation:
𝒗𝟐 𝑷
+ 𝒈𝒚 + 𝝆 = 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒕
𝟐

𝑣 = 𝑓𝑙𝑢𝑖𝑑 𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑎𝑙𝑜𝑛𝑔 𝑎 𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑚𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑒

𝑔 = 𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑣𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝑎𝑐𝑐𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑑𝑜𝑤𝑛𝑤𝑎𝑟𝑑
𝑦 = 𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑣𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑖𝑛 𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑣𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑓𝑖𝑒𝑙𝑑
𝑃 = 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝑎𝑙𝑜𝑛𝑔 𝑎 𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑚𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑒
𝜌 = 𝑓𝑙𝑢𝑖𝑑 𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑦

Apply Bernoulli's equation to the surface of the upper reservoir. The surface is
technically falling as the upper reservoir is being drained. However, for this example we will
assume the reservoir to be infinite and the velocity of the surface may be set to zero.
Furthermore, the pressure at both the surface and the exit point C is atmospheric pressure. Thus:

02 𝑝𝑎𝑡𝑚
+ 𝑔(0) + =constant (eq.1)
2 𝜌
Apply Bernoulli's equation to point A at the start of the siphon tube in the upper reservoir
where P = PA, v = vA and y = −d
 𝑣𝐴 2 𝑝𝐴
− 𝑔𝑑 + = constant (eq.2)
2 𝜌
Apply Bernoulli's equation to point B at the intermediate high point of the siphon tube
where P = PB, v = vB and y = hB

𝑣𝐵 2 𝑝𝐵
+ 𝑔ℎ𝐵 + = constant (eq.3)
2 𝜌
Apply Bernoulli's equation to point C where the siphon empties. Where v = vC and y = −hC.
Furthermore, the pressure at the exit point is atmospheric pressure. Thus:

𝑣𝐵 2 𝑝𝑎𝑡𝑚
− 𝑔ℎ𝐶 + = constant (eq.3)
2 𝜌

Velocity:
As the siphon is a single system, the constant in all four equations is the same. Setting equations
1 and 4 equal to each other gives:

The velocity of the siphon is thus driven solely by the height difference between the surface of
the upper reservoir and the drain point. The height of the intermediate high point, hB, does not
affect the velocity of the siphon. However, as the siphon is a single system, vB = vC and the
intermediate high point does limit the maximum velocity. The drain point cannot be lowered
indefinitely to increase the velocity. Equation 3 will limit the velocity to a positive pressure at
the intermediate high point to prevent cavitation. The maximum velocity may be calculated by
combining equations 1 and 3:
 The depth, −d, of the initial entry point of the siphon in the upper reservoir, does not
affect the velocity of the siphon. No limit to the depth of the siphon start point is implied by
Equation 2 as pressure PA increases with depth d. Both these facts imply the operator of the
siphon may bottom skim or top skim the upper reservoir without impacting the siphon's
performance.
Note that this equation for the velocity is the same as that of any object falling height hC.
Note also that this equation assumes PC is atmospheric pressure. If the end of the siphon is below
the surface, the height to the end of the siphon cannot be used; rather the height difference
between the reservoirs should be used.

Maximum Height
Although siphons can exceed the barometric height of the liquid in special circumstances,
e.g. when the liquid is degassed and the tube is clean and smooth, in general the practical
maximum height can be found as follows.
Setting equations 1 and 3 equal to each other gives:

Maximum height of the intermediate high point occurs when it is so high that the pressure
at the intermediate high point is zero; in typical scenarios this will cause the liquid to form
bubbles and if the bubbles enlarge to fill the pipe then the siphon will "break". Setting PB = 0:

This means that the height of the intermediate high point is limited by pressure along the
streamline being always greater than zero.

This is the maximum height that a siphon will work. Substituting values will give
approximately 10 metres for water and, by definition of standard pressure, 0.76 metres (760 mm
or 30 in) for mercury. The ratio of heights (about 13.6) equals the ratio of densities of water and
mercury (at a given temperature). Note that as long as this condition is satisfied (pressure greater
than zero), the flow at the output of the siphon is still only governed by the height difference
between the source surface and the outlet. Volume of fluid in the apparatus is not relevant as
long as the pressure head remains above zero in every section. Because pressure drops when
velocity is increased, a static siphon (or manometer) can have a slightly higher height than a
flowing siphon.

Applications
When certain liquids needs to be purified, siphoning can help prevent either the bottom
(dregs) or the top (foam and floaties) from being transferred out of one container into a new
container. Siphoning is thus useful in the fermentation of wine and beer for this reason, since it
can keep unwanted impurities out of the new container.
Self-constructed siphons, made of pipes or tubes, can be used to evacuate water from
cellars after floodings. Between the flooded cellar and a deeper place outside a connection is
built, using a tube or some pipes. They are filled with water through an intake valve (at the
highest end of the construction). When the ends are opened, the water flows through the pipe into
the sewer or the river.
Siphoning is common in irrigated fields to transfer a controlled amount of water from a ditch,
over the ditch wall, into furrows.
Large siphons may be used in municipal waterworks and industry. Their size requires
control via valves at the intake, outlet and crest of the siphon. The siphon may be primed by
closing the intake and outlets and filling the siphon at the crest. If intakes and outlets are
submerged, a vacuum pump may be applied at the crest to prime the siphon. Alternatively the
siphon may be primed by a pump at either the intake or outlet.

Siphon rain gauge

A siphon rain gauge is a rain gauge that can record rainfall over an extended period. A
siphon is used to automatically empty the gauge. It is often simply called a "siphon gauge" and is
not to be confused with a siphon pressure gauge.

Siphon spillway
A siphon spillway in a dam is usually not technically a siphon as it is generally used to
drain elevated water levels. However, a siphon spillway operates as an actual siphon if it raises
the flow higher than the surface of the source reservoir, as sometimes is the case when used in
irrigation. In operation, a siphon spillway is considered to be 'pipe flow' or 'closed duct flow'. A
normal spillway flow is pressurized by the height of the reservoir above the spillway whereas a
siphon flow rate is governed by the difference in height of the inlet and outlet. Some designs
make use of an automatic system that uses the flow of water in a spiral vortex to remove the air
above to prime the siphon. Such a design includes the volute siphon.

Flush Toilet
Flush toilets often have some siphon effect as the bowl empties.
Some toilets also use the siphon principle to obtain the actual flush from the cistern. The
flush is triggered by a lever or handle that operates a simple diaphragm-like piston pump that
lifts enough water to the crest of the siphon to start the flow of water which then completely
empties the contents of the cistern into the toilet bowl. The advantage of this system was that no
water would leak from the cistern excepting when flushed. These were mandatory in
the UK until 2011.
Early urinals incorporated a siphon in the cistern which would flush automatically on a
regular cycle because there was a constant trickle of clean water being fed to the cistern by a
slightly open valve.

Aquarium Gravel Cleaner

This cleaner can be used to siphon a tank, using either a “submersion method” or a “suck-
start method." Whichever method you choose, siphoning your fish tank is a simple process. In
the Submersion method, the tube is first submerged in a bucket with water, to fill the tube before
submerging it in the aquarium. On the other hand, Suck Start method is first submerged in the
aquarium and then the user sucks the other end to start the siphon.

REFERENCES:
http://webhome.phy.duke.edu
https://www.nature.com
https://www.physicsforums.com
https://www.wikihow.com