EP0102287A1 - Siphon apparatus with variable flow - Google Patents

Abstract

1. Siphon device with a variable flow rate comprising a plurality of inverted U-shaped, independent siphon elements (1) placed between a plane of an upstream liquid (2) and a plane of a downstream liquid (3) of a lower level and the downstream and upstream legs (6 and 5) of which are likely to enter the liquid, characterized in that at least one of the said siphon elements (1) is separately vertically movable between a penetration working position below the level of the upstream liquid (2) and a rest position above this levEl, so as to thus vary the liquid flow section of the said device.

Description

The present invention relates to a siphon device with variable flow, comprising at least one siphon in the shape of an inverted U, placed between a high upstream water level and a lower water level located downstream - and the branches of which swallows and upstream are likely to enter the water.

In known siphon devices of this type, the adjustment of the flow consists in maintaining a desired flow of water, which is less than the maximum flow. To this end we act on an air pocket which normally occupies the upper intermediate part forming the base of the U and part of the downstream branch. This trapped air is gradually emulsified at the foot of the interior waterfall and is drawn downstream. To maintain a desired water flow, it is necessary to adjust the air flow supplying the bag to the air flow leaving it. To this end, an air supply valve is used for the pocket, making it possible to regulate depressions in the air pocket and the force tending to close this valve is changed to pass from one water flow to another. To be able to accomplish this function, a special hydropneumatic valve with a complex structure is used. This valve is controlled using a pilot vacuum delivered by an amplifier relay and highly variable depending on the variation of the liquid level upstream of the siphon. A variation in this pilot depression results in a correction of the interior depression of the siphon, that is to say in the air pocket, and therefore the water flow rate of the siphon.

The known siphon devices of the type which has just been described have the drawback of requiring very sophisticated means, without however ensuring that satisfactory operating stability is obtained. Indeed, establishing and maintaining the necessary depression inside the siphon are very delicate operations.

On the other hand, we know from French patent n ° 482 001 an automatic leveling siphon device comprising a certain number of independent conduits forming independent siphon elements, placed between a plane of an upstream liquid and a plane of a downstream liquid of lower level. The length of a certain number of these conduits is such that, while their upper orifices are all at the same level coinciding with the level of the highest surface of the admissible water upstream, the lower orifice of the first conduit plunges below the minimum level of water in the discharge channel and those of the other conduits on the contrary usually open above the level of the water downstream. The various conduits forming independent siphon elements are joined together by a single cap covering the upper orifices of the conduits.

This known siphon device therefore makes it possible to produce a variable flow as a function of the number of conduits or independent siphon elements but this variation in flow is fixed once and for all.

The object of the present invention is to propose a siphon device with variable flow at will and whose operation is easy and perfectly stable.

To achieve this object, the siphon device according to the present invention, with variable flow at will, comprises a number of independent siphon elements in the shape of an inverted U, placed between a plane of an upstream liquid and a plane of a downstream liquid of lower level and the downstream and upstream branches of which are capable of penetrating into the liquid, characterized in that at least one of said siphon elements is movable vertically, separately, between a penetration working position below the level upstream liquid and a rest position above this level, so as to vary as desired the liquid flow section of said device.

According to an advantageous characteristic of the invention, each siphon element is displaceable vertically by means of its own drive device, such as a hydraulic cylinder. Preferably, each siphon element is connected by its upper part to the end of the piston rod of a hydraulic cylinder.

On the other hand, according to a particular embodiment, the siphon elements are arranged at different heights to ensure a variation in the flow rate as a function of the height of the liquid level. Similarly, according to another advantageous characteristic, the flow sections of the various siphon elements can be different from each other.

According to yet another advantageous characteristic, the cross section of at least one siphon element varies along the longitudinal axis of this element, the flow section of the siphon element being a function of the position in height of this element.

• - la figure 1 est une vue en perspective d'un dispositif siphon selon la présente invention ;
• - la figure 2 est une vue de ce dispositif en direction de la flèche II suivant la figure 1, mais à l'état d'un débit plus faible ; et
• - la figure 3 illustre sous forme d'une courbe la variation du débit du dispositif siphon en fonction notamment du nombre des éléments siphons en service.

The invention will be better understood and other objects, characteristics, details and advantages thereof will appear more clearly during the explanatory description which follows, made with reference to the appended schematic drawings given by way of example illustrating a mode of the invention and in which:

• - Figure 1 is a perspective view of a siphon device according to the present invention;
• - Figure 2 is a view of this device in the direction of arrow II according to Figure 1, but in the state of a lower flow; and
• - Figure 3 illustrates in the form of a curve the variation in the flow rate of the siphon device depending in particular on the number of siphon elements in service.

According to Figures 1 and 2, the siphon device proposed by the present invention comprises a plurality of independent siphon elements 1 which are juxtaposed. This siphon device is intended to allow a regulated flow of water from an upstream plane 2 to a downstream water plane 3 of lower level. The two plans or water reserves are separated in the example represented by a partition wall 4.

Each siphon element 1 constitutes in itself a conventional siphon formed by a U-shaped tube comprising an upstream branch 5 and a downstream branch 6 respectively intended to penetrate into the bodies of water 2 and 3, on either side of the partition wall 4. The intermediate part 7 of the two branches 5 and 6 is located au- above the partition 4 and constitutes the upper part of the siphon element. It can be seen that the length of the downstream branch 6 is greater than that of the upstream branch 5.

According to the present invention, each siphon element 1 is mounted vertically movable, separately, between a working position in which at least the ends of the branches penetrate below the level of the respective water reserve and a rest position above the water levels.

To ensure the individual or selective vertical displacement of the siphon elements 1, each of these is provided with a hydraulic cylinder 8 whose rod 9 is fixed to the intermediate rounded part 7 of the element 1. The various hydraulic cylinders 8, which are of the double-acting type, are selectively connected to a control device 10, using pipes schematically shown in 11.

The flow section of the siphon elements 1 can be the same for all the elements or only for a certain number of them. We could also make this section different for each siphon element.

On the other hand, the cross section of one or some or all of the siphon elements could be constant or vary along the longitudinal axis of the element (s). So the cross section of bran ches of a siphon element could go up or down towards the end. Thus, the flow section and consequently the flow rate of this element would be different depending on the penetration depth of the siphon element in the liquid.

• Chaque élément siphon 1 est susceptible de fonctionner comme les siphons connus, c'est-à-dire assure l'écoulement de liquide, tel que de l'eau, de la réserve 2 vers la réserve 3, à un débit prédéterminé, lorsque les branches sont enfoncées dans l'eau. Le débit est fonction des dimensions de section transversale de l'élément siphon.

The siphon device according to the present invention which has just been described, operates as follows:

• Each siphon element 1 is capable of functioning like known siphons, that is to say ensures the flow of liquid, such as water, from reserve 2 to reserve 3, at a predetermined flow rate, when the branches are sunk in water. The flow rate depends on the cross-sectional dimensions of the siphon element.

According to the present invention, the flow rate of the siphon device can be varied by varying its effective total flow section. This variation of the section is obtained by variation of the number of siphon elements 1 which are in operating mode and / or by variation of the position in height of one or more elements. In both cases, the siphon element (s) are moved vertically, as appropriate, using the hydraulic cylinders 8.

According to the present invention, the regulation of the levels of the upstream and downstream water bodies of the siphon device is therefore obtained simply by the use at will cMn more or less large number of siphon elements and / or their positioning in altitude.

It is easily understood that according to the present invention the water level can be kept constant, for example in the upstream body of water 2, despite an increase in the amount of water in this body, by increasing the flow rate of the siphon device at will, appropriately, that is, by increasing the number of siphon elements that enter the water and have been primed to produce the siphon effect, and / or their position at altitude. On the other hand, when the siphon elements 1 are arranged in the manner shown in FIG. 2, the flow rate of the siphon device increases progressively as the level of the plane 2 increases. This arrangement of the siphon elements is particularly advantageous in cases where the water reserve or the water body 2 is formed by a watercourse whose level is likely to increase following a flood.

It should be noted that an arrangement of siphon elements according to FIG. 2 could be designed without the addition of the jack system by having only fixed siphons with sections and positions at different altitudes, previously determined according to hydraulic calculations of the planes d water to regulate.

The description of the operation of the siphon device according to the present invention is clearly illustrated by FIG. 3 which shows the increase in the flow rate d of the siphon device as a function of the number of siphon elements n put into service. Of course, the shape of this curve and the height of the different steps can be varied by appropriately choosing the flow sections of the different siphon elements and their depth of penetration into the water.

Claims (6)

1. Siphon device with variable flow, comprising a number of independent siphon elements in the shape of an inverted U, placed between a plane of an upstream liquid and a plane of a downstream liquid of lower level and whose branches swallows and upstream are likely to penetrate into the liquid, characterized in that at least one of said siphon elements (1) is movable vertically, separately, between a penetration working position below the upstream liquid level (2) and a position of rest above this level, so as to thus vary the liquid flow section of said device. 2. Siphon device according to claim 1, characterized in that each aforementioned siphon element (1) can be moved vertically using a clean drive device, such as a hydraulic cylinder (8). 3. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that each siphon element (1) above is connected by its upper part (7) to the end of the piston rod (9) of a hydraulic cylinder (8). 4. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the aforementioned siphon elements (1) are arranged at different heights to ensure a variation in the flow rate as a function of the height of the liquid level. 5. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the flow sections of the various aforementioned siphon elements may be different from each other. 6. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cross section of at least one aforementioned siphon element varies along the longitudinal axis of this element, the flow section of the siphon element being a function of the height position of this element.

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