A method 200 for priming a drainage apparatus 100 comprises directing liquid into the conduit arrangement at 202 via the liquid injection inlet 106b12 to fill up most of the conduit arrangement as controlled by the valves' configuration; directing liquid into the first reservoir 102 at 206 to enable more liquid to enter into the conduit arrangement via the first opening 112 and at 208, to flood the conduit arrangement to form a continuous liquid flow path which extends from the first opening 112 up to at least the second opening 114, the continuous liquid flow path creating a siphon; and with the first opening 112 kept below the liquid's surface level in the first reservoir 102, stopping the flow of liquid into the first reservoir 102 to achieve a state of equilibrium of the siphon at 210 to prime the conduit arrangement.

A dry urinal apparatus, comprising a receptacle configured to store urine, the urine having a layer of oil on its surface and a siphon assembly disposed within the receptacle and coupled to a reservoir. The siphon assembly includes a siphon tube and drain tube, the siphon tube operable to force urine down the drain tube, wherein the reservoir is configured to cease operation of the siphon assembly prior to the siphon tube pulling up the layer of oil with the urine. The reservoir is configured to cease operation of the siphon assembly in response to a distance required to pull air bubbles up the reservoir and into the drain tube being less than a distance required to raise urine into the drain tube.

The invention relates to a method for draining water from a tank (22), more particularly a clarification tank, wherein water is optionally drained via a draining apparatus while maintaining a substantially constant liquid level (23).

A major water leak prevention apparatus for a water inlet valve, in which a water receptacle tray is mounted on a water inlet valve body and includes an overflow port. The water receptacle tray has a bottom in which an opening is formed. A counterweight float is mounted on the water inlet valve body and includes a water compartment and a buoyance compartment arranged at a lower end of the water inlet valve body. The bottom opening of the water receptacle tray is connected via a passageway pipe to the counterweight float. The water compartment selectively blocks a lower end opening of the passageway pipe or opens the lower end opening of the passageway pipe. This arrangement helps stop water ingress through the water inlet valve when major water leakage occurs in a water tank.

A minor water leak prevention apparatus for a water inlet valve, in which a float is mounted on a regulation bar and received in a water container. The water container is mounted on a siphon tube. The siphon tube is formed with an air aperture. A counterweight buoyance switch is mounted on the water container. The counterweight buoyance switch has a counterweight water compartment having a lower end forming a water drain hole. The counterweight water compartment has an upper end to which a closure pressing plate is mounted. The closure pressing plate is opposite to the air aperture. The counterweight buoyance switch controls opening/closing of the air aperture. This arrangement allows water ingress through a water inlet valve to be stopped when minor water leakage occurs in a water tank.

The invention relates to a method for draining water from a tank (22), more particularly a clarification tank, wherein water is optionally drained via a draining apparatus while maintaining a substantially constant liquid level (23).

A device for controlling the filling of a cistern in a main reservoir of a toilet flushing system includes a water inlet controlled by a valve. The closing of the valve is controlled by a float that is movable from a high position to a low position. The float is contained in a float housing in the high position. The float housing connects to the main reservoir by at least one siphon having two tubes: a suction tube linked to the float housing; and a discharge tube being linked to the main reservoir and opening into an auxiliary reservoir. There is a control mechanism provided with a mechanism for priming the siphon, wherein shifts between an initial position and an actuated position of the control mechanism result in overpressure or underpressure at the siphon so as to control draining of the float housing.

A drainage apparatus (100, 300-800) for siphoning liquid between first and second reservoirs (102, 104) is disclosed. In a first embodiment, the apparatus (100) includes a conduit arrangement having a first opening (112) disposed in the first reservoir (102), a second opening (114) disposed in the second reservoir (104) and a liquid injection inlet (106M2) arranged between the first and second openings (112,114), and a plurality of valves (108, 110) for controlling flow of the liquid along the conduit arrangement. A method (200) for priming the drainage apparatus (100) comprises directing liquid into the conduit arrangement at (202) via the liquid injection inlet (106M2) to fill up most of the conduit arrangement as controlled by the valves' configuration; directing liquid into the first reservoir (102) to enable more liquid to enter into the conduit arrangement via the first opening (112) to flood the conduit arrangement to form a continuous liquid flow path which extends from the first opening (112) up to at least the second opening (114), the continuous liquid flow path creating a siphon; and with the first opening (112) kept below the liquid's surface level in the first reservoir (102), stopping the flow of liquid into the first reservoir (102) to achieve a state of equilibrium of the siphon to prime the conduit arrangement. After the priming and in use, the siphon is triggered when more liquid is added into the first reservoir (102) which causes the added liquid to be siphoned to the second reservoir (104) via the primed conduit arrangement.

A dry urinal apparatus, comprising a receptacle configured to store urine, the urine having a layer of oil on its surface and a siphon assembly disposed within the receptacle and coupled to a reservoir. The siphon assembly includes a siphon tube and drain tube, the siphon tube operable to force urine down the drain tube, wherein the reservoir is configured to cease operation of the siphon assembly prior to the siphon tube pulling up the layer of oil with the urine. The reservoir is configured to cease operation of the siphon assembly in response to a distance required to pull air bubbles up the reservoir and into the drain tube being less than a distance required to raise urine into the drain tube.

A valveless siphon decanter for processing fluid within a tank having a siphon tube external to the tank, the siphon tube having an output, a boom extending substantially transversely from the siphon tube, the boom providing a path for the communication of fluid from within the tank into the siphon tube, a vacuum head in association with the boom, the vacuum head having at least one orifice disposable within the tank for receiving the fluid, a vacuum source for creating a vacuum within the siphon tube and the boom to draw the fluid in through the at least one orifice of the vacuum head into the boom and into the siphon tube thereafter, a vacuum break for breaking the vacuum within the boom and the siphon tube; and wherein the siphon tube and the boom are disposed outside of the tank.