Automatic double-bell siphon

Abstract

A double-bell siphon for liquid flow control that improves upon existing bell siphons by the addition of an outer bell which helps the bell siphon to stop siphoning when the liquid level drops below the intended level. Optionally, a cup further enhances the ability for the siphon to stop properly.

Claims

1. An automatic double-bell siphon, comprising: a. a standpipe installed in a floor of a liquid reservoir; b. an inner bell consisting of a single unitary conduit that abuts the floor of the liquid reservoir and surrounds said standpipe with an annular space between said inner bell and said standpipe and which has an opening at a top end for fluids to enter and one or more openings at a bottom end for fluids to enter, wherein said one or more openings pass through a wall of the bottom end; c. an outer bell closed at a top end and open at a bottom end which covers and surrounds said inner bell with an annular space between said outer bell and said inner bell and which provides a channel for fluids to flow from a surrounding liquid reservoir into said inner bell.

2. The automatic bell siphon of claim 1, wherein said outer bell is mounted on top of said inner bell with a spacer abutting a top of said inner bell and abutting and supporting an inner surface of a cap connected to said outer bell.

3. An automatic double-bell siphon, comprising: a. a standpipe installed in a floor of a liquid reservoir; b. a cup that abuts the floor of the liquid reservoir and surrounds said outer belt said standpipe with an annular space between said cup and said standpipe and which has one or more openings in a base of the cup to allow fluids from the liquid reservoir to enter the base of the cup; c. an inner bell consisting of a single unitary conduit that abuts the cup and surrounds said standpipe with an annular space between said inner bell and said standpipe and which has an opening at a top end for fluids to enter and one or more openings at a bottom end for fluids from below the cup to enter said inner bell; d. an outer bell closed at a top end and open at a bottom end which covers and surrounds said inner bell with an inner annular space between said outer bell and said inner bell and wherein said outer bell is surrounded by said cup with an outer annular space between said outer bell and said cup and wherein said outer annular space provides a channel for fluids to flow from said cup into said outer bell.

4. The automatic bell siphon of claim 3, wherein said outer bell is mounted on top of said inner bell with a spacer abutting a top of said inner bell and abutting and supporting an inner surface of a cap connected to said outer bell.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 (PRIOR ART) shows a typical application of a bell siphon, an aquaponic system with the bell siphon in the grow bed.

(2) FIG. 2 (PRIOR ART) is an isometric view of the traditional bell siphon.

(3) FIG. 3 (PRIOR ART) is a cross section view of the traditional bell siphon. The inner standpipe's perimeter is surrounded by the bell with an annular space between.

(4) FIG. 4 (PRIOR ART) depicts a bell with a snorkel tube to enhance the intake of air and

(5) the stopping of the siphon. The snorkel tip is at the level of or higher than the highest opening in the bell.

(6) FIG. 5 is an isometric view of the double-bell siphon.

(7) FIG. 6 is an isometric view of the double-bell siphon with the optional cup.

(8) FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the double-bell siphon.

(9) FIG. 8 is an exploded view of the double-bell structure with the optional cup. The standpipe is omitted from this drawing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(10) FIG. 1 (PRIOR ART) shows the common bell siphon as it is used in an aquaponic grow bed, a typical application. The bell siphon automatically regulates the water level in the grow bed, causing it to rise and fall periodically. The bell siphon 1, allows water to flow through it down into the fish tank 2.

(11) FIG. 2 (PRIOR ART) is a depiction of the traditional bell siphon. The bell 4 has cap 5 fastened at the top. The bell 4 surrounds the standpipe 3. The cutout holes on the bottom of the bell 4 allow for air and water to enter the bell.

(12) FIG. 3. (PRIOR ART) depicts a cross section of the traditional bell siphon.

(13) FIG. 4 (PRIOR ART) depicts a bell with a snorkel tube 6 to enhance the intake of air and the stopping of the siphon.

(14) FIG. 5 is the new double-bell siphon. The added outer bell 4 has a cap 5 on the top and a 360-degree aperture for air intake at the bottom. The inner bell 8 stands on the floor of the liquid reservoir surrounding the standpipe 3. The outer bell 4 is mounted above and surrounds the inner bell 8. The bottom of the outer bell 4 is at or above the highest opening in the inner bell 8 bottom end. The outer bell 4 acts as a large snorkel and allows a large volume of air to travel up to the top of the inner bell 8. The air bubbles brought to the top of the inner bell 8 allow for a more consistent siphon break. The outer bell 4 can be mounted in a variety of ways. In our preferred embodiment we use a spacer 7 to support the outer bell 4 while allowing fluids to flow. Alternately, the outer bell 4 could sit directly on top of the inner bell 8, with openings around the perimeter of the inner bell 8 at the top to allow fluids to enter.

(15) FIG. 6 is an isometric view of the new double-bell siphon with the optional cup 9. The spacer 7 keeps the cap from resting directly on top of the inner bell 10. The spacer 7 has one or more apertures which allow air to travel directly to the top of the inner bell and break the siphon. The inner bell 10 rests on the cup 9. When using a cup 9, the inner bell 10 does not require openings in the perimeter at the bottom as in FIG. 5 because water is able to flow up into the inner bell 10 through an opening in the cup. The cup 9 must have one or more openings in its base to allow fluids to enter the base and flow up into the inner bell 10.

(16) The purpose of the optional cup 9 is to separate a select volume of water from the rest of the tank. As the water level drops below the lip of this cup, the water inside the cup separates from the entire liquid reservoir. This creates a set volume of water that once siphoned through the outer bell cannot be replaced by water from the reservoir. This means that the siphon will more reliably stop.

(17) PVC plastic is the recommended material for the bells. Although any engineer or designer with proper resources could create a bell siphon in another plastic, such as CPVC or acrylic, or metal, we built the bells with Schedule 40 PVC. The spacer 7 and the cup 9 may be 3D-printed out of PLA, ABS, or other plastic.

(18) FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the double-bell siphon design depicted in FIG. 6.

(19) FIG. 8 is an exploded view of the double-bell structure. The standpipe is omitted from this drawing.