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Home How Fast Does the Siphon Flow? [Challenge Solved]

How Fast Does the Siphon Flow? [Challenge

Solved]

by Kylie Canales
NOV 17, 2011
COMMENTS (0)
AICHE

With gas prices soaring, several friends decide to save money

by siphoning gas from other people's vehicles. They need to
siphon 40L of gas in order for the group to have enough for
their mopeds for the week. Sunday night, they were
siphoning gas out of a large truck at the local market.

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They inserted a 1cm ID tube into the gas tank and started the
siphon. The gasoline level in the truck was about 1 m from
ground level. The flow of fuel from this hose can be
estimated as 3/4 of the flow of a frictionless hose. Assume SG
of gas to be 0.8. After 5 minutes, the owner of the truck hits
the keyless entry button and the group takes off.

Did they siphon enough gas out of the truck?

ANSWER
The first correct answer received was provided by Smriti Gupta of India's National
Institute of Technology, Trichy. Congratulations!

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Institute of Technology, Trichy. Congratulations!

And a special mention to those who were observant enough to note that the truck pictured is
fueled by diesel, while the mopeds in the challenge question are undoubtedly fueled by
gasoline!

Smriti's Winning Response

Here Bernoulli's equation may be applied to derive the flow-rate and velocity of the fluid
through the siphon.
Bernoulli's equation:
(v^2)/2 + gy + P/rho = constant
We consider a large truck hence, the height of the falling fluid is nearly constant. The
velocity at the upper surface of the truck tank may be set to zero. Furthermore, the pressure at
both the surface and the exit point is equal to atmospheric pressure. (P = 1 atm)
Considering an energy balance between the upper surface of the tank and the outlet of the
tube we have:
0 + g*0 + 1/rho = (v^2)/2 - gh + 1/rho
Solving for velocity at the outlet of the tube:
v = sqrt(2g) = 4.4286 m/s
Area of cross section of the tube = (pi/4)*(0.01)^2 = 0.7853 sq.cm
density = 0.8*1000 = 800 kg/cu.m
So, the mass flow rate = 800*4.4286*0.7853*(10)^(-4)=0.278257 kg/s
volumetric flow rate q= (0.278257/800) cu.m/s
total volume of gasoline siphoned out of the truck in 5 minutes=
(0.278257/800)*5*60 cu.m=0.104348 cu.m=104.348 L
Since the Actual flow of the gas is 0.75 times the flow in a frictionless hose, the actual
volume of the gas siphoned =104.348*0.75=78.261 L
So they siphoned enough gas out of the truck (38.261 L extra!!)

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