Dry hydrant siphon assembly

A method of drawing water from an open body of water into a receptacle through a dry hydrant, the dry hydrant comprising a hydrant pipe having a submerged end located within said open body of water and an unsubmerged end located elevationally above said open body of water, a siphon assembly comprising a housing defining therein an inner chamber having a first end in fluid communication with said submerged end of said hydrant pipe and an opposite second end in fluid communication with said open body of water, a nozzle jet mounted within said inner chamber and having an upstream end adjacent the first end of said housing and an opposite downstream end, and a venturi tube having a first venturi end located within said inner chamber intermediate the second end of said inner chamber and the downstream end of said nozzle jet, a second venturi end disposed outside the housing, and a conduit connecting the first venturi end and the second venturi end and allowing fluid communication therebetween and a pressurized fluid source in communication with the venturi tube of the siphon assembly, the inner chamber of the siphon assembly further comprising a valve, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a horizontally disposed hydrant pipe beneath the surface of an open body of water;
• (b) directing the pressurized fluid from the pressurized fluid source into the second venturi end of the venturi tube whereby the pressurized fluid exits the first venturi end and then enters the nozzle jet to force the fluid in a first direction through the pipe and toward the unsubmerged end and impedes flow in the opposite second direction;
• (c) applying a suction pressure to said hydrant pipe proximate the unsubmerged end to begin drawing into a receptacle a combination of the fluid from the pressurized fluid source and water from the body through said hydrant pipe;
• and
• (d) adding fluid to the hydrant pipe through the pressurized fluid source by using a pumper truck, whereby the valve impedes flow in the second direction.

An above-ground dry hydrant in fluid communication with a body of water, comprising:

• (a) a hydrant pipe having a submerged end located within the body of water and an unsubmerged end located elevationally above the body of water,
• (b) a siphon assembly comprising a housing defining therein an inner chamber having a first end in fluid communication with the submerged end of the hydrant pipe and an opposite second end in fluid communication with the body of water, a nozzle jet mounted within the inner chamber and having an upstream end adjacent the first end of the housing and an opposite downstream end, and a venturi tube having a first venturi end located within the inner chamber intermediate the second end of the inner chamber and the downstream end of the nozzle jet, a second venturi end disposed outside the housing, and a conduit connecting the first venturi end and the second venturi end and allowing fluid communication therebetween;
• (c) a check valve mounted within the inner chamber of the siphon assembly adjacent the second end of the housing, said check valve including weep holes to allow controlled leakage in the second direction;
• (d) a pressurized fluid source in communication with the venturi tube of the siphon assembly wherein the pressurized fluid enters the second venturi end of the venturi tube, exits the first venturi end, and then enters the downstream end of the nozzle jet,
• whereby the siphon assembly is operable to force water in a first direction through the hydrant pipe and out of the unsubmerged end and impede the flow of water through the hydrant pipe in an opposite second direction.

An above-ground dry hydrant in fluid communication with an open body of water, comprising:

• (a) a hydrant pipe having a submerged end located within said open body of water and an unsubmerged end located elevationally above said open body of water,
• (b) a siphon assembly comprising a housing defining therein an inner chamber having a first end in fluid communication with the submerged end of the hydrant pipe and an opposite second end in fluid communication with said open body of water, a nozzle jet mounted within the inner chamber and having an upstream end adjacent the first end of the housing and an opposite downstream end, and a venturi tube having a first venturi end located within the inner chamber intermediate the second end of the inner chamber and the downstream end of the nozzle jet, a second venturi end disposed outside the housing, and a conduit connecting the first venturi end and the second venturi end and allowing fluid communication therebetween;
• (c) a check valve mounted within the inner chamber of the siphon assembly adjacent the second end of the housing;
• (d) a strainer mounted on the second end of the housing of the siphon assembly, the strainer being in fluid communication with both the siphon assembly and said open body of water and operable to filter particulate matter and prevent particulate matter from entering the pipe;
• (e) a bypass valve duct having an effluent bypass end in communication with the strainer and an opposite influent bypass end in fluid communication with the hydrant pipe and on the opposite side of the check valve as the effluent bypass end, and a bypass valve mounted within the bypass valve duct and operable between a shut position and a flow position which results from a predetermined pressure in the second direction and allows back flushing of the strainer while circumventing the check valve;
• and
• (f) a pressurized fluid source in communication with the venturi tube of the siphon assembly wherein the pressurized fluid enters the second venturi end of the venturi tube, exits the first venturi end, and then enters the downstream end of the nozzle jet,
• whereby the siphon assembly is operable to force water in a first direction through the hydrant pipe and out of the unsubmerged end and impede the flow of water through the hydrant pipe in an opposite second direction.