multidirectional flow
 

Continuing MitchM's post and Stir Crazy's request here is another option for mass movement.
Below is the simple line drawing for a pumped surge device.


http://i1008.photobucket.com/albums/...gesideview.jpg

This pic shows the 4 sequences and how the direction of the tank would be affected, please npte that these are views from above, red are C/L feeds to pump and blue are C/L returns from the OM unit.


http://i1008.photobucket.com/albums/...gesequence.jpg

In Stir Crazy's situation the outlets could be split to get the laminar flow he desires,

thanks for posting that, I was going to start this thread yesterday but had to go to work early.

my concern with this set up is the water PSI it takes to index the unit. what I am trying to end up with is a reversable mass water flow to simulate an ocean current with out any high velocity spots.

to do this I amd figuring the max pressure out of what ever pump I use has to be adjusted to about 2PSI which I don't think is going to be enough to index your unit. I don't know how big the ports are or anything and how much it moves when it does index, or are you talking about one of the motorized ones with a double barrel?

a super squirt stacked would be a good size but will the motor be strong enough to turn two barrels?

Steve

This is the motorized unit,


http://i1008.photobucket.com/albums/...ions/dnasp.jpg

this is the 1 1\2" unit with just 4 ports, the previous pics are for the 8 port unit, I will host a pic when I get back down to the shop.

Paul

Damn those look crazy sweet.

So if I understand the pics correctly you're switching not only the outputs but also the drains?

Certainly, the drains are switched to pull in the same direction as the returns push, this will give you the maximum amount of water movement, the time delays would be controlled by the same timer I showed earlier, Beananimal wants to modify a 555 timer for me to do different time delays at different locations, but he won't do it until I build his jet pack:)

Paul

That would make a great setup. I had thought of a similar idea myself but using MOV's and a PLC but the cost was too prohibitive and not very "KISS principle". Using a single OM device for the same thing is awesome. Very cool!

the 4 port is probably a better set up for what I want to do, so each port is 1/5" ? this would let me run 1.5" headers to each side of the tank and then break down to four 1" bulkheads or six 3/4" bulkheads.

how exactly does the rotation work on these are they a constant turning unit?

Steve

Oh and out of curosity can you post or PM me a price on the 4 port unit that would have a delay function.

for the delay, is it adjustable? I wouldn't want anything like a wave maker but being adjustable between say 1 hour and 6 hours in 1 hour incroments would be cool. I don't think having an off time is nessasary as when the switch over occures there will be a time period of random flow while the water flow is slowed down and reversed.

Steve

Thank You I try to please.

Airotronics units come with different values,all adjustable, you can easily obtain a timer that gives you the delay values you require,from seconds to hours, your choicethere are only a few options to get what you need, using a 1 rpm motor, or any rpm motor there will be no random activity, Bean has a better alternative.
The valve and pump simply go into their own closed loop cycle as that happens, remember the motor will move and stop (in 15 seconds) at the desired location until it sees the time out and then moves to the next location this isn't a progressive move as in a typical OM4.

as for the timers, do youmean that you have to substitute different timers or is there an adjustible one (weather it be by dip switch or screw)

Don't know who bean is but I think you miss read what I ment. the random activity I was talking about wasd of the water in the tank as it reverses direction. so once the inlet/outlet switch the water will still be flowing opposite to the new set up. so it will take a bit of time for the water motion to stop and switch directions. during this you will have some random water movment in the tank.

Steve

They are all adjustable but come in ranges to suit your needs.

"THCU-E offers three time ranges: 0.1 second to 102.3 seconds in 0.1-second increments, 1 second to 1023 seconds in 1-second increments, or 10 to 10230 seconds in 10-second increments. Ten-position binary dipswitch is easy to program."



Ah now I understand what you mean, yes there will be the transition time, and random things going on for that time frame.

Bean is Beananimal...

hmm so the timners don't go long enough for a natural tidal cycle. would nee up to about 21600 seconds to get to six hour mark, but 2.7 hour cycle would probably be fine.

damn you.. I was going to hold off a year or two befor I start building my next set up now you got me thinking :mrgreen:

Steve

I'm sure if you wanted 6 hrs it could be accomplished easily, you could likely invest in a small PLC and get someone to program it to run for 6 and a half hour cycle which would repeat, that way the high and low tides would change daily just like in the natural world.