UVM Spout and fittings

[Sugar Bear]

Dr. Perkins,

You stated:
2. Arc-Flow Fittings. These fittings have a curved design which is designed to reduce friction and turbulence in fitting junctions. The Arc-Flow design can be incorporated into spouts, tees, saddles, end-tees, etc. In modeling calculations, it provides a 5-10% improvement in sap yield. Note that unlike a normal tee, the post faces downward instead of outward (away from the tree). This is so it can be easily flipped over for tapping below the lateral line. Only one end-line fitting needs to be made with this design as it can be used on either the right or the left side of the tree. The other thing that’ll be done on all these fittings is to bevel the connection edges at a 45° to reduce turbulence and friction between the liquid and fitting when entering and exiting the fitting. I've posted several videos we've made during testing at: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...kN7muW8AXvxphj to help show turbulence inside the various types of fittings, and why the Arc-Flow fittings are superior to standard fittings.

You use the word turbulence multiple times (I bolded). With my journal reviewer hat on, are you sure that turbulence is the correct word. I am not sure what the Reynolds number is for sap coming out of tree but I would be surprised if it was fully developed turbulent flow. Laminar vs turbulent is important for drag, any build up on the walls, etc. If you have published work on this, please point to the paper. I could be total off base also so please correct me if I am wrong.

Thank you

I am a former software engineer by institutionalized profession. Otherwise, I am a self-proclaimed idiot that loves to sit around doing among other sings pondering the efficiency of fluid dynamics inside tubing. I am not very good at it, but at least through the help of the people on maple trader I have learned how to make a abundant supply of great tasting maple syrup in recent years, a far cry from the char broiled stuff my brother and I made in the early 70's.

Worked for IBM for a short stint doing nothing and making nothing, $ included, then designed and coded software, with a small group of people, used by grocery chains around the world to keep track of the UPC's purchased by a name and address, at any given store on any given day. Back in the days when accessible memory provided by the machine was extraordinarily limited so it took at least a medium sized brain to work the system such that you could quickly access these massive volumes of data.

These days my computer time is limited to things like Maple Trader and other wonderful forums.

There is no part of the word Turbulence that does not make sense to me here. And it would blow my brain to bits, if math and physics were to prove that there is not a way to improve on the current rigging that is used to address it.

Perhaps Vortexes might be a better word, but its six of one and six of the same to me, a layman in this field.

Now that is just coming from me, a self-proclaimed idiot.

[DrTimPerkins]

A couple of new videos on installing the Barb-Spout and Arc-Fittings

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gL16D9bAbIk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQIACHdXb_A

[mainebackswoodssyrup]

Thanks for posting. I was wondering about making the connections. Y-fittings were always a pain in the butt for me so was curious about these. I am sure with some practice, it wouldn't be that bad in the field.

[peteinvermont]

What a luxury it is to have PMRC and crew to actually test all the things our brains think up during hours of tapping. I've thought a million times about how to access the sap in the outer rings and Dr. Tim and team have done it...Genius.