Originally posted by uzlessInteresting. So you are assuming an open tank. If it were a closed tank, there would not be a whole lot of evaporation, it would re-condense back into the water. Also if the vortexes slowed down the drain rate, it would speed up the filling of the water so tending to compensate for the alleged vortex interferance.
my my, we have been busy haven't we?
Since you've raised some real world problems, I'd like to add a further complication to any attempted solution, just to be an ass. Here's a list of variables not accounted for which would lead to minor errors in the solution:
1. Evaporation rate of water into the air above the tank. Some of the water will evapora ...[text shortened]... since 2 or 3 vortexes will be partially competing for the same water.
Food for thought.
Water for thought!