A thermosyphon works because of the difference in density in two vertical runs of a loop. If your rising pipe contains 100 lbs of water, and the cool side has 101 in the same volume, you have a one pound force available. Usually friction in the system will take up all the available power, but you could figure flow rates, etc. It is probably the least efficient heat engine ever, but sometimes adequate and convenient as part of another system.
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