I already knew the answer prior to my posting.  It has to do with displacement.  Aristotle got it right when he said  “… the celestial matter (bodies) has a propensity to restore force which it needs to sustain the steadiness of motion”.  There is no motion by inertia, but there’s illusion of it. The illusion of motion by inertia is maintained by the presence of phase displacement, proceeds with constant speed and in a state of inner quiescence (synchronicity). If phase displacement is eliminated, the motion stops.

The object moving to the top of the tube proceeds with constant speed and synchronicity due to phase displacement.  The object moving to the top doesn't do so by inertia or friction.

Gravock

LOL, the float rises because the water falls.  The water is viscous.  From the instant that the float is released allowing the water to start falling around it, the viscous drag quickly matches the inertia limited acceleration due to gravity and the speed quickly stabilizes.  It is ordinary, text book kinematics.

LOL, you have it inverted.  The screw converts its KPE as it rises into GPE.  The system loses no energy as the float rises.  How convenient of you to leave out KPE.

Gravock

LOL.  Ignore reality all you want. Water loses GPE, pushes on the float, the float gains KE AND GPE during the rise and ultimately loses KE.  The system loses net GPE as the center of gravity falls throughout the process.  When the process is done the float has expended all KE gained during the upward traverse, and the column has lost GPE.  You are free to dispute by showing your work.  The floats rate of ascent is initially limited by the inertia of the float and the water.  As the ascent gains speed it is further limited by viscous drag.

This is all elementary text book physics you are resisting.

If you wish to try and assert unaccepted ideas about physics then it is your burden to prove those ideas are correct.

@Gravityblock
Concerning the float in the tube video, it cannot work a shown because when the float reaches the top of the tube it must be removed. When we remove the float at the top there will be a void where the float was and this is the water which was displaced which must be replaced to make a continuous cycle. It is unworkable as shown in my opinion unless we can change the context of how and why cause and effect take place.


That being said a change in context may produce a change in the outcome so long as there is a meaningful change in the properties of the system. Which begs the question how do we change the system in a meaningful way?. Unfortunately most cannot even begin to grasp what is required because the solution must be different and it is often very abstract and non-intuitive.


So how do we remove the float at the top of the tube?, if we were in outer space where things have mass but no weight then we could easily remove the float and replace the water which was displaced with almost no work involved in the process. Thus it would seem obvious to me the property which we need to change in the system is the construct of weight which is actually quite easy.


Consider the properties of the system at ground level and then in outer space then reproduce the properties of outer space as needed at ground level. I will let this roll around in our minds for a while and see if anyone here can find the solution before I give it to you.


AC