No reason that this wouldn't work except for practicality. You'll have to displace more water than you have air to remove for it to work. It's basic fluid dynamics.
The difficulty as I see it would be the volume of air to be removed relative to the amount of water you are able to "drop". i.e. once you've pulled all the vacuum that you can with the water, it may not be enough to remove the air from the carbon/resin and produce a vacuum of sufficient quantity if at all.
In order to pull 1 atmosphere of vacuum with water you need 33 feet. Not very practical. Not sure I understand your description of the system, but as mentioned it must be closed.
It isn't that I doubt you, but how do you know that? Would a 33' coil work?
I'm considering a very small volume and considering using Luer lock, standard I.V. equipment. In fact, I was thinking of an i.v. bag on a pole.
