Abstract:

The objective of our investigation was to compare the performances of a venturi

meter and an orifice meter in measuring the flow rate of air using the pressure
differences recorded by the two. By measuring the pressure differences in the meters at
different levels of flow rates, we observed the inherent differences between the two
meters based on their structure. Both meters have a discharge coefficient, which relates
the actual flow rate of the fluid to that of the flow rate under ideal settings, such as no
pressure loss due to friction. The venturi meter had a discharge coefficient of while
the orifice meter had a discharge coefficient of for Reynolds number values in the
range of . The discharge coefficient was found by comparing the ideal flow rate which
was calculated by the use of the combination of the continuity and Bernoulli equations
to the actual flow rate which was measured by the anemometer.
Introduction:
The basis of many chemical engineering industries the is the flow a fluid in a
conduit of varying parameters, including size and material. The measure of flow rate is
critical in many industries, including ones concerning water supply and management of
wastewater. Meters are used to monitor the condition of the fluids in pipes and to
prevent and address any possible areas of rupture or tear.
The pressure changes in both meters is attributed to the the type of obstruction
these devices use in measuring head loss.
However, the equations for calculating the flow rate through the meters are the
same. The flow rate through both types of meters is given by Equation 1,
where
and
This equation explicitly uses only the measured pressure differences to calculate
the a flow rate that is ideal, since we are assuming air in our investigation acts like an
ideal gas and an incompressible fluid. The actual flow rates are given by the
measurements read on the anemometer for each investigation trial. Furthermore, the
discharge coefficients for both meters are functions of the appropriate Reynolds
numbers. The venturi meter's discharge coefficient is a function the the throat Reynolds
number while that of the orifice meter is a function of the inlet Reynolds numbers.
Experimental Procedure
In our investigation, we worked with a venturi flowmeter and an orifice flowmeter.
Before we began the investigation, we calculated the density of air using the air velocity
calculator and a hygrometer. At a room temperature of 23 degrees Celsius and a
relative humidity of 46%, the density of air was .059 lbs/ft^3. A variable autotransformer
was used to control the flow of air of a vacuum connected to the meters. We connected
the Magnehelic gauges to the meter in use, starting with the 0-5 in. H20 . We increased
the autotransformer setting from 20% to 100% in increments of 10% and changed the
gauge when necessary as the pressure differences increased. We recorded both the
pressure differences shown on the gauges as well as the air speeds measured by the
anemometer. We repeated the procedure for both flowmeters.
Results