EXPERIMENT 2

Flow Measurement
OBJECTIVE
1. To demonstrate the characteristics of several different commonly used methods of
measuring fluids flow rates.
2. To determine the coefficient of discharge and pressure loss of the measuring equipment.

SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
Since most of the apparatus is made from plastic and glass, care must be taken not to subject the
system to excessive pressure. At no time should the pressure indicated by the pressure gauge
(mounted on the center panel) be allowed to exceed 5 lb/in
2
(about 1/3 bar).

All flow rates up to the maximum capacity of the pump (more than 2m
3
/hour) can be achieved
without exceeding this pressure by adjusting only valve A (by-pass valve) and keeping valves B
and C fully open at all times.

INTRODUCTION
Water from the storage tank (Figure) is pumped through a number of flow-measuring devices
before returning to the storage tank. The following types of meter will be studied during the
experiment.
1. Variable-area meter (Rotameter): The tube is inscribed with a linear scale that has been
calibrated in m
3
/hour (details are given later). This is used as the standard by which the
other meters are calibrated.
2. Venturi Meter: The flow rate can be calculated from the induced pressure drop, measured
by a manometer.
3. Orifice Meter: The flow rate can be calculated from the induced pressure drop, measured
by a manometer.
4. V-Notch Weir: By measuring the change in height of the water surface above the bottom
of the V-notch, the flow rate of water may be estimated.

START-UP PROCEDURE
(Under the supervision of the supervisor or demonstrator.)
Steps 1 to 4 must be completed before starting the pump
1. The water levels checked in the manometers-it will be the same levels (i.e. at the zero
value of the scale). Opening and closing the valves connected to the manometer after
Step 7 is completed does the necessary adjustment.
2. Valves A and B closed- the centrifugal pump must NOT be started with any delivery
lines open, because this could overload the motor.
3. The pressure gauge valve and valve C is closed.
4. Valve D is opened.
5. The pump for 5 to 10 seconds switched on. Valve slowly is opened to the maximum.
6. Valve A is opened to the maximum. The pressure gauge valve is opened as well.
7. The water is circulated at its maximum flow rate (about 3000 litres/hour): this rate
maintained until air pockets have been cleared from the system.
SHUT DOWN PRESSURE
(Under the supervision the supervisor or demonstrator)
The pressure gauge valve and valve C is closed. Valve A and B is closed together. The pump is
turned off.
ADJUSTMENT OF THE FLOW RATE:
To get lower flow rates, both valve A and valve C is adjusted. This is an unusual way of varying
the flow rate, used solely for safety reasons. The more usual method would by adjustment of
valve B on the main line, but in this experiment, valve B must be fully open while the pump is
operation.
DETAILS OF THE METERS:
The parts of this section in boxes refer measurement that will be taken during the experiment.
1. Variable-Area Meter (Rotameter) the principle of this meter is described briefly by
Coulson and Richardson (reference 1, pages 227-230)
Equation (1),

where
Co = coefficient of discharge
h = differential head across the meter, measured in length units of fluid flowing = (h
1
-h
2
)
K = A
1
/A
2

A
1
= cross-sectional area of the pipe at the upstream tapping 1
A
0
= cross-sectional area of the throat or orifice
The data needed for the calculating A0 and A1 are as follow:
Venturi Orifice
Inside diameter at tapping 1, mm 48.8 51.6
Diameter of throat or orifice, mm 20.2 17.9
Re-arranging equation (1) gives C
D
= (

) (

) Equation (2),
When Q is plotted against the points should lie on or scatter a straight line passing through
the origin. The slope of this is , and as quantities in the second bracket are constant.


(

) Equation (3),
C
D
is dimensions (just below one for the venture and just above 0.6 for the Orifice), so make sure
that units Q
1
, h, A
1
and used in the calculation are consistent. The manometer fitted are
of the inverted type (see reference 1, pages 209), so h is obtained directly as the difference
between the manometer heights for tappings 1 and 2. The difference between tappings 1 and 3
gives the overall pressure loss of the meter.
For each flow rate (the value being obtained from the rotameter) record he manometer heights
for tapping 1,2 and 3, and estimate the error in reading the height. Note that the manometer
scales are in cm and mm; record the reading in the height.