Faculty of Science & Engineering, Curtin University

LABORATORY INSTRUCTION SHEET LAB # 2

SUBMISSION SHEET FOR ASSESSED WORK

Unit:
Activity type:

Fluid Mechanics ENGR2000

Laboratory

Title of Activity:
(Lab-Experiments)
Credit for Activity: (20% of Unit)

STUDENT: NAME: ___________________

ID NUMBER:___________

DATE ACTIVITY CARRIED OUT: ______________________

DATE OF THIS SUBMISSION: ______________________
DECLRATION: Having read and understood Curtin Universitys policy on plagiarism
and collusion, I confirm that this submission is my own work; any other material
contained herein is clearly acknowledged.

Signed

Completed lab report must be submitted to assignment office at level 2 building 204, within 2
weeks of the date of the second lab session and that they will be assessed accordingly to the
marking scheme (attached in lab sheet # 2).
Please attach the completed lab sheet #1 and the Assessment Specification and Feedback
sheet to your lab report.

Attendance for Lab # 2

Signature of the Demonstrator.

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Faculty of Science & Engineering Curtin Engineering

Assessment Specification and Feedback
Fluid Mechanics ENGR2000

Unit: Fluid Mechanics ENGR2000

Title: Lab report
Activity: In these interactive assessment students learn to apply basic principles in Fluid Mechanics
to analyse the data obtained at various laboratory experiments.
For a detailed Assessment description and specification of work to be done see Laboratory briefing sheet on BlackBoard in
the area entitled Laboratory Notes

Item

Engineers Australia
competencies 1
and (if appropriate)
Level of Learning 2

Laboratory 1
Complete the
results and
Discussion

1.2 Conceptual
understanding
2.2 Use of techniques

1.4 Development &

Research

Introduction/
Background
Technical content
analysis, use of
theory

1.2 Conceptual
understanding
2.2 Use of techniques

Discussion of
results and
conclusions

1.2 Conceptual
understanding
3.2 Communication

Overall
presentation

3.2 Communication

Excellent standard

<

(meets all expectations

set out below)

Highest

Understanding of theory
evident. Discussed the
results. Results presented
in clear and appropriate
format.
Laboratory 2
Clear, concise and
appropriate writing style
Recognition of context
Interpretation of data
logical and correct.
Interpretations clearly
explained. Results stated
clearly.
Appropriate discussions
and conclusions drawn.
Conclusions sufficiently
detailed and linked back to
theory.
High quality presentation.
Structure figures, spelling
and syntax good.

Competency range

>
Lowest

< Unsatisfactory
standard
(fails to meet minimum
expected)

Poor understanding of
theory expressed.
Poor discussion

20%

No introduction. Limited
background information.
Irrelevant or wrong
information.

10%

Too many errors in data

interpretation. No
application of theory.
Results unclear.

30%

Discussion poorly
constructed. Conclusions
not explained & not
supported by data.

20%

Unacceptable
presentation. Badly
structured, poor quality of
English.

20%

Expected time required after completion of all necessary preparation to complete this assessment 10 hours of focused work.

Marker comments:

Overall Mark Awarded: . Marker: Date of return: ..

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Percentage
of
assessment

Assessment criteria and marking distribution and Engineers Australia competencies addressed
Value of the assessment based on the rubric provided below is 20% (of total unit assessment)
The total assessment mark awarded is made up of the marks awarded to each element assessed.
Each item of the assessment in the rubric shows the EA competencies (ENGINEERS AUSTRALIA Stage 1 competencies) to
be demonstrated. Level of learning (Levels of learning) is specified for those elements of the assignment when it is
appropriate.
Detailed guidelines and feedback
This detailed assessment rubric sets out assessment expectations so that you will be aware of the competencies to be
developed and the expected standards. This table will also be used for assessing your work to provide sufficient feedback
on how you performed against these standards. This sheet is NOT the assignment cover sheet.

Fluid Mechanics ENGR2000 Laboratory Session 2

Faculty of Science & Engineering, Curtin University

FLOW THROUGH PIPES

1. Introduction:
This experiment is designed to permit the study of flow in pipes, not only in each of the
laminar and turbulent regimes but also in the transitional regime between laminar and
turbulent flow. The pressure gradient in the pipe will be measured and the pipes friction
factor evaluated for different flow rates.
2. Objectives
Identify typical values of Reynolds Number for the laminar, transitional and
turbulent regimes of flow in a pipe with a circular cross-section.
Understand the friction concept applied in pipe flow and obtain the friction factor
(denoted f or ) for a range of different flows.
Demonstrate abilities in data-collection, analysis and interpretation in experimental
work.
3. Apparatus
The apparatus used in this lab for the measurement of friction loss is a small horizontal pipe
of nominal diameter 3 mm. Figure 1 shows the arrangement in which water from a supply
tank is led through a flexible hose to the bell-mouthed entrance to a straight pipe, along which
the frictional loss will be measured. Piezometer tappings exist at an upstream section which
lies approximately 45 pipe diameters away from the pipe entrance, and at a downstream
section which lies approximately 40 pipe diameters away from the pipe exit. These clear
lengths upstream and downstream of the test section are required to prevent the results from
being affected by disturbances near the entrance and exit of the pipe. The piezometer tappings
are connected to an inverted U-tube manometer, which reads the differential pressure. The
rate of flow along the pipe is measured by timing the collection of water in a measuring
cylinder.

Figure 1. Laboratory equipment for the study of flow through a pipe

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Fluid Mechanics ENGR2000 Laboratory Session 2

Faculty of Science & Engineering, Curtin University

4. Procedure
Refer to the equipment layout shown in Figures 5 and 6 in the Appendix.
First check that the apparatus is leveled so that the manometers stand vertically. Because of
the large range of head differences, the readings are taken in two sets: those for lower flow
rates with the water manometer, and those for high flow rates using the mercury manometer.
In total, take 30 readings to cover the laminar, transitional and turbulent flow regimes as
follows.
4.1 Water Manometer Readings (Readings 1-12)

Open the bench supply valve and adjust until there is a steady flow down the supply
tank overflow pipe.
Turn the isolating tap to read the water manometer.
Use the needle valve to regulate the flow rates through the pipe so that your 12
readings cover the full extent of flow rates. Start from a low flow rate.
Take the readings of water manometer h1 and h2.
Collect a suitable quantity of water in measuring cylinder and record the time taken
for the collection. During this operation care should be taken to
(i) ensure that the flow pipe exit is never below the surface of the water in the
measuring cylinder, and
(ii) stand the measuring cylinder below the apparatus
Failure to meet these conditions will result in inaccurate flow rate reading, especially
at the lower flow rates.

These readings should cover the whole of the laminar and transitional regions of pipe flow in
the pipe.
4.2 Mercury Manometer Readings (Readings 13-30)

The water supply to the pipe is now directly from the bench supply instead of the
elevated tank. (This allows higher flow rates.)
Isolate the water manometer by turning the isolating tap to read the mercury
manometer
Turn off the needle valve (to stop the flow) to check that mercury levels in the two
branches of the manometer are level.
Use the needle valve to regulate the flow rate in the pipe. Small head difference should
correspond to the transitional flow. It is advisable to overlap the first few mercury
manometer readings with those of water manometer readings in Section 4.1 above.
Take the readings of mercury manometers h1 and h2.
Calculate the flow rates in the same way that you did for water-manometer cases.

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Faculty of Science & Engineering, Curtin University

Fluid Mechanics ENGR2000 Laboratory Session 2

5. Data Collection and Results

5.1 Properties of water, mercury and pipe
Density of water (kg/m3)
Dynamic viscosity of water at 200C (N.s/m2)
Diameter of pipe (mm)
Length of pipe between piezometer tappings (mm)
Roughness height of pipe-wall material, (mm)
Density of mercury (kg/m3)

1,000
1.00210-3
3
524
0.0015
13,500

5.2 Data-collection Sheets

For each test, record the quantity (Qty) of water collected, the time taken, t, to collect this
and the values of h1 and h2; thereafter, determine the remaining values in the table (use the
formulae provided in the Appendix)
Water Manometer Readings
Test No.

Qty
(ml)

t
(s)

Flow rate,
Q (m3/s)

(m/s)

h1
(mm)

h2
(mm)

Hydraulic
gradient, i

Flow rate
(m3/s)

V
(m/s)

h1
(mm)

h2
(mm)

Hydraulic
gradient, i

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Mercury Manometer Readings
Test No.

Qty
(ml)

(s)

13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
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Faculty of Science & Engineering, Curtin University

Fluid Mechanics ENGR2000 Laboratory Session 2

24
25
26
27
28
29
30

5.3 Results Sheet

Transfer your results for hydraulic gradient and mean velocity into the table below and then
calculate the Reynolds number and friction factor for each test (use the formulae provided in
the Appendix).
Test No.

Hydraulic
gradient, i

V (m/s)

Reynolds number,
Re

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30

Page 6 of 12

Friction factor, f

Fluid Mechanics ENGR2000 Laboratory Session 2

Faculty of Science & Engineering, Curtin University

6.1 Analysis and Report

For the analysis,
1. Plot hydraulic gradient, i, against the mean velocity of the flow, V , and identify the
flow-speed regions of laminar and turbulent flow.
2. Identify the range of Reynolds number in the transition zone.
3. Plot the friction factor, f, at its value of Reynolds number, for each tests, on the
Moody chart (Figure 7). For the turbulent range of Reynolds numbers, use value of the
equivalent roughness / D , to find where the Moody chart predicts the value of f to
lie.
In your report you should provide an introduction, background and description of the
experimental method followed by your results. In the discussion of your results, you should
compare and contrast your results with the predictions of the Moody chart for (i) range of
Reynolds numbers for the laminar, transitional and turbulent regimes of flow, and (ii) the
values of friction factor measured.

Page 7 of 12

Faculty of Science & Engineering, Curtin University

Fluid Mechanics ENGR2000 Laboratory Session 2

APPENDIX:
Formulae and Figures 2-7
A1. Useful formulae for the analysis of pipe flows
The head loss due to friction can be calculated using Darcy-Weisbach equation:

LV 2
D 2g

(Eq 1)

i=

hL
V2
= f
2 Dg
L

(Eq 2 )

i=

(h1 h2 )
L

(Eq 3 )

hL = f
Hydraulic gradient

For Water manometer:

where the units of h1, h2 and L are the same.

For mercury manometer:

i=

(h1 h2 )(13.5 1)
L

(Eq 4)

where the units of h1, h2 and L are the same.

The friction factor () (or in some references) in laminar flow can be determined
theoretically as:
64
(Eq 5)
f = =
Re

The friction factor () in turbulent flow can be determined theoretically as

0.316
f = =
1/ 4
Re

(Eq 6)

that is called the Blasius formula

In the above, the Reynolds is defined as

Re =

VD

(Eq 7)

where = kinematic viscosity (= /).

Symbols:

f or = friction factor
V = Mean velocity over a cross-section: V= Q/A, where Q = flow rate and
A = pipe cross sectional area.
D = Internal diameter of the pipe
L = Distance between two piezometer points

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Fluid Mechanics 230 Laboratory Session 2

A2. Figures 2-7

Figure 2. Typical laminar flow

Figure 3. Typical turbulent flow

Figure 4. Typical Velocity profile (Laminar flow)

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Fluid Mechanics 230 Laboratory Session 2

Figure 5. Diagrammatic arrangement of the apparatus

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Fluid Mechanics 230 Laboratory Session 2

Air valve

Water manometer

Mercury U-tube
Testing pipe

Figure 6. General layout of the pipe friction apparatus

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Fluid Mechanics 230 Laboratory Session 2

Fig. 7: Moody diagram

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