University of Technology, Sydney

Faculty of Engineering

48641 Fluid Mechanics

Laboratory 2

Pipe Flow Measurement Experiment

Hassan Makkouk 10106007

Mouhamed El Omar 10041376
George Mkari 10365498
Andrew Taouk 10324263

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 Pipe Flow Measurement Experiment

Aim of Experiment:

The aim of this experiment is to observe the key elements of flow in a pipe,
such as flow velocity and friction losses, and most importantly, to verify the
principles set forth by Bernoulli.

Necessary Equipment:

 Measuring Tank
 Leads
 Tubes
 Bucket
 Stopwatch
 Retort Stand
 Scales

Required Background Information:

The Bernoulli equation states that the pressure and the velocity of a fluid that
flows between two points in space with a certain difference is elevation will
vary, and hence vicariously, the possessed energies will vary too. However,
when energy is discussed and introduced as a separate element, one must
consider the fact that energy can not be created or lost (according to the laws
of conservation of energy), thus the energy is used to overcome friction in the
area of flow.

2 2
P0 V0 P V
(   z 0 )  ( 1  1  z1 )  hloss
g 2 g g 2 g

Where,

P = pressure
V = flow velocity
ρ = fluid density
z = height above the datum
g = gravity (9.81 m2/s)

And h loss = h entrance + h friction,

2
v2 l v
Where h entrance = k ,h friction = f 
2g  d  2g

Another factor that can be analysed is the type of flow, i.e. turbulent of
laminar. In any event, these flows can be defined by Reynolds number:

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 VL
Re 

Where,
ρ = density
V = velocity
L = length
μ = viscosity

When the Reynolds Number for a flow is higher than the critical Reynolds
number (Rec), then the flow is considered turbulent, otherwise, the flow is
considered laminar.
VD
In our case, Rec is in the range 2000 – 3000 and Re = 
, where D is the
diameter of our circular pipe.

Experimental Setup:

Prior to entering the lab, the lab instructor had been set up the measuring
tanks, and subsequent pipes and tubes in a precise predetermined order as
shown in the figure above.

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Experimental Method

1- Set up the apparatus

2- Measure flow at different height levels, and hence the type of flow i.e.
laminar or turbulent.
3- Using a bucket and stopwatch, measure the amount of water that is
displaced into the bucket during a 15 second time frame by using a
scale.
4- Calculate a theoretical flow rate, and hence compare it to the flow rate
obtained from the bucket and stopwatch method

Results and Calculation

ZE H Y1 Y2 Y3 Y4 Y5
T Total Weight
Q (L/s)
(mm) (seconds) (kg)

2600 790 256 340 425 504 585 15 3.653 0.244

2200 1190 290 433 577 715 851 15 4.87 0.325

1700 1690 350 555 770 975 1175 15 6.253 0.417

1400 1990 385 634 892 1382 1382 15 7.72 0.515

X1 (m) 0.46 ρ 1000 C.S.A 0.000283529

X2 (m) 2 μ 0.001

X3 (m) 1.945 g 9.81

X4 (m) 2.015 Pipe Diameter (m) 0.019

X5 (m) 2.03 K 0.5

X total (m) 8.45 f (assumed) 0.015

f V Q
Pipe V (assumed) Re (calc) Re (new) Q (measured)
(new) (new) (calc)

1 1.377285715 2.62E+04 0.0248 1.112 2.11E+04 0.315 0.244

2 1.69037857 3.21E+04 0.0237 1.393 2.65E+04 0.395 0.325

3 2.014437743 3.83E+04 0.0225 1.698 3.23E+04 0.481 0.417

4 2.185933953 4.15E+04 0.0219 1.864 3.54E+04 0.528 0.515

Calculation Steps:

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 2 gH
V (assumed) = .
1  K  f (l / d )
For pipe 1, H = 790, K = 0.5 (assumed), f = 0.015 (assumed), l = 8.45m and d
= 0.019m. Putting all of out assumed and known values into the equation
gives V (assumed) = 1.377285715.

Now that we have a value for velocity, we can find a value for Reynolds
VD
number. Re = 
, where v = 1.377285715 (assumed),  =1000, D =
0.019m, and μ = 0.001. Putting these values into our equation gives Re =
2.62E+04. From the moody diagram, we can see that this value for Re gives
us a corresponding value of f that is not equal to 0.015 as we had previously
assumed, therefore we must find a new value for f based on our Re value,
and re-evaluate it until Re gives us a non-changing value for f.

After 3 iterations, I found a value for f = 0.0248, which in turn gave me a value
for V = 1.112m/s.

Knowing that Q = V x A, our obtained theoretical flow was equal to 0.315 l/s,
which a fair agreement with our measured Q of 0.244 l/s.

I obtained results using an excel spreadsheet, and a similar technique to that

displayed above.

Summary of Results:

Q (calc) Q (measured) Agreement

0.315 0.244 average

0.395 0.325 good

0.481 0.417 good

0.528 0.515 very good

Verification of Results

We can verify our results by analyzing the piezometric drop between two
adjacent pipes, and hence seeing if our assumed value for f is correct, and we
can do this by looking at our equation for loss due to friction.

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 2
 l V
We know that the h loss = f   , therefore, between piezometer tubes Y1
 d  2g
and Y2 of pipe 4, f = 0.0219, l = 2-0.46m = 1.54m, d = 0.019, V = 1.864, and g
= 9.81.
Putting all of these values into the equation for loss, we get a calculated h loss
value of 315 mm. Our measured h loss was 249mm, which is not a bad
agreement, but indicates that our value for f may be a bit high.

Discussion

Usefulness of Experiment and real life application

This is experiment was useful as it demonstrated the effect that friction and
elevation had on pipe flow. Based on our results, we know that the higher the
elevation of a pipe’s exit, the lower the flow compared to that of a pipe’s exit
with a lower elevation. We also know that the friction of the internal surface of
a pipe plays a huge role in energy and flow loss.

Being civil engineers, pipe flow and design are very important to us, as we
need to design pipelines for fuel and stormwater systems, and well as
concrete pumping systems. Therefore, an important lesson we can learn from
this lab is that, in order to minimise friction loss, we must use materials with
lower coefficients of friction, as well as the elevation and grade of our pipe.

This lab would also be important to fire engineers when it comes to designing
pipe sprinkler systems in buildings.

Accuracy of Results and Agreement with Calculation (possible errors)

Most of our calculated results had good agreements with our measured
results; however, other results were not giving agreements that were as good.
A possible reason for this is human error.

Possible errors that could have occurred are data recording and processing
errors, but most importantly, errors in obtaining the data.

In this experiment, flow was measured with a bucket and stopwatch by

inexperienced students, which may have played and extremely vital role in
obtaining accurate results. Also, the distances between the pipes was
measured with a measuring tape, and considering the pipe was curved, it was
not easy for an inexperienced student to obtain an accurate answer for length
of a pipe, therefore results for Q, and results for l may have been incorrect or
inaccurate, hence giving a conflicting relationship between measured and
calculated results.

Another error that may have happened is the drop or rise in flow rate from one
part of the apparatus to the other.

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Possible ways to improve the accuracy of the experiments are attach
computer-based sensors to the pipes so that accurate and simultaneous
results are recorded, and also to calibrate the devices between recordings.