LAB REPORT

EXPERIMENT # 3

HEAD LOSS IN PIPES

PNGE 211: AN INTRODUCTION TO FLUID MECHANICS

Made By: Nabeel Ahmed Khan

Submitted To: Doruk Alp

Date of Submission: 13/05/16

AIM OF THE EXPERIMENT
The aim of the experiment is to find the friction factor and the minor and major head loss in three
different types of flow pipes including Long Pipes, Expansion and constriction pipes and elbow.

THEORY
Viscosity of a fluid is its resistance that is produced when the fluid flows. It is based on the Reynold`s
number and is given by the following ratio

𝜌𝑉𝐷
𝑅𝑒 =
𝜇

Where, 𝑅𝑒 is the Reynold`s Number, 𝜌 is the density, 𝑉is the Velocity , 𝐷 is the Diameter and 𝜇 is the
viscosity of the fluid .

The major head loss is given by the following equation h major = f(L/D) (V2/2g)

The minor head loss is given by the following equation h minor = Σ K (V2/2g)

Where f is the friction coefficient, L is the length of the pipe, D is the Diameter, V is the velocity of the
fluid, g is the gravitational acceleration constant and K is the loss coefficient.

EQUIPMENTS TO BE USED
The system is set on the hydraulic bench in order to make use of water supply and volumetric
measurement facilities of the bench. It involves a long pipe for major head loss, an expansion and a
constriction pipe and an elbow for minor head losses. The pipes are connected to manometer so as to
give the pressure difference between the pipes.

The equipment is shown in figure 1.The fig 2 gives the labeled details of the experimental setup.

There were some safety precautions that had to be followed as well. Since the experiment involves the
use of electricity, we needed to ensure that the experiment never comes in contact with water as it
might lead to an electric shock. Moreover, we needed to make sure that we didn’t use the submergible
pump with the tank empty. All changes in the experimental design or procedure, if made, had to be
supervised by the lab assistant.
Figure 1 Experimental Setup

Figure 2 Diagrammatic Representation of the Experimental Setup

 PROCEDURE

The experiment involves a known flow of water through long and small pipes to observe the head
losses. We first tried to calibrate the experimental setup before beginning. This was done by removing
air bubbles from the linings of the tubes connecting the manometer and the pipes. This was followed by
connecting the manometers to the long pipe and setting the flow rate in the rotameter to the required
values and then the change in the height of manometers was observed in the manometers. This was
followed by noting the time it takes to fill 10 liters of water in the empty tank.

We had to repeat the same procedure using the other pipes. The values of the diameter and the length
of the pipes are given in the lab manual. We would find the head losses using the above given equations.

OBSERVATION AND CALCULATIONS

LONG PIPE
FLOW CHANGE IN CHANGE VELOCITY REYNOLD EXPERIMENT BLASIUS H major
RATE HEIGHT IN (m/s) `S FRICTION FRICTION (m)
(m3/s) (m) PRESSURE NUMBER COEFFICIEN(f) COEFFICIEN
× 10-4 (Pa) (fblasius)
4.44 0.16 1569.6 1.96 33320 0.0170 0.0234 0.0159
3.88 0.14 1373.4 1.71 29070 0.0199 0.0242 0.0140
3.33 0.11 1079.1 1.47 24990 0.0212 0.0252 0.0110
2.78 0.08 784.8 1.22 20740 0.0220 0.0264 0.0080
2.22 0.05 490.5 0.98 16660 0.0217 0.0278 0.0050

UNITS CONVERSIONS AND CALCULATIONS

Flow rate in L/h is converted to m3/s by multiplying by 2.7778 ×10-7

Change in pressure = ρg(∆h) where ρ is the density of water that is 1000kg/m3, g is the gravitational
acceleration constant and ∆h is the change in height in meters.
𝜌𝑉𝐷
Reynold`s number 𝑅𝑒 = 𝜇
, D is the diameter (0.017m), 𝜇 is 1×10-3kg·m−1·s−1.

Velocity = (Flow rate/ Area ); area is 2.27×10-4 m2

Experiment friction coefficient(f)= (∆p/ρ)(D/L)(2/V2) , L is the length of the pipe (0.8m)

Fblasius = 0.3164/Re1/4

hmajor = f(L/D) (V2/2g)

 LONG PIPE
REYNOLD`S EXPERIMENT BLASIUS MOODY`S % error % error
NUMBER FRICTION FRICTION FRICTION (fBlasius–f)/ (f Moody`s –f)/
COEFFICIEN(f) COEFFICIEN COEFFICIEN fBlasius f Moody`s
(f Blasius) (f Moody`s)

33320 0.0170 0.0234 0.023 27.4 26.1

29070 0.0199 0.0242 0.025 17.8 20.4
24990 0.0212 0.0252 0.027 15.9 21.5
20740 0.0220 0.0264 0.028 16.7 21.4
16660 0.0217 0.0278 0.029 21.9 25.2

f Moody`s is the value of the friction coefficient that is read from the Moody`s chart at the particular values
of the Re No.

UNITS CONVERSIONS AND CALCULATIONS FOR EXPANSION AND CONTRACTION PIPES

EXPANSION PIPE
FLOW RATE VELOCITY REYNOLD`S CHANGE CHANGE FRICTION BLASIUS K H
NUMBER IN IN COEFFICIENT FRICTION MINOR
HEIGHT PRESSURE F COEFFICIENT (m)
(m) (Pa) (FBLASIUS)
Inlet 4.44 1.96 19880 0.08 784.8 0.0454 0.027 3.2 0.08
Outlet 4.44 0.70
inlet 3.88 1.71 17324 0.06 588.6 0.043 0.028 3.2 0.06
outlet 3.88 0.61
inlet 3.33 1.47 15052 0.05 490.5 0.047 0.029 3.2 0.046
outlet 3.33 0.53
inlet 2.78 1.22 12496 0.035 343.3 0.048 0.030 3.2 0.032
outlet 2.78 0.44
inlet 2.22 0.98 9940 0.02 196.2 0.044 0.032 3.2 0.02
outlet 2.22 0.35
Flow rate in L/h is converted to m3/s by multiplying by 2.7778 ×10-7

Change in pressure = ρg(∆h) where ρ is the density of water that is 1000kg/m3, g is the gravitational
acceleration constant and ∆h is the change in height in meters.
𝜌𝑉𝐷
Reynold`s number 𝑅𝑒 = 𝜇
, D is the diameter(Dis 0.0284 , 𝜇 is 1×10-3kg·m−1·s−1).

Velocity = (Flow rate/ Area ); inlet area is 2.27×10-4 m2 ,outlet area is 6.33 ×10-4 m2

Experiment friction coefficient(f) = (∆p/ρ)(D/L)(2/V2) , L is the length of the pipe (0.125m)

Fblasius = 0.3164/Re1/4

K is the loss coefficient given as K = (D22/D12 -1)2 where D2 is greater than D1

 CONSTRICTION PIPE
FLOW RATE VELOCITY REYNOLD`S CHANGE CHANGE FRICTION BLASIUS K H
NUMBER IN IN COEFFICIENT FRICTION MINOR
HEIGHT PRESSURE F COEFFICIENT (m)
(m) (Pa) (FBLASIUS)
Inlet 4.44 0.70 33320 0.24 2354 0.28 0.0234 6.46 1.3
Outlet 4.44 1.96
inlet 3.88 0.61 29070 0.20 1962 0.30 0.0242 6.47 0.96
outlet 3.88 1.71
inlet 3.33 0.53 24990 0.15 1471.5 0.31 0.0252 6.48 0.71
outlet 3.33 1.47
inlet 2.78 0.44 20740 0.10 981 0.30 0.026 6.47 0.49
outlet 2.78 1.22
inlet 2.22 0.35 16660 0.0650 638 0.30 0.028 7.67 0.375
outlet 2.22 0.98
Flow rate in L/h is converted to m3/s by multiplying by 2.7778 ×10-7

Change in pressure = ρg(∆h) where ρ is the density of water that is 1000kg/m3, g is the gravitational
acceleration constant and ∆h is the change in height in meters.
𝜌𝑉𝐷
Reynold`s number 𝑅𝑒 = 𝜇
, D is the diameter( D is 0.017m , 𝜇 is 1×10-3kg·m−1·s−1.)

Velocity = (Flow rate/ Area ); inlet area is 2.27×10-4 m2 ,outlet area is 6.33 ×10-4 m2

Experiment friction coefficient(f) = (∆p/ρ)(D/L)(2/V2) , L is the length of the pipe (0.125m)

K is the loss coefficient given as K = (H2-H1)(2g/V22)+6.34

h minor = K (V2/2g)

ELBOW PIPE (readings)

FLOW RATE MANOMETER HEIGHT(1) /m MANOMETER HEIGHT(2) /m

4.44 60 96
3.88 66 94
3.33 71 92
2.78 75 90
2.22 79 89
The readings for the elbow pipe were taken by connected the manometer tubes to the elbow and setting
the rotameter as we had set for other pipes.
Figure 3 Moody`s Chart

Experimental Friciton Coefficient Vs

Reynold`s Number
0.0225
Friction Coeffiicient (f)

0.022
0.0215
0.021
0.0205
0.02
0.0195
0 5000 10000 15000 20000 25000 30000 35000
Reynolds Number

The graph shows that generally with the increase in Reynolds number, the friction in the long pipe
decreases.

CONCLUSIONS
The values for friction that we obtained for the long pipe are almost consistent with the values in the
literature(Moody`s Chart). We learned through this experiment that there is an head loss in each pipe
due to internal friction of the pipes. The experiment is accurate and gives us a good idea of the head loss
in pipes.