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Figure 11-30 shows a simple device called a Venturi meter for measuring fluid velocity in a gas such as air. When gas
passes from left to right through the horizontal pipe, it speeds up as it passes through the constriction at point 2.
Bernoulli’s principle tells us that the gas pressure must be lower at point 2 than at
point 1, and the pressure difference causes the liquid in the U-tube to drop on the A1 v2
left-hand side and rise on the right-hand side. Suppose the gas is air (density
1.20 kg>m3) that enters the left-hand side of the Venturi meter at 25.0 m>s. The A2
v1
horizontal tube has cross-sectional area 2.00 cm2 at point 1 and cross-sectional
area 1.00 cm2 at point 2. If the liquid in the U-tube is water, what is the difference 1 2
in height between the water columns on the left-hand and right-hand sides of the
tube?
Figure 11-30 A Venturi meter A Venturi meter, or flow meter, can be used to measure the flow
speed of a gas.
Set Up
In this problem there are two fluids, the air Bernoulli’s equation: relate properties of air
here and here
that flows through the horizontal pipe and the 1
water in the U-tube. Hence we’ll use Bernoulli’s p + rv 2 + rgy = a constant
2
equation twice: once to relate the moving air at (11-27)
point 1 to the moving air at point 2, and once 1 2
to relate the heights of the water on the two Equation of continuity for steady
sides of the U-tube (which is what we’re trying flow of an incompressible fluid: relate properties
to find). We’ll also use the equation of continu- of water
ity to relate the speeds of the air at points 1 A1v1 = A2v2 (11-19) here and
here
and 2.
Solve
We need to find the difference in air pressure Bernoulli’s equation for the air at points 1 and 2:
at points 1 and 2, since this is what causes the
1 1
difference in height of the water on the two p1 + r v 21 + rair gy1 = p2 + rair v 22 + rair gy2
sides of the U-tube. Find this difference using 2 air 2
Bernoulli’s equation and the equation of conti-
nuity applied to the air in the horizontal pipe, At the center of the horizontal pipe, y1 = y2, so
keeping in mind that we know the values of v1, 1 1
A1, and A2. p1 + rair v 21 = p2 + rair v 22
2 2
1 1
p1 - p2 = rair v 22 - rair v 21
2 2
Reflect
This height difference is large enough to easily Additional pressure difference between the tops of the two water
measure, so the Venturi meter is a practical columns due to the extra weight of air on the left-hand side:
device.
rair g1ywater, 2 - ywater, 1 2 = 11.20 kg>m3 2 19.80 m>s 2 2 10.115 m2
We made an approximation in our solution
that the pressure difference between points 1 = 1.35 kg> 1m # s 2 2 = 1.35 N>m2
and 2 within the horizontal pipe is the same as This is 0.12% of the pressure difference calculated above
the pressure difference between the two water (p1 - p2 = 1.13 * 103 N>m2), so we can neglect it.
columns. This isn’t exactly correct, because
there is a greater weight of air above the col-
umn on the left-hand side. However, the result-
ing additional pressure difference is so small
that we can ignore it.