CH2052 – TRANSPORT PHENOMENA

Flow Measurements

NAME : - VIDANAGE P.W.

INDEX NO. : - 090535B
COURSE : - B.Sc. Eng - S2
DATE OF SUB : - 17/11/2010

1
ABSTRACT

The objective of this experiment is to study the fluid flow through Ventury meter
and Orifice plate. From the experimental results we can find out the head losses through
each of that. With the use of that value we can determine Coefficients of discharge for
each Ventury meter and Orifice plate.
Since these two components are widely used in fluid flow systems to measure the
flow rate we can use those values to calculate the actual flow rates because by measuring
the pressure differences at two points with different cross sectional areas we can calculate
only the theoretical value of discharge.
The major results of the experiment are the coefficients of discharge and the
amount of head losses in each component. With the use of the values we can determine
how the applications of each of these on the system.From the results we obtained we can
calibrate Ventury meter and Orifice plate and use them in the practical applications to
measure the Finally we can conclude that orifice plate has a lower coefficient of
discharge and higher head loss.Ventury meter has higher coefficient of discharge and
lower head loss. But the Orifice plate is easy to apply to a given system. Selection
between these two depends on the application considering the head loss and the rate of
the flow.

2
OBJECTIVE AND INTRODUCTION

Place your objective and introduction here. State the objective clearly in a complete
sentence. A few explanatory sentences may be included, if needed.

The objectives
• Determination of CD value of the orifice plate.

• Determination of head loss through the venturimeter.

• Comparing energy losses

The introduction

Accurately calibrated glass Ventury meters are used to calculated blood

flow in vessels. Since the flow rate should be sensitive and highly accurate this
method is prefer.
Ventury meters are mostly used in the fluid flow systems where the large
flow of volumes with low pressure drops. This doesn’t content any moving part
and can be installed to the system using flanges, welding or threads. The
advantage of this is that we can use this in the systems with liquids containing
solid particles like slurries.
Orifice plate is a popular device which can be installed in between two
flanges. The cost doesn’t increase with significantly with the size of the tube. This
is a plate containing a sharp edged circular hole . There are different kinds of
Orifice plates (Concentric, Eccentric, Segmented).Orifice plate may require a
gasket to prevent leakage.Gas like matter will be trapped by the orifice plate while
those will be passed through vebtury tube.

3
 THEORY AND EXPERIMENTAL METHODS

THEORY

1. Orifice plate

(01)
(02) (03)

Upstream pipe diameter (D1) = 35 mm

Orifice diameter( D2) = 19mm

Pressure head p
Velocity head v
PesometricHead Z

“
Bernoulli’s equation is applied from (1) to (2)
2 2
P1 V1 P V
+ + Z1 = 2 + 2 + Z 2
ρg 2 g ρg 2 g
Since the potential energy remains unchanged,
2 2
P1 − P2 V2 − V1
=
ρg 2g
According to the continuity of the flow
A1V1=A2V2
A1
V2 = V1
A2 ”

4
 2( ( P1 − P2 ) )
Qtheoretica l = A1 .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..Eq n (1)
 2

ρ  A1 A  − 1
 2 
Lab manual

However Q real and Q theoretical values are different.

Qactual = C d ×Qtheoretica l .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..... Eq n

Lab manual

Determination of the CD of orifice plate graphically

1/2
∆P67
Pa

gradient

Q real m3/s

5
 2. Ventury Meter

(1) (2) (3)

Assumptions
• Stream lines are parallel to the from (1) to (3) cross sections.
• The fluid is incompressible and inviscied
• Gravity effects are neglected
• There are no shear or viscose forces acting

Pressure head p
Velocity head v
PesometricHead Z

Bernoulli’s equation is applied from (1) to (2)

2 2
P1 V1 P V
+ + Z1 = 2 + 2 + Z 2
ρg 2 g ρg 2 g

6
Since the potential energy remains unchanged,
2 2
P1 − P2 V2 − V1
=
ρg 2g
According to the continuity of the flow
A1V1=A2V2
A
V2 = 1 V1
A2

2( ( P1 − P2 ) )
Qtheoretica l = A1 .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..Eq n (1)
 2

ρ  A1 A  − 1
 2 
Lab manual

However Q real and Q theoretical values are different.

Qactual = C d ×Qtheoretica l .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..... Eq n

Lab manual

Considering the head loss of the Ventury meter

Applying the Bernoulli Eqn from 1 to 2

2 2
P1 V1 P V
+ + Z 1 = 2 + 2 + Z 2 + HL
ρg 2 g ρg 2 g

Since
Z1 = Z 2

(gravity effects are neglected)

……..………………..Eqn(3)

7
 Experimental Method

Experimental Setup

1. Outlet pipe
2. Flow control valve (VCC)
3. Orifice plate
4. Air inlet valve ( to be
connected to the hand
pump)
5. Variable area flow meter
6. Eight bank manometer
7. Venturi meter
8. Pressure trapping

FME18 manufactured by Edibon International

”
Lab manual

Water is pumped to the system with the use of external pump.From

variable area of the flow meter we can detect the rate of flow and that can
be controlled by the VCC.Eight bank manometer contains vertical glass
tubes which are connected to various points which can be used to measure
the pressure head at those points.

8
 “ Procedure

1. valves of all manometric tubes were closed,

2. the pump valve (VC) and flow control valve of the equipment (VCC) were closed.
3. the tap was totally opend and VCC was gradually opend
4. While VCC is being opened, carefully valves of required manometric tubes were
opend (e.g. 6 and 7 for orifice plate flow measurements)
5. As the water levels of manometric tubes rises, it was controled by using the hand
pump
6. the flow rate was maintained at 30 l/min while keeping the water levels of
manometric tubes at appropriate levels
7. the flow rate was Changed from 10-30 l/min using the flow control valve (VCC)
and measure the corresponding

9
 8. manometer values (P6 and P7) ”
Lab manual

Precautions
If there are air bubbles in the flow we have to wait until all the air bubbles
are gone with the water before get the manometer reading.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

1. Determination of CD value of the orifice plate

Table .01 Qactual Vs

Qactual

0.00050 18.1384
0.00042 14.5602
0.00033 11.3578
0.00025 9.3274
0.00017 5.6569
0.00008 0.0000

Graph .01 Qactual Vs

10
Slope = 0.00003

= 0.29

Since the slope of the curve is proportional to the it can be seene that at the
lower flow rates decrease for a little range and increase. But after the flow rates exceed
about 10 m3/s it shows a linear behavior.
The slope was calculated by using the “Slope” function in the Ms
Excel.Calculated value for the is .29 but according to the literature values it must be
about .65.This experimental errors may have caused this variation. Though the water
flow was assumed to be steady some leakages were observed practically. This has caused
a considerable loss in the fluid flow at the orifice plate.

2. Determination of head loss through the venturimeter.

Table .02 Q actual Vs Head Losstheoratical

11
 Qactual Head Losstheoratical m

0.00050 0.1864
0.00042 0.1664
0.00033 0.1162
0.00025 0.0716
0.00017 0.0416
0.00008 0.0182
0.00000 0.0043

Graph .02 Q actual Vs Head Loss theoretical

Table .03 Qactual Vs Pressure drop

Qactual Pressure drop Pa

0.00050 86.00
0.00042 66.00
0.00033 48.00
0.00025 18.00
0.00017 9.00
0.00008 2.00

Graph .03 Qactual Vs Head Losstheoretical

12
From both graphs 02 & 03 we can determine that both factors pressure drop and head loss
will increase with the flow rate.
Head loss is basically the energy loss occurs in the fluid flow. There are three
elementary factors of head loss

I. Body forcers
II. Shear effects
III. Boundary fluid forcers

When the flow rate of the fluid is increased the velocity of the fluid is increased and the
kinetic energy of the fluid particles is raised apparently. Then there will be a work done
by the forcers mentioned above.

3. Compare energy losses

Energy loss of orifice plate

13
 Table 05

Qactual P6 P7 HL(THE) m

0.00050 381.00 52.00 0.48

0.00042 430.00 218.00 0.32
0.00033 418.00 289.00 0.19
0.00025 366.00 279.00 0.12
0.00017 434.00 402.00 0.05
0.00008 282.00 282.00 0.00

Graph 05

Energy loss of the Venturymeter

14
 Table 06
Qactual P1 P2 HL(THE) m

0.00050 163.00 77.00 0.0058

0.00042 177.00 111.00 0.0077
0.00033 201.00 153.00 0.0062
0.00025 254.00 236.00 0.0002
0.00017 276.00 267.00 0.0014
0.00008 229.00 227.00 0.0003

Graph 06

Differences between head losses between Orifice plate and Ventury meter

Table 07
Qactual HL op -HL vt

0.00050 0.47
0.00042 0.31
0.00033 0.19
0.00025 0.12
0.00017 0.05

Graph 07

15
 From the tabel 7 it can be seen HL op -HL vt is always a possitive which
proves the head loss of the orifice plate is always higher than tha ventury
tube.The behavioure of the differences between these two can be observed
from the graph 07.This behaviour can be defined by the non lamina flow at
the orifice plate with respect to the venturymeter.
We can see from this graph that the differences of the head losses of the
venturymeter and the orifice plate increases with the flow rate.So if we have to select ot
of these two in higher flow rates its preffer to select ventury meter than orifice plate.

Reliability of flow meter

Diferences between the P4 & P5 vs the Actual flow rates

Qthe m3/s P4 mm P5 mm ∆ P45 Pa

0.00051 46 74 156.96
0.00043 130 146 78.48
0.00034 179 187 49.05
0.00026 230 235 9.81
0.00017 293 294 0.00
0.00009 336 336 0.00

16
With the increase of the flow rate the pressure differenses of the points 4 and 5 is
increased.This is due to the impact of the velocity head and the turbulant behavioure of
the fluid.This implyes that the readngs we are taken from this set up are not correct in the
higher flow rates.In other words the reliability of the system is decreased.A correction
must be made in the readings to arrive at the correct value while its operated in higher
flow rate values.

CONCLUSIONS

• The Coefficient of discharge for the venturimeter is greater than that for the
Orifice plate, which indicates that the head losses occurred in the Orifice plate
larger than that in the venturimeter.
• Both Orifice plate and the Venturi meter has there own head losses and the
pressure drops. These values must be taken in to account before they were
selected for a particular application.
• Orifice plate has a large head loss with respect to the ventury meter.But its
economical and can be installed easily.
• Ventury meter can be used in the applications where there should be a less
pressure drop and a lower head loss.
• Ventury meters are used to measure the flow rates of fluids consisted with solid
particles.

REFERENCES

17
[1] http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/orifice-nozzle-venturi-d_590.html
[2] Fluid Mechanics and Statics - Dougles.

APPENDICES

A. Sample Calculations

Flow rate

Given flow rate – Q L/min

Flow rate in SI unites- Q*10 -3 m3 / 60 sec = (Q/ 60000) m3/ sec

Example 1.

Q= 35 L/ min= 0.00042 m3/sec

Pressure Drop

Given pressure – P mm H2O

Pressure at SI unites- P* 10-3*103 kg m-3 * 9.81 ms-2= 9.81P Pa

Example 2

P1 –P2= (163-77)*9.81 mmH2O 843.66 Pa

Orifice plate

2( ( P1 − P2 ) )
Qtheoretical = A1
  A1  2 
ρ  − 1
 A2 
 

18
 2
Qtheoretical = A1 * ( ( P1 − P2 ))
 A1  2 
ρ  − 1
A2 
 

Upstream pipe diameter= 35 mm;

Orifice diameter=19mm
Qtheoretica l = 8.711 ×10 −5 × ( ( P1 − P2 ) )

Ventury Meter

Upstream pipe diameter= 32 mm

Throat diameter = 23 mm
CD = 0.98
Q actual = Q Theoretical * C d

Q theoretical = Q actual / C d

Q theoretical = Q actual / .98

= 0.0593 * Q the

Pressure at SI unites- P* 10-3*103 kg m-3 * 9.81 ms-2= 9.81P Pa= Pg Pa

P1 − P2
∴HL =
ρ

P1 − P2
HL= + 0.0593 * Q the
ρ

19
B. Raw Data Tables

Transport Lab

Lab 1: Flow measurements

Name : VIDANAGE P.W.

Index No : 090535B

Date : 20/10/2010

Observations

P1 P2 P3 P6 P7 P8 P4 P5
Q
mm mm mm mm mm mm mm mm
l/min
H2O H2O H2O H2O H2O H2O H2O H2O
30 163 77 143 381 52 168 46 74
25 177 111 165 430 218 291 130 146
20 201 153 192 418 289 336 179 187
15 254 236 251 366 279 311 230 235
10 276 267 273 434 402 413 293 294
5 229 227 228 282 282 286 336 336

Instructors name: Mr Chamila Wikramasingha

Date: 20/10/2010

Instructor’s signature :

20