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Acoustics U-Tube Manometer Sponsored Links
Air Psychrometrics The inclined and vertical u-tube manometers are inexpensive and common in the
Basics differential pressure measurement with flow meters like pitot tubes, orifices and nozzles
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Physiology Pressure measuring devices using liquid columns in vertical or inclined tubes are called manometers. One of the
Piping Systems most common is the water filled u-tube manometer used to measure pressure difference in pitot or orifices located
Process Control in the airflow in air handling or ventilation system.
Pumps
In the figure bellow illustrates the water levels in an u-tube where the left tube is connected to a point with higher
Sanitary Drainage
pressure than the right tube - example: the left tube may be connected to a pressurized air duct when the right tube
Systems
is open to the ambient air.
Standard
Organizations
Statics
Steam and
Condensate
Thermodynamics
Water Systems

gas manometer

manometer test

Unit Converter
Temperature
0.0

oC
oF
Convert! Vertical U-Tube Manometer
The pressure difference measured by a vertical U-Tube manometer can be calculated as
Length
pd = γ h Make Shortcut to Home
1.0 Screen?
=ρgh (1)
m
km where
in
ft pd = pressure (Pa, N/m2, lb/ft2)
yards
miles γ = ρ g = specific weight of liquid in the tube (kN/m3, lb/ft3 )
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naut miles
ρ = U-tube liquid density (kg/m3, lb/ft3)
Convert!
g = acceleration of gravity (9.81 m/s2, 32.174 ft/s2)
Area h = liquid height (m fluid column, ft fluid column)
1.0
The specific weight of water, which is the most commonly used fluid in u-tube manometers, is 9.81 kN/m3 or 62.4
m2 lb/ft3.
km2
in2
Note! - the head unit is with reference to the density of the flowing fluid. For other units and reference liquid - like
mm Water Column - check Velocity Pressure Head.
ft2
miles2 Example - Orifice Differential Pressure Measurement
acres A water manometer connects the upstream and downstream pressure of an orifice located in an air flow. The
difference height in the water column is 10 mm.
Convert!
The pressure difference head can calculated from (1) as
Volume
pd = (9.8 kN/m3) (103 N/kN) (10 mm) (10-3 m/mm)
1.0

m3 = 98 (N/m2, Pa)
liters where
in3
ft3 9.8 (kN/m3) is the specific weight of water in SI-units.
us gal
Calculate velocity
Convert!
Inclined U-Tube Manometer
Weight A common problem when measuring the pressure difference in low velocity systems - or systems with low density
fluids - like air ventilation systems - are low column heights and accuracy. Accuracy can be improved by inclining the
1.0
u-tube manometer.
kgf The figure bellow indicates a u-tube where the left tube is connected to a higher pressure than the right tube. Note
N that the left and the right tube must in the same declined plane for the angle to the horizontal plane to be correct.
lbf

Convert!

Velocity
1.0

m/s
km/h
ft/min
ft/s
 mph
knots

Convert! Make Shortcut to Home

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Pressure
1.0

Pa (N/m2)
bar
mm H2O
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kg/cm2
psi
inches H2O

Convert!

Flow
1.0

m3/s
m3/h
US gpm
cfm
The pressure difference in a inclined u-tube manometer can be expressed as
Convert!
pd = γ h sin(θ) (2)

Scientific Online where

Calculator
h = length, difference in position of the liquid column along the tube (mm, ft)

θ = angle of column relative the horizontal plane (degrees)

Inclining the tube manometer increases the accuracy of the measurement.

1 24

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Example - Differential Pressure Measurement with an Inclined U-Tube manometer
. We use the same data as in the example above, except that the U-Tube is inclined 45o.

The pressure difference head can then be expressed as:

pd = (9.8 kN/m3) (103 N/kN) (10 mm) (10-3 m/mm) sin(45o)

= 69.3 N/m2 (Pa)

U-tube Manometer Calculator

This calculator can be used to calculate the differential pressure measured with an U-tube manometer.

9.8 γ - specific weight of the fluid in the tube (kN/m3, lb/ft3 ) (9.8 kN/m3, 62.4 lb/ft3 default values
for water)

10 h - length of the liquid column along the tube (mm, ft)

45 θ - angle of column relative the horizontal plane (degrees)

SI Imperial

Calculate!
 Calculate velocity
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Fluid Mechanics - The study of fluids - liquids and gases. Involves velocity, pressure, density and
temperature as functions of space and time
Flow Measurement - Flow metering principles - Orifice, Venturi, Flow Nozzles, Pitot Tubes, Target, Variable
Area, Positive Displacement, Turbine, Vortex, Electromagnetic, Ultrasonic Doppler, Ultrasonic Time-of-travel,
Mass Coriolis, Mass Thermal, Weir V-notch, Flume Parshall and Sluice Gate flow meters and more
Ventilation - Systems for ventilation and air handling - air change rates, ducts and pressure drops, charts and
diagrams and more Sponsored Links

Related Documents
Comparing Flowmeters - A limited comparison of flowmeter principles - regarding service, rangeability,
pressure loss, typical accuracy, upstream pipe diameters, viscosity and relative costs
Density, Specific Weight and Specific Gravity - An introduction to density, specific gravity and specific
weight - formulas with examples
Energy and Hydraulic Grade Line - The hydraulic grade and the energy line are graphical presentations of
the Bernoulli equation
Flow Rate Calculated based on the Velocity-Area Principle - Flow rate or discharge in an open conduit,
channel or river can be calculated with the velocity-area principle
Flowmeter Accuracy - Introduction to accuracy in flow measurement devices
Flowmeters and Turndown Ratio - Rangeability - Turndown ratio for flow measurement devices like
orifices, venturi meters etc.
Orifice, Nozzle and Venturi Flow Rate Meters - The orifice, nozzle and venturi flow rate meters use the
Bernoulli Equation to calculate fluid flow rate using pressure difference through obstructions in the flow
Pitot Tubes - Pitot tubes can be used to measure fluid flow velocity by measuring static and dynamic
pressure difference
Types of Fluid Flow Meters - An introduction to different types of fluid flowmeters - Orifices, Venturies,
Nozzles, Rotameters, Pitot Tubes, Calorimetrics, Turbine, Vortex, Electromagnetic, Doppler, Ultrasonic,
Thermal, Coriolis
Water - Density, Specific Weight and Thermal Expansion Coefficient - Definitions, online calculator,
figures and tables giving Density, Specific Weight and Thermal Expansion Coefficient of liquid water at
temperatures ranging from 0 to 360 °C and 32 to 680°F - in Imperial and SI Units

Tag Search
en: manometer u-tube differential pressure pitot orifices
es: manómetro de tubo en U orificios Pitot de presión diferencial
de: U-Rohr-Manometer Differenzdruck Stauöffnungen

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