MEASURING FLOW

EXPERIMENTAL DATA
Gravimetric

Gap meter

Venturi

Enlargement

Orifice

Bend

reading

t1

t2

t3

h1

h2

h1

h2

h1

h2

h1

h2

units
4
8
12
16
20

kg

mm

mm

mm

mm

mm

mm

mm

mm

Students to adjust the flowrate so that the gap meter measures 4, 8, 12, 16 and 20 units, determing the gravimetric volume flow-rate
and recording the upstream and downstream pressures for the Venturi, enlargement, orifice and bend each time.
1. GRAVIMETRIC
Gap meter
reading

Qgap

Gravimetric

taverage

QHB

Qgap from calibration curve

units
l/s
s
l/s
4
QHB = (m / ) / taverage
8
12
m = mass (kg), = density (kg / m3), taverage = (t1 + t2 + t3) / 3 (s)
16
20
Students to plot QHB (x-axis) against Qgap (y-axis); the gradient of this line (intercept at 0,0) should be 1.0 if the gap meter is calibrated
correctly
2. VENTURI
Gap meter

Venturi

reading

Qgap

h1

h2

QT

units
4
8
12
16
20

l/s

mm

mm

l/s

Qgap from calibration curve

QT = A1 (2 g (h1 - h2) / [(D1 / D2)4 - 1])0.5
A1 = D12 / 4; D1 = 0.026 m; D2 = 0.016 m,

Students to plot QT (x-axis) against Qgap (y-axis); the gradient of this line (intercept at 0,0) is the discharge coefficient (assuming Q gap =
QA)
3. SUDDEN ENLARGEMENT
Gap meter

Sudden Enlargement

reading

Qgap

h1

h2

V12 / 2 g

V22 / 2 g

Losses

units
4
8
12
16
20

l/s

mm

mm

mm

mm

mm

Vn = Q / An; An = Dn2 / 4
D1 = 0.026 m, D2 = 0.051m
Losses = (h1 + V12/2g)-(h2+V22/2g)

Students to demonstrate that losses (y-axis) are proportional to V12 / 2g (x-axis)

4. ORIFICE
Gap meter

Orifice

reading

Qgap

h1

h2

QT

units
4
8
12
16
20

l/s

mm

mm

l/s

Qgap from calibration curve

QT = A1 (2 g (h1 - h2) / [(D1 / D2)4 - 1])0.5
A1 = D12 / 4; D1 = 0.051 m; D2 = 0.020 m,

Students to plot QT (x-axis) against Qgap (y-axis); the gradient of this line (intercept at 0,0) is the discharge coefficient (assuming Qgap =
QA)
5. BEND
Gap meter

Bend

reading

Qgap

h1

h2

V12 / 2 g

V22 / 2 g

Losses

units
4
8
12
16
20

l/s

mm

mm

mm

mm

mm

Vn = Q / An; An = Dn2 / 4
D1 = 0.051 m, D2 = 0.040m
Losses = (h1 + V12/2g)-(h2+V22/2g)

Students to demonstrate that losses (y-axis) are proportional to V22 / 2g (x-axis)

Dr J D Millington, UWE

October 2014

MEASURING FLOW
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
Gravimetric

Gap meter

Venturi

Enlargement

Orifice

Bend

reading

t1

t2

t3

h1

h2

h1

h2

h1

h2

h1

h2

units
4
8
12
16
20

kg
6
6
6
6
6

s
54.8
33.3
23.1
17.9
14.2

s
52.3
32.7
23.1
17.7
14.4

s
54.4
32.4
23.1
17.7
14.7

mm
295
300
314
336
369

mm
276
256
228
191
149

mm
294
295
303
318
336

mm
296
298
309
327
350

mm
292
296
310
331
363

mm
272
245
208
156
94

mm
275
254
226
187
142

mm
271
244
205
152
88

Students to adjust the flowrate so that the gap meter measures 4, 8, 12, 16 and 20 units, determing the gravimetric volume flow-rate
and recording the upstream and downstream pressures for the Venturi, enlargement, orifice and bend each time.
1. GRAVIMETRIC
Gap meter
reading

Qgap

units
l/s
4
0.121
8
0.196
12
0.269
16
0.354
20
0.435
Students to plot QHB

0.5

Gravimetric

taverage

QHB

Qgap from calibration curve

s
l/s
53.8
0.111
QHB = (m / ) / taverage
32.8
0.183
23.1
0.260
m = mass (kg), = density (kg / m3), taverage = (t1 + t2 + t3) / 3 (s)
17.8
0.338
14.4
0.416
(x-axis) against Qgap (y-axis); the gradient of this line (intercept at 0,0) should be 1.0 if the gap meter is calibrated
correctly

2. VENTURI
Gap meter

f(x) =
Q1.0484312973x
Q
HB

gap

0
0.111
0.183
0.260
0.338
0.416

0.3
0.2
0.1

0
0.121
0.196
0.269
0.354
0.435

0
0

0.05

0.1

0.15

0.2

0.25

0.3

0.35

0.4

0.45

0.5

Venturi

reading

Qgap

h1

h2

QT

units
4
8
12
16
20

l/s
0.121
0.196
0.269
0.354
0.435

mm
295
300
314
336
369

mm
276
256
228
191
149

l/s
0.133
0.202
0.282
0.366
0.451

Qgap from calibration curve

3. SUDDEN ENLARGEMENT
Gap meter

f(x) =Q0.9613988645x
Qgap
T

0
0.133
0.202
0.282
0.366
0.451

A1 = D12 / 4; D1 = 0.026 m; D2 = 0.016 m,

0.2
0.1

0
0.121
0.196
0.269
0.354
0.435

0
0

0.05

0.1

0.15

0.2

0.25

0.3

0.35

0.4

0.45

0.5

20

Sudden Enlargement

reading

Qgap

h1

h2

units
4
8
12
16
20

l/s
0.121
0.196
0.269
0.354
0.435

mm
294
295
303
318
336

mm
296
298
309
327
350

2
1

/2g

mm
2.647
6.946
13.084
22.659
34.214

V2 / 2 g

Losses

mm
0.179
0.469
0.884
1.531
2.311

mm
0.468
3.477
6.200
12.128
17.903

Vn = Q / An; An = Dn2 / 4

15

D1 = 0.026 m, D2 = 0.051m

10

Losses = (h1 + V12/2g)-(h2+V22/2g)

Students to demonstrate that losses (y-axis) are proportional to V 12 / 2g (x-axis)

4. ORIFICE
Gap meter

0.4
0.3

QT = A1 (2 g (h1 - h2) / [(D1 / D2)4 - 1])0.5

Students to plot QT (x-axis) against Qgap (y-axis); the gradient of this line (intercept at 0,0) is the discharge coefficient (assuming Q gap =
QA)

f(x) = 0.5202166481x
V2/2g

losses

0
2.647
6.946
13.084
22.659
34.214

0
0.468
3.477
6.200
12.128
17.903

0
0

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.8

0.5

Orifice

reading

Qgap

h1

h2

QT

units
4
8
12
16
20

l/s
0.121
0.196
0.269
0.354
0.435

mm
292
296
310
331
363

mm
272
245
208
156
94

l/s
0.199
0.318
0.450
0.589
0.730

Qgap from calibration curve

f(x) =
Q0.599579618x
Q

0.4

QT = A1 (2 g (h1 - h2) / [(D1 / D2)4 - 1])0.5

A1 = D12 / 4; D1 = 0.051 m; D2 = 0.020 m,

gap

0
0.199
0.318
0.450
0.589
0.730

0.3

Students to plot QT (x-axis) against Qgap (y-axis); the gradient of this line (intercept at 0,0) is the discharge coefficient (assuming Q gap =
QA)
Dr J D Millington, UWE

0.4

0.2
0.1

0
0.121
0.196
0.269
0.354
0.435

0
0

0.1

0.2

0.3

October 2014

0.2

MEASURING FLOW

Students to plot QT (x-axis) against Qgap (y-axis); the gradient of this line (intercept at 0,0) is the discharge coefficient (assuming Q gap =
QA)
5. BEND
Gap meter

0
0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7

0.8

60

Bend

reading

Qgap

h1

h2

units
4
8
12
16
20

l/s
0.121
0.196
0.269
0.354
0.435

mm
275
254
226
187
142

mm
271
244
205
152
88

2
1

/2g

mm
0.179
0.469
0.884
1.531
2.311

V2 / 2 g

Losses

mm
0.473
1.240
2.336
4.045
6.107

mm
3.706
9.229
19.548
32.486
50.204

Vn = Q / An; An = Dn2 / 4
D1 = 0.051 m, D2 = 0.040m
Losses = (h1 + V12/2g)-(h2+V22/2g)

Students to demonstrate that losses (y-axis) are proportional to V 22 / 2g (x-axis)

Dr J D Millington, UWE

0.1

50

/ 2 g losses
f(x) = V
8.1618740001x
2
2

40

0
0.473
1.240
2.336
4.045
6.107

30
20
10

0
3.706
9.229
19.548
32.486
50.204

0
0

October 2014