Experiment 2

Investigating Bernoullis Theorem

Objective:
To observe the energy lesson and calculate the discharge venturi meter, orifice plate meter and
rotameter.
Introduction:
The TecQuipment H10 Flow-Measuring Apparatus is designed to familiarize students with the
typical method of measuring the discharge of an essentially incompressible fluid, whilst giving
applications of the Steady-Flow Energy Equation and Bernoullis Equation. The discharge is
determinate using a venturimeter, an orifice plate meter and a rotameter. Head losses associated
with each meter are determinate and compared as well as those arising in a rapid enlargement
and a 90 elbow.
The unit is designed for use with the TecQuipment H10 or H1D Hydraulic Bench, which
provides the necessary liquid service and evaluation of flow rate.
Description of Apparatus:
Water from the Hydraulic Bench enter the equipment through a venturi meter, which consists of
gradually-converging section, followed by a throat, and a long gradually-diverging section. After
a change in cross-section in flows through an orifice plate meter. This is manufactured in
accordance with BS1042, from a plate with a hole of reduced diameter through which the fluids
flows.
Following a further settling length and a right-angle bend, the flow enter the rotameter. This
consists of a transparent tube in which a float takes up an equilibrium position. The position of
this float is a measure of the flow rate.
After the rotameter the water returns via a control valve to the Hydraulic Bench, where the flow
rate can be evaluated. The equipment has nine pressure tappings (A to I), each of which is
connected to its own manometer for immediate read out.
Installation and Preparation:
With the air purge-valve closed, close the main valve fully then open it by approximately1/3.
Switch on the bench and slowly open bench valve until water starts to flows. Allow the H10 to
fill the water then open the bench fully, and then close the main valve. Couple the hand pump to
the purge valve and pump down until all the manometer read approximately 200 - 250mm.
Dislodge and entrapped air from the manometer by gentle tapping with the fingers. Check that
the water levels are constant. A steady rise in levels will be seen if the purge valve is leaking.
Check that the tube ferrules and the top manifold are free from water blockage, which will
suppress the manometer level. Ferrules blockage can be cleared by a sharp burst of pressure from
the hand pump.

Theory:

p1

/g +
Where

V12

z1

P/ g
V2
2g

/g +

z2

H12
+

= hydrostatic head

= kinematic head (V is the mean velocity i.e. the ratio of the volumetric
discharge to cross sectional area of tube)
= potential head

P/ g +

p2

V22
2g

V2
2g

+z

= total head

H12
The head loss
may be assumed to arise as a consequence of vorticity in the steam. Because
the flow is viscous a wall shear stress exists and a pressure force must be applied to overcome it.
The consequent increase in flow work appears as an increase in internal energy, and because the
flow is viscous, the velocity profile at any section is non-uniform. The kinetic energy per unit
V2
2g
mass at any section is greater then
and Bernoullis equation incorrectly assesses this term.
The fluid mechanics entailed in all but the very simplest internal flow problem are too complex
to permit the head loss H to be determined by any other means than experimental. Since a
contraction of stream boundaries can be shown (with incompressible fluid) to increase flow
uniformity and a divergence correspondingly decrease it, H is typically negligibly small
between the ends of a contracting dust but is normally significant when the dust walls diverge.
Procedure:
When the experiment has been set up as described in installation and preparation procedure,
measurement can be taken in the following manner:
1. The apparatus valve was opened until the rotameter showed a reading of approximately
10mm. When a steady flow was maintained and the flow was measured with the
Hydraulic Bench. During this period, the reading of the manometers was recorded.
2. This procedure was repeated for a number of equidistant values of rotameter reading up
to the point in which the maximum pressure values can be recorded from the manometer.

Results and calculations:

Rotameter
(m)
0.00
0.02
0.04
0.06
0.08
0.10
0.12
0.14
0.16
0.18

A
210
214
216
220
230
248
268
294
328
362

B
210
209
208
206
194
190
186
178
170
160

C
210
212
214
215
224
238
256
278
304
332

Manometer(mm)
D
E
F
210 210 210
212 212 205
214 214 202
215 216 190
224 226 184
239 242 174
257 262 162
280 288 146
308 318 124
338 352 100

PIEZOMETER
A
B
REFERENCE
DIAMETER(mm 26.00
16.00
)
AREA(mm2)
530.9
201.1
(Diameter & Area of all types of meter)
Venturi meter = A to B
Orifice meter = E to F
Rotameter = H to I

G
210
202
204
194
190
186
178
168
156
142

H
210
202
204
192
188
184
176
166
154
142

I
210
105
102
92
90
82
74
62
46
28

time(s)
0
126.00
63.00
41.67
31.04
24.94
19.06
17.52
14.06
12.51

V(
L)
0
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5

Q(10-4
m3/s)
0
0.396
0.793
1.199
1.610
2.000
2.623
2.853
3.556
3.996

26.00

51.90

51.90

20

530.9

2116

2116

314.15

Q(l/min)
0
2.380
4.761
7.199
9.560
12.048
15.772
17.123
21.367
23.980

Part (A): Venturi Meter between tapings (A) and (B)

For Rotameter is 0.18m, calculation of venturi meter between tapings (A) and (B):
Discharge Q = Volume of water flow out / time:
Q = V (m3) / t(s)
Qactual = 0.005 / 12.51 = 3.996 x 10-4 m3/s
From the continuity:
V A A A =V B A B
Density are the same so, V A =V B A B / A A ---- eqn (1)
Pressure of fluid at Tapping:
Pressure = density x constant g x height
P = pgh
PA = 1000 kg/m3 x 9.81 x (362/1000) = 3551.22 Pa
PB = 1000 kg/m3 x 9.81 x (160/1000) = 1569.60 Pa
From Bernoullis equation:
P A v 2A
v 2B PB
+ + Za= + + Zb+ H
g 2 g
2 g g
In venturi meter, potential head is same due to height is same, Za = Zb and all multiply g .
PA+

v 2A v 2B
=
+ PB + H
2
2

Assume H very small so H =0 , also subs equation (1), P A , PB ,

So,

v A
B B
AA

( )
2

v 2B
2

= PB - P A

v B=2.15 m/s
So, Qtheoretical = Av = 201.1/1000000 x 2.15 = 4.325 x 10-4 m3/s
Compare with Qactual:
Error percentage
= Qactual- Qtheoretical / Qtheoretical x 100 %
= (3.996 x 10-4 - 4.325 x 10-4)/ 4.325 x 10-4 x100%

= 7.63%

Discharge:
Discharge Q = Volume of water flow out / time:
Q = V (m3) / t(s)
Q = 0.005 / 12.51 = 3.994 x 10-4 m3/s
Q = Cross section Area x velocity of flowing fluid:
Velocity of flowing fluid V = Q / A
VA = 3.994 x 10-4 / (530.9/1000000) = 0.752 m/s
From the continuity:
V A A A =V B A B
VB = 3.994 x 10-4 / (201.1 /1000000) = 1.986 m/s
From Bernoullis equation:
P A v 2A
v2 P
+ + Za= B + B + Zb+ H
g 2 g
2 g g
In venturi meter, potential head is same due to height is same, Za = Zb and all multiply g .
v 2A v 2B
PA+
=
+ PB + H
2
2
Substitute PA, PB, VA, and VB into Bernoullis equation:
So, H= 289.981
Head loss = 289.981 / (1000 x 9.81) = 0.0295 m
Rotameter
(m)

PA

PB
(Pa)

Qactual
(10-4
m3/s)

Qtheoretical
(10-4 m3/s)

Error
Percentage
(%)

(Pa)

0.00
0.02
0.04
0.06
0.08
0.10
0.12

0.0
2099.34
2118.96
2158.20
2256.30
2432.88
2629.08

0.0
2050.29
2040.48
2020.86
1903.14
1863.90
1824.66

0.0
0.396
0.793
1.199
1.610
2.000
2.623

0.0
0.680
0.860
1.138
1.825
2.316
2.754

0.0
41.76
7.762
-5.415
11.749
13.466
4.772

(head
loss)
(m)
0.0
0.0033
0.0012
-0.001
0.0079
0.0146
0.0077

0.14
2884.14 1746.18 2.853
3.276
12.897
0.16
3217.68 1667.70 3.556
3.823
7.000
0.18
3551.22 1569.60 3.994
4.323
7.560
Actual value & theoretical value of Volume flow rate (Q) for Venturi meter

0.0280
0.0214
0.0295

PART (B): Orifice Meter between tapings (E) and (F)

The coefficient of discharge K is given by BS1042 (1943)1 for the particular geometry of the
orifice meter to be 0.601.
The relation of between the actual discharge and the theoretical discharge is:
Qactual = K Qtheoretical
From the continuity:
V A A A =V B A B
Density are the same so, V A =V B A B / A A ---- equation (1)
From Bernoullis Equation:
2
2
PA v A
v
P
+ + Za= B + B + Zb+ H
g 2 g
2 g g
Also, Za , Zb = 0 , Assuming
v A= AB

very small so is equal to 0, subs equation (1), Then,

2 g (hB h A )
2

A B A A

So, Qtheoretical = A v
Qtheoretical =

A A AB

2 g (hB h A )
A 2B A 2A

For Rotameter is 0.18m, calculation of orifice meter between tapings (E) and (F):
A E=2116

mm2

A F = 314.15 mm2
g = 9.81
hE = 142mm

hF = 28mm

So,
Qtheoretical =

A A AB

2 g (hB h A )
2

A B A A

Qtheoretical = 7.06 x 10-4 m3/s

Then,
Qactual = K Qtheoretical
K = Qactual / Qtheoretical = 0.566
AE
AF
Rotamete
hE
hF
Qtheoretical
Qactual
-4 3
r
(10 m /s)
(10(mm)
(mm)
2
2
4 3
(mm
)
(mm
)
(m)
m /s)
0.00
2116
314.15
210
210
0.0
0.0
0.02
2116
314.15
212
205
1.177
0.396
0.04
2116
314.15
214
202
1.541
0.793
0.06
2116
314.15
216
190
2.268
1.199
0.08
2116
314.15
226
184
2.883
1.610
0.10
2116
314.15
242
174
3.669
2.000
0.12
2116
314.15
262
162
4.449
2.623
0.14
2116
314.15
288
146
5.302
2.853
0.16
2116
314.15
318
124
6.197
3.556
0.18
2116
314.15
352
100
7.063
3.996
Actual value & theoretical value of Volume flow rate (Q) for Orifice meter
So, average of K = 0.527
Compare with the coefficient of discharge K is given by BS1042 (1943),
The error percentage = (0.6-0.527 / 0.6) *100 = 12.16%

K
0.0
0.336
0.514
0.528
0.558
0.545
0.589
0.538
0.573
0.565

PART (C): Rotameter Meter between tapings (H) and (I)

In addition, the head loss of the rotameter can be calculated by:
hH hI = H HI eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
Furthermore, a graph of rotameter against discharge, Q in the unit of litter per minute was plotted
as so that calibration curve can be obtained.

Q(l/min)
0
2.38
4.761
7.199
9.56
12.048
15.772
17.123
21.367
23.98

Rotameter(m Head Loss(mm)

)
0
0
97
0.02
102
0.04
100
0.06
98
0.08
102
0.1
102
0.12
104
0.14
108
0.16
114
0.18

Rotameter against Discharge

0.2
0.15

Rotameter (m)

0.1
0.05
0
0

10

15

20

Discharge, Q (l/min)

25

30

PART (D): Wide angle diffuser between tapings (C) and (D)
For Rotameter is 0.18m:
P c V c 2 P D V D2
+
= +
+ H CD
g 2 g g 2 g
Hc = 332 mm
Hd = 338mm
Then we can calculate as H CD =4.04 mm
Rotameter(m)
0.00
0.02
0.04
0.06
0.08
0.10
0.12
0.14
0.16
0.18

H CD (mm)
0
0
0
0
0
-0.945
-0.945
-1.782
-3.129
-4.041

Conclusion:
In conclusion, I have observed that the venture meter has the best control to the fluid. Its
discharge coefficient is little different from unity and the head loss it offers is minimal. The
venturi meter, the orifice plate meter and the rotameter are all dependent upon Bernoullis
equation for their principle of operation. However, when the velocity is very low the head loss
remains the same and so becomes many, many time the kinetic head.