American University of Madaba

AUM
Faculty of Engineering.
Department of Civil Engineering.

Spring Semester 2016-2017.

Fluid Mechanics & Hydraulics Lab

(Minor Head Losses)

Ali Al Tarshah URN: 1420029

Submitted on: 04.05.2017

 American University of Madaba

AUM
Faculty of Engineering.
Department of Civil Engineering.

Spring Semester 2016-2017.

Abstract
The objective for this experiment is to determine and estimate the pressure head losses in smooth pipes and the
flow types with different diameters using the apparatus for fluid friction in pipes.

Introduction:

o Head Losses: in pipe refers to the pressure drop (due to friction) as a fluid flows through a
pipe. A Head loss represents how much pressure will be lost due to the orientation of the pipe
system (pressure head, velocity head, and potential head). This is used to determine if your pipe
system is of optimum efficiency.

o Flow Rate (Q): is the volume of fluid which passes per unit time.

o Minor Head Losses: are the components such as valves, bends, and tees that add some head
loss common termed as minor loss to the fluid flow system.

o Minor Loss Coefficient: The minor losses in components depend primarily on the geometrical
construction of the component and the impact the construction has on the fluid flow due to
change in velocity and cross flow fluid accelerations.

*note: Losses on pipe network could be divided typically into major and minor losses. Major losses are
produced mainly due to friction as we done in experiment#3 and also due to viscous action while minor losses
that this experiment talks about are due to valves, bends, elbows, sudden expansion or contraction.
 American University of Madaba

AUM
Faculty of Engineering.
Department of Civil Engineering.

Spring Semester 2016-2017.

Types of Causes for Minor Losses:

 Bends
 Contraction
 Expansion
 Valves

*Note: the causes discussed here are only the bends and valves.

Head Losses Causes in pipes:

1. Major (mainly friction)

2. Minor (the alterations that occur in pipes such as bends and valves etc.

The minor losses due to valves and bends are estimated by this formula:

𝑉2
∆𝑃 = 𝐾.
2𝑔
Where;
∆𝑃 ≡ 𝑀𝑖𝑛𝑜𝑟 ℎ𝑒𝑎𝑑 𝑙𝑜𝑠𝑠 (𝑚)
𝐾 ≡ 𝑑𝑖𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑙𝑒𝑠𝑠 𝑓𝑟𝑖𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑓𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑜𝑟.
𝑉 ≡ 𝑉𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦 (𝑚/𝑠𝑒𝑐)
𝑔 ≡ 𝐺𝑟𝑎𝑣𝑖𝑡𝑦 (𝑚/𝑠𝑒𝑐 2 )

The losses coefficient in valves depends on the following:

3 | www.aum.edu.jo
 American University of Madaba

AUM
Faculty of Engineering.
Department of Civil Engineering.

Spring Semester 2016-2017.

1- Type of valve.
2- Degree of opening.

Theoretical Losses coefficient;

Globe valve, fully open 10

Gate valve, fully open 0.2
Gate valve, half open 5.6

The losses coefficient in bends depends on the following:

1- Bend radius per pipe radius ratio.
2- Angle of the bend.

The velocity can be calculated by this formula;

𝑄
𝑉=
𝐴
Where;
𝑉 ≡ 𝑉𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦 (𝑚/𝑠𝑒𝑐)
𝑄 ≡ 𝐹𝑙𝑜𝑤 𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒 (𝑚3 /𝑠)
𝐴 ≡ 𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑎 (𝑚2 /𝑠)

Rearranging the first Equation;

2𝑔∆𝑃
𝐾=
𝑉2

4 | www.aum.edu.jo
 American University of Madaba

AUM
Faculty of Engineering.
Department of Civil Engineering.

Spring Semester 2016-2017.

Apparatus:
 Apparatus for fluid flow friction in pipes.
 A pump to provide water with desired Q.

Procedure:

1- Open valve V7 to carry out the test on 90o bend, 90o elbow, gate valve and globe valve.
2- Open valve V6 to carry out the test on 45o elbow.
3- Measure the head losses at different values of flow rate.
4- Measure the flow rate.
5- Open fully the water control valve.
6- Record the readings on the piezometer tubes and the U-tube.
7- Repeat the above procedure for a total of different flow rate, and different valves/bends.

5 | www.aum.edu.jo
 American University of Madaba

AUM
Faculty of Engineering.
Department of Civil Engineering.

Spring Semester 2016-2017.

Results and Calculation:

Valve or Bend Type Q(
𝒎𝟑
) D (m) A (𝒎𝟐 ) v (m/s) ∆𝑷 ∆𝑷 K Valve position
𝒔 mmh2O mmHg
0.0002778 1.7426016 0.58 3.747406
Sharp 90 Bend (3/8'') 0.0002222 0.01425 0.000159 1.3940813 0.508 5.128455
0.0001667 1.045561 0.175 3.140786
0.0003056 1.9168618 0.16 0.854353
Sharp 45 Bend (3/8'') 0.0002917 0.01425 0.000159 1.8297317 0.154 0.902495
0.0002222 1.3940813 0.115 1.160969
0.0003472 2.178252 0.087 0.3607
Smooth 90 Bend 0.0003056 0.01425 0.000159 1.9168618 0.022 0.1173
(Large) 0.0002917 1.8297317 0.01 0.0586
0.0003194 2.0039919 0.122 0.596028
Smooth 90 Bend 0.0002778 0.01425 0.000159 1.7426016 0.1 0.646105
(Small) 0.0002222 1.3940813 0.07 0.706677
0.000319 1.9999 0.37 1.8150 Fully open
Globe Valve V1 3/8'' 0.000278 0.01425 0.000159 1.7429 0.295 1.9054 Fully open
0.000194 1.2163 0.14 1.8567 Fully open
0.000278 1.7429 0.244 1.5760 Fully open
Gate Valve V2 3/8'' 0.000222 0.01425 0.000159 1.3918 0.2 2.0257 Fully open
0.000167 1.0470 0.17 3.0427 Fully open
0.000278 1.7429 0.085 0.5490 Half Open
Gate Valve V2 3/8'' 0.000222 0.01425 0.000159 1.3918 0.057 0.5773 Half Open
0.000167 1.0470 0.028 0.5011 Half Open

The Average (K) for each Type;

Gate
Sharp 90o Sharp 45o Smooth Smooth Globe Gate valve V2
valve V2
bend bend 90o bend 90o bend valve V1 3/8” (half
3/8” (fully
(3/8”) (3/8”) (larger) (small) 3/8” open)
open)

(K) 4.005549 0.972606 0.1786094 0.649603 1.842729 2.206926 0.538076

6 | www.aum.edu.jo
 American University of Madaba

AUM
Faculty of Engineering.
Department of Civil Engineering.

Spring Semester 2016-2017.

Sample Calculation:

The Area of the pipe section (A)

𝜋𝐷 2 0.014252
𝐴= =𝜋 = 1.594x10-4 m2
4 4

The Velocity (V)

𝑄 1.0
𝑉 = 𝐴 = 3600∗1.594𝑥10−4 = 1.742 m/sec

The Friction Factor (K)

2𝑔∆𝑃 2∗9.81∗0.58
K=( )=( ) = 0.58
𝑉2 1.7422

7 | www.aum.edu.jo
 American University of Madaba

AUM
Faculty of Engineering.
Department of Civil Engineering.

Spring Semester 2016-2017.

Discussion
After this experiment finished, the objective of this test is accomplished as to measure
the head losses and losses coefficient (K), by using valves and bends to measure the minor
losses caused by them.

We see here that for a certain opening (fully or half opened) of valve or a certain bend
that the losses coefficient (K) is similarly constant as we see from the above equation that the
only variables we have are the head losses (P) and the velocity (V) that the last is depending on
the flow rate (Q), then as long as we decrease the flow rate, the velocity we decrease in a square
root after dividing (Q) by the area of the pipe (A), then the head losses (P) will decrease as a
result making the (V2) and (P) to decrease with the same ratio making the (K) to be almost
constant, and that is what we had in our findings.

Errors may cause our results to vary somehow from the reality because of many reasons
such as the inaccuracy in reading the head losses as have to be horizontally to the surface of the
scale (Hg or H2O) which may cause the higher percentage of error; filling air in the water
monometer may happen due to unsuitable using to that machine; putting the tubes in a wrong
way (Red then Blue) make the scale not to move and give a reading; or putting the Hg
monometer tubes in the way of the pipe that is connected to the H2O monometer may cause a
big amount of error making our results to be wrong; inaccuracy in opening the valves as
required also in a reason of errors.

Gate
Gate
Globe valve V2
valve V2
Type valve V1 3/8”
3/8” (half
3/8” (fully
open)
open)
Error% 81.5% 77.9% 94,6%

𝐸𝑟𝑟𝑜𝑟% = |(𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑜. −𝑒𝑥𝑝. )/(𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑜. )| ∗ 100% = |(10 − 1.8427)/10| ∗ 100% = 81.5%

8 | www.aum.edu.jo
 American University of Madaba

AUM
Faculty of Engineering.
Department of Civil Engineering.

Spring Semester 2016-2017.

Conclusion:
At the end of this experiment, we learnt how to measure the minor head losses caused by valves
and bends that are explained above and the findings we got from this experiment are as shown
in this table;

Type K Error%
Globe valve
1.842729 81.5%
V1 3/8”
Gate valve
V2 3/8” 2.206926 77.9%
(fully)
Gate valve
V2 3/8” 0.538076 94,6%
(half)

9 | www.aum.edu.jo