Experiment No.

03: Use of manometers for measurement

of pressure.

1. Objective
To familiarize with working of manometers and their use to measure pressure
practically.

2. Required Elements
FME07 Energy Losses in Pipes Apparatus

Brief Description of Equipment

3. The FME-07 is a laboratory scale unit designed to measure the pressure drops
generated in a pipe for different flow rates and both laminar and turbulent
conditions.

Figure 01: Front & Side view of FME07

 Number Name of Element
1 D-1: constant head tank
2 VP-1: bleed valve
3 B-1: manual pump
4 MD-1: water differential
manometer
5 V2: two-ways valve
6 VT3: three-ways valve
7 MB-1: Bourdon
manometers
8 VT2: three-ways valve
9 VT1: three-ways valve
10 V1: valve
Description
It is used as a fluid storage tank for
laminar conditions test
To remove bubbles from the tubes of the
differential manometer.
To pressurize the water in the tubes of the
differential manometer.
U-shaped tube to measure the differential
pressure in two points of the pipe
It discharges the fluid from the circuit
To connect the fluid to the differential
manometers or the Bourdon manometers
To measure high pressures in turbulent
condition
To connect the fluid to the differential
manometers or the Bourdon manometers
To cut the flow in closed position, make it
flow along the test pipe from the tank in
laminar or turbulent position
To direct the fluid to the tank

Table 01: Details of Energy Losses in Pipes Apparatus

4. The unit requires a Hydraulics Bench (FME00) to contain and supply with a pump
the water to the FME-07 unit. The FME00 unit have a supply control valve to supply
a higher or smaller volume of fluid to the unit.
5. Pressurized water flows through the tubes of the differential manometer. Water is
pressurized with an air hand pump. The process consists in making water flow
through a pipe connected to manometers to measure the pressure difference
between two points and, thus, find the pressure drop generated and the pressure
drop factor at different flow rates.
6. The unit can work not only with different flow rates, depending on the supply valve
opening, but also under laminar or turbulent conditions. Laminar conditions are
obtained by the free fall of the fluid from the tank. Turbulent conditions are
obtained by making the fluid flow through a circuit of pipes.
7. Take into account that there are two types of manometers, since the pressure drop
is greater or smaller depending on the flow conditions. Measurements are taken
from the differential manometers for low pressures and from the Bourdon
manometers for high pressures.
 Theory
8. Manometers:
The manometer is a wet meter which means that the fluid whose pressure is being
measured is brought in contact with another fluid, for example mercury, which is
displaced to indicate the pressure. Mercury can be used because it has a high density
and so the manometer size is minimized. From the conversion table above 1 bar
corresponds to 0.75m of Hg whereas from the example above, a column of water 10m
is high is equal to 1 bar. Compared to water, a much smaller column of mercury is
needed to measure pressure.The common types of manometer are the U-tube,
the Well and the Inclined Manometer.

9. U-Tube Manometers:
This manometer is very easily constructed. It consists of a tube of glass bent into a U
shape. It is then filled with a fluid. The density of the fluid dictates the range of
pressures that can be measured. Both ends of the tube are pressure ports. If one port
is left open to the atmosphere and the other port is connected to the pressure to be
measured, the device acts as a gauge pressure meter. If both ports are connected to
two different unknown pressures, the instrument acts as a differential pressure gauge.

Figure 02: U-Tube manometer

 ΔP = F/A
ΔP = mg/A
ΔP = ρVg/A
ΔP = ρgΔh
ΔP= Differential pressure (Pa)
ρ= Density of indicating fluid (Kg/m3)
g= Acceleration of gravity (m/s2)
Δh= Difference in Column heights (m)

10. Practical Procedure:

a) Connect the FME-07 unit to the Hydraulics Bench FM00

b) Fill the constant head tank D-1 by adjusting the flow rate of water from hydraulic
bench.
c) Position the VT-1 and V1 valve to laminar flow position.
d) Allow the water from constant head tank D-1 to fill the manometer tubes.
e) Open the Bleed valve Vp-1 to remove bubble and put the water in manometer
tubes to atmospheric pressure.
f) Allow water from constant head tank to flow in laminar condition which will
apply pressure in manometer tubes.
g) Record the manometers data. Record the manometers measurements in the
corresponding table. Indicate the head of both left and right tubes (water column
mm) for the differential manometer.
h) After these values connect BDAS with apparatus to calculate values using
differential pressure sensors.
i) Difference of pressure will cause pressure difference in manometer tubes of BDAS
and calculate the height difference by placing the differential pressure sensors.
j) Values will be calculated automatically by BDAS and can recorded from
computer.
k) Record these values in table and calculate the pressure.
l) Calculate % Error and record it in table.
11. Table:
h1 = height of water in first column of manometer
h2 = height of water in second column of manometer
h2 - h1 = Difference of height
∆P = Pressure difference manual calculation

Flow
h1 h2 h2 - h1 ∆P
Sr. # Rate
(mm) (mm) (m) (kPa)
(m 3/sec)
1
2
3
4

12. Observation & Analysis: