Venturi Meter

VENTURI TUBE
The venturi tube shown in Figure is similar to an orifice meter, but it is designed to
nearly eliminate boundary layer separation, and thus form drag. The change in crosssectional area in the venturi tube causes a pressure change between the convergent
section and the throat, and the flow rate can be determined from this pressure drop.
Although more expensive that an orifice plate; the venturi tube introduces substantially
lower non-recoverable pressure drops.
Figure 2. Venturi flow meter
The differential producing flowmeter or Venturi has a long history of uses in many
applications. Due to its simplicity and dependability, the Venturi is among the most
common flowmeters. With no moving parts or abrupt flow restrictions, the Venturi can
measure fluid flowrates with a minimal total pressure loss.
The principle behind the operation of the Venturi flowmeter is the Bernoulli effect. The
Venturi measures a fluid's flowrate by reducing the cross sectional flow area in the flow
path and generating a pressure difference. After the pressure difference is generated,
the fluid is passed through a pressure recovery exit section where up to 80% of the
differential pressure generated at the throat is recovered. The pressure differential
follows Bernoulli's Equation.
Bernoulli's Equation:
The Venturi Principle
In the illustration above, the fluid, either liquid or gaseous, enters the Venturi at the
location with a cross-sectional area A1, pressure P1, and velocity v1. These properties
form the potential and kinetic energy of the fluid at one location. Energy is conserved in
a closed system, that is, the sum of potential and kinetic energy at one location must
equal the sum of the potential and kinetic energy at any another location in the system.
If potential energy decreases at one location, the kinetic energy must proportionally
increase at that location. The fluid now enters the throat of the Venturi with a new area
A2, which is smaller than A1. In a closed system mass can be neither created nor
destroyed (law of conservation of mass, simply, what goes in, must come out), and as
such, the volumetric flowrate at area A1 must equal the volumetric flowrate at area A2. If
the area at location A2 is smaller than A1, the fluid must travel faster to maintain the
same volumetric flowrate. This increase in velocity results in a decrease in pressure
which follows Bernoulli's equation. The result: by knowing the pressure and crosssectional area at two locations, one can calculate the velocity of the fluid. With the
velocity of the fluid and its density, one can calculate the flowrate.
A Venturi requires two pressure and one temperature measurement to accurately

determine flow. The first pressure is measured at the Venturi's upstream location, P 1.
This is used for the density calculation and the high side input to the differential
pressure measurement.
The Venturi Flowmeter
The second pressure is measured at the Venturi's throat, P 2. This is connected to the
low side of the differential pressure gauge to form the P pressure measurement. The
temperature reading is taken several pipe diameters in length upstream of the Venturi
so as not to disrupt the uniform flow profile.
Calculation of Flow Rate:

As long as the fluid speed is sufficiently subsonic (V < mach 0.3), the incompressible
Bernoulli's equation describes the flow. Applying this equation to a streamline traveling
down the axis of the horizontal tube gives,
From continuity, the throat velocity Vb can be substituted out of the above equation to
give,
Solving for the upstream velocity Va and multiplying by the cross-sectional area Aa gives
the volumetric flowrate Q,
Ideal fluids would obey the above equation. The small amounts of energy converted
into heat within viscous boundary layers tend to lower the actual velocity of real fluids
somewhat. A discharge coefficient C is typically introduced to account for the viscosity
of fluids,
C is found to depend on the Reynolds Number of the flow, and usually lies between
0.90 and 0.98 for smoothly tapering venturis.
The mass flowrate can be found by multiplying Q with the fluid density,
Venturi Effect:
The Venturi effect is the phenomenon that occurs when a fluid that is flowing through a
pipe is forced through a narrow section, resulting in a pressure decrease and a velocity
increase. The effect is mathematically described through the Bernoulli equation and can
be observed in both nature and industry. Many industry applications rely on this effect
as they need to be able to predict a fluids reaction when flowing through constricted
piping.
How does the Venturi Effect Work?
The Venturi effect is similar to a jet effect, which is similar to the feeling one gets when
the thumb is placed at the end of a garden hose with the water turned on. The waters
velocity increases when the thumb is placed over the water. The pressure increases
over the smaller surface area, however, the narrow flow then creates a vacuum in the
water. The fluids kinetic energy increase results in a pressure decrease, which the
physics laws governing fluid dynamics explain. When the fluid reaches a choked flow
point, the mass flow decreases, resulting in a decrease in downstream pressure.
Bernoullis equation can be used to calculate the theoretical pressure drop in a system
that experiences the Venturi effect. The equation is as follows: P/2(V(ending)^2
V(initial)^2, where P = fluid density. The formula assumes that the fluid being measured
cannot be compressed and maintains a consistent density.
Who Discovered the Venturi Effect?

The Venturi effect was named after Italian physicist, Giovanni Battista Venturi, who lived
from 1746-1822. Venturi was ordained as a priest in 1769 and was a student of Lazzaro
Spallanzani. He is not only given credit for the effects discovery, but is also credited
with the inventions of the Venturi pump and tube. He later compiled and published many
of Gailileos manuscripts and letters after being brought to Leonardo Da Vincis
attention.
Venturi Effect Uses
Many aquariums use power heads that include adjustable Venturi devices that consist
of a tube that connects a water outlet with an adjustable air valve. The Venturi effect
causes air to be pulled in through a short hose and mixed with the water that the
aquariums pump uses in order to aerate the water. Carburetors, Venturi meters, water
aspirators, cargo eductors, water evacuation from ship bilges, atomizers, foam
firefighting nozzles, and protein skimmers are some of the Venturi effects commercial
applications in society today.
Simple Ways to Demonstrate the Venturi Effect
The easiest way to demonstrate the Venturi effect is by squeezing and releasing a
flexible hose while fluid is flowing through it. A partial vacuum will be created in the hose
to keep it collapsed. Another way is by placing fluid in a u-shaped tube and connecting
each end of a Venturi tube. As the fluid flows through the tube, the pressure in each of
the two ends will vary, forcing the fluid to collect at the tubes low pressure side.
Recovery of Pressure Drop in Orifices, Nozzles and Venturi Meters

After the pressure difference has been generated in the differential pressure flow meter,
the fluid pass through the pressure recovery exit section, where the differential pressure
generated at the constricted area is partly recovered.

Venturi Meter

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How does the Venturi effect work?

What is the Venturi principle?

VENTURI TUBE

Figure 2. Venturi flow meter

The Venturi Principle

A Venturi requires two pressure and one temperature measurement to accurately

Calculation of Flow Rate:

Who Discovered the Venturi Effect?

Recovery of Pressure Drop in Orifices, Nozzles and Venturi Meters

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