The University of Jordan

Faculty of Engineering and Technology

Department of Civil Engineering
_________________________________________

Hydraulics Laboratory
0931363

By: Qusai Waleed Al-Qudah · · · · · · · · · · · · · · 1

 Objectives:

 Venturi
To study the principles of Venturi meter and to determine its coefficient Cd by
comparing the measure flow rate with the ideal flow rate.
 Orifice
1- To determine the coefficient Cd of an orifice meter by comparing the measured
flow rate with the ideal flow rate.
2- To calibrate the rotameter.

 Apparatus:
Figures 1 and 2 show the details of the apparatus for this experiment. Water from the
hydraulic bench enters the equipment through a Venturi meter consisting of a short
nozzle, a throat, and a long diffuser. Next, the water flows into a rapidly diverging
section (C-D), followed by a settling length where the flow again adjusts to uniform
conditions, and then through an orifice plate (E-F). Following a further settling length
and a right-angle bend, the flow enters a rotameter (H-I). The rotameter is a transparent
tube of gradually diverging cross-section in which the “float” takes an equilibrium
position; the vertical position of the float is a measure of the flow rate.

By: Qusai Waleed Al-Qudah · · · · · · · · · · · · · · 2

 Concepts:
 The Venturi Meter:
In the venturi meter (shown in figure (1) below) the fluid is accelerated through a
converging cone of angle 15-20° and the pressure difference between the upstream
side of the cone and the throat is measured and provides the signal for the rate of flow.

By: Qusai Waleed Al-Qudah · · · · · · · · · · · · · · 3

 The fluid slows down in a cone with smaller angle (5-7°) where most of the kinetic
energy is converted back to pressure energy. Because of the cone and the gradual
reduction in the area there is no "vena contracta". The flow area is at minimum at the
throat.

 The Orifice Plate:

The orifice meter shown in figure (2) below, consists of a flat orifice plate with a
circular hole drilled in it. There is a pressure tap upstream from the orifice plate and
another just downstream. There are in general three methods of placing the taps. The
coefficient of the meter depends upon the positions of taps.

By: Qusai Waleed Al-Qudah · · · · · · · · · · · · · · 4

 Theory:

 Venturi:
The Venturi meter is a device which is used for measuring the discharge of a long
pipe. The fluid flowing in the pipe is lead through a contraction section to a throat,
which has a smaller cross-sectional area than the pipe, so that the velocity of the fluid
through the throat is higher than that in the pipe. This increase of velocity is
accompanied by a fall in pressure, the magnitude of which depends on the rate of
flow, so that by measuring the pressure drop, the discharge may be calculated from the
equation:
√ ( )
( )
√
√
where A1, A2 are the cross sectional area of the entry and the throat section, and
h1-h2 is the differential manometer reading across the entry and the throat of the
meter. In practice, there is some loss of the energy between sections 1 and 2, as a
result, measured values of Q usually fall a little short of coefficient Cd which is
introduced as follows:

This coefficient may be established by experiment.

 Orifice
The Orifice and rotameter are devices for measuring the flow rate along a pipe. An
Orifice in a pipe line may be used as a meter in the manner as the Venturi meter. The
Orifice meter consists of a concentric square-edged circular hole in thin plate which is
clamped between the flanges of the pipe. The arrangement is cheap compared to the
cost of a Venturi meter, but there are substantial energy losses. The theoretical floe
rate can be calculated from the equation:

( ) √ ( ) √
√

By: Qusai Waleed Al-Qudah · · · · · · · · · · · · · · 5

 But the actual flow rate may be as little as two-thirds ,of this value .A coefficient of
discharge Cd must be introduced in the same way as for the venturi meter , the actual
flow rate through as orifice meter is :

Where: A6 & A7 are the cross sectional area of the pipe & orifice respectively & (h6 –
h7 ) is the differential manometer reading across the up & down stream of the orifice
& the coefficient Cd may simplest device for measuring the flow in a pipe line .It
consist of a vertical glass tube that is slightly tapered , in which the metering float is
suspended by the upward motion of the fluid around it .
Directional notches cut in the float keep it rotating & thus free of wall of wall friction.
The rate of flow Q determine the equilibrium height of the float, the tube is graduated
to read the flow directly.

 Experimental procedure:

1- Stand the apparatus on top of the hydraulic bench. Connect the bench supply hose to
the inlet pipe and secure it with a hose clip. Connect a hose to the outlet pipe and put
the other end of the hose in to the hole leading to the bench volumetric tank.
2- Open the outlet valve, then switch on the bench pump and open the bench supply
valve to admit water to the apparatus.
3- Partly close the outlet valve so that water is driven into the manometer tubes. Then,
carefully close both valves so that you stop the flow whilst keeping the levels of water
in the manometers somewhere within the range on the manometer scale.
4- Level the apparatus by adjusting the leveling screws until the manometers each read
the same value.
5- Open both valves and carefully adjust each one in turn until you obtain the maximum
differential reading (h1 – h2) whilst keeping all the water levels within the range on
the manometer scale. If necessary, adjust the general level by pumping air into the
reservoir or releasing air.
6- Record the manometer reading h1 and h2.
7- Measure the flow rate by timing the collection of water in the bench volumetric tank.
8- As for the orifice, follow the same procedure used for the venturi meter. For the
calibration of the rotameter, record the tube reading for each flow rate Q.
By: Qusai Waleed Al-Qudah · · · · · · · · · · · · · · 6
 Calculation about this experiment:
 Table1: Readings obtained in the laboratory:

Trial Manometer Readings Flow rate

Number Pressure Head (mm) Rotameter Volume Time
(L) (s)
1 2 3 6 7 8 ( )

1 125 119 124 60 58 59 2 3.3 x 10-5 1 25.82

2 140 125 132 62 50 59 5 8.3 x 10-5 2 22.89

3 145 120 130 65 55 60 7 1.2 x 10-5 3 26.91

4 170 105 145 75 50 60 10 1.7 x 10-4 3 18.72

5 195 110 160 85 50 60 12 2.0 x 10-4 3 14.09

6 220 100 175 100 45 60 15 2.5 x 10-4 5 17.73

7 240 95 190 115 40 65 17 2.8 x 10-4 10 34.66

8 280 75 210 130 30 65 20 3.3 x 10-4 10 29.97

9 305 70 230 150 30 65 22 3.7 x 10-4 10 26.35

For the venturi meter, A1 = 7.92 x 10-4 m2 and A 2 = 1.77 x 10-4 m2

For the orifice, A1 = 7.92 x 10-4 m2 and A 2 = 3.14 x 10-4 m2

By: Qusai Waleed Al-Qudah · · · · · · · · · · · · · · 7

 Table 2: The coefficient of discharge of the venturi meter for each discharge

Q (Actual) Q (Theoretical) Head Loss

h1 – h2
Cd meter
meter
(h1 – h3)

0.006 3.87297 x 10-5 6.23 x 10-5 0.621579 0.001

0.015 8.73744 x 10-5 9.85 x 10-5 0.886883 0.008
0.025 0.000111483 0.000127 0.876527 0.015
0.065 0.000160256 0.000205 0.781424 0.025
0.085 0.000212917 0.000235 0.907881 0.035
0.12 0.000282008 0.000279 1.012042 0.045
0.145 0.000288517 0.000306 0.941923 0.050
0.205 0.000333667 0.000364 0.916145 0.070
0.235 0.000379507 0.00039 0.973225 0.075

Average value of the coefficient of discharge = 0.880

Volume 1L 103 m3
 105 m3
Time 25.82 s 25.82 s

A1 x A 2
x 2g x h1  h2 0.0008044 x 0.006
A12 - A 22

105 m3

Q actual 3.8783
=
Q theoritical 6.23
By: Qusai Waleed Al-Qudah · · · · · · · · · · · · · · 8
 Table 3: The coefficient of discharge of the orifice for each discharge

h6 – h7 Q (Actual) Q (Theoretical) Head Loss

Cd
meter h6 – h8

0.002 3.87297 x 10-5 6.77529 x 10-5 0.571631 0.001

0.012 8.73744 x 10-5 0.00016596 0.526479 0.003
0.010 0.000111483 0.0001515 0.73586 0.005
0.025 0.000160256 0.000239543 0.66901 0.015
0.035 0.000212917 0.000283431 0.751214 0.025
0.055 0.000282008 0.000355299 0.79372 0.040
0.075 0.000288517 0.0004149 0.69539 0.050
0.100 0.000333667 0.000479085 0.696467 0.065
0.120 0.000379507 0.000524811 0.72313 0.085

Average coefficient of discharge = 0.685

Volume 1L 103 m3
 105 m3
Time 25.82 s 25.82 s

A1 x A 2
x 2g x h1  h2 0.001515 x 0.002
A12 - A 22

105 m3

Q actual 3.8783
=
Q theoritical 6.77529

By: Qusai Waleed Al-Qudah · · · · · · · · · · · · · · 9

 Graph1: The graph of actual flow rate versus the square root of difference in pressure
head for the venturi meter

0.00045

y = 0.0007x + 7E-05
0.0004

0.00035
Actual Flow Rate Q

0.0003

0.00025

0.0002

0.00015

0.0001

0.00005

0
0 0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2 0.25

(h1 - h2)^0.5

The slope of the graph turned out to be 0.0007, and so the value of CD can be found out
by:

A1 x A 2
Slope = x 2g x Cd = 0.0007
A12 - A 22

0.0007
Cd = = 0.87
0.0008044

By: Qusai Waleed Al-Qudah · · · · · · · · · · · · · · 10

 Graph 2: The graph of actual discharge versus the square root of the difference in
pressure head for the orifice.

0.0006

y = 0.0011x + 0.0001
0.0005

0.0004
Actual Flow Rate Q

0.0003

0.0002

0.0001

0
0 0.02 0.04 0.06 0.08 0.1 0.12 0.14

(h6 - h7)^0.5

A1 x A 2
Slope = x 2g x Cd = 0.0011
A12 - A 22

0.0007
Cd = = 0.73
0.001515

By: Qusai Waleed Al-Qudah · · · · · · · · · · · · · · 11

 Table 4: Summary of discharge and head loss for the venturi meter, orifice and rotameter

Q (Actual) Q (venturi) Q (orifice) Q (rotameter) Head loss Head loss

Venturi Orifice
meter meter
3.87 x 10-5 6.23 x 10-5 6.78 x 10-5 3.3 x 10-5 0.001 0.001

8.73 x 10-5 9.85 x 10-5 0.000166 8.3 x 10-5 0.008 0.003

0.000111 0.000127 0.000152 1.2 x 10-5 0.015 0.005
0.000160 0.000205 0.000239 1.7 x 10-4 0.025 0.015
0.000213 0.000235 0.000283 2.0 x 10-4 0.035 0.025
0.000282 0.000279 0.000355 2.5 x 10-4 0.045 0.040
0.000289 0.000306 0.000415 2.8 x 10-4 0.050 0.050
0.000334 0.000364 0.000479 3.3 x 10-4 0.070 0.065
0.000379 0.000390 0.000525 3.7 x 10-4 0.075 0.085

By: Qusai Waleed Al-Qudah · · · · · · · · · · · · · · 12

 Conclusions:
 For both meters it was noted from plots that the difference in pressures are directly
related to the rate of discharge.
 Coefficient of discharge have a varying value depending on the rate of discharge,
where in the Venturi meter the value of Cd increase gradually at first with increasing
the rate of discharge till a point approaching one, then started to descend with further
increment in the rate of discharge. For the Orifice meter the same scheme was noticed
but with the ultimate value of 0.7.
 The Coefficient of discharge " Cd " for the Venturi Meter was greater than that for the
Orifice Meter, which indicates that the head losses occurred in the Orifice are larger
that them in the Venturi, this result was predicted theoretically.
 When the Head losses where plotted with the discharge rate, the following results
were accomplished;
1- The head losses increased as the rate of discharge increased for both meters.
2- When the rate of discharge was taken to be the theoretical value, an unexpected
result was obtained that the head losses for the Venturi meter were larger than
them for the Orifice which is not possible.
3- The actual rate of discharge was taken the relation was corrected somehow.
 A practical error in taking the reading was noticed when the Cd of that reading was
calculated, which showed increasing value of Cd of the previous results.
 The arrangement of Orifice Meter is much economical than the use of the Venturi
meter, but as seen in this experiment the Venturi meter provide more accurate results
that the Orifice meter, So the choice of which to use in a specified laboratory depends
on the financial ability of the organization occupying the device and on the accuracy
needed.

By: Qusai Waleed Al-Qudah · · · · · · · · · · · · · · 13