Principles of Hydrostatic
Pressure
CE 309 – Fluid Mechanics
Prepared by: John Brix C. Pronuncial
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Objectives
By the end of the module, the students will be able to:
1. Understand the characteristics of pressure in a given situation
2. Compute the pressure under various circumstances
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Pressure
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Pressure
Pressure is the force per unit area exerted by a liquid or gas on a
body or surface, with the force acting at right angles to the surface
uniformly in all directions.
• Pascal’s Law, developed by the French Mathematician Blaise Pascal,
states that the pressure acting at a point in a fluid is the same in all
directions.
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Gage Pressure
Gage pressure are pressure above or below the atmosphere and
can be measured by pressure gauges or manometers.
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Atmospheric Pressure
Atmospheric pressure is the pressure at any point in the earth
from the weight of the above it.
Patm = 101.325 kPa
= 14.7 psi
= 760 mmHg
=2166 lb/ft2
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Absolute Pressure
Absolute Pressure is the pressure above absolute zero (perfect
vacuum).
Pabs = Pgage + Patm
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Variations in Pressure
• The difference in pressure between any two points in a homogeneous
fluid at rest is equal to the product of the unit weight of the fluid to
the vertical distance between the points.
• If P1 lies on the free liquid surface,
• Pressure head is the height of a column of homogenous liquid of unit
weight that will produce an intensity of pressure
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Measurement of Static Pressure
A manometer is a tube, usually bent in a form of U, containing a liquid of
known specific gravity, the surface of which moves proportionally to changes of
pressure. It is used to measure pressure.
Types of manometer:
• Open Type
• Differential Type
• Piezometer
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Piezometer
Piezometer is the simplest form of manometer which is tapped
into the wall of pressure conduit for the purpose of measuring
pressure.
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Open Manometer
Open manometer is a tube bent into a U-shape to contain one or
more fluids of different specific gravities. It is used to measure
pressure.
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Differential Manometer
Differential Manometer cannot measure pressure but can
measure pressure difference.
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Sample Problems
1. What is the pressure 12.5 m below the ocean? Use SG=1.03 for salt
water.
2. Find the absolute pressure at a depth of 5 m below the surface of a
liquid with SG = 0.85. The barometer reading on the surface is 1.5
bar.
3. Determine the absolute pressure inside a closed tank with a
vacuum pressure of 30 kPa. Assume standard atmospheric
pressure.
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Sample Problems
4. Convert 760 mm of mercury column head into:
4. Oil column head with a specific gravity of 0.82
5. Water column head
5. A pressure gage 6m above the bottom of the tank containing a
liquid reads 90 kPa. Another gage reads 103 kPa 4 meters above the
bottom of the tank. Determine the specific weight of the liquid.
6. An open tank contains 5.8m of water covered with 3.2m of
kerosene, unit weight is 8kN/cu.m. Find the pressure at the
interface and at the bottom of the tank.
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Sample Problems
7. In the figure shown, if the atmospheric pressure is 101.03 kPa and
the absolute pressure at the bottom of the tank is 231.3 kPa. What
is the specific gravity of the olive?
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Hydraulic System
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Sample Problem
The mechanics of a pneumatic jack used in a service station is shown in
the figure. If the car and lift have a weight of 25 kN, determine the
force that must be developed by the air compressor at B to raise the lift
at a constant velocity. Air is in the line from B to A. The air line at B has
an inner diameter of 15 mm, and the post at A has a diameter of 280
mm.
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THANK YOU!
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