Subject: Fluid Mechanics -I

Dr. Mustafa B. Al-hadithi

Lecture Fifteen
Flow Measurements Part-2

1- Pitot Tube for Flow Measurements.

Definitions of Hydrostatic, Hydrodynamic, Static and Total Pressure.
The points A&B are at a height 𝑧𝐴 &𝑧𝐵 respectively from the datum & consider a fluid flow
through pipe of varying cross section area as in Fig. 1.

pA B
pB
VA A VB

zB
zA
Figure 1: Static and Total Pressure.

𝜕𝑝
- If the fluid is to be stationary , then ( 𝜕𝑧 )ℎ𝑠 = −𝑔
(hs) Represent the hydrostatic case.
So, 𝑝𝐴ℎ𝑠 − 𝑝𝐵ℎ𝑠 = 𝜌𝑔(𝑧𝐵 − 𝑧𝐴 )
From above equation, the hydrostatic pressure at a point in a fluid is the pressure acting at the
point when the fluid is at rest or pressure at the point due to weight of the fluid above it.
- Now, if the fluid to be moving, the pressure at a point can be written as a sum of two
components, hydrodynamic & hydrostatic
𝑝𝐴 = 𝑝𝐴ℎ𝑠 + 𝑝𝐴ℎ𝑑 (1)
- Using Eq. 1 in Bernoulli's equation between A&B
𝑝𝐴ℎ𝑑 −𝑝𝐵ℎ𝑑 𝑝𝐴ℎ𝑠 −𝑝𝐵ℎ𝑠 𝑉𝐵2 −𝑉𝐴2
+[ + (𝑧𝐴 − 𝑧𝐵 )] = (2)
𝜌𝑔 𝜌𝑔 2𝑔

From Eq. 2, the terms within the square bracket cancel each other, hence
𝑝𝐴ℎ𝑑 −𝑝𝐵ℎ𝑑 𝑉𝐵2 −𝑉𝐴2
= (3)
𝜌𝑔 2𝑔
𝜌𝑉𝐴2 𝜌𝑉𝐵2
𝑝𝐴ℎ𝑑 + 2 = 𝑝𝐵ℎ𝑑 + 2 = 𝐶 = 𝑝𝑂 (4)
Eq's (3 &4) convey the flowing Hydrostatic component
The pressure at a location has
Hydrodynamic component
The difference in kinetic energy due to hydrodynamic components only.
Note.
1- The hydrodynamic component is often called static pressure.
2- The velocity term is the dynamic pressure.
The sum of two components is (𝑝𝑂 ) is known as total pressure.
𝜌𝑉 2
𝑝𝑂 = 𝑝 + 2 (5)
Is known as stagnation pressure
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 Subject: Fluid Mechanics -I
Dr. Mustafa B. Al-hadithi

𝑝𝑂 −𝑝
𝑉 = √2 (6)
𝜌

2- Pitot Tube Device.

Firstly at 1732 by Henri Pitot, was used a right angled glass tube, one end of the tube face
the flow while the other end is open to atmosphere. The difference in level between the liquid in
the glass tube and the free surface becomes the measure of dynamic pressures neglecting friction
as in Fig. 2.a.
𝜌𝑉 2
𝑝𝑂 − 𝑝 = = 𝜌𝑔 ℎ
2

𝑉 = √2𝑔ℎ

(a) (b)

Figure 2:Simple Pitot tube (a) Tube for measuring the stagnation pressure.
(b) Static and stagnation tubes together.

For a free stream a single tube is sufficient to determine the velocity.In closed duct the Pitot tube
measures only the stagnation pressure and so the static pressure must be measured separately as
shown in Fig. 2-b. Applying B.E. between stagnations s & p in horizontal pipe
𝑝𝑂 𝑉2 𝑝 𝑉2
+ 2𝑔 = 𝜌𝑔𝑠 𝑜𝑟 ℎ𝑜 + 𝜌𝑔 = ℎ𝑠
𝜌𝑔
𝑉 = √2𝑔(ℎ𝑠 − ℎ𝑜 ) = √2𝑔∆ℎ
Where:
po= Pressure at point p. i.e. static pressure.
V= Velocity at point (p) i.e free flow velocity
ps= Stagnation pressure at point s
Δh= Dynamic pressure
= Difference between stagnation pressure head (ℎ𝑠 ) and static pressure (ℎ0 )
If a differential manometer is connected to the tube of a Pitot static tube as in Fig. 5.8 it will
measure the dynamic pressure head. The following figure shows the static pressure and
stagnation pressure tube are combined into one instrument known as Pitot static tube. If y is the
manometric difference, then
𝜌
∆ℎ = 𝑦( 𝜌𝑚 − 1)
𝜌𝑚 = 𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝑚𝑎𝑛𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑐 𝑙𝑖𝑞𝑢𝑖𝑑
 = density of the liquid flowing through the pipe
∴ 𝑉 = 𝐶√2𝑔∆ℎ or

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 Subject: Fluid Mechanics -I
Dr. Mustafa B. Al-hadithi

∆𝑝
𝑉 = 𝐶√2 ( 𝜌 )

Where Δp is the difference between stagnation and static pressure. The value of C is usually
determine from calibration test of the Pitot tube

Figure 3: Pitot static tube.

Ex.1 A submarine fitted with a Pitot tube moves horizontally in sea. Its axis is 12 m below the
surface of water. The Pitot tube fixed in front of the submarine and along it axis is connected to
the two limbs of a u-tube containing mercury, the reading of which is found to be 200 mm. Find
the speed of the submarine.
Sol.
ρsea = 1025 kg/m3 , ρmer = 13600 kg/m3
𝜌 13600
To find the head ∆ℎ = 𝑦 ( 𝜌𝑚 − 1) = 0.2( 1025 − 1)
∆ℎ = 2.45 𝑚
∴ 𝑉𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑉 = √2𝑔∆ℎ = √2 ∗ 9.81 ∗ 2.45 = 6.94 𝑚/𝑠
= 24.97 𝑘𝑚/ℎ𝑟
Ex.2 For the Pitot-static pressure arrangement of the following figure, the manometer fluid is
(colored) water at 20C. Estimate (a) The centerline velocity, (b) The pipe volume flow rate, and
(c) The smooth wall shear stress.

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 Subject: Fluid Mechanics -I
Dr. Mustafa B. Al-hadithi

Sol.
𝑘𝑔 𝑘𝑔
𝜌 = 1.2 𝑚3 , 𝜇 = 1.8 ∗ 10−5 𝑚.𝑠 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑎𝑖𝑟.
𝑘𝑔 𝑘𝑔
𝜌 = 998 𝑚3 , 𝜇 = 0.001 𝑚.𝑠 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟.
The manometer reads
𝑝𝑂 − 𝑝 = ( 𝜌𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 − 𝜌𝑎𝑖𝑟 )𝑔ℎ = (998 − 1.2)(9.81)(0.04)
𝑝𝑂 − 𝑝 = 391 𝑃𝑎
2∆𝑝 0.5 2(391) 0.5 𝑚
Therefore 𝑉𝑐𝑙 = [ ] =[ ] = 25.5
𝜌 1.2 𝑠
𝑚
𝐺𝑢𝑒𝑠𝑠 𝑉𝑎𝑣. ≈ 0.85 𝑉𝐶𝐿 ≈ 21.7 𝑠
𝜋 𝑚3
𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒 𝑓𝑙𝑜𝑤 𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑖𝑠 𝑄 = ( 4 ) (0.08)2 (21.7) ≈ 0.109 𝑠
𝜌𝑉𝐷 1.2(21.7)(0.08)
𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑅𝑒 = =
𝜇 1.8∗10−5
𝑅𝑒 = 115700
𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑓 𝑠𝑚𝑜𝑡ℎ ≈ 0.0175
𝑓 0.0175
𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑦 𝜏𝑤 = 8 𝜌𝑉 2 = 8 (1.2)(21.7) ≈ 1.23𝑃𝑎𝑠
Ex.3
For the water flow of figure use the Pitot- static arrangement to estimate
a) The center line velocity
b) The volume flow in 5 in diameter smooth pipe
c) What error in flow rate is caused by neglecting the (1 ft) elevation difference?
𝑠𝑙𝑢𝑔
Take:- 𝜌 = 1.94 𝑠𝑙𝑢𝑔/ 𝑓𝑡 3 ; 𝜇 = 2.09 ∗ 10−5 𝑓𝑡.𝑠
h = 2 in.

Sol.
For the manometer reading take the equal pressure at 0-0
𝑝𝑂𝐵 + (ℎ + 𝑅)𝜌𝑤 𝑔 = 𝑝𝐴 + ℎ 𝜌𝑚 𝑔 + 𝑅𝜌𝑤 𝑔 + 1 ∗ 𝜌𝑤 𝑔
𝑝𝑂𝐵 − 𝑝𝐴 = ℎ𝜌𝑚 𝑔 − ℎ𝜌𝑤 𝑔 + 𝜌𝑤 𝑔 = (𝜌𝑚 − 𝜌𝑤 )ℎ𝑔 + 𝜌𝑤 𝑔 − − − −(𝑎)
Where R is the vertical distance between point B and the top level of mercury in right leg. From
energy equation,
𝑝𝐴 𝑉2 𝑝 𝑉2
𝐴
+ 2𝑔 + 𝑧𝐴 = 𝜌𝑔𝐵 + 2𝑔
𝐵
+ 𝑧𝐵 + ℎ𝑓−𝐴𝐵
𝜌𝑔
𝑝𝐴 − 𝑝𝐵 = 𝜌𝑔ℎ𝑓−𝐴𝐵 − 𝜌𝑔(1 𝑓𝑡) Static pressure difference ----------(b)
Therefor by summation Eq's (a) & (b)

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 Subject: Fluid Mechanics -I
Dr. Mustafa B. Al-hadithi

𝑝𝑂𝐵 − 𝑝𝐴 + 𝑝𝐴 − 𝑝𝐵 = (𝜌𝑚 − 𝜌𝑤 )ℎ𝑔 + 𝜌𝑤 𝑔 + 𝜌𝑔ℎ𝑓−𝐴𝐵 − 𝜌𝑔

𝑝𝑜𝐵 − 𝑃𝐵 = (𝜌𝑚 − 𝜌𝑤 )ℎ𝑔 + 𝜌𝑔 ℎ𝑓−𝐴𝐵 Where ℎ𝑓−𝐴𝐵 friction losses.
2 130.6𝑙𝑏𝑓
(𝑝𝑂𝐵 − 𝑝𝐵 ) = (𝑆𝐺 − 1)𝜌𝑔ℎ = (13.56 − 1)(62.4) ( ) ≈
12 𝑓𝑡 2
2∆𝑝 0.5 130.6 0.5 𝑓𝑡
𝑉𝐶𝐿 = ( ) = (2 ∗ ) = 11.6
𝜌 1.94 𝑠
𝜋 5 2 𝑓𝑡 3
𝑄 = 𝐴𝑉𝐶𝐿 = 4 (12) ∗ 11.6 = 1.58 𝑠
𝑙
𝑓( )𝜌𝑉 2
𝑑
∆𝑝𝑓𝑟𝑖𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 = ≈ 3.2 3% 𝑖𝑠 𝑛𝑒𝑔𝑙𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔
2
∆𝑝 𝑝𝑖𝑡𝑜𝑡 = 130.6 + 3.2 = 133.8 𝑝𝑠𝑓