Flow Through An Orice: How Orice Size

is Useful in Vacuum Pump Selection

Knowledge of the ow through an orice and orice size can be used in determining the sizing and
selection of a vacuum pump or system. Many of the situations encountered when sizing vacuum
equipment, particularly in material handling type applications are resolved with a basic understanding
of how ow through an orice works.
To begin the discussion on ow, lets rst dene what we mean by the terms orice and nozzle:
An orifce can be defned as a round, straight hole having a sharp edge in a plate.
A nozzle can be defned as a hole with a rounded entrance that transitions into a short, straight
section at the throat.
For simplicity and the purposes of this discussion, we will refer to both as an orice.
Flow
The ow of gas through an orifce follows certain theoretical formulas. As with any theoretical formula,
the exact results achieved may not match perfectly, but they are sufciently close to use in estimating the
expected performance requirement.
To determine ow (in SCFM) through an orice, the following equation is used:
Q (ow) = A (area in in2) x V (velocity)
There are two types of ow conditions depending on the velocity of the gas; sub-critical and critical ow.
For air, when the vacuum level on the pump side of the orice (i.e. downstream pressure) is less than half
of an atmosphere (around 380 Torr), the velocity through the orice is constantly changing along with the
pressure level. In sub-critical ow, the level of SCFM is dependent on the vacuum level it increases as the
pressure decreases (and vice versa).
When the downstream pressure reaches half of an atmosphere, the velocity through the orice becomes
xed (or sonic), and the ow condition changes to critical ow. In critical ow, as the downstream pressure
level changes, the ow remains constant as the velocity is xed. The only way to increase the ow would
be to increase the size of the orice (i.e. area).
For all other gases, the critical ratio (rc) can be calculated as follows provided the ratio of specic heats (k)
is known:
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Flow Through An Orice: Vacuum Pump Selection
r
c
= =
P2
P1
2
k + 1
k
k - 1
( )
Flow coefcient
The ow coefcient of an orice is a relative measure of its efciency. The ow coefcient (C) of a typical
sharp-edged orice is generally accepted to be 0.61 (61% efcient), whereas the ow coefcient of a
typical nozzle is generally accepted as 0.97 (97% efcient).
Note that the presence of dirt or burrs on the orice can signicantly affect the efciency, and hence ow
capacity of the orice. Figure 1 below illustrates this effect:
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Flow Through An Orice: Vacuum Pump Selection
Orice
C = .61
Nozzle
C = .97 C > .61 C < .61
Figure 1
Flow thru an Orice
When sizing vacuum pumps or vacuum systems that utilize an orice, nozzle, slot, hole, etc., an orice
chart can be used to help estimate airow (SCFM) as shown in Figure 2. For slots, equating the slot area in
square inches to the area in square inches of an orice is used to determine the orice equivalent.
ORIFICE CHART
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15-30
3/64 0.0017 0.115 0.181 0.220 0.246 0.270 0.291 0.312 0.329 0.344 0.352 0.360 0.366 0.370 0.371 0.372
1/16 0.0031 0.212 0.321 0.386 0.439 0.483 0.523 0.559 0.591 0.615 0.633 0.645 0.658 0.661 0.663 0.667
5/64 0.0048 0.338 0.494 0.620 0.701 0.774 0.831 0.873 0.908 0.950 0.978 1.00 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.04
3/32 0.0069 0.483 0.718 0.881 1.01 1.12 1.20 1.26 1.33 1.38 1.41 1.45 1.48 1.50 1.51 1.51
7/64 0.0094 0.666 0.989 1.21 1.39 1.53 1.65 1.75 1.82 1.89 1.94 1.99 2.02 2.05 2.06 2.06
1/8 0.0123 0.869 1.33 1.60 1.84 2.04 2.18 2.30 2.40 2.48 2.55 2.59 2.65 2.67 2.70 2.71
9/64 0.0155 1.10 1.63 2.01 2.30 2.53 2.72 2.86 2.97 3.09 3.18 3.25 3.31 3.36 3.39 3.42
5/32 0.0192 1.35 2.00 2.47 2.81 3.10 3.31 3.50 3.66 3.81 3.93 4.03 4.10 4.16 4.18 4.20
11/64 0.0232 1.59 2.38 2.92 3.38 3.75 4.04 4.25 4.43 4.58 4.73 4.84 4.94 5.02 5.09 5.13
3/16 0.0276 1.88 2.85 3.51 3.99 4.37 4.68 4.94 5.16 5.35 5.56 5.72 5.87 5.94 6.05 6.10
13/64 0.0324 2.22 3.27 4.00 4.57 5.08 5.50 5.82 6.08 6.31 6.51 6.70 6.86 6.99 7.07 7.14
7/32 0.0376 2.61 3.73 4.59 5.28 5.87 6.32 6.66 7.00 7.27 7.52 7.75 7.91 8.06 8.17 8.26
15/64 0.0431 3.00 4.25 5.22 6.02 6.66 7.24 7.66 7.99 8.32 8.59 8.82 9.04 9.22 9.36 9.48
1/4 0.0491 3.38 4.76 5.89 6.80 7.54 8.15 8.66 9.05 9.40 9.72 10.02 10.24 10.46 10.61 10.75
9/32 0.0621 4.16 5.97 7.29 8.32 9.25 9.99 10.72 11.20 11.74 12.11 12.58 12.93 13.23 13.35 13.62
5/16 0.0767 5.12 7.28 8.73 9.96 11.07 11.99 12.79 13.48 14.05 14.64 15.17 15.69 16.06 16.44 16.83
11/32 0.0928 5.90 8.68 10.52 12.12 13.40 14.39 15.32 16.11 16.92 17.57 18.27 18.80 19.34 19.74 20.19
3/8 0.1104 6.86 10.17 12.59 14.46 16.07 17.26 18.30 19.19 20.20 20.90 21.68 22.45 23.18 23.67 24.35
13/32 0.1296 8.41 12.22 14.84 17.06 18.82 20.30 21.60 22.71 23.77 24.70 25.61 26.41 27.08 27.88 28.90
7/16 0.1503 9.96 14.55 17.54 19.92 22.07 23.82 25.27 26.66 27.75 28.76 29.72 30.66 31.72 32.35 33.54
15/32 0.1726 11.40 16.61 20.33 23.04 25.23 27.34 29.10 30.62 31.88 32.95 34.14 35.21 36.19 37.03 38.37
1/2 0.1963 13.04 19.03 23.30 26.42 28.90 30.93 32.78 34.65 36.21 37.61 38.82 39.94 40.82 41.87 43.38
9/16 0.2485 17.59 25.00 30.32 34.39 37.72 40.53 43.12 45.20 47.12 48.73 50.20 51.50 52.47 53.90 55.08
3/4 0.4418 31.27 44.44 53.90 61.14 67.06 72.05 76.66 80.36 83.77 86.63 89.24 91.56 93.28 95.82 97.92
1 0.7854 55.59 79.01 95.83 108.69 119.21 128.09 136.28 142.85 148.92 154.01 158.66 162.77 165.83 170.35 174.08
1 1/2 1.7671 125.08 177.78 215.61 244.55 268.23 288.21 306.63 321.42 335.08 346.52 356.98 366.22 373.12 383.29 391.68
2 3.1416 222.37 316.05 383.30 434.76 476.86 512.38 545.12 571.42 595.69 616.04 634.63 651.06 663.32 681.40 696.32
2 1/2 4.9087 347.46 493.83 598.91 679.31 745.09 800.59 851.75 892.84 930.77 962.57 991.60 1017.28 1036.44 1064.69 1088.00
3 7.0686 500.34 711.11 862.44 978.20 1072.92 1152.85 1226.52 1285.69 1340.30 1386.10 1427.91 1464.89 1492.48 1533.16 1566.72
3 1/2 9.6211 681.02 967.90 1173.87 1331.44 1460.37 1569.16 1669.44 1749.97 1824.30 1886.63 1943.55 1993.88 2031.43 2086.80 2132.48
4 12.5664 889.49 1264.20 1533.22 1739.03 1907.42 2049.52 2180.49 2285.67 2382.76 2464.17 2538.51 2604.25 2653.30 2725.61 2785.28
Inches Hgv Area
in
Orifice
Diameter
Flow (SCFM) through a Square Edge Orice
Flow Coefcient = .61
Figure 2
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Flow Through An Orice: Vacuum Pump Selection
Orice Ratios
For most applications that use vacuum, multiple orifces are used. A high speed cartoning machine for
example will typically use one or more sets of suction cups that grip or hold the box through the set up
and unloading stages and where each cup uses an inner orice through which the air is removed
(or evacuated) by the vacuum system.
In multiple orice situations the sizing of the connecting lines or manifolds is key to the speed at which
the air is removed and hence the machine/system efciency. Often, incorrect manifolding of the orices
is witnessed. By introducing the concept of orice ratios we can better assist the customer, be it an OEM
or an end user.
The term orice ratio refers to the size of the area upstream on the orice (towards the point of use) to
the area downstream. As an example, consider a typical situation where four suction cups are used on a
common arm or end effector, with each cup having an internal id orice.
It is not unusual that these cups would then be manifolded together into a common line, then to a single
control valve that turns the vacuum on/off through the cycle. In this example, lets assume that the four
cups are connected to a common line, then to a control valve.
The below chart in Figure 3 provides the area for some of the common size orices in sizes up to 6.
3/64 0.0017 15/64 0.0431 1 0.7854
1/16 0.0031 1/4 0.0491 1 1/2 1.7671
5/64 0.0048 9/32 0.0621 2 3.1416
3/32 0.0069 5/16 0.0767 2 1/2 4.9087
7/64 0.0094 11/32 0.0928 3 7.0686
1/8 0.0123 3/8 0.1104 3 1/2 9.6211
9/64 0.0155 13/32 0.1296 4 12.5664
5/32 0.0192 7/16 0.1503 4 1/2 15.9043
11/64 0.0232 15/32 0.1726 5 19.6350
3/16 0.0276 1/2 0.1963 5 1/2 23.7583
13/64 0.0324 9/16 0.2485 6 28.2743
7/32 0.0376 3/4 0.4418 6 1/2 33.1831
Orifice
Diameter
Area
in
Orifice
Diameter
Area
in
Orifice
Diameter
Area
in
Area Chart Figure 3
As shown in the table above, a id orifce has an area of .0491 in2. As we are using four in this example,
we add the areas together to get a combined total area of .20 in2.
In connecting the four together via the line, we now have a situation where the total orice area in use
is greater than the connected line area resulting in a pinch point in the system. Orice ratios where the
upstream area is greater than the downstream area result in situation likened to a vacuum rush hour
trafc backup. Due to the pinch point, the air cannot be evacuated through the connected line as quickly
as necessary so the evacuation to the desired pressure level is delayed.
In the curve set below in Figure 4, we represent the time it takes for the pressure levels on both sides of
the orifce to equalize in a typical 4:1 orifce ratio situation (note that it takes almost 2 full seconds for the
pressure to equalize). Eventually, the pressure drop is overcome and the levels will be the same, but at the
expense of time.
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Flow Through An Orice: Vacuum Pump Selection
4 : 1 Orifce Ratio
Figure 4
A better solution is to manifold the cups to a connected line that has at least the same area as the total
orice area. In this example, using a line to manifold the cups and a minimum control valve (which
should always be at least the same size or larger as the connecting line) changes the orice ratio to 1:1.
By working to maintain a 1:1 orice ratio, the time it takes the pressure levels to equalize is greatly reduced
and as a result, the vacuum level in the cup reaches the required level faster so that the machine can also
run faster. This is represented in the curve set in Figure 5 below:
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Flow Through An Orice: Vacuum Pump Selection
1 : 1 Orifce Ratio
Figure 5
Conclusion
By having a better understanding of ow conditions, ow through an orice and orice ratios, a more
efcient vacuum solution can be realized. Often, there are opportunities to eliminate pressure drop in
the system that hampers evacuation time by making some simple changes to connecting lines and
control valves.
Further, when reducing pressure drop in the system, pump sizing may also be reduced. Consider that if the
upstream pressure required is 18 Hgv, but the downstream pressure required to maintain it is 24 Hgv,
an efciency opportunity exists.
In this case the pump or system would need to be twice as large to overcome the pressure drop (P1/P2
or 12/6 = 2) than if there were zero delta P. The same also holds true for when a lower than necessary
pressure level is specied or maintained where the lower pressure has no impact on the work being
performed.