OBJECTIVE

To demonstrate typical flow measurement devices for incompressible fluids: (1) venture meter,
(2) orifice plate, (3) rotameter
To compare the difference in flow rate incurred by each of the three devices

INTRODUCTION

In engineering and industrial practice, fluid measurement such as density, viscosity, velocity, flow rate
is one of the problems that most frequently encountered by engineers. It is because there are many
apparatus and methods of measuring various fluid properties and phenomena. This flowmeter apparatus
is specially designed to obtain the flow rate measurement by using three basic of flow measuring
techniques which are float-type flow meter, venture meter and the orifice meter.

The Bernoullis Theorem plays a huge role in this experiment. The theorem states that an increase in the
speed of the fluid occurs simultaneously with a decrease in pressure or a decrease in the fluids potential
energy. This experiment relates much with Bernoullis Theorem but by using different methods specifically
Venturi tube and Orifice tube. This experiment has much relation with the Theorem of Bernoulli which
states that when a fluid is flowing through a vessel of a small cross-section, the velocity increases while at
the same time pressure decreases. Thus, the objective of this experiment is to compare flow
measurements between the Venturi meter, Orifice Plate, and the rotameter.

This experimentation process will first begin by opening all the available valves which are outlet valve,
vent valve, drain valve, and inlet valve. Then, the pump will be switched on to allow all the manometers to
be filled up with water so that any air present will be expelled. The valves will then be closed in order -
outlet valve, vent valve, drain valve, inlet valve, and the pump will be switched off. Then, both vent and
drain valves will be opened to adjust the level of liquid in the manometers to 150 mm (by opening and
closing drain valve), and were then closed. The pump will then be switched on again slowly until the level
of liquid in each manometer differs from each other. The inlet valve is adjusted so that the flowrate of the
rotameter is 200 L/hr and the readings of the manometers are recorded. Simultaneously, the time taken
for the outflow of the liquid to fill up 10 L will be measured. The process was then repeated with rotameter
flowrate of 300 L/hr, 400 L/hr, 500 L/hr, 600 L/hr. In the end, the flowrate of the Venturi tube and the
Orifice tube was calculated using the Bernoullis Equation.

DISCUSSIONS
The purpose of this experiment is to compare between flow measurement by using Venturi meter,
Orifice plate, and rotameter. This apparatus is specially designed to obtain the flow rate measurement by
utilizing three basic types of flow measuring techniques, which are float-type flow meter, venture meter
and the orifice meter.

The theory is to measure the amount of liquid collected over a period of time, velocity of water will
increase if the area of tube is decrease and will affect the decreasing of pressure. This experiment was
begun with the measurement lines are connected. All valves at pipe section and the six tubes manometer
are opened. The pump is switched on and the water is allowed to flow for one minute or until all the air
has been expelled from the pipe work. After that, the pump is switched off. The inlet and flow control
valves are both closed. The vent and drain valves of the six tubes manometer are opened and then the
vent and drain valves are immediately closed. The height of the manometer tubes is adjusted by slightly
opening and closing the drain valves until the height of the manometer become 150 mm. The pump is
switched on and the inlet is opened slowly. The height of the water in the manometer tunes is adjusted
with the help of flow control valve until the difference in levels between each manometer is obtained. The
flow rate shown by the rotameter is recorded. Without adjusting any valves, the water outlet hose is
conveyed into a container whose capacity is known and the time taken for the water to fill up is recorded.
The manometer reading in the sample reading table is recorded. Step 8 to 11 is repeated for other flow
rate.

A common device used to measure volumetric flow rate is the rotameter. The rotameter consists
of a transparent tapered tube with a float in it. When, the flow enters the rotameter, the float will rise to a
position where both the drag force and buoyant force will be balanced by its own weight. Another method
to measure flow is by means of a flow obstruction. Examples of this method include orifices and venturi
meters. All these methods are developed based on Bernoullis equation, hence the fluif flow is assumed to
be steady, incompressible and inviscid.

In the fluid mechanics incompressible fluid is a fluid which is not reduced in volume by an
increase of pressure. Thus, it is suitable to use it in the experiment. From the experiment the devices use
is Flow meter apparatus that consist of venturi meter, orifice plate, and rotameter. This device is used to
measure the flow rate of fluids using different parameters such as velocity and pressure.

Venturi meters are flow measurement instruments which use a converging section of pipe to give
an increase in the flow velocity and a corresponding pressure drop from which the flowrate can be
deduced. The basic principle on which a Venturimeter works is that by reducing the cross-sectional area
of the flow passage, a pressure difference is created and by measuring this pressure difference,
discharge through the pipe can be determined.

An orifice plate is a device used for measuring the volumetric flow rate. It uses the same principle
as a Venturi nozzle, namely Bernoulli's principle which states that there is a relationship between the
pressure of the fluid and the velocity of the fluid. When the velocity increases, the pressure decreases
and vice versa.

A rotameter is a device that measures the flow rate of liquid or gas in a closed tube. It belongs to
a class of meters called variable area meters, which measure flow rate by allowing the cross-sectional
area the fluid travels through to vary, causing some measurable effect. The rotameter operation is based
on the variable area principle: fluid flow raises a float in a tapered tube, increasing the area for passage of
the fluid. The greater the flow, the higher the float is raised. The height of the float is directly proportional
to the flowrate. With liquids, the float is raised by a combination of the buoyancy of the liquid and the
velocity head of the fluid. With gases, buoyancy is negligible, and the float responds to the velocity head
alone.

The float moves up or down in the tube in proportion to the fluid flowrate and the annular area
between the float and the tube wall. The float reaches a stable position in the tube when the upward force
exerted by the flowing fluid equals the downward gravitational force exerted by the weight of the float. A
change in flowrate upsets this balance of forces. The float then moves up or down, changing the annular
area until it again reaches a position where the forces are in equilibrium. To satisfy the force equation, the
rotameter float assumes a distinct position for every constant flowrate. However, it is important to note
that because the float position is gravity dependent, rotameter must be vertically oriented and mounted.

From the experiment that has been conduct, the flowrate (Q) of the outflow was obtained by
measuring how long it takes, with a stopwatch, for the fluid flow to reach 10 L, with different flow rates.
The flow rate was then calculated by using the constant volume, 10 L over the measured time. Both flow
rates of Venturi tube and Orifice plate were based on the increasing flow rates of the Rotameter. The flow
rate calculated using Bernoulli's equation (L/min) for Venturi meter is 4.13, 6.22, 7.67, 9.06, and 11.13.
Next, the flow rate calculated using Bernoulli's equation (L/min) for Orifice plate is 3.38, 5.88, 7.60, 8.32,
and 10.19.
The principle of Venturi meter states that when cross-sectional area of the pipe is increase, the average
velocity of the flow is increase. For the incompressible fluid that flow in the Venturi meter decrease in
pressure as the velocity is increase.Thus decrease pressure will increase the flow rate, For Orifice plate
also use the same principle as Venturi meter. Both use the same principle that is Bernoulli's
principle.Bernoulli's principle states that for an inviscid flow, an increase in the velocity of the fluid occurs
simultaneously with a decrease in pressure or a decrease in the fluid's potential energy. This pressure is
called the pressure head. For the fluid that flow the continuity equation from Bernoulli's principle also is
used to describe their flows. A continuity equation is the local form of conservation laws. All the examples
of continuity equations below express the same idea, which is roughly that: the total amount (of the
conserved quantity) inside any region can only change by the amount that passes in or out of the region
through the boundary. A conserved quantity cannot increase or decrease, it can only move from place to
place.

After calculate the flow rate Q (L/min) using the formula below:

Q=
2P
=k P
p

The result show is 5.405, 7.229, 9.231, 11.765 and 15.385. Then, for the Rotameter (L/min) the
reading shown is 3.33, 5.00, 6.67, 8.33, and 10.00.

The result for flow rate for the Venturi meter, Orifice plate, and the flow rate Q is nearly the same. Thus,
after relate it with the result for rotameter clearly shows that When the velocity increase the pressure
decrease. This is related also with cross sectional area that has in Venturi meter, and Orifice plate.

Trend graphs were plotted to show the results. From the graph obtain flow rate, L/min vs Rotameter(mm)
shows that when pressure at the graph lower the distance for each fluid in the manometer higher. This is
because at certain distance is influence by the presence of Venturi meter and Orifice plate.The result for
different height of tube is shown below:

Manometer Reading (mm)

1 2 3 4 5 6
150 135 135 124 128 134
165 138 138 115 124 134
184 140 140 105 121 134
209 144 144 90 115 134
239 145 149 70 109 135

But from the experiment there is some error occurs that make the graph not accurate. The possible error
is the height of the manometer tubes is adjusted by slightly opened and closed the vent and drain valves
until the height of the manometer. The tube that has been adjusted is not accurate enough and the
difference in the height of manometer occurs.

There are several possibilities that could have contributed to the errors during the experiment. Firstly,
the trapped air-bubbles in the manometers. Trapped air bubbles can highly influence the results obtained,
as the results are neither inaccurate nor consistent. Not just that, parallax error is also one of the causes.
During the process of recording the measurement of the manometers, the readings might not have been
taken the correct way, and the meniscus of the fluid may not have stabilized yet or still moving when the
readings were taken.
 TUTORIAL
1- What are the limitations of Bernoullis Theorem?
Bernoulli's Equation states that "For a perfect Incompressible Liquid, flowing in a continuous Stream, the total Energy of a
particle remain the same, while the particle moves from one point to another". It is assumed that there are no Friction
Losses in the Pipe.

Limitations:

The velocity of liquid particle in the centre of a pipe is at maximum and gradually decreases towards the walls of the pipe
due to friction. So only the mean velocity of the liquid should be taken into account because the velocity of the liquid
particles is not uniform.

There are always some external forces acting on the liquid, which affects the flow of liquid. So neglect all such external
forces.

In turbulent flow, some Kinetic Energy is converted into Heat Energy and in a viscous flow some energy is lost due to Shear
Forces. So all such losses should be neglected.

If the liquid is flowing through curved path, the energy due to Centrifugal Forces should also be taken into account.

2- What size standard orifice is required to discharge 0.016 m3/s of water under a head of 8.69 m? Assume Cd = 1.00

Qactual = Cd Aorifice 2 gh

Q actual
Aorifice = C d 2 gh

0.016
Aorifice = 1.00 2(9.81)(8.69)

Aorifice = 1.225 x 10-3 m2

3- When the flow of water through a horizontal 300 mm by 150 mm Venturi meter (Cd = 0.95) is 0.111
m3/s, find the deflection of the mercury in the differential gauge attached to the meter .

man
2 gh[( )1]
Qactual = cd A1 A2
2 2
A 1 A 2

A1 = r2
2
A1 = (0.3)
A1 = 0.2827

A2 = r2

A2 = (0.15)2
A2 = 0.07069

man
2 gh[( )1]
Qactual = cd A1 A2
A 12 A2 2

13600
2 ( 9.81 ) h[( )1]
(0.111) = (0.95)(0.2827)(0.07069) 1000
(0.2827)2 (0.07069)2

(0.111) = (0.01898) 247.2 h

0.07492

247.2 h
0.07492 =
0.111
0.01898

247.2 h = 2.562

h = 0.01036 m