AMEE202 Lab - Venturi Meter
AMEE202 Lab - Venturi Meter
AMEE202 Lab - Venturi Meter
Venturi Meter
OBJECTIVE:
To find the water flow rate using the Venturi meter and the pressure distribution along
the meter.
APPARATUS:
Venturi meter, hydraulics bench, stop watch.
THEORY:
The Venturi flow meter consists of a streamlined contraction and a streamline
expansion as shown the diagram.
Throat
section
P1 V12 P V2
Z1 2 2 Z 2
g 2g g 2g
Where:
V: velocity (m/s)
p: pressure (Pa)
z : elevation (m)
2 p1 p2 /
V2 2
A
1 2
A1
Q V2 A2
i.e.
A2
Q 2 g h1 h2
2
A
1 2
A1
This equation is valid for incompressible and inviscid fluids so it can be used only at
high Reynolds numbers. At low Reynolds numbers the coefficient of velocity C V must
be applied:
C A2
Q C Qideal 2 g h1 h2
2
A
1 2
A1
C
K
2
A
1 2
A1
So that
Q KA2 2 g h1 h2
The flow coefficient can be obtained from the following figure. In this figure d is the
diameter of the throat section and D the diameter of the inlet (section 1). is the
kinematic viscosity of water.
PROCEDURE:
A schematic of the Venturi meter is shown on the diagram at the end of the
procedure. The inlet diameter equals d – 26 mm and the throat diameter d = 16 mm.
The pressure along the meter is obtained using the 11 pressure taps at the locations
shown on the diagram. The water flow rate can be adjusted using the valves on the
hydraulics bench. For the flow rate examined make sure that the pressure level in the
manometer tubes is within the range of their scales. If not, add air pressure in the
common manifold using the air pump provided until the manometer levels are within
the required range. The mass flow rate can be measured using the hydraulics.
METHOD:
For two different water flow rates do the following:
hn h1
U t2
2g
Where Ut is the velocity at the throat of the Venturi meter as obtained from the
actual flow rate of the water.
(5) Plot on the figure of step No.(4) the ideal pressure distribution which is found
by considering Bernoulli’s equations as:
2 2
hn h1 At At
U t2 A1 An
2g
Where A is the cross-sectional area.
Comment on your results. Is the actual pressure distribution different than the ideal
one? Explain why. Is the exit pressure equal to the inlet one? If not, explain.
D