Table of Contents

List of Tables................................................................................................................................................2

List of figures...............................................................................................................................................2

Abstract:......................................................................................................................................................3

Introduction.................................................................................................................................................4

Experimental Setup.....................................................................................................................................5

Procedure....................................................................................................................................................6

Raw Data.....................................................................................................................................................6

Sample Calculation......................................................................................................................................7

Data Analysis...............................................................................................................................................9

Conclusion.................................................................................................................................................12

References.................................................................................................................................................13

1
List of Tables

Table 1. Diameters for Venturi and Orifice meters......................................................................................7

Table 2. Data for Venturi meters.................................................................................................................7
Table 3. Data for Orifice meter....................................................................................................................7
Table 4. Calculated Data for venturi meter.................................................................................................9
Table 5. Calculated Data for venturi meter.................................................................................................9
Table 6. Calculated Data for orifice meter.................................................................................................10
Table 7. Calculated Data for orifice meter.................................................................................................11

List of figures

Figure 1. The experimental unit (TQ, H10-11, UK).......................................................................................5

Figure 2. Actual flow rate versus Ideal flow rate for both flowmeters……………………………………………………………….…..11

Figure 3. Head loss versus Actual flow rate of flowmeters……………………………………………………………………………………11

2
Abstract:
A flow meter is a device that measures the amount of fluids that flows though pipes in a
specified period of time. This experiment aims to use a flowmeter to find out the volumetric flow
rate of the fluid flowing through the pipe to measure the non-linear or linear mass. The ratio
between the ideal flow rate and the actual flow rate is the discharging factor, which is a value
without dimensions. Through this experiment, it is possible to verify the discharge coefficient of
some types of flow meters. Examples of these meters are the venturi and orifice meters. Through
Bernoulli's equation, can find the ideal flow rate through flowmeters, can find the theoretical
flow rate experimentally. By creating a graph for the ideal flow discharge that is on the x-axis
and the actual flow discharge that is on the y-axis, the value of the discharge coefficient and the
value of the slope are determined. The result of the orifice discharge coefficient was 0.7162
while for the venturi meter it was 0.9854.

3
Introduction

The main function of flow meters is to measure the volumetric flow rate of a flowing fluid in
a pipe system. The majority of flow meters rely on getting a signal from the fluid in motion and
calibrating it against the flow rate. There are many different types of flow meters, including
Venturi and Orifice flow meters, which determine the discharge coefficient of them by
measuring the flow rate of a fluid based on the pressure drop induced by the change in kinetic
velocity. This experiment's goals include experimentally determining the discharge coefficient
values for Venturi and Orifice flow meters, calibrating them, and analyzing pressure recovery in
them. The objectives of the experiment were accomplished using the following equations:

4Q
v= (1)
π d2
- v: velocity (𝑚/s)
- Q: volumetric flow rate (m3 /s ¿
- d: smallest dimeter (m)

ρνd
Re= (2)
μ

- Re: Reynold number (unitless)

- ρ: Density of the fluid (k g3 / s ¿
- μ: viscosity of the fluid (kg/m.s).

∆ p=ρg ∆ h (3)

4
 - g: the acceleration gravity (m/s 2 ¿

- Δh: difference highest (m)

-∆ p : pressure drops (Pa)

Qideal = C d A 2
√ 2(ρ 1−ρ 2)
ρ(1−β 4 )
(4)

- Cd: discharge coefficient for the ideal case and it equals 1

- β: ratio of small diameter over the large diameter (unitless)

Qactual = Cd x Q ideal (5)

−C d: Discharge coefficient which is included to account for the system’s non idealities (unitless)

Experimental Setup

The (TQ, H10-11, UK) apparatus is mainly consisting of a hydraulic bench, manometers
and flow meters including Venturi and Orifice meters. The hydraulic bench contains three major
parts: a water reservoir, an electric hand pump at the bottom, and a flow control valve which
regulates the flow of a fluid. The fluid flows through a Venturi meter, which includes gradual
converging section, settling length, and an Orifice meter.

5
 Figure 1. The experimental unit (TQ, H10-11, UK)

Procedure

At the beginning of the experiment, the flow measurement apparatus was set up properly
and obtained a steady flow of fluid, switched on the flow control valve. Measured the head loss
by taking the readings of the manometer and recorded the values for Venturi and Orifice meters.
Then, increased the rate of flow, and repeated the previous steps.

Raw Data

kg
- Density of fluid: ρ=997 3
m
−3 Kg
- Viscosity of fluid: μ=0.891× 10
m.s
m
- Gravitational acceleration: g=9.81 2
s
- The true Co for venturi meter: 0.9
- The true Co for orifice meter: 0.6

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The values of theoretical discharge coefficient (Co) for both venturi and orifice meter were
obtained from previous studies [1].

Table 1. Diameters for Venturi and Orifice meters

Venturi Orifice
d (m) 0.016 0.020
D (m) 0.025 0.0519

Table 2. Data for Venturi meters

3
Qactual ( LPM ) m h1 ( mm H 2 O) h2 ( mm H 2 O)
Qactual ( )
s
6.2 1.033 ×10
−4 280 292
Table 3. Data for
Orifice 7.1 1.183 ×10
−4 271 288 meter
8.3 1.138 ×103
−4 269 289
Q actual9.4
( LPM ) m h1 ( mm H O)
253 2
h2 ( mm H O)
281 2
1.567 ( −4
Qactual×10 )
10.5 s −4 244 278
6.2 1.750 ×10−4 274 282
1.033 ×10
7.1 1.183 ×10
−4 272 286
8.3 1.138 ×10−4 270 288
9.4 1.567 ×10
−4 256 278
10.5 1.750 ×10−4 254 280

Sample Calculation

- Note: all of the values were obtained from the first data input in table 2.
- For Venturi meters:
1. Calculation for actual flow rate:
L 1 m3 1 min −4 m
3
Qactual =6.2 × × =1.0333 ×10
min 1000 L 60 s s

2. Calculation for ∆h:

1m
∆ h=h2 −h1=292−280=12 mm H 2 O × =0.012 m H 2 O
1000 mm

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3. Calculation for pressure drop:
Kg m
∆ P=ρgh=997 3
× 9.81 2 ×0.012 m H 2 O=117.37 Pa
m s

4. Calculation for the second area:

π π
A2= d 2= ( 0.016 m )2=2.0106 × 10−4 m2
4 4

5. Calculation for β:
d 0.016 m
β= = =0.64
D 0.025 m

6. Calculation for velocity:

v=
√ 2 ( ∆ρP ) =0.5319 m
( 1−β 4 ) s

7. Calculation for ideal flow rate:

( )
3
m −4 m
Qideal = A2 ×v =( 2.0106 ×10 m ) × 0.5319 =1.0694 ×10
−4 2
s s

8. Calculation for the correction factor (Discharge coefficient):

3
m −4
1.0333 ×10
Qactual s
C o= = =0.966
Qideal −4 m
3
1.0694 ×10
s

9. Calculation for Reynolds number:

8
 Kg m
(997 )×(0.5319 )×(0.016 m)
ρvd m 3
s
ℜ= = =9522.86
μ −3 Kg
0.891× 10
m.s

10. Calculation for the true relative error%:

e %=
|
C o ( theortical )−C o (experimental )
Co ( theortical ) |
×100=¿

e %= |0.9−0.966
0.9 |×100=7.33 %
- Note: same steps were being applied for Orifice meters.

Data Analysis

Table 4. Calculated Data for venturi meter

Δh ΔP d D Area 2 β (ΔP/ρ) v
m H2O Pa m m m^2 - (Pa/kg.m^-3) m/s
0.012 117.3668 0.016 0.025 2.01E-04 0.64 0.11772 0.531887
0.017 166.2697 0.016 0.025 2.01E-04 0.64 0.16677 0.633072
0.02 195.6114 0.016 0.025 2.01E-04 0.64 0.1962 0.686663
0.028 273.856 0.016 0.025 2.01E-04 0.64 0.27468 0.81247
0.034 332.5394 0.016 0.025 2.01E-04 0.64 0.33354 0.895298

Table 5. Calculated Data for venturi meter

Discharge Reynold's Percent

Q ideal
coefficient number error
m^3/s - - %
1.07E-04 9.66E-01 9522.619723 7.36%
1.27E-04 9.30E-01 11334.18453 3.30%
1.38E-04 1.00E+00 12293.6492 11.33%
1.63E-04 9.59E-01 14546.0419 6.56%
1.80E-04 9.72E-01 16028.95749 8.02%
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 Table 6. Calculated Data for orifice meter

Δh ΔP d D Area 2 β (ΔP/ρ) v
(Pa/kg.m^-
mH2O Pa m m m^2 - m/s
3)
0.008 78.24456 0.02 0.0519 3.14E-04 0.385356455 0.07848 0.400624
0.014 136.928 0.02 0.0519 3.14E-04 0.385356455 0.13734 0.529975
0.018 176.0503 0.02 0.0519 3.14E-04 0.385356455 0.17658 0.600936
0.022 215.1725 0.02 0.0519 3.14E-04 0.385356455 0.21582 0.664359
0.026 254.2948 0.02 0.0519 3.14E-04 0.385356455 0.25506 0.722235

Table 7. Calculated Data for orifice meter

Discharge Reynold's Percent

Q ideal
coefficient number error
m^3/s - %
1.26E-04 8.21E-01 8965.69772 36.84%
1.66E-04 7.11E-01 11860.50325 18.45%
1.89E-04 7.33E-01 13448.54658 22.12%
2.09E-04 7.51E-01 14867.92766 25.10%
2.27E-04 7.71E-01 16163.14143 28.55%

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 Actual flow rate Vs. Ideal flow rate
0.0002
0.00018
0.00016 f(x) = 0.985396349654228 x − 2.70801023122976E-06
f(x) = 0.716246536548231 x + 7.00862313334405E-06
Actual flow rate (m^3/s)

0.00014
Venturi meter
0.00012
Linear (Venturi meter)
0.0001 Linear (Venturi meter)
0.00008 Orifice meter
Linear (Orifice meter)
0.00006 Linear (Orifice meter)
0.00004
0.00002
0
1.00E-041.20E-041.40E-041.60E-041.80E-042.00E-042.20E-042.40E-04

Ideal flow rate (m^3/s)

Figure 2. Actual flow rate versus Ideal flow rate for both flowmeters

Head loss Vs. Actual flow rate

0.04

0.035
f(x) = 302.521008403359 x − 0.019648739495798
0.03

0.025 f(x) = 241.008403361343 x − 0.015739495798319

Head loss (m)

Venturi meter
0.02 Linear (Venturi meter)
Orifice meter
0.015 Linear (Orifice meter)

0.01

0.005

0
0.00009 0.0001 0.00011 0.00012 0.00013 0.00014 0.00015 0.00016 0.00017 0.00018
Actual Flow rate (m^3/s)

Figure 3. Head loss versus Actual flow rate of flowmeters

11
Conclusion

In conclusion, the purpose of this conducted experiment is to obtain the discharge

coefficient, Cd for two types of flowmeters, an orifice meter, and a venturi meter. In order to
obtain the Cd values, there must be a relationship between the ideal flow rate and the actual flow
rate, which is shown in Figure (2 (, and the Cd value is the same value slope. Moreover, a table
of theoretical values of the discharge coefficient is prepared for the orifice meter, which is
obtained from previous studies. In this experiment, it is noted that the percentage of the derived
error and the empirical Cd values from the given data in the Table (5) and Table (7). When
looking at the Cd values of the venturi meter and the orifice meter, notice that there is a large and
clear difference between the two discharge coefficients, where the value of the venturi meter is
0.9854 and the orifice meter is 0.7162. Find that the value of the orifice meter is less than the
value of the venturi meter, because in the orifice meter there is a sudden contraction in the flow,
this leads to a rise in the pressure drop, while the venturi meter was in a state of contraction when
the fluid flowed. In the first trial, find that the value of Cd is 0.966 for venturi and 0.821 for the
orifice meter, and it decreases with many trials. In Figure (3) a graph has been created in the y-
axis the pressure drop and the actual flow rate in the x-axis and it was a linear correlation.

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References

[1] Hollingshead. (2011). All Graduate Theses and Dissertations | Graduate Studies | Utah State
University. Retrieved September 26, 2022, from https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/etd

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