KWAME NKRUMAH UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

FACULTY OF MECHANICAL AND AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING

DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

MECHANICAL ENGINEERING LAB III (ME 395)

CALIBRATION OF A VENTURI METER

DATE: 14TH SEPTEMBER, 2011

GROUP 13
NAME INDEX NO
Fianya, Laud Kweku 3758509

Fosu, Mark 3758309

Yeboah, Benjamin 3758109

Puni, Richard 3756809

 SUMMARY

Even though this topic has not yet been treated in class, this experiment has enlightened our
understanding on the relationship between the rate of flow and pressure with respect to a
Venturi meter. It also helped us understand how the Bernoulli’s equation is applied practically.

All group members were present and actively partook of the experiment which was conducted
in the Fluid Mechanics lab on 7th September, 2011. Mark wrote the summary and introduction
of the report. Kofi Yeboah worked on the theory aspect of the report. Richard described and
drew the Experimental Setup. Laud compiled and analysed the data results and finished up with
the conclusion.
INTRODUCTION

The Venturi tube is a device used for measuring the rate of flow along a pipe. A fluid moving
through it accelerates in the direction of the tapering contraction with an increase in the
velocity in the throat. This is accompanied by a fall in pressure, the magnitude of which
depends on the rate of flow. The flow rate may therefore be inferred from the difference in
pressure in as measured by piezometers placed upstream at the throat. The effect that the
meter has on the pressure change is termed as the Venturi effect. A venturi can also be used to
mix a liquid with a gas. If a pump forces the liquid through a tube connected to a system
consisting of a venturi to increase the liquid speed (the diameter decreases), a short piece of
tube with a small hole in it, and last a venturi that decreases speed (so the pipe gets wider
again), the gas will be sucked in through the small hole because of changes in pressure. At the
end of the system, a mixture of liquid and gas will appear.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this experiment was to:

1. Obtain the calibration curve for the meter.

2. Investigate the variation in pressure at inlet and throat at various rates of flow.
3. Present the results in a non-dimensional form so that they could be used to estimate
the flow through any similar meter.

THEORY

The Venturi effect is a jet effect; as with an (air) funnel, or a thumb on a garden hose, the
velocity of the fluid increases as the cross sectional area decreases, with the static pressure
correspondingly decreasing. According to the laws governing fluid dynamics, a fluid's velocity
must increase as it passes through a constriction to satisfy the principle of continuity, while its
pressure must decrease to satisfy the principle of conservation of mechanical energy. Thus any
gain in kinetic energy a fluid may accrue due to its increased velocity through a constriction is
negated by a drop in pressure. An equation for the drop in pressure due to the Venturi effect
may be derived from a combination of Bernoulli's principle and the continuity equation.

The limiting case of the Venturi effect is when a fluid reaches the state of choked flow, where
the fluid velocity approaches the local speed of sound. In choked flow the mass flow rate will
not increase with a further decrease in the downstream pressure environment.
However, mass flow rate for a compressible fluid can increase with increased upstream
pressure, which will increase the density of the fluid through the constriction (though the
velocity will remain constant). This is the principle of operation of a de Laval nozzle. Increasing
source temperature will also increase the local sonic velocity, thus allowing for increased mass
flow rate.

Consider the flow of an incompressible and inviscid fluid through the convergent-divergent
Venturi tube. Given that both the velocity and piezometer head are constant over each of the
sections considered, we might assume that flow to be one-dimensional so that the velocity and
the piezometric head vary only in the direction of the tube length. Treating the convergent-
divergent pipe as a stream-tube and applying the Bernoulli’s theorem at sections 1,2,3,……………
and have

𝑈12 𝑈2 𝑈2
+ ℎ1 = 2𝑔2 + ℎ2 = 2𝑔𝑛 + ℎ𝑛 ---------------------- 1
2𝑔

The Continuity equation is given by

𝑈1 𝐴1 = 𝑈2 𝐴2 = 𝑈𝑛 𝐴𝑛 = 𝑄-------------------------- 2

Substituting equation 1 for U1 in equation two gives

𝑈12 𝐴2 2 𝑈2
[ ] + ℎ1 = 2𝑔2 + ℎ2 ------------------------------ 3
2𝑔 𝐴 1

This implies

2𝑔 (ℎ1 −ℎ2 )
𝑈2 = √ 𝐴 2 --------------------------- 4
1−( 2 )
𝐴1

2𝑔 (ℎ1 −ℎ2 )
The flow rate Q = A2√ 𝐴 2 (ideal discharge rate) ------------------------- 5
1−( 2 )
𝐴1

The actual discharge is given by (where C = Discharge coefficient)

2𝑔 (ℎ1 −ℎ2 )
Q = C. A2√ 𝐴 2 -------------------------------------- 6
1−( 2 )
𝐴1

The velocity head 𝑈22 /2g at the throat can be conveniently used to express a dimensionless way
of expressing the distribution of piezometric head along the length of the Venturi meter.
Accordingly, the Piezometer Head Coefficient
 ℎ2 −ℎ1
𝐶𝑝 ℎ = (n = 2,3,…) ----------------------------- 7
𝑈22 /2𝑔

The ideal distribution Cph along a Venturi meter (in terms of its geometry) is given.

𝐴 2 𝐴 2
𝐶𝑝 ℎ = (𝐴2 ) − (𝐴2 ) ------------------------------- 8
1 𝑛

𝐷 2 𝐷 2
𝐶𝑝 ℎ = (𝐷2 ) − (𝐷2 ) ------------------------------- 9
1 𝑛

APPARATUS

1. Venturi meter

2. Two supply hoses

3. Measuring tank

DESCRIPTION OF EXPERIMENTAL SETUP

- A tube is connected to each to the inlet and outlet of a Venturi meter.

- The tube connected to the outlet of the Venturi meter is connected to the measuring tank.

- The adjustable screws are adjusted to level the Venturi meter.

Fig. 1 - Venturi Meter

www. tecquipment.com
 EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE

- The apparatus was leveled by opening both the Bench Supply valve and the control valve
downstream of the meter to allow water to flow and clear air pockets from the supply hose.
This was achieved by connecting the apparatus to a power supply.

- The control valve was then gradually closed causing water to rise up in the tubes of the
manometer thereby compressing the air contained in the manifold.

- When the water level had risen to a convenient height, the bench valve was also closed
gradually so that as both valves are finally shut off, the meter was left containing static water at
moderate pressure.

- The adjustable screws were operated to give identical reading for all of the tubes across the
whole width of the manometer board. To establish the meter coefficient measurements of a
set of differential heads (h1-h2) and flow rate Q were made.

- The first reading was taken with the maximum possible value when (h2 – h1) i.e. with h1 close
to the top of the scale and h2 near to the bottom. This was obtained by gradually opening both
the bench valve and the control valve in turn.

- Successive opening of either valve increased both the flow and the difference between h 1 and
h2. The rate of flow was found by timing the collection of a known amount of water in the
weighing tank, in the mean time valves h1 and h2 was read from the manometer. Similarly,
readings were then taken over a series of reducing values of h 1 – h2 roughly equally spread over
the available range from 250mm to zero. About ten readings sufficed.

DATA/RESULTS

Table 1 – Experimental Values obtained for h2 and h1

h2 (D)/mm h1 (A)/mm Discharge/litres Time/s h1 – h2/mm (h1 – h2)1/2/mm Q/(litre/s) C (x 10-4)

230 250 5 49.75 20 4.472 0.101 5.377
210 252 5 31.81 42 6.481 0.157 5.768
190 254 5 25.12 64 8.000 0.199 5.922
170 256 5 19.19 86 9.274 0.261 6.700
150 258 5 17.06 108 10.392 0.293 6.712
130 262 5 15.97 132 11.489 0.313 6.486
110 264 5 14.56 154 12.410 0.343 6.580
90 268 5 13.72 178 13.342 0.364 6.495
70 270 5 13.00 200 14.142 0.385 6.481
50 274 5 12.04 224 14.967 0.415 6.601
 Table 2 – Experimental values for Ideal Curve

Discharge (5) A/mm B/mm C/mm D/mm E/mm F/mm G/mm H/mm J/mm K/mm L/mm
1st 250 250 240 230 230 236 240 244 246 248 250
5 th 258 254 214 150 162 198 218 230 238 244 248
10 th 274 266 182 50 84 150 190 214 232 244 250
Area/mm2 530.9 422.7 265.9 261.1 221.4 267.9 319.2 374.6 434.8 499.2 530.9

ANALYSIS

16

14

12

10
(h2 - h1)1/2/mm

0
0 0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2 0.25 0.3 0.35 0.4 0.45
Q/ (litres/s)

Fig 2 – Graph of (h2-h1)1/2 versus the flow rate Q

 0.45

0.4

0.35

0.3
Q/(litre/s)

0.25

0.2

0.15

0.1

0.05

0
0 50 100 150 200 250
h1 – h2/mm

Fig 3 – Graph of flow rate (Q) against differential head (h1 – h2)

5
C (x 10-4)

0
0 0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2 0.25 0.3 0.35 0.4 0.45
Q/(litre/s)

Fig 4 - Graph of Discharge coefficient (C) against flow rate (Q)

DISCUSSION OF RESULTS

From the curve for fig. 2, it could be seen that (h1-h2)1/2 rises steadily with respect to the flow
rate Q. Despite this, there is a sudden decrease in rise rate at h 2=170. It can then be said that
(h1-h2)1/2 is directly proportional to the flow rate of the liquid.

From the curve for fig. 3, it could be noticed that the flow rate Q rises steadily with respect to
the differential head. But at h2=170, there is a sharp rise in flow rate before the liquid assumes
it steady flow rate. It can also be said here that Q is directly proportional to the differential
head (h1 – h2).

From the curve for fig, 4, a similar effect is noticed as in fig 2 and 3 that the discharge
coefficient rises steadily with respect to the flow rate and increases sharply at h 2=170. Aside
that the discharge coefficient is directly proportional to the flow rate Q.

CONCLUSION

It can therefore be concluded that the experiment was successful. This is because from the
results, it can be seen clearly that a rise in differential head of two tubes causes the flow rate of
the liquid in the tubes to increase and this proves the Venturi effect. However, there is a
significant change in the rise in flow rate when h2 is equal to 170mm and the reason for this
change could not be accounted for.

RECOMMENDATION

The operation of the Venturi meter can be applied in the following mechanisms:

1. Pressure transducers
2. Robotic Fueling System

REFERENCES

1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki /Venturi_effect

2. www.tecquipment.com

3. Instruction manual from Fluid Mechanics Laboratory.