EXPERIMENT NO.

To investigate the head loss due to friction in the flow of water through a pipe and determine the
associated friction factor. Both variables are to be determined over a wide range of flow rates and
their characteristics identified for both laminar and turbulent flow.

Method:

By measurement of the head difference between two fixed points in a long (length = many times the
diameters) straight tube of circular cross section for steady flows. The range of the flow rates will cover
both laminar and turbulent flow regimes.

Apparatus:

F1- 10 Hydraulics Bench

F1- 18 Pipe Friction Apparatus

A stopwatch
Theory and Technical data:

By steady flow energy equation for incompressible flow through a pipe

ṁ (p1/ρ +v12 /2 + gz1 ) = ṁ (p2/ρ + v22/2 + gz2) + ṁ (u2- u1-q) - ṁ w

p1/ρ +v12 /2 + gz1 + w - emech,loss = p2/ρ + v22/2 + gz2

p1 + ρv12 /2 + ρgz1 + ρw - ρemech,loss = p2 + ρv22/2 + ρgz2

p1/ρg +v12 /2g + z1 = p2/ρg + v22/2g + z2 + emech,loss/g – w/g

p1/ρg +v12 /2g + z1 = p2/ρg + v22/2g + z2 + hloss

Head loss = rate of mech energy loss/weight flow rate

By continuity equation for incompressible flow in a pipe of uniform cross section

A1 v1 = A2 v2

Since A1 = A2 ,so v1 = v2

Hence h L = (p1/ρg - p2/ρg) + (z1 - z2)

hL = (p1/ρg+ z1) –( p2/ρg +z2)

= change in piezometric head

hL = h f head loss due to friction given by

hf = fLv2/2gd

Where d is diameter of pipe and L is length of pipe over which head loss is to be determined. h f is equal
to difference of heads across L measured by manometer.
v = 4Q/πd 2

f is the Darcy friction factor.

f = f ( ρ,µ, v, d, ε)

For laminar flow f = 64/Re

f = f ( ρ,µ, v, d, ε)
f = f (Re, ε/d)

For turbulent flow in a smooth pipe, a well known curve fit to experimental data is

f = 0.316 Re -0.25

v = 4Q/πd 2

Length of the test pipe = 0.500 m

Diameter of the test pipe = 0.003 m

f = aReb

logf = loga + b logRe

y = cex

lny = lnc + x

Head Loss:

It is of two types:

 Major Head Loss

 Minor Head Loss

Major Head Loss:

It is the additional height a fluid must be raised to overcome the frictional effects in the pipe. It is given
as:

f L v2
∆ h=
2 Dg
where:

∆ h=Major head loss

f=Darcy Friction factor

v=Velocity of fluid

d=Diameter of the pipe

Darcy friction factor can be easily determined from Moody’s chart using Reynolds number and the
material stiffness value. The chart is shown below:

Minor Head Loss:

Look at the diagram given below:

We can see that several types of discontinuities in the pipes can also cause head loss in the pipe due to
increased frictional effects at these bends/edges/discontinuities. This is measured by minor head loss. It
is given as:

K L v2
∆ h=
2g

∆ h=Minor head loss

v=Velocity of fluid

K L=¿ Loss coefficient at the discontinuity

Procedure:

For High Flow Rates:

 Mount the test rig on hydraulics bench and. with a spirit level, adjust the feet to ensure that base
plate is horizontal and, the manometers are vertical.

 Check with a demonstrator that the mercury manometer is correctly filled. Attach a Hoffman clamp
to each of the two manometer connecting tubes and close them off.

 Join the test rig inlet pipe to the bench flow connector with the pump turned off. Close the bench
gate valve, open the test rig flow control valve fully and start the pump.

 Now open the bench gate valve progressively and run the system until all air is purged. Open the
Hoffman clamps and purge any air from the two bleed points at the top of the mercury
manometer.

For Low flow rates:

 Attach a Hoffman clamp to each of the two manometer connecting tubes and close them off. With
the system fully purged of air; close the bench valve, stop the pump, close the outflow valve and
remove the Hoffman clamps from the water manometer connection.

 Disconnect the bench supply and hold it high to keep it liquid filled. Connect bench supply to
header tank, run pump and open bench valve.

 When outflow occurs from header tank snap connector, attach test section supply tube to it;
ensuring no air is trapped.

 Slowly open-air vents at the top of water manometer and allow air to enter until manometer level
reach convenient height, then close air vent. Hand pump can also be used to raise air pressure to
control manometer levels.
 Now for taking readings at high flow rates, apply Hoffman clamp to each of water manometer
connection tubes. Close the test rig flow control valve and take a zero-flow rate reading from
mercury manometer.

 With the flow valve fully open, measure head loss from manometer. Determine flow rate by timed
volume collection. Repeat this procedure for different flow rates.

 When taking reading for low flow rates, repeat the same procedure but using water manometer
throughout.

 Experiment 6


Sr.No. Vol.collected Time t Qv= Flow Head Re f

(sec) vol.coll./t velocity=4Qv/πd2 loss
(mL)
(m3/s) (m/s) (m)
1 72 30 2.4 × 10−6 0.3395 0.04 1016 0.041

2 103 30 3.43 ×10−6 0.485 0.06 1452 0.03

3 117 30 3.9 ×10−6 0.552 0.075 1652 0.029

4 124.5 30 4.15 × 10−6 0.587 0.09 1757 0.031

5 134 30 4.47 × 10−6 0.632 0.102 1892 0.03