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FLUID MECHANICS & HYDRAULICS

2 PRESSURE MEASUREMENT

1. INTRODUCTION

If the fluid is stationary, then the force exerted by the surrounding fluid on the small area dA
will always be perpendicular to the surface dA. Let dF be the force acting on dA. Hence
dF
P=
mathematically, Pressure at a point in a fluid at rest = dA

Also, if the force (F) is uniformly distributed over the area (A), then pressure at any point is
given by
F Force
P= =
A Area
 Force or pressure force,
F=P×A
Units of pressure
In MKS, kgf/m2 and kf/cm2
In SI, N/mm2 and N/m2
Pascal, 1 Pascal = 1N/m2
ATM, 1ATM = 101325 Pa  105Pa

2. PASCAL’S LAW

It state that the pressure or intensity of pressure at a point in a static fluid is equal in all
direction

3. DIFFERENT TYPES OF PRESSURE

a. Absolute Pressure:-
It is the total pressure exerted on a system measured from zero pressure level or absolute
vacuum pressure.
b. Atmospheric Pressure:-
It is the pressure exerted by environmental mass.
c. Gauge Pressure:-
It is the pressure, which is measured with the help of pressure measuring instrument in which
atmospheric pressure are taken as datum.
d. Vacuum Pressure:-
It is value of pressure below to the atmospheric pressure.

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4. PRESSURE VARIATION IN A FLUID AT REST

Pressure in a fluid at rest can be obtained by hydrostatic law, which states that rate of increase
of pressure in a vertically downward direction must be equal to the specific weight of the fluid
at that point.

In h direction, assume a small element {h direction (  )}

Apply, force analysis

P.dA – (P + dP)dA + dm.g = 0
 PdA – PdA – dPdA + dmg = 0
 -dP dA = -dm.g
 dP.dA = ρ(dA dH) g
dP
 = g →1
dh
Integrating, equation 1, we get
P = ρg h
Important:-
1atm = 10.3 m of H2O column
= 76 cm of Hg column

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5. MEASUREMENT OF PRESSURE

a. Conventional devices

(i) Barometer:

It is used to measure local atmospheric pressure. It is made by tarricelli and unit of

measurement is tarr.,

1 tarr. = 1 mm of hg

Mercury is used because of its vapour pressure and high density.

(ii)Simple Manometer:-

It is used to measured the pressure at a particular point. It consist of a glass tube having one

of its ends connected to a point where pressure is to be measured and other end remains open

to atmosphere.

Types of simple manometers are:-

(a). Piezometer:-

simplest form of manometer, used for measuring gauge pressure. One end of this manometer

is connected to the point where pressure is measured and other end is opened to the

atmosphere.

Here, PA =ρ g h

(b).U – Tube Manometer:-

It consists of glass tube bent in U-shape, one end of which connected to a point at which

pressure is to be measured and other end remains open to atmosphere. The tube generally

contains mercury or any other liquid as manometer fluid whose specific gravity. Gauge Pressure

PA +ρ g(y + x) – ρm g .x = 0

Vacuum Pressure

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PA +ρ g y + ρm g .x = 0
U-tube manometer is used to measure, medium and high positive and negative gauge pressure
of both liquid and gases.
(iii). Single Column Manometer
It is a modified form of a U-tube manometer in which a reservoir, having a large cross sectional
area (about 100 times) as compared to the area of the tube is connected to one of the limbs
of manometer.
Due to this reservoir, for any variation in pressure the change in the liquid level in the reservoir
will be very small which may be neglected and hence the pressure is given by the height of
liquid in the other limb.

volume conservation;
∆h.A=a.h2
𝑎
∆h= .h2
𝐴

So,
PR+ρg (h1+∆h) – ρg(∆h+ h2) =0

PR = ρm . g.∆h –ρ.g.∆h + ρm .g.h2 –ρ1.g.h1

PR = ρm .g.h2 –ρ1.g.h1 +∆h.g.(ρ1-ρ2)

If we neglect ∆h, we get

PR = m gh2 − 1 gh1

(iv). Differential Monometer

It is the devices used for measuring the differences of pressure between two points in a pipe
or in two different pipes.

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P1 + g(x + y) − mg x − g y = P2
P1 − P2 = (m − ) gx

b. Mechanical Gauges
These are the devices used for measuring the pressure by balancing the fluid column by the
spring or dead weigh. Types of mechanical pressure gauges are.
Diaphragm pressure gauge
Boirdon tube pressure gauge
Dead weight pressure gauge
Bellows pressure gauge.
Examples
Q.1. The absolute pressure at a point 2.5 m below the clear water surface is measured as
125.703 kN/m2. If the atmospheric pressure is taken as 101.325 kN/m 2, the gauge pressure
in kN/m2 at this point would be
SOL.

For gauge pressure,

patm = 0
∴P = 125.703 – 101.325
= 24.378 kN/m2
Q.2. The standard atmospheric pressure is 101.32 kPa. The local atmospheric pressure is 91.52
kPa. If a pressure at a flow path is recorded at 22.48 kPa (gauge), it is equivalent to
SOL.
The absolute pressure = local atmospheric pressure + gauge pressure
= 91.52 + 22.48
= 114 kPa

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Q.3. Consider the U-tube differential manometer as shown in the figure. The magnitude of
pressure difference between point A and point B (in kPa) will be

SOL.

Consider pressure in the horizontal plane 1 – 1; the pressures in the left limb and right limb at
this plane are equal.

Q.4. To measure the pressure difference between two points, a two liquid column enlarged-
ends manometer is used. The diameter of the basin is 15 times higher than that of the U-tube.
If the U-tube reading is 20 mm then the pressure difference (in Pa) between 1 and 2 is (take
g =10 m/s2)

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SOL.
Suppose the diameter of pipe is d1 and the basin diameter is d2.
Given, d2 = 15 d1
20 × A1 = b × A2

b = 0.089 mm
Pressure at X-X

P1 + 0.1 × × g × a + 0.8 × × g × (b + c) + × g × 0.020

= P2 + 0.1 × × g × (a + b) + 0.8 × × g × (c + 0.02)

P1- P2= 0.7b+0.020-(0.8×0.020)= 40.623kPa

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