Major Design of Experiment (DoE) Experience Information

CE 016 Hydraulics
2nd Semester SY 2024-2025

Araña, Isaiah Vanjay L.

Carpio, Rafael Jerome
Group Members Galang, Jonna Mae D.
Luis, Karl Ian
Teston, Marc Guian C.
DoE Title Enhanced Flow Estimation in Irregular Shaped-Edged Orifice
Using Polynomial Interpolation
This DoE aims to:
1)​ Conduct experiments to assess how irregular shaped-edge
orifice plates influence the flow rate and energy loss or head
Experimental Design loss of fluid.
Objectives 2)​ Estimate the flow rate of irregular shaped-edge orifice to the
flow rate and energy loss or head loss of fluid.
3)​ Discuss the results of the experiment and its meaning of
optimizing orifice plate design for enhanced efficiency and
sustainability.
Input Variables
Plate Diameter Diameter of the irregular shaped-edge orifice plate.
Fluid Samples Fluid that will flow through the prototype.
Output/Response Variables
Flow velocity The velocity obtained through using Bernoulli’s Total Energy
Equation.
Flow Rate Measured volumetric flow of different liquid passing through the
orifice plate.
Design Statistics
Polynomial Interpolation To analyze the influence of trapezoidal, hexagonal, and diamond-edged
orifice geometries on fluid flow rate and establish predictive
relationships through polynomial interpolation.
Testing Standards
(If Applicable)
American Society of Testing Not Applicable
and Materials (ASTM)
International Organization for ISO 5167 for the determination of flow rate of fluid through the
Standardization (ISO) Prototype.
 TECHNOLOGICAL INSTITUTE OF THE PHILIPPINES

938 Aurora Blvd., Cubao, Quezon City

College of Engineering and Architecture

Department of Civil Engineering

Design of Experiment (DoE)

ENHANCED FLOW ESTIMATION IN THREE IRREGULAR SHAPED-EDGE ORIFICE USING POLYNOMIAL

INTERPOLATION

In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the course

CE016 Hydraulics

Group 2 Members:

Araña, Isiah Vanjay L.

Carpio, Rafael Jerome.

Galang, Jonna Mae D.

Luis, Karl Ian

Teston, Marc Guian C.

Submitted to:

Engr. Jhon Vincent Rey D. Sadicon

May 2024
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

INFLUENCE OF SQUARE-EDGE ORIFICE PLATES ON THE FLOW RATE OF DIFFERENT FLUIDS

CHARACTERISTICS....................................................................................................................................................... i

TABLE OF CONTENTS................................................................................................................................................. III

LIST OF FIGURES........................................................................................................................................................ IV

LIST OF TABLES........................................................................................................................................................... iv

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT..................................................................................................................................................v

ABSTRACT.................................................................................................................................................................... vi

I.​ GENERAL BACKGROUND.................................................................................................................................. 1

II.​ DESIGN EXPERIMENTAL OBJECTIVES.............................................................................................................4

III.​ EXPERIMENTAL PROGRAM............................................................................................................................... 5

IV.​ PROCEDURE (TESTING STANDARDS IF APPLICABLE).................................................................................. 8

V.​ DESIGN STATISTICS......................................................................................................................................... 11

VI.​ DISCUSSIONS....................................................................................................................................................20

VII.​ CONCLUSION AND GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS..................................................................................... --

VIII.​ REFERENCES..................................................................................................................................................... --

APPENDIX A: DOCUMENTATION.................................................................................................................................--

APPENDIX B: CURRICULUM VITAE.............................................................................................................................--

 LIST OF FIGURES

Figure Number Description Page

1 Input-Process-Output framework of the study 11

2 Polynomial Relationship Between Flow Rate and Orifice 21

Area

3 Polynomial Relationship Between Flow Rate and Time 22

4 Polynomial Relationship Between Discharge Coefficient 23

and Flow Rate

5 Polynomial Dependence of the Discharge Coefficient (Cd) 24

on the Area of Orifice Opening

LIST OF TABLES

Table Number Description Page

1 Geometric Properties and Computed Areas of Irregular 18

Orifice Shapes
2 Experimental Flow Rate Measurements for Irregular 19
Orifice Shapes at Constant Head

3 Computed Discharge Coefficients Based on Orifice 20

Geometry and Flow Rates

4 Polynomial Interpolation Equations Relating Orifice 25

Geometry and Flow Parameters
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The success and outcome of this research is an effort of the researchers. But this could not have been

possible without the guidance and assistance of many people. The researchers would like to extend their

immeasurable appreciation and deepest gratitude for the help and support that were given to make this

study possible.

First and foremost, we would like to thank and express our sincerest appreciation to Engr. Jhon Vincent

Rey D. Sadicon, our course professor, for sharing his support, knowledge, advice, guidance, valuable

comments, and suggestions that benefited the completion of this study.

Furthermore, we would also like to extend our gratitude to the laboratory technicians at the Civil

Engineering tool room for providing us with the necessary materials and granting us access to the

laboratories for sample testing.

The parents of the researcher, who have continuously supported them financially, morally, and

emotionally towards the accomplishment of this study, and for their guidance, encouragement, undying

love, tremendous understanding, and inspiration throughout the journey of the researchers in conducting

this study.

And lastly, to Almighty God, for all the courage and wisdom He showered to the researchers during the

making of the research. We offer all of the credit and praise to His name.
ABSTRACT
 I.​GENERAL BACKGROUND

In common irrigation systems, sprinklers are mounted with circular nozzles, but innovative

noncircular nozzles can save water and energy by improving fragmentation in a low–intermediate pressure

irrigation system (Hua et al., 2022). The precious resource of water is one of the most basic elements of

agriculture. Given the challenges presented by global climate change and energy shortages, it is

paramount to develop agricultural technology that will efficiently and effectively utilize irrigation water (Singh

et al., 2022). Moreover, as stated by Benaissa and Ali (2022), the orifice plate is considered to be the most

extensively used flow meter in industrialized fluids flow measurement, due to its simplicity. These can be

designed and managed to optimize agricultural production and water resources in terms of irrigation

techniques (Sobenko, 2019).

Rundo, M., Fresia, P., Conte, C., & Casoli, P. (2025). This research explores flow behaviors in

calibrated orifices of different geometries through a combination of experiment testing and computational

fluid dynamics (CFD). Of particular interest were choked flow conditions prevalent in hydraulic usage,

where flow becomes pressure-independent downstream of the orifice. The authors formulated and

validated novel empirical expressions to estimate flow rates, taking into account edge chamfering and

irregularity influences. Polynomial curve-fitting techniques were used to match experimental discharge data

to geometrical parameters, revealing better prediction than that of classical models. This article consciously

advocates the application of polynomial interpolation in the estimation of flow through irregular orifices. The

method of relating complex edge features to flow behavior by means of polynomial fits is established by this

paper. The integration of empirical fitting and CFD also emphasizes the significance of model-based

approaches in situations where conventional orifice equations (such as for sharp-edged circular openings)

are no longer sufficient. This, therefore, provides a good basis for your subject area, where three irregular

orifices of varying shapes are modeled by interpolation.

 In the study of Judžentienė, A., Būdienė, J., Stancelytė, D., & Nedveckytė, I. (2024), focusing on

the effects of different nozzle orifice shapes on water droplet characteristics for sprinkler irrigation. With this

study, they mainly focus on shapes such as circular, square and Equilateral triangle. Throughout the study

the researchers proved that the shape of the orifice has significant effects on the sprinkler spray and its

characteristics. The jet’s position for the triangular nozzle is 1.1m, the square nozzle is 1.2m, while the

circular nozzle’s jet is 2m. With this, the number of droplets per orifice was also taken into consideration

such as for the circle, there are 60 drops, for square nozzles, there are 113 droplets, and for the triangular

nozzle, there are 185 droplets. After coming up with those results, the researchers noted that the number of

droplets also increases whenever the orifice shape turns sharper, that’s why the number of droplets that the

triangular nozzle had made has a huge difference on droplet counts compared to rectangular and circular.

The effects of the orifice shape has a great amount of impact when it comes to velocity, kinetic energy

distribution, specific power distribution, as well as its droplet counts. The non-circular nozzle is said to have

a better dispersion of droplets, creating a more optimal water application pattern for the sprinkler.

In the study of Xu, C., Wang, F.-L., Wang, L.-P., Qi, X.-S., Shi, Q.-F., Li, L.-S., & Zheng, N. (2018).

For the influence of orifice shape on the flow rate, wherein it focuses on analyzing the changes of orifice

shapes and their effect. It is stated that the change of the orifice shape wil lead into different types of flow

rate. The researcher also understood that the flow rate increases whenever the orifice is from sharp to

smooth, both in flat-bottom and conical-bottom hoppers. The researchers came up with a conclusion that

the shape of the orifice affects flow rate both experimentally and numerically.

In the study of Wan et al. (2023), the researchers conducted a numerical investigation on how the

shape of orifices influences the flow characteristics of high pressure hydrogen leakage into confined

spaces. The study revealed that the orifice geometry significantly affects jet structure, pressure wave
propagation, and potential hazard distribution during accidental gas release events.

The results showed that circular orifices produce symmetric jet flows and circular Mach disks,

whereas non circular shapes which are square and triangular orifices, result in complex jet structures and

asymmetric shock patterns. Specifically, square orifices generated hexagonal shock fronts with pressure

wave deflection at approximately 45°, while triangular orifices produced octagonal patterns with a 60°

deflection. These angular shock behaviors result in directional jet propagation, which can influence the

dispersion and accumulation of hydrogen in confined environments.

In addition, the study noted that non-circular orifices introduce jet narrowing effects along particular

axes, such as the diagonals in square-shaped jets and the gravity-affected planes in triangular ones. This

asymmetry alters the spread and energy distribution of leaked hydrogen, potentially intensifying risks in

specific areas within confined structures.

With this, findings highly emphasize the importance of combining orifice geometry into predictive

models for hydrogen leakage and safety assessments. Unlike the conventional assumption of circular

leaks, the presence of irregular orifice shapes can significantly affect hazard zone development, ignition

potential, and mitigation planning in high-pressure hydrogen systems.

Van Hinsberg (2022) explored unsteady fluid dynamics of two tandem square prisms with rounded

edges when immersed in cross-flow conditions through the formation of wake, vortex shedding, and the

pressure distribution. In the study, both experimental and numerical means were applied to investigate the

effect of changing of spacing and Reynolds number on the interaction between flow structures. The

outcomes were a good guide to the influence of geometry and space layout towards the influence of forces

like drag and lift on fluids. Though the object of the study is prisms and not orifices, it is identified as

relevant to our research since the topic of the study pays much attention to the influence of shape and

spatial arrangement on the flow behavior.

II.​EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN OBJECTIVES

This chapter outlines the primary objectives of the experimental design. It presents

a systematic approach to conducting, developing, and analyzing the experiment to improve

fluid flow systems through orifice plate optimization

This Design of Experiment aims to:

1)​To conduct experiments to evaluate the effects of Pentagon diamond and

trapezoid-shaped orifice plates on volumetric flow rate and energy or head loss in fluid

systems.

2)​To develop a predictive model that correlates the geometrical configurations of Pentagon

diamond and trapezoid orifice plates with corresponding variations in flow rate and

energy loss.

3)​To analyze and interpret the experimental results to provide insights into the potential of

optimized orifice plate designs for improved efficiency and sustainability in fluid

transport systems.
 III.​ EXPERIMENTAL PROGRAM

This chapter presents the study's experimental program, including the theoretical framework,

conceptual framework, and the assumptions and limitations of the study.

a.​ FRAMEWORK

INPUT PROCESS OUTPUT

●​ Water ●​ Experimental test result of

●​ Preparation of the prototype by flow rate of the fluid after
●​ Different diameter of irregular integrating a cylinder, a pipe, each test using the prototype.
shaped-edge (Pentagon, and 3 different shaped-edge
Triangle, Diamond) orifice. orifice. ●​ Comparison between the
diameter of the irregular
●​ 0.49m. Large PVC Pipe ●​ Prototype testing for the flow shaped-edge orifice and the
rate of fluid at different shaped- flow rate of the fluid.
●​ 0.1m. Small PVC Pipe edge orifice plates.
●​ Flow Estimation in Three
●​ Tape Measure ●​ Gathering of Data. Irregular Shaped-Edged
Orifice Using Polynomial
Interpolation

Figure 1. Input-Process-Output framework of the study

In figure 1, the study conceptual framework, is an estimation of flow rates through three

different irregular-shaped orifice plates (triangle, pentagon and diamond) based on polynomial

interpolation. The framework presents previews of a fluid/geometry orifice interplay used in the

prototype structure consisting of a cylindrical column with a mounted orifice arrangement fitted. A

geometric shape of the orifice is the independent variable, and a volumetric flow rate of fluid under

constant head is the dependent variable in this study. The basis of the framework lies in the

principles of fluid mechanics, in which restriction of orifices distorts the pressure distribution and

affects the flow. The essential parameters are impact of orifice area on flow constriction, formation

of a differential pressure that determines the flow rate and the discharge coefficient used to
measure the efficiency or effectiveness. Reynolds number is also regarded as a factor that

measures conditions of regimes that particularly influence the discharge coefficient. Finally, the

goal of this research is to come up with a model based on polynomials that will be able to give

sound correlations between geometry profiles of orifices and flow rate that would enable one to

estimate the flow in an orifice better even in case of irregular geometry orifice.

b.​ ASSUMPTIONS AND LIMITATIONS

Assumptions

The study operates under several key assumptions to simplify the analysis and ensure a

controlled experimental environment. These include:

Incompressibility: Within the operating conditions, the fluid system exhibits no detectable

compression behavior.

Steady and One-Dimensional Flow: The technique operates under the conditions of steady

and one-dimensional movement.

Perpendicular Orifice Plate Installation: When installing the orifice plate, it is assumed to

maintain a perfect 90-degree angle concerning the fluid stream.

Straight Pipe Sections: It is necessary for the orifice plate to have a straight configuration that

is free of any obstructions, and it should lengthen to the recommended 10 meters.

Constant Fluid Temperature: The measurement duration exhibits an assumption that the fluid

temperature stays constant.

Limitations

Limitations inherent in the experimental design include:

Three Irregular-Edge Orifice Plates: This research specifically examines diamond, pentagon,
and hexagon edge orifice plates as its main experimental subject.

Fluid and Flow Rate Range: The experimental setup controls the fluid range and flow rate

range of water as the basis for the fluid.

Complex Flow Behaviors: Potential exclusion of complex flow behaviors such as turbulence

fluctuations and minor pipe roughness.

Number Range: Experimental constraints, the investigation utilizes only a particular Reynolds

number spectrum.
IV. PROCEDURE (Testing Standards if applicable)

1)​Data Gathering

The first part of this study was to come up with the experimental models of the orifice

plates having edges of irregular shapes and construct them. In particular, three main geometries,

i.e., triangular-shaped, pentagon-shaped, and diamond-shaped orifices were selected to perform

the analysis. These orifices were determined because they are more geometric and they may

demonstrate a non-linear flow behavior which is very essential in improving models formulating

flow estimation. In the creation of the plates, durable acrylic sheets were used and shaped using

precision tools to provide consistency in the plates thickness and clear edges.

A jet velocity apparatus was used to begin the experimentation process and it is one of the

main instruments to create an approximation of a flow of the fluid. Every orifice was attached to a

standardized section of pipe and all the flow conditions were made identical during all tests.

Hydraulic bench was also prepared in advance giving accurate measurements of volume and time

control that are very important to succeed in the flow rate analysis.

As per the quantitative nature of the study, the points used were interpolated using the

polynomials method to provide the researchers with an idea of an approximate relationship

between the flow rate and the orifice shape geometry. These included polynomial curves based on

the points of orifice configuration, and showed trends in the flow behavior that would be hard to

show using linear estimation. It was also a predictor technique to offer intermediate flow values and

a contributor to better flow estimation models of irregular-shaped orifices.

2)​Model Creation
As a preface, assembly of the basic water column system was done by building an

experimental model to measure the rate of flow with PVC pipes. The primary vertical reservoir was

one PVC pipe with a diameter of 4 inch to be used to provide a constant head environment. A

smaller 1/2 inch PVC pipe was then connected to the lower part of the main pipe as the outlet

where the orifices that have an irregular shape triangular, pentagon and diamond were mounted

separately. The orifices were manufactured to a high dimensional accuracy by cutting holes in thin

steel disks and then attached closely against the outlet with a strong adhesive and a waterproof

sealant to avoid leakage during the flow testing to ascertain uniformity.

The orifices were made removable so as to facilitate interchangeable testing between the

outlet pipe. PVC coupling and sealant was used to cement the main pipe and outlet pipes, in order

to have a stable flow channel. Such structure enabled the team to reproduce several heads above

the orifice, which was significant in determining the flow rates at numerous hydraulic conditions.

The water level above the orifice was measured in each of the tests in order to be used as the

foundation of the estimation of the flow rate based on the theoretical discharge curves adjusted to

non-circular openings.

As compared to normal circular openings, flow area (A), in this case, is a variable which

varies with specific geometry of each irregular shape. Accordingly discharge coefficient (Cd) of

each of the orifices was not assumed, but experimentally measured. Being aware of the influence

that non-circular edges have on the flow, this model is more complex and diversified and

corresponds to the objective of the research which is to increase the accuracy of flow

approximation by estimating more polygons in comparison with circular orifices.

3)​Model Testing

The flow model of the fabricated orifice was tested by a set of trials or tests in which clean

water was used as the working fluid. The main aim was to find out the precision of the flow in three

shapes of irregular orifices namely, triangular, pentagon and diamond (mounted on the outlet of a

1/2-inch PVC pipe) linked to a 4-inch vertical reservoir. In all tests, the height of the water above

the orifice (head) was measured and constantly held in order to imitate a steady-state.

The flow rates were determined as the 10 liters of discharged water was collected and time

endured during each series of trials by the digital stopwatch. The three test runs in identical head

conditions were required to have consistency and repeatability in the results in each orifice shape.

Flow equation is calculated with volumetric flow equation and discharge coefficient (Cd) of each

orifice was experimentally calculated by rearranging the theoretical orifice flow equation. This made

possible the determination of how irregularities of shape affected the flow properties.

In determining the accuracy of the model, the entire results of each orifice were analysed

and compared in terms of percentage error and curve fitting, which is done by making use of

polynomial interpolation. Each run was visually evaluated based on the occurrence of flow

behaviors including the turbulence, jet spread, and stability and recorded as a qualitative data.

Leak prevention, stability of fittings and uniform position of the model were also focused in the

testing procedure. These findings were used in creating the better predictive models based on the

types of non-standard orifice which will estimate the flow better.

​ V. DESIGN STATISTICS

​ ​​ a.) ​ ANALYSIS

.In order to achieve the goal of prediction and optimization of flow behavior through irregular

shaped orifices, the researchers concentrated on assessing the influence of geometry of orifices on the

discharge behavior. We exploited triangular, pentagon and diamond shaped holes in which the areas were

uniquely selected and calculated in order to identify their impacts on the rate of flow. All of the analysis

focused on the quantifiable criteria of the orifice area, head height, and measurement of the flow rate on the

fixed-volume basis. The interpolation was carried out by using a polynomial interpolation as the

fundamental to discover the mathematical correlations and the modeling of the behaviour of the fluid all

through these irregular geometries.

Two sets of data were formulated and conducted. The first data consisted of the geometric shape

Triangle, pentagon, diamond , their orifice area (square m), and the orifice head height (m). A constant

amount of water (150 ml) was measured which required the same time to flow through each orifice. The

second dataset took those measurements and expressed them as real numbers in m^3 /s which were not

directly interpolated, but which contributed to judging the overall realism and efficiency of each form. The

method enabled the comparison of raw functioning as well as possible optimization with variously shaped

orifices.

By using the polynomial interpolations, the relations between the flow rate and various parameters

like orifice area, head height and shape type were drawn. The curves and equations derived were used to

approximate anticipated flows on the same configuration or even make predictions when dealing with

altered dimensions. External parameters were regulated with the fixed-volume design so that the manner of
 geometric differences on hydraulic behavior could be better assessed. These results can be put to use in

the improvement of the flow estimation methods in custom or improvised flow systems in which we cannot

use circular orifices due to various reasons.

b.) ​ INTERPRETATION
​
The objective of this experimental work is to test the impact of non-circular orifice shapes on the

flow performance, special interest was put on the triangular, pentagonal and diamond-like orifice shapes.

Polynomial interpolation is a mathematical method used in the study and mathematically generated

predictive models which would relate the orifice shape with area, head pressure and the subsequent flow

rate. These models depend on consistency of experimental data and quality of interpolation made. Using

this analytical framework, the study proposes to present an affordable and easily applicable solution to flow

measurement where either improvised or non-standard hydraulic system is to be implemented; in particular,

where rectangular, triangular or other non-circular designs of orifices are not an option.

​ Shape Shape ID Dimensions (mm) Area (m2)

Triangle 1 Base = 0.6 1.8 x 10-7

Height = 0.6

Pentagon 2 Sides = 0.5 4.3 x 10-7

Diamond 3 Diagonals = 0.5 1.25 x 10-7

Table 1. Geometric Properties and Computed Areas of Irregular Orifice Shapes

Table 1 shows the geometric property of 3 different irregular shapes namely, triangle, pentagon and

diamond orifices (used in the experiment), and also the calculated area of such shapes. All the shapes are

marked accordingly in millimeters and this was used to compute their respective cross-sectional areas in
square meters (m2). The triangular opening being the smallest had the dimension of base = 0.6 mm and

height=0.6 mm and its area was obtained to be 1.8 x 10-7 m2. The pentagon whose sides were 0.5 mm wide

generated the greatest area of 4.3 x 10-7 m and this would imply that more area was available to flow fluid.

The intermediate area of the orifice shaped as a diamond with the diagonals of 0.5 mm was 1.25 x 10-7 m2.

Such values played very important roles in the future analyses of how the geometry of an orifice influenced

their hydraulic performance and flow behaviours.

Shape Head (m) Volume (m³) Time (s) Flow Rate Q (m³/s)

1 0.49 0.0001 244 4.10 × 10⁻⁷

2 0.49 0.0001 189 5.29 × 10⁻⁷

3 0.49 0.0001 281 3.56 × 10⁻⁷

Table 2. Experimental Flow Rate Measurements for Irregular Orifice Shapes at Constant Head

Table 2 summarizes the results of the experiments with flow rate, through three irregular orifice

shapes under the constant head of 0.49 meters. A certain quantity of water 0.0001 m3 passed through each

orifice, and a measure of the time consumed by this quantity was recorded to enable them to calculate the

corresponding flow rate. The time of discharge was the lowest at 189 seconds in shape 2 that had the

highest flow rate of 5.29x10-7 m3/s. The shape 1 was next with a time of 244 seconds and a flow rate of

4.10x10-7 m 3/s. Slowest flow was observed in shape 3 which required 281 seconds and resulted in the

flow rate of 3.56x10-7 m3/s. These findings imply that orifice geometry has a considerable influence on the

speed of water, which pours into a reservoir, and more open or efficiently derived factor openings allow

water to flow through an orifice at a higher rate preserving the level of head pressure.
 Shape Area (m2) Flow Rate Q (m³/s) Cd

1 1.8 x 10-7 4.10 × 10⁻⁷ 0.73

2 4.3 x 10-7 5.29 × 10⁻⁷ 0.62

3 1.25 x 10-7 3.56 × 10⁻⁷ 0.73

Table 3. Computed Discharge Coefficients Based on Orifice Geometry and Flow Rates

The calculated coefficients of discharges (Cd) based on three various shapes of orifices are

tabulated in table 3 as the ratio of the areas of various shapes of orifices and the flow rates measured

experimentally. Shape 1 had an area of 1.8 x 10-7 m2 and flow rate of 4.10 x 10-7 m3/s and a Cd of 0.73 and

Shape 3 had a smaller area of 1.25 x 10-7 m2 and flow rate of 3.56 x 10-7 m3/s and had a comparable Cd of

0.73. Shape 2 in contrast offered the greatest area at 4.3 x 10-7 m2 and the greatest flow rate at 5.29 x 10-7

m3/ s but the Cd was less at 0.62. This implies that although shape 2 could permit a higher flow, it could

lose much energy or more inefficient discharge behavior than other shapes. Generating concepts in

general, the values of the discharge coefficients can be considered to understand how well each shape can

perform in terms of transferring the potential energy (head) into the flow energy (kinetic energy) with

differences depending on geometrical details and flow interactions.

 Figure 2. Polynomial Relationship Between Flow Rate and Orifice Area

The graph shows the connection between the orifice opening area and the resulting flow rate which

is positive and gradually decreasing. When the area is larger the rate of flow will be larger implying that

larger orifices will cause more fluid to move through it. However, this relationship is not linear, as shown by

the polynomial equation y = −0.1658x2 + 1.4876x + 1.9596, where y is the flow rate in m³/s and x is the

orifice area in m². The shape of the graph shows that as the area increases, the flow increases but at a

decreasing rate owing to hydraulic properties of the flow through the boundary, being the shape of the

edges and turbulence. Its R2 value is 1, and this indicates that there is a perfect correspondence to

experimental data which proves that the model is reliable. On the whole, the given tendency evidences the

fact that stream estimation is the orifice design tradeoff between size of the opening and efficiency because

once the opening size is too large, the estimation of its proportional increase in flow is not true.
 Figure 3. Polynomial Relationship Between Flow Rate and Time

The graph shows that the relationship between flow rate and time is inversely proportional, and that

as the time of discharge is getting long, the flow rate invariantly goes on reducing. The trend is indicative of

the fact that with increased discharge time, more confined orifices geometries or lower pressure heads are

more likely to occur. The shape of this relationship is expressed in the form of a polynomial equation y =

8x10-05x2 - 0.0548x + 12.909 where y is the value of flow rate in m 3 /s and x is the value of time in

seconds. The negative curvature means that increasing time by small margins causes considerable

decreases in flow rate, probably ascribed to a decrease in the driving force or resistance owing to orifice. A

model fit of 1 in R2 shows that the model is perfect and this fact provides one of the proofs that the model is

valid. This discussion substantiates the fact that in systems whose orifice design is non-uniform the time

may act as a safe predictor of flow rate performance since at longer times the rate of discharge

decelerates.
 Figure 4. Polynomial Relationship Between Discharge Coefficient and Flow Rate

Figure 3 shows a graph of the polynomial dependence of the discharge coefficient (Cd) on the flow

rate of various types of orifice. It displays a downward-opening quadratic trend indicated by the following

equation y = −0.0534x2 + 0.4093x − 0.0499, and has an R2 value of 1, which means a perfect fit of a model

and data. As it can be seen the Cd is increasing at higher and higher flow rate but then goes down which

means that the degree of discharge coefficient is not linear in its increase with flow. This implies that when

the flow rate is minimized the fluid flows more through the orifice and hence the higher value of Cd.

Nevertheless, the rise in the flow rate leads to more disturbances and energy losses, which make the Cd

drop. The response to this behavior is the intricate encounter of orifice geometry and hydraulic behavior

signifying that the flow regime is likely to impact the efficiency of discharge largely through non-circular

orifices.
 Figure 5. Polynomial Dependence of the Discharge Coefficient (Cd) on the Area of Orifice Opening

The dependence of discharge coefficient (Cd) on the area of orifice opening is graphically

presented in figure 4 in the form of a graph of a polynomial dependence. The data on it are in a

down-opening quadratic trend characterized by the mathematical equation y = -0.0144x2 + 0.044x + 0.6975

the R2 is 1, which means a perfect fit between the model and the data points. As it was seen, Cd stays

almost constant with small growths in area but after that begins to decline as the area further escalates.

What this indicates is that the correlation between Cd and area is not linear. A smaller orifice area is more

likely to give smoother flow and discharge efficiency will also be large but with larger opening, the flow will

be most likely to be more turbulent and as a result, there is a tendency of Cd to decrease. This is the result

of the complex nature of interaction between orifice geometry and fluid dynamics in that optimizing the size

of an orifice is very important in having efficient flow conditions.

 Graph Formulated Equations R-squared value Equation #
(R²)

Flow Rate and Area of Y = -0.1658x2 + 1.487x + 1.9596 1 [1]

Opening

Flow Rate and Time Y = 8E-05x2 - 0.0548x + 12.909 1 [2]

Discharge Coefficient and Y = -0.0534x2 + 0.4093x - 0.0499 1 [3]

Flow Rate

Discharge Coefficient and Y = -0.0144x2 + 0.044x + 0.6975 1 [4]

Area of Opening

Table 4. Polynomial Interpolation Equations Relating Orifice Geometry and Flow Parameters

The table 4 includes the equations of polynomial interpolations representing relationships between

significant parameters of the flow and geometry of the orifice. This was done by coming up with four

quadratic equations that had the value of R2 at 1. This meant an excellent fit and strong correlation

between the variables. The first equation represents a relationship between flow rate and orifice area where

the latter predicts that flow rate should increase with area, but at progressively slower and slower rates

because of the negative quadratic term. The second equation which is used to relate the flow rate and time

indicates that the higher the time of discharge the more there is a curvy pattern of the flow rate where the

flow per unit time will have a diminishing value. The third equation relates to the discharge coefficient (Cd)

and the flow rate that has the characteristic of being non-linear and that a Cd takes its maximum value at a

definite flow rate then steeply decreases afterward. Finally, the fourth equation connects Cd to the orifice

area and once again we find that it is a curved equation which makes it an optimum when a particular area

value is used. Such equations indicate that a relatively simple approach such as polynomial interpolation is

sufficient to represent the highly non-linear interconnections between geometric and hydraulic variations in

orifice flow.
VI. DISCUSSIONS

The objective of the study was therefore to examine the hydraulic performance of three irregular

orifice geometric shapes triangle, pentagon and diamond and how they respond to a specified flow as well

as draw the correlation of orifice area, flow rate, time and discharge coefficient (Cd) via the use of

polynomial interpolation. The trial was performed at a fixed head of 0.49m, and the geometrical shape

impact on discharge phenomena could be isolated by the researchers. The calculated areas of Table 1

were done using the properties of a triangle (1.8x10-7 m2 ) triangular, pentagon (4.3 x 10-7 m2 ) pentagon,

and diamond (1.25 x 10-7 m2 ) diamond. These regions formed a basis upon which flow rate comparisons

and subsequent interpolation modeling was to be carried out. Table 2 supplied the results of timed volume

discharge experiment which indicated that the triangle orifice (Shape 1) had a volume to time-rate of 0.0001

m 3 after 244 seconds, whereas pentagon (shape 2) gave the same volume but in shorter time of 189

seconds whereas the diamond (shape 3) was the slowest in a time of 281 seconds. This resulted in the

corresponding flow rates of 4.10 x 10-7, 5.29 x 10-7 and 3.56 1 x 10-7 m3 /s respectively.

In order to put all this into perspective, discharge coefficients were calculated (Table 3) based on

the continuity and Bernoulli equation. The Cd in both triangle and diamond shapes were 0.73 and that of

Pentagon was lower that is 0.62 that means that although it was most efficient in terms of area and flow

rate however it was less effective in converting the pressure of the head into smooth outflow. This is due to

the difference in separation or turbulence of flow as well as its complicated shape. Using the polynomial

interpolation, further analysis of the relationships between flow rate and orifice area, flow rate and time, Cd

and flow rate and Cd and area was done (Table 4). All the resulting quadratic models had R2 = 1, or were

perfect, which verified the nonlinear character of such relationships. The increase in area was not

proportionally related to increase in the flow rate, as observed in the equation that models this relationship
(Equation 1) because of competing factors of flow contraction and viscous losses. In the same way, the

inverse relationship between the flow rate and the time was found in Equation 2; the flow rate decreased a

parabola as the time stretched. Here, the equations 3 and 4 also helped in understanding the slight

variation of Cd with the change in flow rate and the orifice area, and bolstered the evidence in paying

attention to shape-specific peculiarities in design. The interpolation process was proved in the fact that

bigger orifices were more likely to enhance flow rates, but the flow discharge effectiveness in terms of Cd

depended upon other more-interaction-based aspects (such as geometry, boundary layer separation, and

other effects of turbulence).

On balance, it appeared that this experiment was able to prove that the shape of the orifice actually

influences the behavior of the hydraulic discharge significantly. The validity of the application of

interpolation as a designing tool of predicting the orifice plates is emphasized by the perfection of R values

squared and the polynomial equations. This investigation offers a reference to optimizing non-standard of

course configurations in the framework of a flow measuring or hydraulic control system, given that it

unveiled the interaction between area, flow rate, and discharge coefficient.
 VII.​ CONCLUSION AND GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS

a.​ Conclusion

This study investigates the impact of non-circular orifice geometries, specifically triangle, pentagon, and diamond

shapes, on hydraulic discharge performance under constant head conditions. Experimental analysis combined with

polynomial interpolation modeling was used to evaluate the flow rate, discharge coefficient (Cd), and discharge time for

each shape. The pentagon-shaped orifice exhibited the highest flow rate of 5.29×10^−7m³/s due to its largest area of

4.3×10^−7 m², despite having the lowest Cd of 0.62. In contrast, the triangle and diamond shapes, with smaller

cross-sectional areas, demonstrated higher Cd values of 0.73, indicating better discharge efficiency relative to their

size. The results revealed a trade-off between geometric area and hydraulic efficiency—larger areas generally promote

greater flow but may lead to energy losses due to increased turbulence.

Time-based discharge measurements further supported these findings, showing that the pentagon shape discharged

fastest at 189 seconds, followed by the triangle at 244 seconds, and the diamond at 281 seconds. These variations

reinforce the idea that shape significantly influences flow resistance and velocity. Polynomial interpolation was

employed to model the nonlinear relationships between flow rate, time, orifice area, and Cd. The resulting models

achieved an R² value of 1, confirming a perfect correlation with experimental data and validating the method's predictive

capability. Graphs illustrating flow rate versus time and Cd versus flow rate demonstrated consistent polynomial trends,

with flow rate decreasing over time and Cd showing a parabolic relationship with flow performance.

The study concludes that polynomial interpolation is a highly reliable technique for estimating flow characteristics in

irregular orifice designs, especially where linear models fall short. It emphasizes that the orifice shape not only affects

the magnitude of flow but also the efficiency and stability of discharge behavior. These insights are crucial for engineers
 designing hydraulic systems in non-standard or resource-constrained environments, where custom orifice shapes may

be required. By integrating analytical modeling with experimental testing, the research provides a framework for

optimizing orifice geometry based on both performance and efficiency. Ultimately, the findings advocate for a deeper

understanding of fluid-structure interactions and highlight the significance of combining geometric design with

mathematical tools to enhance flow control and energy conservation in hydraulic systems.

b.​ General Recommendations

Based on the results and findings of the research through irregular-shape orifice related to flow

behavior based on polynomial interpolation, it is hereby proposed the following recommendations that will

help in increasing the comprehension and future applications of the study:

1.​ Exercise additional experimentation with greater diversity in the geometries of orifice shapes to

determine the reliability and relevance of the polynomial interpolation model to other shapes. The

present study investigated three irregular shapes, which were a triangle, a pentagon, and a
 diamond. Getting a better look at the subject of the extent to which the results are generalizable,

future research needs to involve additional complex or hybrid shapes, including but not limited to

trapezoids, ellipses, or multi-lobed shapes. This would justify the feasibility of the polynomial

interpolation model to be true and viable for a wide range of geometric formations.

2.​ Study the impact of different height of heads on the flow rate and discharge coefficient because all

possibilities can always be studied under constant head conditions. The fact that this study kept the

heads constant to isolate the impact of geometry in determining flow characteristics makes it

advisable to change the number of head heights in future experiments. This could be helpful in

getting the insight into how pressure change influences flow using various shapes of flow orifice,

and could also assist in developing more flexible flow models capable of operating under variable

conditions.

3.​ Inquire into how the conditions around the flow (viscosity and temperature) can modify how the

fluid behaves and assess how adaptable the model is to other fluids. The working fluid in this setup

was restricted to water. In the future, it should be considered that the developed polynomial models

apply to industrial fluids or any other conditions by testing the polynomial models considering fluids

having different viscosities, densities, and temperatures. It would assist in expanding the possible

application of the model outside of the controlled laboratory settings.

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