SCHOOL OF BUILDING & CIVIL

ENGINEERING
BACHELOR OF ENGINEERING (HONORS) -
CIVIL
YEAR 2- SEMESTER 1
2021
CEB601– FLUID MECHANICS & HYDRAULICS
LAB No: 6
Flow Measurement using Notches or Thin Plate
Weirs

Student Name : Divikesh Kumar

ID No. : 2020003287

Date Lab Conducted : 14/05/2021

Date Lab Submitted : 10/05/2021

Lab Instructor : Mr. Akshy Kumar

Lab No : 6
Title : Flow Measurement using Notches or Thin Plate Weirs
Aim/Scope
To determine the coefficients of discharge of a rectangular notch and a vee notch
weir.

Introduction
The flow rate in pipes and ducts is controlled by various kinds of valves. Liquid
flow in open channels, however, is not confined, and thus the flow rate is
controlled by partially blocking the channel. This is done by either allowing the
liquid to flow over the obstruction or under it. An obstruction that allows the
liquid to flow over it is called a weir, and an obstruction with an adjustable
opening at the bottom that allows the liquid to flow underneath it is called an
underflow gate. Such devices can be used to control the flow rate through the
channel as well as to measure it. A weir is a flow control device in which the water
flows over the obstruction. In this experiment, the rectangular weirs and
triangular weirs are been used. Rectangular weirs and triangular or v-notch weirs
are often used in water supply, wastewater and sewage systems. They consist of a
sharp edged plate with a rectangular, triangular or v-notch profile for the water
flow. Broad-crested weirs can be observed in dam spillways where the broad
edge is beneath the water surface across the entire stream. Flow measurement
installations with broad-crested weirs will meet accuracy requirements only if
they are calibrated

Apparatus
 Armfield hydraulic bench.
 Hook gauge
 Stop watch
Procedure
This experiment was performed by taking the following steps:
 Turned on the bench supply pump, opened the supply valve and allowed the
test channel to fill with water up to the level of the crest of the notch.
 Closed the valve and turned off the bench supply pump.
 Carefully removed water from the channel until the free surface was at
exactly the same level as the crest (i.e. no meniscus) then took a reading using
the hook gauge (see diagram).
 Took extra care with this reading as it provides the datum value which was
applied to all the other hook gauge readings in the experiment.
 Checked that the collecting tank drain was open, then turned on the bench
supply pump and opened the supply valve until the water surface in the
channel was about 2 mm below the top of the weir plate.
 Which gave the largest measurable flow.
 Took a hook gauge measurement of the new water surface level and used it to
calculate the height of the water surface above the crest.
 This measurement was called the “Head over the Crest H”.
 Measured the notch discharge first closed the collecting tank drain valve and
allowed water to accumulate in the tank.
 Then, as the surface in the sight glass passed the 0 l mark, started the
stopwatch. Continued timing.
 When the surface passes the 38 l mark stopped the stopwatch and noted the
time. Remember to open the collecting tank drain valve to allow the water
back into the sump.
 Next reduced the flow by partly closing the supply valve. Allowed at least one
minute for the free surface to stabilise to its new level.
 Repeated the readings of discharge and head over the crest for the new flow
rate.
 Took at least four more sets of readings progressively reducing the flow until
the under napped starts to cling the front face of the weir plate. This marks
the lowest flow that the weir can accurately measure. Kept the readings
reasonably evenly spaced over the rang
Readings & Observations
Rectangular Notch Vee- Notch
H(m) Vol(L) H(m)
T(s) Vol(L) T(s)
79mm 10 34mm
9.46 5 14.76
71mm 10 30mm
9.44 5 20.16
67mm 10 22mm
9.90 3 28.73
57mm 10 13.87
15mm 1 18.86
43mm 10 21.63
11mm 1 44.07

Calculations
Rectangular Notch
3
2
L=× 10−3 Qtheo= b √ 2 g H 2
3
2 3
= 3 ( 0.03 ) √ 2 ( 9.81 ) (0.079)2

Volume
Qexp=
Time
= 1.967×10-3m3/s

10× 10−3 m 3
= 9.46 s

= 1.057×10−3m3/s
Qexp
Cd=
Qtheo

1.057× 10−3
=
1.967× 10−3

= 0.54
Vee - Notch
L=× 10−3
3
Volume 8
Qexp= Qtheo= tanθ √ 2 g H 2
Time 15

1× 10−3 m3 8 5
= = 15 ( tan 45 ) √ 2 ( 9.81 ) (0.011) 2
44.07 s

= 2.269×10−5m3/s = 2.998×10-5m3/s

Qexp
Cd=
Qtheo

2.269× 10−5
=
2.998× 10−5

= 0.76

Results

RECTANGULAR NOTCH
VOL TIME (S) QEXP (m3/s) H (m) H32  
(m) QTHE (m3/s) Cd
10 9.46 1.057 x 10-3 0.079 0.0222 1.967 x 10-3 0.54

10 9.44 1.059 x 10-3 0.071 0.0189 1.676 x 10-3 0.63

10 9.40 1.064 x 10-3 0.067 0.0173 1.536 x 10-3 0.69
10 13.87 7.209 x 10-4 0.057 0.0136 1.205 x 10-3 0.59
10 21.83 4.581 x 10-4 0.043 0.0089 7.899 x 10-4 0.58
5 29.62 1.688 x 10-4 0.023 0.0035 3.090 x 10-4 0.55
 VEE -NOTCH
VO TIME QEXP (m3/s) H (m) H52  
(m) QTHE (m3/s) Cd
L (S)
5 14.76 3.388 x 10-4 0.034 0.000213 5.036 x 10-4 0.67
5 21.16 2.363 x 10-4 0.030 0.000155 3.683 x 10-4 0.64
3 28.73 1.044 x 10-4 0.022 0.0000717 1.696 x 10-4 0.62
1 18.86 5.302 x 10-5 0.015 0.0000275 6.509 x 10-5 0.81
1 44.07 2.269 x 10-5 0.011 0.0000127 2.998 x 10-5 0.76

Graphs
Graph for rectangular notch Q vs H32  (m)
Graph for Vee notch Q vs H52  (m)

Discussion-
According to the result obtained, the discharge is directly proportional to the
head loss, the greater the flow rate, the greater the rate of head
loss increases. The two graphs for rectangular and Vee notch both have a
proportional relationship between the head loss and the discharge. This
experiment is important and  there are several things which need to be
considered about the flow of water in different types of streams. Stated below
are some other ways to measure the flow in stream. Bucket method,
this method involves filling a bucket of known volume and using the stopwatch to
determine the time the bucket takes to fills. The volume of the bucket divided by
the time it takes to fill gives the flow.
 The velocity or volume need to measure and the length or height of a given
object in order to determine the discharge at different areas of measure.
Streamflow is measured as an amount of water passing through a specific point
over time. 
The good side of using rectangular notch is where there is greater flow of water to
avoid slow flow and over flows, for instance, large drains, but not suitable for
smaller drains on plain surface. Triangular weirs are sharp crested thin plates
with V-shaped opening (or notch). These plates are installed at the exit of a
channel, tank, or basin in order to measure the real-time flow of water. A typical
application for these plates consists in measuring the flow of water on the
downstream side of a dam.
A Vee notch gives much more accurate results in low discharge conditions, as
compared to the conventional rectangular notch. Also, only one reading (the
head) is required to calculate the discharge rate, making calculations much easier.
However, it cannot handle large volumes of flow rate accurately.
Vee notch are suitable for smaller drains in slope surfaces and besides roads, But
are not good in place where greater flow. Its benefits includes,  incomes for those
who carryout the work on the site, the public, support roads or buildings from
damage, as well flow in pipes support the households

Conclusion
The smooth flow to and over the weir is essential to the determination of
accurate rates offlow since the distribution of velocities on the approach flow has
a definite influence on thedischarge over the weir. As the flow rate increases, the
discharge coefficient becomes moreaccurate to the theoretical value. When the
flow rate is to low it clings to the notch and flowsdown it. This changes the
coefficient of discharge because now the water is not only beingaffected by
gravity it is having to resist viscosity and the friction of the surface of the notch

Sources of Errors
Weir Sizing
 Weir notch undersized/oversized for flow rate
 Downstream Conditions Downstream conditions typically refer to the water level
after the weir - and if it is high enough to submerge the  nappe (body of water
flowing over the weir crest).  When the downstream water level is high enough it will
impede the flow of water over the weir.  Weir submergence dramatically affects the
actual flow rate (versus the higher indicated flow rate).

 Parallax error
This could have occurred while reading the values
Reference
1. Fluid Mechanics Douglas/Gasiorek/Swaffield
2. Fluid Mechanics Streeter and Wylie
3. Handbook of Hydraulics King.