EXPERIMENT # 1

FLUID FLOW MEASUREMENTS

Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of San Carlos-Talamban campus,
6000 Nasipit, Talamban, Cebu City, Philippines
School of Engineering

I. OBJECTIVE

To measure volume flow rate of fluid like air at various loads, by use of pitotstatic
tube, venturi meter, and orifice flow meter.

II. ABSTRACT
Pitot static tube experiment was conducted in the lab in order to fulfil the
objectives of the experiment which is to measure volume flow rate of fluid like air by
the use of pitot static tube. The method was to connect the pitot tube to an accurately
leveled manometer to measure the initial and the total pressure in each region of the
duct and calculate the velocity of the fluid with the use of Bernoulli equation.

III. INTRODUCTION

Measurements of flow rate of fluids, expressed in terms of volumes or mass, find

many applications in the processing, service, and manufacturing industries, utilities, and
agriculture. The fluids involved are fluid, gas, or the mixture of both liquid and gas.
The Pitot tube (named after Henri Pitot in 1732) measures a fluid velocity by converting
the kinetic energy of the flow into potential energy. The conversion takes place at
the stagnation point, located at the Pitot tube entrance (see the schematic below). A
pressure higher than the free-stream (i.e. dynamic) pressure results from the kinematic
to potential conversion. This "static" pressure is measured by comparing it to the flow's
dynamic pressure with a differential manometer.
Static pressure. The pressure imparted by the flowing fluid measured at right angles to
the flow is called the static pressure. Stagnation Pressure. The point in the center stream
of the fluid flow where the velocity becomes zero is called the stagnation pressure.
A convenient manner to install the two pressure-metering device is to combine
the two tubes as two concentric cylinders with the outer cylinder to act as wall of the
pipe for purposes of measuring the static pressure and the inner cylinder as the pitot tube
to measure the total pressure.
IV. PRINCIPLES INVOLVED

Measurements of flow rate of fluids, expressed in terms of volumes or mass, find many
applications in the processing, service, and manufacturing industries, utilities, and
agriculture. The fluids involved are fluid, gas, or the mixture of both liquid and gas.
Among the various methods of obtaining the measurements of fluid flow include (i)
pitot-static tube, (ii) venturi meter, and (iii) orifice flow meter.

A. Pitot-Static Tube
Pitot tube is a small open tube with its open end pointed upstream intercepting the
kinetic energy of the flowing fluid, and measures the total pressure. Fig. 1 shows the
prototype pitot tube.
Static pressure. The pressure imparted by the flowing fluid measured at right angles to
the flow is called the static pressure. A tube attached flush to the wall of a pipe or duct
and perpendicular to the flow of the fluid will measure the static pressure. Fig 2
illustrates this.

Fig. 1 Prototype Pitot Tube Fig. 2 Mounting of Tube to Determine

Static Pressure

Stagnation Pressure. The point in the center stream of the fluid flow where the
velocity becomes zero is called the stagnation pressure.
 A convenient manner to install the two pressure-metering device is to combine
the two tubes as two concentric cylinders with the outer cylinder to act as wall of the
pipe for purposes of measuring the static pressure and the inner cylinder as the pitot tube
to measure the total pressure.

PITOT TUBE

FIG. 3 Simple Fig. 4 Combined Static

Mounting of Static and and Pitot tubes in
Pitot tube prior to Concentric Cylinders
Combination.

Fig. 5 Measurement of
Static, Total and
Velocity Pressure
2 The Bernoulli’s equation for flowing fluid is:

Po + Zo + Vo² = Ps + Zs + Vs²
W 2g W 2g → 1.1

For the point O some distance ahead of the stagnation point S, the equation obtained is
Po + 0 + Vo² = Ps + 0 + 0 → 1.2
W 2g W

Since Zo = Zs and Vs = 0 solving for Vo;

Vo² = Ps – Po = (Ps – Po) → 1.3

2g W W W

Vo² = 2 g (Ps – Po) → 1.4

W

Vo = ½ [ 2 g (Ps – Po) ] → 1.5

W

The volume flow rate of the duct can now be obtained with the velocity determined.
For accurate work the average velocity is best determined by subdividing the cross
section of the duct into imaginary region of equal areas and taking the reading at the
center of each.
Normally it is the velocities that averaged. However, error is very small using the
average pressures.
Referring to the essentials of Engineering Fluid Mechanics by Reuben M.
Olson, gas, subsonic flow, compressibility considered, has the equation for velocity as

Vo = [{2kRTo/(k-1)}{Ps/Po} → 1.6

Where k is the ratio of the specific heat of the gas at constant pressure to the specific
heat of the gas at constant volume; R is the gas constant, and T is t be the absolute
temperature.
 Fig 6 Location of Undisturbed Point O and the Stagnation Point S.

A. The Equipment

The airflow measurement equipment is designed for demonstration of turbulent flow

condition in the range of the Reynolds number from 30,000 to 300,000 at slightly above
atmospheric pressure. The unit consist of a transparent rectangular duct measuring 12.7
cm by 11.4 cm with provision for the placement of the pitot-static tube. The duct is
interconnected with the venturi meter and the orifice flow meter in that order. At the
discharge end of the unit is a damper mounted on screw for adjustment to vary the
construction loads or resistance.

The pitot-static tube has ellipsoidal nose made so to create a consistently smooth flow
past the static holes.

The venturi is made up of a tube of 13.97 cm diameter with a constricted throat of 8.89
cm diameter. The value of the coefficient of discharge for this venturi meter is C = 0.98.

The orifice is an opening in a plate normal to the axis of the pipe and the thickness is
small relative to the size of the opening hole. The pipe diameter is still 13.97 cm but the
orifice diameter is 10.80 cm with characteristics flow coefficient of K = 0.78.

III. PROCEDURE

A. Use of the Pitot-Static Tube.

1. Place the manometer on solid mounting, level accurately and adjust the built-in
level to zero or center mark. Record the initial reading of the manometer to read small
pressure differential.
2. Subdivide the cross-section of the duct into sixteen region of equal areas and let
the pitot-static tube transverse each station. See Fig. 9.
3. While the damper is set, yet farthest from the outlet record the air temperature
and the barometer reading. The damper must be set at a point 1 during the use of the
 pitot-static tube must be the same point 1 during the use of the venturi meter and the
orifice flow meter.

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4. Connect the pitot-static tube such that the static pressure may be read from the short
tube manometer. Connect with rubber tubing the static pressure connection of the pitot-
static tube to the manometer liquid reservoir of the short tube manometer. For the long
tube manometer attach a rubber tubing at the other end and measure the differential
pressure Ps – Po for every station as the sixteen regions.
5. Calculate the individual velocities using the equation and obtain the arithmetic mean
of the sixteen values of the velocities. The volume flow rate is computed
by

Q = CAVave → 1.16

IV. DATA AND ANALYSIS

A.
Damper Setting (No. of Turns)
Duct
2 4 6 8 16
Transvers
e P3 Pt ΔP P2 Pt Δ P3 Pt ΔP P3 Pt ΔP P5 Pt ΔP
P
1 42 28 1 4 28 1 41 26 1 43 28 1 43 28
1 4 2 5 5 5
4
2 43 29 1 4 27 1 42 27 1 43 28 15 43 28
1 4 1 5 5
4
3 1 42 28 1 4 28 1 41 26 1 42 27 15 43 28
4 4 2 5 5
4 1 41 27 1 4 27 1 39 24 1 42 27 1 42 27
4 4 1 5 5 5
5 1 42 26 1 4 27 1 42 27 1 42 27 1 42 27
4 4 1 5 5 5
6 1 42 26 1 4 27 1 42 27 1 42 27 1 42 27
4 4 1 5 5 5
7 1 41 27 1 4 26 1 41 26 1 41 26 1 42 27
4 4 0 5 5 5
8 1 40 26 1 4 26 1 39 24 1 38 23 1 40 25
4 4 0 5 5 5
9 1 41 27 1 4 27 1 40 25 1 40 25 1 41 26
4 4 1 5 5 5
10 1 41 27 1 4 27 1 40 25 1 39 24 1 41 26
 4 4 1 5 5 5
11 1 40 26 1 3 25 1 38 23 1 39 24 1 40 25
4 4 9 5 5 5
12 1 38 24 1 3 24 1 38 23 1 38 23 1 40 25
4 4 8 5 5 5
13 1 40 26 1 3 24 1 40 25 1 40 25 1 41 26
4 4 8 5 5 5
14 1 40 26 1 3 25 1 39 24 1 39 24 1 41 26
4 4 9 5 5 5
15 1 39 25 1 3 24 1 39 24 1 38 23 1 40 25
4 4 8 5 5 5
16 1 38 24 1 3 24 1 38 23 1 38 23 1 39 24
4 4 8 5 5 5
Average 1 40.6 26.3 1 4 26 1 39.9 24.9 1 40.2 25.2 1 41.2 26.2
4 3 8 4 0 5 4 4 5 5 5 5 5 5

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V. SAMPLE COMPUTATIONS
Damper setting 2:

V=
√ 2(Ps−Po)
ρ

V=
√ 2(257.51)

V=20.1 m/s
1.2754
Damper Setting 4:

V=
√ 2(255.06)
1.2754

V=20 m/s
Damper Setting 6:

V=
√
2(244.64)
1.2754
V=19.58 m/s
Damper setting 8:

V=
√
2(247.7)
1.2754
V=19.71 m/s

Damper setting 16:

V=
√
2(257.41)
1.2754
V=20.1m/s

VI. ANALYSIS AND CONCLUSION

In this experiment we have learned the use of pitot tube and how to measure
velocity using pitot tube and manometer. Using the manometer, we can measure the
static pressure of air in the duct and by connecting the manometer to the pitot tube then
place it vertically in a moving body of fluid and the open-end part must be directed
upstream, the pressure reading in the manometer will increase and that total pressure is
called the stagnant pressure. With the use of Bernoulli equation, we can now calculate
the velocity of the fluid with the measured static and stagnant pressure.
Based on the gathered data, each dumper setting has a slight difference of
measured pressures in each region and the velocity in each damper setting is
approximately 20 m/s.
VII. QUESTIONS

1. What is stagnation pressure? How is the concept of stagnation pressure

used to determine the total velocity of a flowing fluid?
-stagnation pressure represents the pressure at a point where the fluid is
brought to a complete stop. In an incompressible flow, stagnation
pressure is equal to the sum of the free-stream static pressure and
the free-stream dynamic pressure. For a fluid with known density and
measured difference between stagnation pressure and static
pressure (ΔP), as measured with a pitot tube, the fluid velocity can be
calculated with the Bernoulli equa