LESSON 2:

PRESSURE MEASUREMENT AND MANOMETERS

Pressure Measurement • Diaphragm pressure gauge.

FLUID MECHANICS

1. Fluid Pressure • Bourdon tube pressure gauge,

In a stationary fluid the pressure is exerted equally in all • Dead-weight pressure gauge,
directions and is referred to as the static pressure. In a moving • Bellows pressure gauge.
fluid, the static pressure is exerted on any plane parallel to the
direction of motion. The fluid pressure exerted on plane right 3. Manometers
angles to the direction of flow is greater than the static pressure Simple Manometers
because the surface has, in addition, to exert sufficient force to A simple manometer consists of a glass tube having one of its
bring the fluid to rest. The additional pressure is proportional ends connected to a point where pressure is to be measured and
to the kinetic energy of fluid; it cannot be measured the other end remains open to atmosphere. Common types of
independently of the static pressure. simple manometers are:
When the static pressure in a moving fluid is to be determined, Piezometer
the measuring surface must be parallel to the direction of flow For measuring pressure inside a vessel or pipe in which liquid is
so that no kinetic energy is converted into pressure energy at the there, a tube may be attached to the walls of the container (or
surface. If the fluid is flowing in a circular pipe the measuring pipe) in which the liquid resides so liquid can rise in the tube. By
surface must be perpendicular to the radial direction at any determining the height to which liquid rises and using the
point. The pressure connection, which is known as a piezometer relation P1 = ρgh, gauge pressure of the liquid can be
tube, should flush with the wall of the pipe so that the flow is determined. Such a device is known as piezometer. To avoid
not disturbed: the pressure is then measured near the walls were capillary effects, a piezometer’s tube should be about 1/2 inch
the velocity is a minimum and the reading would be subject or greater.
only to a small error if the surface were not quite parallel to the
It is important that the opening of the device to be tangential
direction of flow.
to any fluid motion, otherwise an erroneous reading will result
The static pressure should always be measured at a distance of
not less than 50 diameters from bends or other obstructions,
so that the flow lines are almost parallel to the walls of the
tube. If there are likely to be large crosscurrents or eddies, a
piezometer ring should be used. This consists of 4 pressure
tappings equally spaced at 90o intervals round the circumference
of the tube; they are joined by a circular tube which is connected
to the pressure measuring device. By this means, false readings
due to irregular flow or avoided. If the pressure on one side of
the tube is relatively high, the pressure on the opposite side is
generally correspondingly low; with the piezometer ring a mean
value is obtained.
2. Measurement of Pressure
The pressure of a fluid is measured by following devices:
U-Tube Manometer
i. Manometers
1. Simple U - tube Manometer
ii. Mechanical gauges.
2. Inverted U - tube Manometer
i. Manometers 3. U - tube with one leg enlarged
Manometers are defined as the devices used for measuring the
4. Two fluid U - tube Manometer
pressure at a point in a fluid by balancing the column of fluid
by the same or another fluid. They are classified as: 5 Inclined U - tube Manometer
• Simple manometers 1. Simple U - tube Manometer
• Differential manometers. Equating the pressure at the level XX’
(pressure at the same level in a
ii. Mechanical Gauges continuous body of fluid is equal), For
Mechanical gauges are defined as the devices used for measuring the left hand side:
the pressure by balancing the column of fluid by spring or dead
Px = P1 + ρg(a+h)
weight. The commonly used mechanical pressure gauges are:
For the right hand side:

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 FLUID MECHANICS
Px’ = P2 + ρga + ρ mgh the large leg very small, so that it is only necessary to read the
movement of the liquid in the narrow leg.
Since Px = Px’
In figure, OO’ represents the level of liquid surface when the
P1 + ρg(a+h) = P2 + ρga + ρ mgh
pressure difference P1 - P2 is zero. Then when pressure is
P1 - P2 = ρ mgh - ρgh applied, the level in the right hand limb will rise a distance h
i.e. P1 - P2 = (ρ m - ρ)gh. vertically.
The maximum value of P1 - P2 is limited by Volume of liquid transferred from left-hand leg to right-hand
the height of the manometer. To measure leg = h(p/4)d2
larger pressure differences we can choose a where d is the diameter of smaller diameter leg. If D is the
manometer with higher density, and to diameter of larger diameter leg, then, fall in level of left-hand
measure smaller pressure differences with leg = Volume transferred/Area of left-hand leg
accuracy we can choose a manometer fluid
= (h(p/4)d2) / ((p/4)D2)
which is having a density closer to the fluid
density. = h(d/D)2
For the left-hand leg, pressure at X,
2. Inverted U-tube Manometer
Inverted U-tube manometer is used for i.e. Px = P1 + ρg(h+a) + ρg h (d/D) 2
measuring pressure differences in liquids. For the right-hand leg, pressure at X’,
The space above the liquid in the manometer i.e. Px’ = P2 + ρga + ρg (h + h (d/D)2)
is filled with air which can be admitted or expelled through the
For the equality of pressure at XX’,
tap on the top, in order to adjust the level of the liquid in the
manometer. P1 + ρg(h+a) + ρg h(d/D) 2 = P2 + ρga + ρ mg(h + h(d/D)2)
Equating the pressure at the level XX’(pressure at the same level P1 - P2 = ρ mg(h + h(d/D)2) - ρgh - ρg h(d/D) 2
in a continuous body of static fluid is equal), If D>>d then, the term h(d/D)2 will be negligible( i.e.
For the left hand side: approximately about zero)
Px = P1 - ρg(h+a) Then P1 - P2 = (ρ m - ρ)gh.
For the right hand side: Where h is the manometer liquid rise in the right-hand leg.
Px’ = P2 - (ρga + ρ mgh) If the fluid density is negligible compared with the manometric
Since Px = Px’ fluid density (e.g. the case for air as the fluid and water as
manometric fluid), then
P1 - ρg(h+a) = P2 - (ρga + ρ mgh)
P1 - P2 = ρ m gh.
P1 - P2 = (ρ − ρ m)gh
If the manometric fluid is chosen in such a way that rm << r
then,
P1 - P2 = ρgh.
For inverted U - tube manometer the manometric fluid is
usually air.

4. Two fluid U-tube Manometer

Small differences in pressure in gases are often measured with a
manometer of the form shown in the figure.

3. U-tube with one Leg Enlarged

Industrially, the simple U - tube manometer has the
disadvantage that the movement of the liquid in both the
limbs must be read. By making the diameter of one leg large as
compared with the other, it is possible to make the movement

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