CALIBRATION OF VENTURIMETER AND ORIFICMETER

Aim: To determine the discharge coefficient of given orifice meter and venture meter and
its variation with Reynolds number. Also prepare a calibration chart for the given.

Apparatus:
 An orifice meter and a venturi meter,
 Suitable manometer (with mercury as the manometric fluid) for measuring
pressured drop across the meters,
 Water circulation system consisting of water reservoir, a centrifugal pump having
delivery line with by pass. Flow control valves are provided on delivery line as well as
by pass line.
 Calibrated tank for measuring the flow rate of water through orifice meter.
 Stop watch

Theory:

This experiment introduces us to two devices that are used to measure flow.
These instruments are based on the same principle as following:
"The pressure difference between any two points on a tapering pipe through which the fluid
is flowing depends on the change of levels and on the change in velocities and therefore on
the volume rate of flow"
One, the venturi meter, is a device used for measuring the rate of flow of a fluid through a
pipe. Water is allowed to flow through the meter at different rates ranging from zero to the
maximum and the corresponding pressure differences shown in the manometer are noted.
The actual discharge is determined using the measuring tank and the stop watch.

Figure 1 Venturi Meter

A Venturi Meter consists of a short converging conical tube leading to a cylindrical portion,
called the throat, of smaller diameter of that of the pipeline, which is followed by a
diverging section in which the diameter increases again to that of the main pipeline.
The function of the converging portion is to increase the velocity of the fluid and
temporarily lower its static pressure. The pressure difference between inlet and throat is
developed. This pressure difference is correlated to the rate of flow.
The second, the orifice meter, is again a device used for measuring the rate of flow of a fluid
through a pipe. It works on the same principle as a venturi meter. It consists of a flat circular
plate which has a circular sharp edged hole called orifice, which is concentric with the pipe.
It has an opening in it smaller than the internal diameter of the pipeline, placed in a flange
connecting the two portions of the pipeline.
The orifice diameter is about 0.5 times the diameter of the pipe. A differential manometer is
connected at section 1 which is at a distance of about 1.5 to 2 times the pipe diameter
upstream from the orifice plate, and at section 2, which is at a distance of about half the
diameter of the orifice on the downstream side from the orifice plate.

Figure 2 Orifice Meter

The orifice meter comes under the category of "constant area variable head flow meter."
The principle of these meters is conversion of pressure head into velocity head, which
increases due to constriction placed inside the closed conduit carrying stream of fluid.
Construction of orifice meter is simplest amongst all the flow meters in that it consists of a
plate with a hole drilled in it. In principle, it is essentially similar to a venturi since it
obstructs the flow of fluid, however, due to the absence of guiding passage on the
downstream passage of the orifice meter fluid comes out in the form of a free jet. This
difference in the flow physics of the two flow meters leads to difference in the value of
discharge coefficient and irrecoverable pressure loss even when the area ratios for two are
identical.

By assuming steady-state, incompressible (constant fluid density), in viscid, laminar flow in a

horizontal pipe (no change in elevation) with negligible frictional losses, Bernoulli's equation
reduces to an equation relating the conservation of energy between two points on the same
streamline:

or:
 By continuity equation:

or V1 = Q / A1 and V2 = Q / A2 :

Solving for Q:

and:

The above expression for Q gives the theoretical volume flow rate.

However, in actual practice there are considerable frictional losses in orifice meter due to
boundary layer separation and eventual wake formation on its downstream side and actual
volumetric flow rate through orifice meter is less than the theoretical discharge. Introducing
the beta factor β = d2 / d1 as well as the coefficient of discharge Cd:

The value of Cd is usually less than 1, for the Venturi Meter it is close to one, and for the
Orifice it is about 0.65, due to the larger losses in the case of Orifice meter.

Observation:

Orifice Meter
Sr. Height Time Mercury Discharge Velocity C0 Qactual Reynolds
no. in tank Taken level number

H T Rm Q=H*Atank/t V=Q/S0 C0=Qac/k*Rm^.5) Qact=Qt/C0 r=ρ*v*d/μ

unit Cm T cm cm3/s cm/s cm3/s
1 21 30 15 700.0000 454.7226 0.7249 965.6192 699573
2 19.5 30 13 650.0000 422.2424 0.7231 898.9425 649604
3 11.8 30 4.4 393.3333 255.5108 0.7521 522.9818 393094
4 13.7 30 6.8 456.6667 296.6524 0.7024 650.1517 456388
5 15.1 30 8 503.3333 326.9672 0.7138 705.1885 503026
6 16.7 30 10 556.6667 361.6127 0.7060 788.4248 556327
7 18.1 30 11.5 603.3333 391.9276 0.7136 845.4914 602966
We see that C0 = approx 0.72

Graphs

1000.0000

900.0000 y = -2.1299x2 + 81.104x + 198.72

R² = 0.9992
800.0000

700.0000
Qactual in cubic cm/s

600.0000

500.0000 Q vs. Rm
400.0000 Poly. (Q vs. Rm)

300.0000

200.0000

100.0000

0.0000
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14
Rm(mercury level in cm)

Figure 3 Qactual vs R

Co versus reynold number

0.7600

0.7500

0.7400

0.7300 Co versus reynold number

0.7200 Poly. (Co versus reynold

number)
0.7100

0.7000

0.6900
100000 1000000

Figure 4 Discharge Coeff. vs log(Reynold Number)

 Venturi Meter

Height Time Mercury Discharge Velocity Discharge Qactual Reynolds

in tank Taken level Coefficient C0 number

H T Rm Q=H*Atank/t V=Q/S0 C0=Qact/k*Rm^.5) Qact= Qt/ C0 r=ρ*v*d/μ

Cm T cm cm3/s cm/s cm3/s
9.5 30 1.8 316.6667 205.7079 0.9467 334.5003 316474
15 30 4.9 500.0000 324.8019 0.9060 551.8973 499695
17.5 30 7.8 583.3333 378.9355 0.8377 696.3179 582978
15.5 30 5.5 516.6667 335.6286 0.8836 584.7114 516352
17.2 30 7.4 573.3333 372.4395 0.8453 678.2286 572984
21.7 30 12.5 723.3333 469.88 0.8206 881.4857 722892
16.8 30 6.5 560.0000 363.7781 0.8810 635.6484 559659
22 30 13 733.3333 476.3761 0.8158 898.9425 732886

Here the C0 value vary from 0.8 to 0.95

Graphs:
1000.0000

900.0000 y = -2.1299x2 + 81.104x + 198.72

R² = 0.9992
800.0000

700.0000
Qactual in cubic cm/s

600.0000

500.0000 Q vs. Rm
400.0000 Poly. (Q vs. Rm)

300.0000

200.0000

100.0000

0.0000
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14
Rm(mercury level in cm)

Figure 5 Q vs R
 Co versus reynold number
0.9600

0.9400

0.9200

0.9000
Co versus reynold number
0.8800
Poly. (Co versus reynold
0.8600 number)

0.8400

0.8200

0.8000
100000 1000000

Figure 6 Discharge Coeff. vs log(Reynold Number)

Discussion:

Orifice meter is a device used to measure the discharge through pipe. The principal of this
meter is conversion of pressure head into velocity head. Inside the orifices meter due to
constriction placed a pressure difference between two sections is developed, which
determines the discharge through the pipe.

The discharge through the orifice meter is calculated by the formula

Qact = Co * Qt

where

Qt = theoretical discharge, which is measured sing manometer reading

Co = discharge coefficient of orifice meter which is the ratio of actual flow rate and
theoretical flow rate

The discharge coefficient is also dependent upon the diameter ratio of orifice and pipe,
shape of orifice, location of pressure taps and the Reynolds number.

For a given set up the first 3 parameters are fixed so in the experiment we observe the
behavior of discharge coefficient with change in Reynolds number. According to theoretical
explication discharge coefficient remains constant for higher Reynolds number.
Result:

 The discharge coefficient for orifices meter varies in-between 0.70 to 0.77
This all data are calculated at a higher value of Reynolds number.
 The graph plotted for discharge coefficient verses Reynolds number is very much
straight line.
 This describes that due to high pressure loss in orifices meter the velocity of flow also
get reduced.
 The graphs of manometer reading verses flow rate were come out to be parabola which
was expected theoretically.

Venturi meter is a device used to measure the discharge through pipe. The principal of this
meter is by reducing the cross section area of flow passes, pressure difference is created
and measurement of pressure difference enables the determination of the discharge
through pipe.

The discharge through the venture meter is calculated by the formula in the same way as in
orifice meter.

Result:

 The discharge coefficient for venture meter varies in-between 0.80 to 0.95
 The graph plotted for discharge coefficient verses Reynolds number is very much
straight line.
 In comparison of orifice meter, venture meter has less pressure loss. The explanation is
that the pressure losses in the convergent section but it pressure regain in divergent
section.

Explanation for Error:

 One of the sources of error is the place where the pressure taps are installed are
right or not.
 There can be error in the measurement of manometer reading.

Precautions:

 Ensure that there is no air in manometer if there are some air bubbles are present
than using air release valve slowly release the air in manometer. After release the air
close the air valves again.
 Never close the delivery line and by pass line simultaneously.

Conclusion:

For both meters it was noted from plots that the difference in pressures are directly
related to the rate of discharge.
• Coefficient of discharge have a varying value depending on the rate of discharge,
where in the venturi meter the value of Cd increase gradually at first with increasing
the rate of discharge till a point approaching one, then started to descend with
further increment in the rate of discharge. For the Orifice meter the same scheme
was noticed but with the ultimate value of 0.7

• The Coefficient of discharge " Cd " for the venturi Meter was greater than that for the
Orifice Meter, which indicates that the head losses occurred in the Orifice are larger
than that in the venturi, this result was predicted theoretically.

• A practical error in taking the reading was noticed when the Cd of that reading was
calculated, which showed increasing value of C of the previous results.
d

• The arrangement of Orifice Meter is much economical than the use of the venturi
meter, but as seen in this experiment the venturi meter provide more accurate
results that the Orifice meter, So the choice of which to use in a specified laboratory
depends on the financial ability of the organization occupying the device and on the
accuracy needed.