Heriot-Watt University

Stage 3

Chemical Engineering

Laboratory Report

David Mathew Manual

Name

4
Group Number

Nozzle Pressure Distribution

Experimental Title

4/10/2018
Date of Experiment

Dr. Rebecca Lim

Supervisor
 Chemical Engineering Laboratory Report

Results
Recorded Values for the Fixed Inlet:
Fixed Inlet
Inlet Outlet Inlet Outlet
Flowrate Temp. Temp. Presssure Pressure (Pout/Pin)
6 22.9 21.7 7 2 0.2857143
6 22.8 22.1 7 3 0.4285714
5.9 22.8 22.5 7 4 0.5714286
6 23 22.7 6.8 5 0.7352941
5.4 23 22.9 6.8 6 0.8823529
2 23 23 7 7 1
Fig 1.1 these are the values those were recorded when the Inlet Pressure was kept
fixed.
Pressure Points(Bar)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
6.4 2.4 1.6 1.2 0.8 0.4 1.2 1.8
6.4 2.4 1.8 1 0.8 1.8 2.4 2.8
6.4 2.4 1.6 1.2 2.2 3.2 3.8 4
6.4 2.2 1.8 4 4.2 4.6 5 5
6.6 5 5.2 5.4 5.6 5.8 6 6
7 7 7 6.8 7 7 7 7

Fig1.2 values noted down are the pressure at different points in the nozzle and these
are recorded from the apparatus.

Calculated Values:

(Ux)^2
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
15026.42 156631.21 204522.01 235289.11 274575.63 332043.09 235289.11 191177.26
15026.42 156631.21 191177.26 253518.77 274575.63 191177.26 156631.21 136918.06
15026.42 156631.21 204522.01 235289.11 167381.01 119125.70 95205.53 87835.33
10207.74 163829.40 187823.54 83622.17 76451.55 62811.65 49994.55 49994.55
5048.62 49994.55 43859.28 37890.32 32077.25 26410.64 20881.93 20881.93
0.00 0.00 0.00 4902.87 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

Fig1.3 The velocity of the air flow in each of these pressure points is being noted.

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Square root of (Ux)^2

1.00 2.00 3.00 4.00 5.00 6.00 7.00 8.00
122.58 395.77 452.24 485.07 524.00 576.23 485.07 437.24
122.58 395.77 437.24 503.51 524.00 437.24 395.77 370.02
122.58 395.77 452.24 485.07 409.12 345.15 308.55 296.37
101.03 404.76 433.39 289.17 276.50 250.62 223.59 223.59
71.05 223.59 209.43 194.65 179.10 162.51 144.51 144.51
0.00 0.00 0.00 70.02 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
Fig1.4 the square root of the velocity is being taken in the above calculations ‘

Below are the graphs for the experiment when the Inlet was kept constant.

Outlet Pressure v/s Varying Point in the nozzle

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Outlet Pressure v/s Pressure Points
7 Series9
Series10
6
VARYING POINTS

Series11

5 Series12
Series13
4 234567
Outlet Pressure v/s Pressure Points
3
Series16
2 Series17
Series18
1
Series19

0 Series20
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 234567
OUTLET PRESSURE (BAR)

Plot 1. Shows the relationship between outlet pressure and the different points
in the nozzle.

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Outlet Pressure v/s Flowrate of air

7

5
Flowrate of air (g/s)

0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Outlet Pressure (bar)

Plot 2. Shows the relationship between Outlet Pressure and Flowrate of air.

Flowrate vs Pout/Pin

5
FLOWRATE (g/s)

0
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2
Pout//Pin

Plot 3. Shows the relationship between flowrate and Pout/Pi

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Now the values for the fixed Outlet:

Flowrate Inlet Temp. Outlet Temp. Inlet Pressure Outlet Pressure Pout/Pin
3.2 22.7 22.9 3 2 0.666667
0.8 22.8 22.8 4 2 0.5
4.75 23 22.5 5 2 0.4
5.5 23.2 22.2 6 2 0.333333
5.9 23.3 21.9 6.6 2 0.30303
Fig 1.5 these are the values for the fixed outlet pressures

Pressure at varying points(Bar)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

3 0.8 0.4 1.2 1.6 1.8 2 2

4 1.2 0.8 0.4 0.2 1.2 1.8 2

5 1.6 1 0.6 0.4 0.8 1.6 2

5.8 2.2 1.4 1 0.6 0.2 1.4 1.8

6.4 2.4 1.6 1.2 0.6 0.4 1.4 1.8

Fig 1.6 Pressure at various points in the nozzle

Ux
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
0.00 186838.89 259997.35 136825.52 97657.72 80669.29 64980.53 64980.53
0.00 172902.68 218969.61 286355.32 341634.20 172902.68 121177.60 106726.81
0.00 165065.16 218969.61 269903.00 305359.20 242135.60 165065.16 136825.52
5726.12 148051.76 202081.49 238007.23 286355.32 369243.82 202081.49 172902.68
5199.79 149107.97 197777.78 229045.35 294620.80 327373.15 212610.90 184215.95

Fig 1.7 shows the velocity Ux calculations using the formulas mentioned in the raw data.

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Sqaure Root of (Ux)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
0.00 432.25 509.90 369.90 312.50 284.02 254.91 254.91
0.00 415.82 467.94 535.12 584.49 415.82 348.11 326.69
0.00 406.28 467.94 519.52 552.59 492.07 406.28 369.90
75.67 384.77 449.53 487.86 535.12 607.65 449.53 415.82
72.11 386.15 444.72 478.59 542.79 572.17 461.10 429.20
Fig 1.8 shows the square of the calculated velocity in m/s

Graphs for this set of values:

Inlet Pressure v/s Flowrate of air

7

5
Flowrate (g/s)

0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Inlet Pressure (bar)

Plot 4. Shows the relationship between Inlet Pressure and the Flowrate

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Flowrate vs Pout/Pin
7

5
FLOWRATE(G/S)

0
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7
POUT/PIN

Plot 5 shows relationship between flowrate between Pout/Pin

Discussions
This main aim of this experiment was to monitor the effects in altering the outlet and
inlet pressures on the mass flowrate of air from different nozzles. The idea of this report
was to understand the fact about compressible fluid in the nozzle. With the aid of the
nozzle, we can show how the air flows through the type of nozzle used. The type nozzle
which is being used here is converging- diverging. In the nozzle what is done is that,
from both the outlet and inlet pressures one of them will be remained constant while the
other one is altered.
The velocity (Ux) is calculated using the equations which are mentioned below. The real
mass flowrates are gotten from the readings in the rotameter. The mass flowrate will
peak up to a point when there is a significant increase between the inlet and outlet
pressures and after this point it is not possible to increase the flowrate and so it is called
critical pressure. This type of a flow is called choked flow. The tables in the Results
section is used to show the calculated values as well the recorded data. Graphical Plots
have also been added.

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For finding the velocity (Ux) the following formula has been used:
𝛾−1
2𝛾 𝑃𝑥 𝛾
𝑢𝑥2 = × 𝑅 𝑇 (1 − ( ) )
𝛾−1 𝑃𝑖

𝛾 Is defined as gamma: which in his case 1.4 (gamma of air)

Instead of using the graphs to compare, we can actually compare the values
theoretically. The maximum mass flowrate obtained in this is 5.9g/s from the rotameter.
In the next trial it was shown as a different value. This change is because of the fact of
thermodynamics. We know according to thermodynamics that if the pressure is
increasing then the gas temperature will also increase proportionally but in this
experiment we haven’t actual taken that factor into much considerations while doing the
calculations. The fact is that we know that the flow is turbulent and since pressure is to
be lost in to the surroundings there might be chances of temperature increases.
Moreover the temperature of a gas actually increases when the density of the gas
decreases. The critical value is obtained from the graphical plot of Pout/Pin ratio.

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A number of graphs have been added above are relationships between given data and
theoretical values. According to Plot1, the relationship between outlet pressure and the
varying points are shown. As the outlet is varied and the inlet is fixed in the first trial the
pressure changes are noted from the 8 points in the apparatus. Graphical plots are
plotted. There is also a graphical plot which shows the relationship between velocity and
varying points in the nozzle.

Velocity at Varying points in the nozzle for Fixed Inlet

30000.00

25000.00

20000.00
Velocity m/s)

15000.00

10000.00

5000.00

0.00
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

-5000.00
Points on the nozzle

Series1 Series2 Series3 Series4 Series5 Series6

Plot 6
Plot 6 shows the velocity differences in the varying points of the nozzle and this velocity
was calculated using the formula in the above. After calculating the velocity of the
flowrate of air in the points in the nozzle a graphical plot is made to understand the fact
about how the velocity affects in the motion of air from point to point. In this graph we
can see at point 7 the velocity is high because at that point it is divergent and in the
points 1 and 2 it is convergent and so the velocity will be minimal.

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Plot 7

Velocity at Varying points in the nozzle for outlet

fixed
400000.00
350000.00
Velocity m/s)

300000.00
250000.00
200000.00
150000.00
100000.00
50000.00
0.00
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Points on the nozzle

Series1 Series2 Series3 Series4 Series5

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References

Nptel.ac.in. (2018). Objectives_template. [online] Available at:

https://nptel.ac.in/courses/112104118/lecture-40/40_6_pressure_distribution.htm [Accessed 10 Oct.
2018].

Backhurst, J., Harker, J., Coulson, J. and Richardson, J. (2004). Coulson & Richardson's chemical
engineering, J.M. Coulson and J.F. Richardson. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann, pp.244 - 254.

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Appendix (Optional)
 Calculation for solution preparation
For finding the values of the velocity the following method has been shown.
The formula for the velocity is:
𝜸−𝟏
𝟐𝜸 𝑷𝒙 𝜸
𝒖𝟐𝒙 = × 𝑹 𝑻 (𝟏 − ( ) )
𝜸−𝟏 𝑷𝒊

The gamma for air is: 1.4

γ = ratio of specific heats at const. pressure and volume.
= 1.4 for air under the conditions used in this expt.
R = Universal Gas Constant (8.314 kJ/kmol K)
Mw= molar weight of air (28.97 kg/kmol)
P = absolute pressure (Pi - inlet pressure; Px- pressure at position x)
Ti = inlet temperature (K) which was 22.9 deg C

The Pi which is the inlet is:

𝟐 𝜸 𝟐∗𝟏.𝟒 𝜸−𝟏
=
𝜸−𝟏 𝟏.𝟒−𝟏
=𝟕 𝜸
= 𝟎. 𝟐𝟖𝟓𝟕𝟏

𝜸−𝟏
𝑷𝒙 𝜸 𝟔.𝟒 𝟎.𝟐𝟖𝟓𝟕𝟏
𝟏− ( ) = 𝟏−( ) = 0.0252781
𝑷𝒊 𝟕

R= 8.314
Ti= 295.9K

𝟕 ∗ ((𝟖. 𝟑𝟏𝟒 ∗ 𝟐𝟗𝟓. 𝟗)(𝟎. 𝟎𝟐𝟓𝟐𝟕𝟖𝟏)) ∗ 𝟏𝟎𝟎𝟎)

𝒖𝟐𝒙 =
𝟐𝟖. 𝟗𝟕
= 15026.19

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Ux = (15026.19)1/2
=122.58 m/s

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