Chapter 5: Flow meters

Venturimeter
 Pitot-tube
Venturimeter
Orifice meter

Orifice meter
At the end of this topic, you should be
able to:

1. Explain and describe how the orifice,

venture meter and pitot tube works.
2. Derive an equation to measure the quantity
of fluid flowing through the flow meters
above.
3. Apply the equation to calculate the fluid
flow.
When a fluid stream is restricted , its pressure
decreases by an amount which is dependent
on the flow rate of flow through the
restriction.

The pressure difference between the sections

before & after the restriction can be used to
indicate the flow rate.

The derivation of the relationship between the

pressure difference and the volume flow rate
is the same, regardless of which device is
used.
 Pitot tube
 Working principle based on the velocity of
flow at a point becomes zero and the
pressure is increased due to the conversion
of the kinetic energy into pressure energy.
When uniform velocity flow hits a solid blunt body,
it has streamlines similar to:

2 1

Some move to the left and some to the right.

While the centre hits the body and stops
V1 = 0
Fluid does not move at this point (Stagnation Point)
Dynamic head is taken as the difference of liquid columns in the manometer

h2 h1

2 1

The liquid rises in the tube due to the conversion of

kinetic energy into pressure energy.
When a moving fluid is brought to rest:
• additional pressure is created
•magnitude of this additional pressure is proportional to
the velocity of the fluid : Dynamic Pressure Head
Consider two points , 1 & 2.
 Apply Bernoulli’s Equation between 1 & 2

𝑃1 𝑣12 𝑃2 𝑣22
+ + 𝑧1 = + + 𝑧2
𝜌𝑔 2𝑔 𝜌𝑔 2𝑔
𝑧1 = 𝑧2 𝑣1 = 0 Stagnation point (where fluid is brought to rest)

𝑃1 𝑃2 𝑣22 𝑃1
= + = Total Pressure Head
𝜌𝑔 𝜌𝑔 2𝑔 𝜌𝑔

𝑣22 𝑃1 𝑃2 𝑃2
= Static Pressure Head
= − = ℎ1 − ℎ2 𝜌𝑔
2𝑔 𝜌𝑔 𝜌𝑔
𝑣22
= Dynamic Pressure Head
𝑣2 = 2𝑔 ℎ1 − ℎ2 2𝑔

where, ℎ1 − ℎ2 = ℎ (differential pressure in m of the flowing fluid)

(DYNAMIC PRESSURE HEAD)
𝑣2 = 2𝑔ℎ
 Pitot-static tube
Apply Bernoulli’s Equation between 1 & 2

𝑃1 𝑣12 𝑃2 𝑣22
+ + 𝑧1 = + + 𝑧2
𝜌𝑔 2𝑔 𝜌𝑔 2𝑔
𝑧1 = 𝑧2 𝑣2 = 0 Stagnation point
𝑃2 𝑃1 𝑣12
= +
𝜌𝑔 𝜌𝑔 2𝑔

𝑣12 𝑃2 − 𝑃1
=
2𝑔 𝜌𝑔
1
2
1 x
h
A B
𝑃2 − 𝑃1 = 𝜌𝑔 𝑥 − ℎ + 𝜌𝑚𝑎𝑛 𝑔ℎ − 𝜌𝑔𝑥

𝑣12 𝑃2 − 𝑃1
=
2𝑔 𝜌𝑔

𝑣1
Example:

A pitot-static tube is used to measure the velocity of water in a pipe. The stagnation
Pressure head is 6 m and the static pressure head is 5 m. Determine the velocity of
Water by assuming the coefficient of tube is 0.98.
 Venturimeter
Consist of 3 parts: Throat
1. A short converging section h
2. Throat
3. Diverging section
1 2
𝑃1 𝑣12 𝑃2 𝑣22
+ + 𝑧1 = + + 𝑧2
𝜌𝑔 2𝑔 𝜌𝑔 2𝑔

𝑃1 𝑣12 𝑃2 𝑣22 Converging Diverging

+ = + Equation A
section section
𝜌𝑔 2𝑔 𝜌𝑔 2𝑔
Applying continuity equation on section 1 & 2
𝐴1 𝑣1 = 𝐴2 𝑣2
𝐴1 𝑣1
𝑣2 = substitute in Equation A
𝐴2
 2
𝐴1
2
𝑃1 𝑣1 𝑃2 ( )𝑣
𝐴2 1
+ = +
𝜌𝑔 2𝑔 𝜌𝑔 2𝑔

2
𝑣12 𝐴1 𝑃1 − 𝑃2
−1 =
2𝑔 𝐴2 𝜌𝑔

𝑣12 ℎ
= 2
2𝑔 𝐴1
−1
𝐴2

2𝑔ℎ
𝑣1 = 2
𝐴1
−1
𝐴2
Example

1. The flow of kerosene is measured using a venturimeter. The diameter of the pipe
and The throat are 50 mm and 25 mm respectively. A differential manometer
shows a deflection of 55 mm of mercury. The coefficient of discharge is given as
0.96. Determine the volume flow rate of kerosene given that the density of
kerosene is 820 kg/m3.

2. An oil of SG of 0.8 is flowing through a venturimeter having inlet diameter of

20 cm and throat diameter of 10 cm. The oil-mercury differential manometer
shows a reading of 25 cm. Determine the volemetric discharge of the oil by
taking the coefficient discharge as 0.98.
 Orifice meter
An orifice is an opening either in the side or base
of a tank. An orifice maybe circular, rectangular or
triangular in shape. Water discharges from an
orifice into the atmosphere as a jet. An orifice is
considered small when the pressure at the top
and bottom of the orifice is almost the same.

Orifice Plates

Demonstration of flow through orifice

 Flow from a tank through a small orifice

1 Aactual

h
2
Vena contracta

Large tank & The streamlines at the orifice contract thus

free surface (open to atmosphere) reducing the area of flow. This contraction is
known as Vena contracta.

The discharge is in the form of jet into the atmopshere.

 Apply Bernoulli’s Equation between 1 and 2

𝑃1 𝑣12 𝑃2 𝑣22
+ + 𝑧1 = + + 𝑧2
𝜌𝑔 2𝑔 𝜌𝑔 2𝑔
Assumptions and Conditions
Surface velocity is negligible (large tank), 𝑣1 = 0
Open tank and liquid flows to atmosphere, 𝑃2 = 𝑃1

Take point 2 as datum, 𝑧2 = 0

𝑣22
= 𝑧1 = ℎ
2𝑔
𝑣2 = 2𝑔ℎ
This velocity is an overestimate as friction losses have not been considered thus,
coefficient of velocity, Cv is introduced.

where Cv is 0.97-0.99 𝑣2 = 𝐶𝑣 2𝑔ℎ

 Vena contracta

Cc is coefficient of contraction

This area is about 60% of the area of

the hole of the orifice plate

Orifice Plate
Tank feeds to another

Area, A1
Area, A2
h1
h2

Orifice area, Ao
Examples:
Oil of specific gravity of 0.82 discharges from an open tank
through an orifice of diameter of 14 mm. The coefficient of
velocity and coefficient contraction is given as 0.88 and 0.62
respectively. The centre of the orifice is at a depth of 0.9 m
from the surface of the oil. Determine the diameter of the
vena contracta and the discharge of oil through the orifice.
 A pipe orifice is a plate with an opening which is fitted in
a pipeline. It produces a constriction within the flow. The
cross sectional area of the flow at the orifice is much
smaller compared to the cross sectional area of the
pipeline.
 The actual discharge is given by: Qact=CdQ
 For a sharp edge orifice, Cd = 0.65. Even though the
accuracy of the measurement is lower compared to
venturi meter but the cost are much cheaper.
Pipe Orifice Plate

Differential Manometer
Orifice in a pipe Orifice Plate

Flow direction
Example:

A sharp-edged orifice meter is fitted to a 250 mm diameter pipe

carrying liquid ammonia. The orifice diameter is 100 mm. If the
measured pressure difference is 150 mm of mercury column,
determine the volume flow rate of ammonia in the pipe. The
coefficient of discharge of orifice and the density of the
liquid ammonia is 0.6 and 825 kg/m3 respectively.
Notches & Weirs
Notch
 Defined as an opening in the side of a tank or a small
channel in such a way that the liquid surface in the tank or
channel is below the top edge of the opening.
 Used to measure flow leaving a tank.
Nappe

Crest
or
Sill

Side view
Weir
 A concrete structure placed in an open channel over which
the flow occurs.
 It is generally in the form of a vertical wall with a sharp edge
at the top, running all the way across the open channel.
 Bigger size than notch.
 • Types of notch/weir:
– Rectangular
– V-notch
– Triangular
– Trapezoidal
– Parabolic

Triangular/V Notch Rectangular Notch

 Discharge rate over a Rectangular Notch & Weir
Consider a rectangular notch according to the diagram.

Area of the strip = B x dh

where h is measured below of
h The free surface of the fluid
H dh

B
Theoretical velocity through the strip = 2𝑔ℎ

dQ = Area of strip x velocity = 𝐵 × 𝑑ℎ × 2𝑔ℎ

3 𝐻
𝐻 1 2 Cd is to account for
2 ℎ
𝑑𝑄 = 𝐵 2𝑔 ℎ 𝑑ℎ = 𝐵 2𝑔 losses at the edges of
0
3 weir/notch and contraction
2
0 in the area of fow

2 3 2 3
2 2
𝑄 = 𝐵 2𝑔 𝐻 𝑄𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑢𝑎𝑙 = 𝐶𝑑 𝐵 2𝑔 𝐻
3 3
Discharge rate over a ▲ Notch
Consider a horizantal strip of
liquid with a thickness dh at a
depth of h from the free
surface (diagram)
 Advantages of ▲ Notch over █ Notch

 For a right angled V-notch/weir the expression for the

computation of discharge is very simple.
 For a low discharges, ▲ notch gives more accurate
results than a █ notch.
 To measure discharge rate, ▲ notch requires only one
reading, (head, h).
 ▲ notch do not require ventilation.
 The same ▲ notch can measure a wide range of flows
accurately.
Example
Find the discharge of water flowing over a rectangular notch
of 2 m length when the constant head over the notch is 300 mm.
Take Cd as 0.60.

Example
Determine the height of a rectangular weir of length 6 m to be
built across a rectangular channel. The maximum depth of water
on the upstream side of the weir is 1.8 m and discharge is
2000 litre/s. Take Cd as 0.6 and neglect the end contractions.
Example
The flow rate of water flowing in a 3 m wide channel is to be
measured with a sharp crested triangular weir 0.5 m above the
Channel bottom with a notch angle of 60°. If the flow depth up
stream from the weir is 1.5 m, determine the volumetric flow
rate of water through the channel. Take Cd as 0.6.