18

Piezometer

The simplest form of

manometer is the piezome-
ter. The height of the fluid
in the tube gives the differ-
ence between pressure in the
chamber and atmosphere.

p1 = γh + patm

The piezometer is only useful when the pressure to

be measured is greater than atmospheric (otherwise)
air would be sucked back into system.
 19

U-tube Manometer

A very common form

of manometer is the U-
tube manometer. In
this version one of the
tubes is open to the at-
mosphere.

• p2 = p3 = patm + γ2 h2

• p2 = p1 + γ1 h1 = pA + γ1 h1

• p2 , pA + γ1 h1 = p3 = patm + γ2 h2

• pA = patm + γ2 h2 − γ1 h1

If fluid 1 is a gas, impact of γ1 h1 term is small and

can be ignored.
 20

Differential U-tube manometer

Both ends of the

manometer can be
containers. Deter-
mines the differential
pressure.

• p2 = p3

• p2 = p1 + γ1 h1 = pA + γ1 h1

• p3 = p4 + γ2 h2 = pB + γ2 h2 + γ3 h3

• pA − pB = γ2 h2 + γ3 h3 − γ1 h1

If fluid 1 is a gas, impact of γ1 h1 term is small. If

fluid 3 is a gas, impact of γ3 h3 term is small.
 21

Inclined tube manometer

Consider the two-container differential tube

manometer.

• pA − pB = γ2 h2 + γ3 h3 − γ1 h1

• pA − pB = γ2 l2 sin θ + γ3 h3 − γ1 h1

If fluids 1 and 3 are gaseous, impact of γ1 h1 term

and γ3 h3 term are small so

pA − pB = γ2 l2 sin θ
 22

Working fluid
Some common working fluids are
Liquid Specific Gravity
Alcohol 0.75-0.87
Water 1.00
Mercury 13.6
When dealing with small pressure differences, the
best fluid is water or alcohol. An inclined manometer
also helps measure small pressures.
Mercury is used for large pressure differences. A
101, 300 Pa pressure differential (1 atmosphere)
would require a 10.3 m high manometer.
 23
Example
Tank contains oil
(SG = 0.90) and
compressed air.
The Hg (SG = 13.6)
manometer

h1 = 900.0mm
h2 = 150.0mm
h3 = 225.0mm

What is gauge reading assuming sea-level

conditions? Solution strategy, start at one end of
manometer and work to other end.
Open end, p0 = patm = 101, 400 Pa . Since
interested in gauge pressure, set p0 = 0

p2 = γHg h3
= 13.6 × 1, 000 × 9.8 × 0.225 = 30000 Pa
 24

Example: continued

Oil (SG = 0.90 ), Hg

(SG = 13.6 )

h1 = 900.0mm
h2 = 150.0mm

p2 = 30000 Pa .

p1 = p2 = 30000 Pa
At the Air-Oil interface,

pAO = p1 − γOil (h1 + h2 )

= 30000 − 0.90 × 1, 000 × 9.8 × 1.05
= 20700 Pa

The weight of air in the tank is neglected so the

gauge pressure is 20700 Pa .