Fluid Mechanics Lab

Flow Rate
Measurment
Through
Different Meters
Lab Report

Group Members:
Husnain Safdar
Azfar Jamal
Shehroz Khan
Ahmad Hassan
Hammad Ahmad
Ghulam Murtaza
Shaheer Naqqash
Content

s
ABSTRACT....................................................................................................................................................2
THEORY:......................................................................................................................................................2
APPARATUS:................................................................................................................................................4
EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE:......................................................................................................................5
OBSERVATION & CALCULATION:.................................................................................................................5
SOURCES OF ERROR:...................................................................................................................................6
PRECAUTIONS:.............................................................................................................................................6
CONCLUSION:..............................................................................................................................................6

Flow Rate Measurement Page 1|8

Flow Rate Measurement Through Different Meters

ABSTRACT
This report depicts the finding of the flow rate using venture meter. The report involves in finding the
static and stagnant pressure using venture meter and hypodermic tube respectively at different cross-
section of the venture tube.

THEORY:
TYPES OF FLOW METERS:
1) VENTURI FLOW METER:

The Classical venturi is a head pressure device that consists of a convergent cone section,
cylindrical bore, and a divergent cone section. The cylindrical bore restricts the fluid flow
resulting in a pressure drop. This differential pressure relates to the flow rate by applying
Bernoulli's equation. The angled inlet and outlet cones help control the pressure recovery,
making venturi the most efficient of all the differential meters available. Due to simplicity and
dependability, the venturi tube flowmeter is often used in applications where it's necessary
with higher turndown Rates, or lower pressure drops, than the orifice plate can provide.In the
venturi Tube the fluid flowrate is measured by reducing the cross sectional flow area in the flow
path, generating a pressure difference. After the constricted area, the fluid is passes through a
pressure recovery exit section, where up to 80% of the differential pressure generated at the
constricted area, is recovered.

Formulas to find flow rate actually and ideally are:

1/ 2
2 −1/2 p − p2
[ ( )] [ (
A
Qi= A 2 V 2 =A 2 1− 2
A1
2g 1

γ
+Z 1 −Z 2 )] for ideal

Flow Rate Measurement Page 2|8

 1 /2
2 −1 /2 p −p 2
A
[ ( )] [ (
Q a =C d × A2 × 1− 2
A1
2g 1

γ
+ Z1 −Z2 )] for actual

Where z 1=z2

C d=Discharge coefficient

P 1=Inlet pressure.

P 2 =Throat pressure.

A 1=Inlet area.

A 2=Throat area.

G=Gravity.

ɤ=density of water.

2) ORIFICE METER:
An orifice meter is a conduit and a restriction to create a pressure drop. An hour glass is a form of
orifice. A nozzle, venturi or thin sharp edged orifice can be used as the flow restriction. In order to use
any of these devices for measurement it is necessary to empirically calibrate them. That is, pass a known
volume through the meter and note the reading in order to provide a standard for measuring other
quantities. Due to the ease of duplicating and the simple construction, the thin sharp edged orifice has
been adopted as a standard and extensive calibration work has been done so that it is widely accepted
as a standard means of measuring fluids. Provided the standard mechanics of construction are followed
no further calibration is required. An orifice in a pipeline is shown in figure 1 with a manometer for
measuring the drop in pressure (differential) as the fluid passes through the orifice. The minimum cross
sectional area of the jet is known as the “vena contracta.”

Reduction of cross-section of the flowing stream in passing through orifice increases the
velocity head at the expense of pressure head Reduction of pressure between taps is measured
using manometer.
Q=Cd x At x [1-(At/A)2]-1/2[2g(h7-h8)]1/2

Flow Rate Measurement Page 3|8

3) Rotameter:
It measures flow rate in liters per min mostly it is glass tube.

APPARATUS:
Flow meter measurement apparatus consists of

 Venture meter
 Orifice meter
 Rota meter

This apparatus can also be used to determine flow rate through these meters directly or by
taking some values and using some flow rate formulas.
It can be used to compare flow rates measured through different meters.
Its limitations are

 It cannot be used without hydraulic bench.

 Flow rate is directly determined only from Rota meter not from venture or orifice
meters.
 Bubbles in its tube will not give correct readings.

Flow Rate Measurement Page 4|8

EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE:
1. Place apparatus on bench, connect inlet pipe to bench supply and outlet pipe into
volumetric tank.
2. With the bench valve fully closed and the discharge valve fully opened, start up the
pump supply from hydraulic bench.
3. Slowly open the bench valve until it is fully opened.
4. When the flow in the pipe is steady and there is no trapped bubble, start to close the
bench valve to reduce the flow to the maximum measurable flow rate.
5. By using the air bleed screw, adjust water level in the manometer board. Retain
maximum readings on manometers with the maximum measurable flow rate.
6. Note readings on manometers, rotameter and measured flow rate.
7. Repeat the same procedure for different flow rates. The flow rates can be adjusted by
utilizing both bench valve and discharge valve.
8. To demonstrate similar flow rates at different system static pressures, adjust bench and
flow control valve together. Adjusting manometer levels as required.

OBSERVATION & CALCULATION:

Manometer reading(mm) Rotameter Vol Time Flowrate Flowrate calculated

(l/min) (l) (min) Q using the Bernoulli’s
(l/min) Equation

A B C D E F G H Venturi Orifice
135 12 10 13 12 132 13 80 12 7 0.52 13.46 11.95 8.13
1 0 0 5 0

VENTURI FLOW RATE:

ORFICE FLOW RATE:

Flow Rate Measurement Page 5|8

SOURCES OF ERROR:
 Bubbles in tube will not give correct readings
 There could be parallax error.
 Time is not properly measured.
 Error in flow rate calculation of venture and orifice meter.

PRECAUTIONS:
 Remove all bubbles before noting reading by changing flow rate.

 Remove parallax error while taking readings.

 Note the time properly for measurement of flow rate through hydraulic bench.

 Carefully use the formula for the determination of flow rate through venture and orifice
meter.

CONCLUSION:
After performing the experiment of flow meter measurement an calculating the values of the
flow rate of the fluid from different methods we concluded that the flow rate though measured
by different methods comes out to be nearly equal.

Flow Rate Measurement Page 6|8