Department of Petrochemical Engineering

College Of Technical Engineering

University Of Polytechnic-Duhok

Subject: unit operation

Report Number: 2

Group number: B

Title: Air Flow velocity measurement using pitot-static tube

Reporter Name: Waleed Adnan Tahir

Date Of Submits: 3/11/2020

1
Objective:
The aim of the experiment is to measure the air flow velocity from the distribution
of total pressure (Ptotal) and static pressure (Pstatic) along a convergent-divergent
duct and to compare these results with the prediction of Bernoulli’s equation, Also
the volume flow rate calculated along the convergent – divergent duct.

Introduction:
A pitot tube, also known as pitot probe, is a flow measurement device used to
measure fluid flow velocity. The pitot tube was invented by the French engineer
Henri Pitot in the early 18th century. It is widely used to determine the airspeed of
an aircraft, water speed of a boat, and to measure liquid, air and gas flow velocities
in certain industrial applications. A Pitot tube measures total pressure and static
pressure to determine the velocity pressure from which air velocity can be derived.

2
Description of Apparatus:
The air flow bench is consists of switch to turn on or turn off the centrifugal fan
which it used to blow the air from surrounding to the convergent-divergent duct.
The bench is including the pitot-static tube to measure the air flow velocity, and
number of piezometers which it contains water to measure the difference in total
pressure and static pressure. The pitot-static tube was made from stainless steel and
it consists of two small holes (about one inch in diameter), one hole at leading edge
of the tube to measure the total pressure and the second is lie at side wall of tube
near the leading edge of the tube to measure the static pressure.

Results:

Distance Length Total Static Bt/B √(P− P )/√(P𝐭

– Pt)
X(mm) B pressure pressure
3
25 64.57 667.08 29.43 0.681 0.662

60 48.57 667.08 -490.5 0.905 0.892

95 44 667.08 -784.8 1 1

180 55.11 667.08 -441.45 0.798 0.873

260 68.58 667.08 -147.15 0.641 0.748

4
Discussion:

Is the stagnation pressure constant along the duct length?

Stagnation pressure is variable in convergent-throat-divergent sections.
Is the discharge is constant at every duct section?
Yes, discharge is constant just velocity and static pressure change during
(convergent-throat-divergent) sections.
What the benefit of this experiment?
The aim of the experiment is to measure the air flow velocity from the
distribution of total pressure (Ptotal) and static pressure (Pstatic) along a
convergent-divergent duct and to compare these results with the prediction
of Bernoulli’s equation, Also the volume flow rate calculated along the
convergent – divergent duct.
Is the flow velocity gradient is the same at each cross-section area?
No, flow velocity gradient is variable in convergent throat divergent
sections.
What is the relationship between static pressure and total pressure in
this experiment?
Difference between total pressure and static pressure is a Dynamic pressure
(Ptotal-Pstatic)= Dynamic pressure

Conclusion:

In this experiment show that how to use the pitot tube and what’s a benefit
of pitot.

5
A Pitot tube measures total pressure and static pressure to determine the
velocity pressure from which air velocity can be derived. The Pitot tube is
inserted into the duct with the tip pointed toward the airflow. If the Pitot
tube is correctly aligned, the velocity pressure indication will be at its
maximum.
Also the experiment shows that the difference between static pressure and
total pressure is a dynamic pressure.
Air flow velocity calculated along the convergent –divergent duct from a
dynamic pressure by using Bernoulli equation.

6
 velocity
40

35

30

25

20

15

10

0
0 50 100 150 200 250 300

Discussion Q/3

Velocity=√(Ptot− Ps )

7
 Pstatic
100

0
0 50 100 150 200 250 300
-100

-200

-300

-400

-500

-600

-700

-800

-900