Experiment No.

6
Flow Over Weirs
1. Objective(s):
The activity aims to determine the coefficient of discharge for rectangular notch and for v-notch.
2. Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs):
The students shall be able to:

• Use the techniques and skills in fluid mechanics to understand the relationship of pumps and Bernoulli’s
energy equation.
• Apply the techniques and skills acquired relevant to professional engineering practice.

3. Discussion:

Weirs are concrete or masonry structures used to raise the upstream water level and also as discharge measuring
devices. A weir is an opening in the side walls of a tank. It is same as an orifice without having an outer boundary.
If the head is reduced the liquid flows with its level below the top of the orifice. The wall above the liquid level is
superfluous and can be removal.

The difference between a large orifice and weir is that liquid flows through the orifice while it flows over the weir.
The flow of liquid coming out of orifice is called jet while that comes through the weir is called ‘nape, sheet or vein’.

There is no difference between a notch and a weir, except that notch is a small structure and has a sharp edge.
Weir, on the other hand, is generally is an over flow structure. With broad crested, built across an open channel.

It is built across a river in order to raise water on the upstream and to allow excess water to flow over its entire
length to the downstream side. Weirs are used for measuring the rate of flow of water in rivers or stream.
4. Resources:

• Hydraulic machine
• Measuring device (meter stick)
• Stopwatch

5. Procedure:

Manual: Start the experiment by pressing start button with default values of length of the collecting -tank,
width of the collecting, pause the experiment after few cycles and note the observation.
Observation 1:
1) Open the control valve and allow the water level to rise up to the skill level of the weir.
2) Adjust the tip of the hook gauge such that it coincides with water surface and note the reading on
hook gauge scale as h1on u/s.

Observation 2:
1) Operate the control valve such that water flows over the weir to some height.
2) Again adjust the tip of the hook gauge such that it coincides with water surface and note the water
level by means of hook gauge as h2

Observation 3:
1) Note the time required for known rise of water level.
2) Keeping the length and width of the collecting tank as default values repeat the experiment by
adjusting flow of water and hook gauge.

Data and Results:

Table 1. Rectangular Notch

Time (s)
Volume, Height, H Flow Rate, Q
Set-up Cd
V (m3) (m) T1 T2 T3 Average (m3/s)

1 0.003 0.0105 50 21 42 37.667 7.965x10-5 0.760

2 0.003 0.0197 32 10 11 17.667 1.698x10-4 0.630
3 0.003 0.0325 24 7 6 12.333 2.432x10-4 0.426

Table 2. Triangular or V - Notch

Time (s)
Volume, Height, H Flow Rate, Q
Set-up Cd
V (m3) (m) T1 T2 T3 Average (m3/s)

1 0.003 0.0158 79 27 31 45.667 6.569x10-5 0.886

2 0.003 0.0244 35 11 10 18.667 1.607x10-4 0.731
3 0.003 0.0297 28 6 8 14 2.143x10-4 0.597
Computations:

Calculation of Flow Rate, Q

Rectangular Notch V-Notch

Q1 3
0.003 𝑚3 Q1 3
0.003 𝑚3
𝑄(𝑚 /𝑠) = 𝑄(𝑚 /𝑠) =
37.667 𝑠 45.667 𝑠

= 7.965 × 10−5 𝑚3 /𝑠 = 6.569 × 10−5 𝑚3 /𝑠

Q2 0.003 𝑚3 Q2 0.003 𝑚3
𝑄(𝑚3 /𝑠) = 𝑄(𝑚3 /𝑠) =
17.667 𝑠 18.667 𝑠

= 1.698 × 10−4 𝑚3 /𝑠 = 1.607 × 10−4 𝑚3 /𝑠

Q3 0.003 𝑚3 Q3 0.003 𝑚3
𝑄(𝑚3 /𝑠) = 𝑄(𝑚3 /𝑠) =
12.333 𝑠 14 𝑠

= 2.432 × 10−4 𝑚3 /𝑠 = 2.143 × 10−4 𝑚3 /𝑠

Calculation of Discharge Coefficient, Cd
Rectangular Notch

Where,
Cd = Coefficient of discharge
B = Width of notch
H = Head above bottom notch
Q = Flow Rate

Cd1
3 1
𝐶𝑑 = (7.965 × 10−5 𝑚3 /𝑠) ( 3)
2 2
(0.033𝑚)√2(9.81𝑚/𝑠 )(0.0105𝑚)2

= 0.760
Cd2
3 1
𝐶𝑑 = (1.698 × 10−4 𝑚3 /𝑠) ( 3)
2
(0.033𝑚)√2(9.81𝑚/𝑠 2 )(0.0197𝑚)2

= 0.630
Cd3
3 1
𝐶𝑑 = (2.432 × 10−4 𝑚3 /𝑠) ( 3)
2 2
(0.033𝑚)√2(9.81𝑚/𝑠 )(0.0325𝑚)2

= 0.426
Cdave 0.760 + 0.630 + 0.426
𝐶𝑑𝑎𝑣𝑒 =
3
𝐶𝑑𝑎𝑣𝑒 = 0.605
 V-Notch

Where,
Cd = Coefficient of discharge
θ/2 = Half the enclosed angle of the vee
H = Head above bottom notch
Q = Flow Rate

Cd1
15 1
𝐶𝑑 = (6.569 × 10−5 𝑚3 /𝑠) ( 5)
8 2
√2(9.81𝑚/𝑠 )tan (90°/2)(0.0158𝑚)2

= 0.886
Cd2
15 1
𝐶𝑑 = (1.607 × 10−4 𝑚3 /𝑠) ( 5)
8
√2(9.81𝑚/𝑠 2 )tan (90°/2)(0.0244𝑚)2

= 0.731
Cd3
15 1
𝐶𝑑 = (2.143 × 10−4 𝑚3 /𝑠) ( 5)
8
√2(9.81𝑚/𝑠 2 )tan (90°/2)(0.0297𝑚)2

= 0.597
Cdave 0.886 + 0.731 + 0.597
𝐶𝑑𝑎𝑣𝑒 =
3
𝐶𝑑𝑎𝑣𝑒 = 0.738
Documentation:
Observation:

During the experiment, we observed that the volume of water took more time to be collected
with triangular weir than with rectungular notch. Also, after the investigation, with regards to
the calculations, we noticed that the value of coefficicient of discharge, Cd was not constant
for both rectangular and v notch. This might be due to the reason that the values of flow rate,
Q and the height, H obtained for both weirs varied througout the experiment. However, since
the rectangular notch had higher value of flow rates, its Cd values are smaller than that of
triangular weir.

Additional Situations:

Instructions: Provide necessary sketch for each sub-question, and determine the required.

Problem: A weir installed at the end of a rectangular channel controls the flow of water. The rate of flow is 0.62
m3/s. Assuming Cd = 0.62 and applying the iterative methods, determine the effective head of water, h:
1. for the 0.80-m high crest of a 0.40-m long suppressed weir
2. for a two-end contracted rectangular weir 0.40-meter long, using Francis Formula
3. for a 90° V-notch
4. for a Cipolletti weir 0.40-m long

Solution:

1. for the 0.80-m high crest of a 0.40-m long suppressed weir

3
2
𝑄 = 3 𝐶 √2𝑔𝐿𝐻 2
3
2
0.62 = 3 (0.62)√2(9.81)(0.4)𝐻2
𝑯 = 𝟎. 𝟖𝟗𝟓 𝒎

2. for a two-end contracted rectangular weir 0.40-meter long, using Francis Formula

3
𝑄 = 1.84𝐿𝐻 2
𝐿 = 𝐿′ − 0.1𝑁𝐻
3
0.62 = 1.84(0.40 − 𝑂. 2𝐻)𝐻 2
𝑪𝑨𝑵𝑵𝑶𝑻 𝑺𝑶𝑳𝑽𝑬 ∴ 𝑵𝑶 𝑺𝑶𝑳𝑼𝑻𝑰𝑶𝑵 𝑭𝑶𝑹 𝑮𝑰𝑽𝑬𝑵 𝑷𝑨𝑹𝑨𝑴𝑬𝑻𝑬𝑹𝑺

3. for a 90° V-notch

5
8 𝜃
𝑄 = 15 𝐶 √2𝑔(tan (2))𝐻 2
5
8 90
0.62 = 15 (0.62)√2(9.81)(tan ( 2 ))𝐻 2
𝑯 = 𝟎. 𝟕𝟎𝟗 𝒎
 4. for a Cipolletti weir 0.40-m long
3
𝑄 = 1.859𝐿𝐻 2
3
0.62 = 1.859(0.40)𝐻 2
𝑯 = 𝟎. 𝟖𝟖𝟔 𝒎

Conclusion:

Since the distribution of velocities on the approach flow has a significant effect on the
discharge over the weir, smooth flow to and over the weir is crucial to determining correct rates
of flow. The discharge coefficient becomes more accurate to the potential value as the flow
rate increases. When the flow rate is so low, the water clings to the notch and flows on it. This
alters the coefficient of discharge since the water must now resist viscosity and the pressure
of the notch's surface in addition to gravity.

The theory's drawbacks are that it must be level enough that gravity is the only force acting
on the stream, that there must be a constant flow, and that there must be a constant pressure.
The hypothesis underlying this experiment suggests that there is a minimum height of water
above the notch, and that any heights below this continue to deviate from theory at an
increasing rate.The head of the weir and the flow of water over the weir have a direct
proportional relationship. Higher flow speeds result in lower heights above the notch, resulting
in greater deviations from the theoretical equations.

Refereances:

https://www.academia.edu/18747051/CHE241_Lab_Report_Solteq_Flow_Over_Weirs_FM26_2015_
8. Assessment (Rubric for Laboratory Performance):

BEGINNER ACCEPTABLE PROFICIENT

CRITERIA SCORE
1 2 3
I. Laboratory Skills
Members
Members do not Members always
occasionally
Manipulative Skills demonstrate needed demonstrate needed
demonstrate needed
skills. skills.
skills
Members are unable Members are able to Members are able to set-
Experimental
to set-up the set-up the materials up the material with
Set-up
materials. with supervision. minimum supervision.
Members
Members do not
occasionally Members always
demonstrate
Process Skills demonstrate demonstrate targeted
targeted process
targeted process process skills.
skills.
skills.
Members do not Members follow
Members follow safety
Safety Precautions follow safety safety precautions
precautions at all times.
precautions. most of the time.
II. Work Habits
Time Management / Members do not Members finish on Members finish ahead of
Conduct of finish on time with time with incomplete time with complete data
Experiment incomplete data. data. and time to revise data.
Members have
Members do not
defined Members are on tasks
know their tasks and
responsibilities most and have defined
have no defined
Cooperative and of the time. Group responsibilities at all
responsibilities.
Teamwork conflicts are times. Group conflicts are
Group conflicts have
cooperatively cooperatively managed at
to be settled by the
managed most of the all times.
teacher.
time.
Clean and orderly
Clean and orderly
Messy workplace workplace with
Neatness and workplace at all times
during and after the occasional mess
Orderliness during and after the
experiment. during and after the
experiment.
experiment.
Members require
Members require Members do not need to
Ability to do occasional
supervision by the be supervised by the
independent work supervision by the
teacher. teacher.
teacher.
Other Comments/Observations: Total Score
(𝑇𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙𝑆𝑐𝑜𝑟𝑒)
𝑅𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 = × 100
24