EXPERIMENT NO.

ENERGY LOSSES IN BENDS

I. INTRODUCTION

Technical Data

The following dimensions from the equipment are used in the appropriate
calculations. If required, these values may be checked as part of the experimental
procedure and replaced with your own measurements.

Diameter of pipe work, d= 0.0916m

Derivation

The energy loss which occurs in pipe fittings (so called- secondary loss) is
commonly expressed in terms of a head loss (h, meters) in the form:

Δh= Kv²/2g

Where K= the loss coefficient and v= mean velocity of flow into fitting.

Because of the complexity of flow in many fittings, K is usually determined by

experiment. For the pipe fitting experiment, the head loss is calculated from two
manometer readings, taken before and after each fitting, and K is then
determined as

K= (Δh)(2g)/v²

Due to the change in pipe cross-sectional area through the enlargement and
contraction, the system experiences as additional change in static pressure. The
change can be calculated as
 V 1 /2 g−V 2 /2 g

To eliminate the effects of this area change on the measured head losses, this
value should be added to the head loss reading for the enlargement, and
subtracted from the head loss reading for the contraction.

For the gate valve experiment, pressure difference before and after the gate is
measured directly using a pressure gauge. This can then be converted to an
equivalent head loss using the equation.

1 bar= 10.2m water

The loss coefficient may then be calculated as above for the gate valve.

II. OBJECTIVE

To determine the loss factors for flow through a range of pipefittings including
bends, a contraction, an enlargement, and a gate-valve.

III. SKETCH OF APPARATUS

Hydraulic Bench - A mobile

self-contained bench to
provide a variable supply of
water to a series of
interchangeable bench-
mounting or floor-standing
hydraulic and fluid mechanics
experiments.

Energy Losses in Bends and

Fittings Apparatus - This
accessory permits losses in
different bends, a sudden
contraction, sudden
enlargement and a typical
control valve to be
demonstrated.
 A Stopwatch is a
handheld timepiece desi
gned to measure the
amount of time elapsed
from a particular time
when it is activated to
the time when the piece
is deactivated.

Clamps for pressure

tapping connection tubes
– used to clamp or connect
the tubes for the purpose of
pressure tapping.

Spirit Level – an
instrument designed to
indicate whether a surface is
horizontal (level) or vertical
(plumb).

Thermometer – an
instrument or device that
measures temperature or a
temperature gradient.

IV. LABORATORY PROCEDURE

Procedure (EQUIPMENT SET-UP)

 1. Set up the losses apparatus on the hydraulic bench so that its base is
horizontal (this is necessary for accurate height measurements from the
manometers). Connect the test rig inlet to the bench flow supply and run
the outlet extension tube to the volumetric tank and secure it in place.
2. Open the bench valve, the gate valve, and the flow control valve and start
the pump to fill the test rig with water. In order to bleed air from pressure
tapping points and the manometers close both the bench valve and the
test rig flow control valve and open the air bleed screw and remove the
cap from the adjacent air valve. Connect a length of small-bore tubing from
the air valve to the volumetric tank. Now, open the bench valve and allow
flow through the manometer to purge all air from them; then, tighten the
air bleed screw and partly open both the bench valve and the test rig flow
control valve. Next, open the air bleed screw slightly to allow air to enter
the top of the manometers, re-tighten the screw when the manometer
levels reach a convenient height.
3. Check that all manometer levels are on scale at the maximum volume flow
rate required (approximately 17 liters/min). These levels can be adjusted
further by using the air bleed screw and the hand pump, the bleed screw
must be open. To retain the hand pump pressure in the system, the screw
must be closed after pumping.

Procedure – TAKING A SET OF RESULTS

1. It is not possible to make measurements on all fittings simultaneously;

therefore, it is necessary to run two separate tests.
2. Exercise A measures losses across all pipe fittings except the gate valve,
which should be kept fully open. Adjust the flow from the bench control
valve and, at a given flow rate, take height readings from all of
manometers after the levels have steadied. In order to determine the
volume flow rate, a timed volume collection using the volumetric tank. This
is achieved by closing the ball valve and measuring (with a stopwatch)
time taken to accumulate a known volume of fluid in the tank, which is
read from the sight glass. You should collect fluid for at least one minute to
minimize timing errors.
3. Repeat this procedure to give a total of at least five sets of measurement
over a flow range from approximately 8-17 liters per minute. Measure the
outflow water temperature at the lowest flow rate; this together with the
table detailing the Kinematic Viscosity of Water at Atmospheric Pressure is
used to determine the Reynold’s number.
4. Exercise B measures losses across the gate valve only. Clamp off the
connecting tubes to the miter bend pressure tappings (to prevent air being
drawn into the system). Start with the gate valve closed and open fully
both the bench valve and the test rig flow control valve. Now, open the
gate valve by approximately 50% of one turn (after taking up any
backlash). For each of at least 5 flow rates, measure pressure drop across
the valve from the pressure gauge; adjust flow rate by the use of the test
rig flow control valve. Once measurements have started, do not adjust the
gate valve. Determine the volume flow rate by timed collection.
5. Repeat this procedure for the gate valve opened by approximately 70% of
one turn and then approximately 80% of one turn.
 Nomenclature

Column Head Unit Nom. Description

Type
Diameter of Test Pipe M Given Internal diameter of pipe
(d)
Volume Collected (V) m3 Measured Taken from scale on hydraulics bench
Time to Collect (t) s Measured Time taken to collect the known volume
of water in the hydraulics bench
Temp. of Water °C Measured Temperature of water under test
Kinematic Viscosity m2/s Measured Taken from the table Kinematic Viscosity
(v) of water at atmospheric pressure
Manometer (h2) M Measured Measured value from the appropriate
manometer scale calibrated in mm
Timed Flow rate (Qt) m3/s Measured Qt=V/t=Volume collected/time to collect
Velocity (v) m/s Calculated Velocity of fluid in duct= Q t/A=Flow
rate/Area
Dynamic Head m Calculated v2/2g
Reynolds Number - Calculated Re=vd/v
(Re)
Head Loss/Pressure m Calculated Head loss across the fitting Δh=h2-h1
(Δh)
Loss Coefficient (K) - Calculated K= Δh2g/v2
V. RESULTS

FINAL DATA SHEET

NAME: _ AÑOSA, JERALOU C. DATE: May 30, 2016 .

SUBJECT & SECTION: CE142P/A1 GROUP NO.: 1 .
SEAT NO. . .

EXPERIMENT NO. 9

ENERGY LOSSES IN BENDS

Manometer Manometer Head Loss Vol. Flow Rate Velocity

Time
FITTING h1 h2 h1-h2 V Q v V2/2g k
3 (s)
(m) (m) (m) (m ) (m3/s) (m/s)
MITRE 0.134 0.168 0.034 0.003 18.42 1.629 x 10-4 0.54 0.1486 1.235
ELBOW 0.184 0.201 0.017 0.003 18.42 1.629 x 10-4 0.54 0.1486 0.618
SHORT BEND 0.217 0.225 0.008 0.003 18.42 1.629 x 10-4 0.54 0.1486 0.291
ENLARGEMENT 0.247 0.240 0.007 0.003 18.42 1.629 x 10-4 0.54 0.1486 0.254
CONTRACTION 0.243 0.221 0.022 0.003 18.42 1.629 x 10-4 0.54 0.1486 0.799
LONG BEND 0.246 0.229 0.017 0.003 18.42 1.629 x 10-4 0.54 0.1486 0.618
GATE VALVE Gauge Reading = 26 psi (lb/in 2)
VI. SAMPLE COMPUTATION

Given:

h1 = 157 mm = 0.157 m
h2 = 116 mm = 0.116 m
V = 3 L = 0.003 m3
d = 0.0196 m
t = 19.20 s
Head loss=h1−h2=h=0.157 m−0.116 m=0.041 m

Solution:

V 0.003 m3
Q= = =1.629 x 1 0−4 m3 /s
t 18.42

Q
Q= AV →
A

π π
A= d 2= ( 0.0196 m )2=3.017 x 10−4 m 2
4 4

m3
1.629 x 10−4
Q m s
v= = =0.54
A π s
(0.0196)m2
4

m 2
v2
=
( 0.54
s )
=0 .1486 m
2g m
(
2 9.81 2
s )
 (( ) )
( 9.81s m ) =1.235
2
2 2
k =∆ h( )
v
2g
= ( 0.034 m )
0.54
m
2

k =1.235

VII. CONCLUSION

The title of the experiment is Energy Losses in Bends. The main objective
of the experiment is to determine the loss factors for flow through a range of
pipefittings including bends, a contraction, an enlargement, and a gate-valve.
Energy losses in pipe flows are the result of friction between the fluid and the
pipe walls and internal friction between fluid particles. In this experiment, we
were able to measure minor head losses through a pipe section that has several
bends, transitions, and fittings

We were able to observe that there are considerable energy losses in

bends particularly in small curvatures due to the strong secondary motions which
are developed within the flow because of centrifugal forces. When the direction
of flow is altered or distorted, as when the fluid is flowing round bends in the pipe
or through fittings of varying cross-section, energy losses occur which are not
recovered. This energy is dissipated in eddies and additional turbulence and
finally lost in the form of heat. However, this energy must be supplied if the fluid
is to be maintained in motion, in the same way as energy must be provided to
overcome friction. Losses in fittings have been found, as might be expected, to
be proportional to the velocity head of the fluid flowing. In some cases the
magnitude of the losses can be calculated but more often they are best found
from tabulated values based largely on experimental results. Energy is lost at
sudden changes in pipe cross-section.

It was therefore concluded that there are considerable energy losses in

bends at any location in a pipe system where streamlines are not straight, such
as at pipe junctions, bends, valves, contractions, expansions, and reservoir inlets
 and outlets. Hence, there is an increase in pressure near to the outer wall,
because of the adverse pressure near inner wall. During flow turning, there is flow
separation from the boundary, if the radius of curvature is small. The separation
of flow causes eddy formation, leading to loss in energy by way of the turbulence
generated in pipe fittings like valves, regulators. etc. Bends are usually designed
with wide angle or when this is not possible guide vanes are installed in the
corner to guide the flow along the axis of the duct and to avoid flow separation
from the wall. The energy loss per unit volume is expressed again with the loss
coefficient K and was computed using the given equations provided in manual.

Overall, the experiment succeeded in meeting the mentioned objectives

since through experimentation, we attained desired values which are relatively
proper.

VIII. APPLICATION TO ENGINEERING

Piping Elbows and Bends are very important pipe fitting which are used
very frequently for changing direction in piping system. Piping Elbow and Piping
bend are not the same, even though sometimes these two terms are
interchangeably used. A bend is simply a generic term in piping for an “offset” – a
change in direction of the piping. It signifies that there is a “bend” i.e, a change
in direction of the piping– but it lacks specific, engineering definition as to
direction and degree. Bends are usually made by using a bending machine (hot
bending and cold bending) on site and suited for a specific need. Use of bends
are economic as it reduces number of expensive fittings. An elbow, on the other
hand, is a specific, standard, engineered bend pre-fabricated as a spool piece and
designed to either be screwed, flanged, or welded to the piping it is associated
with. An elbow can be 45 degree or 90 degree. There can also be custom-
designed elbows, although most are categorized as either “short radius” or long
radius”.

Whenever the term elbow is used, it must also carry the qualifiers of type
(45 or 90 degree) and radius (short or long) – besides the nominal size. Elbows
can change direction to any angle as per requirement. An elbow angle can be
defined as the angle by which the flow direction deviates from its original flowing
direction.Even though An elbow angle can be anything greater than 0 but less or
equal to 90°But still a change in direction greater than 90° at a single point is not
 desirable. Normally, a 45° and a 90° elbow combined used while making piping
layouts for such situations.

On the other hand, in some applications it is convenient to calculate

pressure drops in fittings from added equivalent lengths of straight pipe, rather
than directly in terms of velocity heads or velocity pressures when making pipe-
flow calculations. This means that a fictitious length of straight pipe is added to
the actual length, such that friction due to the fictitious pipe gives rise to the
same loss as that which would arise from the fitting under consideration. In this
way various fittings, for example bends and elbows, are simply equated to
equivalent lengths of pipe and the total friction losses computed from the total
pipe length, actual plus fictitious.

IX. REFERENCE

A. Laboratory Manual by Uy, Tan, and Monjardin

B. Unit Operations in Food Processing By R. L. Earle, 2011
C. Continuum Mechanics - Volume II edited by José Merodio, Giuseppe
Saccomandi, 2014
D. Engineering Fluid Mechanics By P. Balachandran, 2002