Experiment 1.

Practical Investigation of Bernoulli’s Theorem and

Conservation of Energy.
Abstract:
This experiment was performed to investigate the conservation of energy using Bernoulli’s theorem. The
experiment also demonstrated the relation between velocity and pressure w.r.t. cross section of flow. A
flowing fluid carries energy in different forms often termed as heads but the total energy remains constant
regardless of the conversions that take place in the fluid. We measured three heads in Venturi tube using
Pitot tube at different lengths for different flow rates. Namely measured heads were static head, velocity
head and total head. These values were used to plot graphs.
Apparatus:
The apparatus included Bernoulli’s theorem apparatus, meter rule and Pitot tube.
Introduction:

P v2
Bernoulli’s theorem is an important relation of pressure head (
γ
), velocity head ( )
2g
and potential

head (h g) for inviscid and steady flows.

1
P+ ρ ν 2 + ρgh=constant (Energy-Density Form)
2

P v2
+ +h =constant (Head Form)
ρg 2 g g
Head form is practically more convenient as it is easily measureable when performing experiments and it
provides great visualization to understand conservation of energy. The tube used in the experiment is
called Venturi tube. It is basically a tube with converging section at first and followed by a diverging
section.
Applying Bernoulli’s equation at point of section-1 and Section-2,

p 1 1 ν 21 p2 1 ν 22
+ +z = + +z
ρg 2 g 1 ρg 2 g 2
Since z1= z2,

p 1 1 ν 21 p2 1 ν 22
+ = +
ρg 2 g ρg 2 g

p1 p 2 1 ν 22 1 ν 21
Δ h= − = −
ρg ρg 2 g 2 g
By eliminating ν1 by using A1 ν 1 = A2 ν 2 and expressing in form of ν 2 we get:

2 g pw Δ h
v 2=

√() A
pa [ 1 ¿ ¿ 2−1]
A2
¿

A2
For flow rate using Q = Av and incorporating α = and discharge co-efficient C d:
A − A 22
2
1

2 g pw Δh
Q=α C d A 2
√ pa
Procedure:

We set the blower to Flow Rate 1(fully open). Using the switches attached the manometer to the Pitot
tube. Inserted the Pitot tube into the Venturi tube through the designated entrance. Noted the length of
Pitot tube L0 outside the tube in table. Also calculate the inside length by L s= Lp +L0. Then turned on the
blower and let the readings of manometer stabilize. Noted h v, hs and ht from the manometers and
recorded these values in the Table for Flow Rate 1. Repeat the procedure for reading h v, hs and ht
moving the Pitot tube out by 20mm at a time. Used switches to connect the Venturi-meter and note the
value of Δh for Flow Rate 1 in Table. Again, connected Pitot tube and note h v at Middle Section and Inlet
Section in Table. We repeated the entire procedure for Flow Rate 2 (Half open) and Flow Rate 3
(Negligibly open) and noted the respective values.

Discussion:
This experiment was a verification of Bernoulli’s Theorem. It followed the law of conservation of energy
i.e. the sum of velocity head, pressure head and potential head is constant in a flowing fluid provided no
external work is done and flowing fluid is inviscid. But there were errors in some readings which were
due to some personal errors, limitations of meter rod, random errors and fluctuations in water in
manometer in noting the values. Using Venturi meter, we calculated flow rate, velocities and head
difference. We also calculated Reynold’s number which showed that all the flows were turbulent. We
plotted Hydraulic Grade Line (HGL) and Energy Grade Line (EGL) to check the variation in the heads
along the Venturi Tube. The energy grade line was almost linear and hydraulic grade line showed a rather
queer behavior in all the three graphs of flow rates.