Module 3

ORIFICE FLOW
LESSON 1 : Flow Through an Orifice – Free Flow Type

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
At the end of the lesson, the learner should be able to:
• know the characteristics, properties and principles of flow through an orifice..

COURSE MATERIALS
1.0 DESCRIPTION AND PRINCIPLES OF ORIFICE

Orifice is an opening in a closed perimeter of regular form such as square, rectangle

or triangular through which fluid flows. The primary purpose of orifice is to measure
or control flow of fluid.
Aside from the difference in their geometrical shapes, orifices are also
distinguished in the way their upstream edges are fashioned. A rounded upstream
edge of an orifice enables the mass of the outgoing jet of fluid to conform very
closely to the shape and size of the opening, see Figure (a). On the other-hand an
orifice a sharp-edged upstream section, so thin that the outgoing mass simply
touches the line before it contracts due to the inability of the individual particles to
abruptly change their flow direction, see Figure (b). The quantity of flow through the
orifice is dependent to a greater extent on the characteristics of the upstream edge.
Hence, it is necessary to maintain the same characteristics of upstream edges, if a
comparative performance is to be made on orifice having different sizes.
In experimental works relative to the design of hydraulic structures and other
related problems, the most common type of orifice used is the sharp-edge circular
orifice. For flow measurement purposes, square and rectangular-shaped orifices are
also frequently used. However, due to simplicity in the design and construction, the
sharp-edge circular orifice has been generally adopted to be standard for
comparison.

(a) Rounded Orifice (b) Sharp-edge Orifice

2.0 THREE ORIFICES FLOW COEFFICIENTS

a) Coefficient of Velocity : It is the ratio between the actual and mean velocity ,Va
and the theoretical velocity ,Vt.

Va
CV = ------- average value ranges from 0.96 to 0.99. Conservative value
Vt
is 0.98.

b) Coefficient of Contraction : It is the ratio of the cross-sectional area at the vena

contracta, a, to the area of the orifice, Ao .

a
Cc= ----------- average value ranges from 0.61 to 0.63
Ao

½ Do

d
Do

Vena Contracta

where: Ao = cross-sectional area of the orifice

a = cross-sectional area of the vena contacta
Cc = coefficient of contraction that ranges from 0.61 to 0.63

c) Coefficient of Discharge : It is the ratio of the actual discharge, Qa and the

theoretical discharge, Qt. Also, it is the product of the coefficient of contraction
and the coefficient of velocity.

Qa
C= ----------average value ranges from 0.60 to 0.62
Qt
or, C = Cc Cv

3.0 DISCHARGE

a) Theoretical Discharge, Qt : The ideal or theoretical discharge is the product of

the area of the orifice and the theoretical velocity.

Q t = Ao Vt
Qt = Ao 2 gH

b) Actual Discharge, Qa : The actual discharge is given by the equation

Q a = aVa = ( Cc Ao )( Cv Vt ) = Ao Cc Cv Vt
Q a = Ao C 2 gH

where : H = total head causing flow

 If a constant head “h” is maintain over the orifice and measure the actual flow
Qq by collecting the fluid that flows out of the orifice for a predetermined period
of time “t”,

𝑉𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒 𝐶𝑜𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑊
𝑄𝑎 = = ( m3 / s)
𝑇𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝑤𝑡

c) Velocity of Discharge, V t : The velocity of discharge is a theoretical velocity

through an orifice is given by the equation.

Vt = 2 gH

.
4. HEAD LOSS AT AN ORIFICE, HL:

Orifice flow is no exception to the general rule that fluid motion is always
accompanied by an expenditure of energy. Loss of energy, or of head, in flow
through an orifice is illustrated in the Figure below. Even if air resistance could be
completely eliminated, the jet fro the horizontal orifice would not rise as high as the
liquid level in the supply tank because of the loss of energy which occurs between
points in the supply tank where the velocity is practically zero and the vena
contracta.
The loss of head due to flow through an orifice is conveniently expressed in two
ways: (1) as a function of the velocity head in the jet ; (2) as a function of the
original head.

1) Consider a fluid to be discharging from an orifice under a total head 𝐻1 ..The

velocity of discharge is 𝑉 = 𝐶𝑣 √2𝑔𝐻1 from which the original head

1 𝑉2
𝐻1 =
𝐶𝑣2 2𝑔

The head remaining in the jet is velocity head, 𝑉 2 ⁄2𝑔 . The lost head, HL =
original head minus remaining head, or

1 𝑉2 𝑉2 1 𝑉2
𝐻𝐿 = - 2𝑔 = (𝐶 2 − 1) 2𝑔
𝐶𝑣2 2𝑔 𝑣

2) From the equation of original head

1 𝑉2
𝐻1 =
𝐶𝑣2 2𝑔

𝑉2
= 𝐶𝑣2 𝐻1
2𝑔

Hence the lost head

𝑉2 1
𝐻𝐿 = ( − 1)
2𝑔 𝐶 2𝑣

𝐻𝐿 = 𝐻1 − 𝐶𝑣2 𝐻1
2
𝐻𝐿 = (1 − 𝐶𝑣 ) 𝐻1
 w.s.
𝐻𝐿 Orifice

𝐻1 𝐻2

Va Da

5.0 VELOCITY OF APPROACH

It has been assumed all along that the orifice is placed at the sides of pools with
considerably great cross-sectional areas with particularly still water upstream
from the orifice if ever water enters the orifice through a pipe whichever is very
much smaller than that of orifice diameter. The water reaches the orifice with
appreciable velocity, this velocity is called the velocity of approach.

(Note : If the area of container is greater than 16 times the area of the jet, the
velocity of approach is negligible.)

6.0 TORRICELLIS LAW

“ The speed at which liquid flows out in a hole in the side of a tank is equal to
the speed attained by the body falling through the air from the level of the surface
of the liquid to the hole”. It is also stated “as the speed at which the liquid issues
from a hole in the side of a tank are proportional to the square root of the
distance of the hole to the water surface”.

V ≈ √𝐻
V = 𝑘 √𝐻
7.0 FLOW THROUGH ORIFICE

a) Free Surface

w.s. 1

2 Vt

V2 = Vt = √2 g H

Va = Cv Ct = Cv√2 𝑔 𝐻

b) Flow through Submerged Orifice

w.s.

H
H2 w.s.

H1

Q = AoC √2𝑔(𝐻2 − 𝐻1 )

c) Under Pressure and Considering Velocity of Approach.

pA

pB
H

Va

Q = C Ao Vt

𝐴 𝑉2 𝑝𝐴 −𝑝𝐵
where: Vt = √2𝑔 √(2𝑔 + 𝐻) + ( )
𝛾

VA = velocity of approach