HYDRAULICS

LABORATORY EXPERIMENT NO. 3

Name:_____________________________________________
Schedule:__________________________________________
Date:______________________________________________
RATING
MEASUREMENT OF COEFFICIENTS
OF ORIFICE

I. Specific objectives:

1. To determine the coefficient of velocity, Cv of an orifice flow under constant head using the
principle of projectile.
2. To determine the coefficient of discharge, Cd of an orifice flow under variable head.

II. Apparatus:

Orifice tank Volumetric tank

Meter stick Weighing scale
Stopwatch Plumb bob
Vernier caliper

III. Theory

In every measurement of velocity and discharge the actual value is always less than the theoretical
value. The factor to this is the coefficient of velocity, Cv and the coefficient, Cd. These values are almost
constant for every orifice diameter although it may vary for small amount for different heads.

For a large amount of discharge it is not practical to measure the discharge directly but it is calculated by
using coefficients. The coefficient of contraction is derived from the diameter of the vena contracta and
the orifice diameter. On the other hand for a small amount of discharge it is advisable to measure the
discharge directly but it is difficult to measure the net area at the vena contracta.

The actual velocity in an orifice is given by the projectile equation as:

𝐠𝐱 𝟐
𝐕𝐚 = √
𝟐𝐲

The theoretical velocity in an orifice is given by:

𝐕𝐭 = √𝟐𝐠𝐡

The coefficient of velocity is then computed as:

𝐠𝐱 𝟐
√
𝐕𝐚 𝟐𝐲
𝐂𝐯 = =
𝐕𝐭 √𝟐𝐠𝐡

𝐱𝟐
𝐂𝐯 = √
𝟒𝐲𝐡
The theoretical discharge is given by the equation under variable head as:
𝟏
𝐐𝐭 = 𝐀 𝐨 √𝟐𝐠[√𝐡𝟏 + √𝐡𝟐 ]
𝟐
The actual discharge is determined by the actual amount of water collected in the volumetric tank for a
certain length of time.
𝐯𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐦𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐕𝐰
𝐐𝐚 = =
𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐩𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐭
The coefficient of discharge is given by:
𝐐𝐚
𝐂𝐝 =
𝐐𝐭
Finally, the coefficient of contraction, Cc is computed by:
𝐂𝐝
𝐂𝐜 =
𝐂𝐯

IV. Measurement of Coefficient of Velocity, Cv

The measurement of coefficient of velocity, Cv shall be done under an orifice flow with constant head.
To maintain a flow under constant head, the outflow (flow from the orifice) and the inflow (from the
source) must be equal. However, this may be difficult to achieve in the actual experiment. Therefore, a
remedial procedure is usually done in the following manner:
1. Measure the diameter of the orifice using the vernier caliper.
2. Measure the vertical distance, y between the floor and the center of the orifice. Note that y
distance cannot be measured directly, however it can be broken into two distances, y1 and y2 as
shown below.
x1

orifice tank
center of orifice line
orifice
base of orifice tank line
y1

plumb line of y
the base of y2
orifice tank

floor line

plumb line of x2 point of

the orifice strike
x
3. Measure the horizontal distance x1. Using the plumb bob transfer the distance x1 to the floor line.
The x distance will be measured from the plumb line of the orifice to the point of strike, hence x =
x1 + x2.
4. Cover the orifice and fill the orifice tank with water.
5. Mark a specified height of water, h and allow water to flow through the orifice. At an instant that
the height of water reaches the h mark measure simultaneously the horizontal distance x2.
initial water line
h mark

floor line

x2
6. Compute the horizontal distance x.
7. The Actual velocity and coefficient of velocity may be computed respectively from the formula:
𝐠𝐱 𝟐 𝐱𝟐
𝐕𝐚 = √ 𝐂𝐯 = √
𝟐𝐲 𝟒𝐲𝐡

8. Repeat step 4 to 7 and provide at least ten (10) trials with different height h.
9. Tabulate the results accordingly.

Table 1. Orifice flow measurement under constant head.

distance distance actual theoretical coefficient
No. of head, h
x2 x velocity, Va velocity, Vt of velocity
Trials (m)
(m) (m) (m/s) (m/s) Cv
1

10

Contants:
x1 = ________m y1 = ________m
y2 = ________m y = ________m

V. Measurement of Coefficient of Discharge, Cd

The measurement of coefficient of discharge, Cd shall be done under an orifice flow with falling head.

1. Cover the orifice and fill the orifice tank with water. Use the same orifice tank.
2. Specify height h1 and h2.
3. Prepare the volumetric tank by initially weighing when it is empty.
4. With the initial height of water (h1 mark) set, open the orifice and start collecting water in
volumetric tank. A stopwatch is started at this instant.

h1 mark initial height of water

h2 mark final height of water h1

h2

volumetric tank
floor line
5. Instantaneously close the orifice once the water reaches the specified final height (h2 mark), The
stopwatch is closed at this instant.
6. Weigh the collected water in a weighing scale.
7. The mass of water is then calculated from:
Mwater = Mvolumetric tank + water – Mvolumetric tank
8. Calculate the volume of water by dividing the mass of the water by its mass density.
Vwater = Mwater / mass densitywater
9. Calculate the actual discharge by dividing the volume of water to the recorded time.
Discharge, Qa = Vwater / time
10. Repeat step 1 to 9 by providing different height combination h1 and h2. Note that h1 is always
greater than h2.
11. Tabulate the results accordingly.

Table 2. Orifice flow measurement under falling head.

Weight of
initial final Mass of Volume of
No. of volumetric Time
height h1 height h2 water water
Trials tank + water (sec)
(m) (m) (kg) (m3)
(kg)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10

Table 3. Orifice flow measurement under falling head. (continuation)

No. of Theoretical Discharge Actual Discharge Coefficient of
Trials (m3/s) (m3/s) discharge
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Notations:

Va - Actual velocity
Vt - Theoretical velocity
Qa - Actual discharge
Qt - Theoretical discharge
Cv - Coefficient of velocity
Cd - Coefficient of discharge
Cc - Coefficient of contraction
h - Distance between water level to center of orifice
Mw - Mass of water
Vw - Volume of water

VI. Computations

Computations shall be done on a separate bond paper.

VII. Graphs

On a separate graphing paper, draw a graph of the following:

Graph 1. Variation of height of water, h with actual velocity, Va.

Height of water, h (m)

Actual velocity, Va (m/s)

Graph 2. Variation of coefficient of velocity, Cv with actual velocity, Va.
Coefficient of velocity, Cv

Actual velocity, Va (m/s)

Graph 3. Variation of coefficient of discharge, Cd with actual discharge, Qa.
Coefficient of discharge, Cd

Actual discharge, Qa (m/s)

VIII. Drawing

Draw the apparatus used in the experiment.

IX. Question for further discussion

1. Define the coefficients used in connection with the flow through orifices. Explain why these
coefficients are necessary.

2. What are the relative advantages of using a Venturi meter to measure flow compared with an
orifice meter?

3. Calculate the theoretical discharge through a vertical orifice 0.3 m square in the side of a tank if
the free surface of the liquid in the tank is 150 mm above the top edge of the orifice. Compare this
value with that obtained by multiplying the orifice area by the theoretical velocity at its center.

4. A 100 mm diameter orifice discharges 45.34 li/s liquid under a head of 3.60 meter. Using a vernier
caliper, the diameter of the jet at the vena contracta is found to be 87 mm. Calculate Cv, Cd, and
Cc.

X. Conclusion