Faculty of Engineering

Aerospace Engineering

AE-301 Wind Tunnel Experiment 1: Pitot Tube Experiment

Ali Sağır 20180615023

Semih Parlatır 20180615022
Cansın Yılmaz 20180615031
Ekinalp Gülen 20200615041
Haldun Aksüyek 20180616001
Burak Köse 20190615020
1. Aim of the Experiment
The aim of the experiment is to learn how to implement a pitot tube for air speed
velocimetry. The wind tunnel is used for high-speed air is passed through. In this wise, the
velocity profile at a single location inside the wind tunnel by using the Pitot tube can be
determined.

2. Theoretical Background
For inviscid incompressible (i.e., ignoring the effects of viscosity and assuming density
is constant) flow the principle of continuity and the Bernoulli equation become useful in
determining average flow properties along a streamline. Time-average velocity
measurements can be made with a pitot-static tube. The operation of a pitot-static tube is
based upon the Bernoulli equation which for a steady incompressible flow takes the form:

1
𝑃𝑠 + 𝜌 𝑈 2 = 𝑃𝑡
2

where:
U = average flow velocity
ρ = fluid density (assumed constant in Bernoulli equation)
Ps = static pressure
Pt = total pressure
1
ρ 𝑈 2 = dynamic pressure (by definition)
2

The pitot-static tube is a combination of a pitot or total head tube for measuring total
pressure and a static tube for measuring static pressure in the flow, thereby allowing the
velocity to be determined at the point of measurement (see Figure 1).
 The flow entering the pitot-static tube at the open end is brought to rest (U=0) at the
stagnation point. This tube provides the total pressure. The static pressure must be measured
perpendicular to the flow, thus ignoring the effects of velocity. This is accomplished by using carefully
positioned holes in the side of the pitot-static tube.

A differential manometer can directly read the dynamic pressure:

1
∆P = ρ 𝑈 2
2
q = 1/2 ρU2 = ∆P. Therefore, the velocity of the fluid is (∆p = Pt - Ps):

2(𝑃𝑡 − 𝑃𝑠
𝑈=√
ρ

3.Experiment Results
RPM V (m/s) hstatic htotal ∆p Pdynamic
1000 12 80 88 78.480 88.2
1500 17 90 106 156.960 177.01
2000 21 104 130 255.060 270.11

g = 9.81 m/s2

ρ liq = 1000 kg/m3

ρ air = 1.225 kg/m3
4.Propyl Alcohol

1000 RPM:
∆P = Pstatic = Ppropyl alcohol * g * ∆h = 803 kg/m3 * 9.81 * m/s2 * 0.008 m = 63.01 Pa
Error = 88.2 – 63.01 / 88.2 * 100 = %28.45

1500 RPM:
∆P = Pstatic = Ppropyl alcohol * g * ∆h = 803 kg/m3 * 9.81 * m/s2 * 0.016 m = 126.03 Pa
Error = 177.01 – 126.03 / 177.01 * 100 = %28.8

2000 RPM:
∆P = Pstatic = Ppropyl alcohol * g * ∆h = 803 kg/m3 * 9.81 * m/s2 * 0.026 m = 204.813 Pa
Error = 270.11 – 204.813 / 270.11 * 100 = % 24.174

Heavy Water

1000 RPM:
∆P = Pstatic = Pheavy water * g * h = 1105.9 kg/m3 * 9.81 * m/s2 * 0.008 m = 86.791 Pa
Error = 88.2 – 86.791 / 88.2 * 100 = % 1.59

1500 RPM:
∆P = Pstatic = Pheavy water * g * h = 1105.9 kg/m3 * 9.81 * m/s2 * 0.016 m = 173.582 Pa
Error = 177.01 – 173.582 / 177.01 * 100 = % 1.93

2000 RPM:
∆P = Pstatic = Pheavy water * g * h = 1105.9 kg/m3 * 9.81 * m/s2 * 0.026 m= 282.070 Pa
Error = 270.11 – 282.070 / 270.11 * 100 = % -4.43