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Lecture notes (Flow through Orifices)

Presentation · January 2020

DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.32468.96648

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 Lecture notes
(Flow through Orifices)
Prepared by

Dr. Mahmoud Zayed

Egypt
2020
 Flow through Orifices
(Discharge Measurement)

Orifice is
 An opening (hole) at a tank wall or at a horizontal plate on its axis,
 The thickness of the wall or plate is very small corresponding to the opening
volume,
 The liquid level on the upstream orifice side is above the top of the orifice,
and
 The flow discharge through the orifice can be calculated by using the energy
equation.
Applying energy equation between point 1 at water surface in the tank and
point 2 is at the center of the orifice.
P1 = 0
V1 = 0
1 Z1

h = (Z1-Z2)

Orifice
Datum Line
2

P2 = 0
V2
Z2

Pressures are measured 2 2

P1 V1 P V
relative to atmospheric Z1   = Z2  2  2
pressure is zero point.  2g  2g
2
Therefore, P1 is at water V
So, h = (Z1 – Z2) = 2
surface = 0, and the jet 2g
of orifice flow out to
atmospheric so P2 =0 V2 = 2 gh

Dr. Mahmoud Zayed

 Note that: if the thickness of the wall or plate is large, the orifice will be Not
standard orifice as the flow through it will be affected by the wall thickness
and the surface friction. In that case, the orifice with large thickness is similar
to a small pipe. Therefore, this type should be calibrated to get high accuracy.

Orifice in large wall

Orifice in small wall thickness
thickness as a tube

Dr. Mahmoud Zayed

 Type of Orifices

According to
According to According to
According to Size Nature of
Shape Shape of Edge
Discharge

 Large Orifice  Rectangular Orifice  Sharp-edged Orifice  Partially Submerged Orifice

 Small Orifice  Circular Orifice  Bell mouthed Orifice  Fully Submerged Orifice
 Triangular Orifice


Orifice shape
shape

Bell mouthed Orifice

Sharp-edged Orifice (Small tube fitted to orifice)

Fully Submerged Orifice (drowned) Partially Submerged Orifice

Dr. Mahmoud Zayed

 Orifice Structures
Orifice Structures are fixed or movable gates and allows a simple opening.
The flow under the gate is similar to the flow of orifice but not the same. As
the fluid flows out under the gate and with additional friction from the bed.

Slice gate

Bed friction

Free flow of orifice structure

Slice gate

Drowned flow of orifice structure

Dr. Mahmoud Zayed

 Important Definitions Related to Orifices

Jet of Water
 A stream of liquid flows out of an orifice,
 The stream is not limited by solid plates,
 It is surrounded by a fluid with a velocity less than the stream or jet
velocity,
 The surrounded fluid type could be differ from the flowing liquid or
from the same type.

Water Jet

Types of Water Jet

Submerged Jet Free Jet

Stream of fluid which is Stream of liquid which is
surrounded by the same surrounded by gas, so it is
fluid, so it is carried by the affected by the gravity
surrounded fluid and not
affected directly by the
gravity

Dr. Mahmoud Zayed

 Vena Contracta

Vena contracta is the minimum diameter (maximum contraction) of jet occurs

at a section when water flows out from the orifice at which the streamlines
starts to become parallel (shown by section c-c).

A th A act

c
Ath = theoretical area

Vena Contracta
Aact = actual area (at Vena Contracta)

Aact < Ath

Aact = Cc Ath

Aact
Coefficient of Contraction (Cc) = <1
Ath

Dr. Mahmoud Zayed

Note that :
 Vena contracta is affected by the shape of orifice inlet.as if the orifice inlet
has a curved shape, vena contracta will not attain. Because the curved inlet
allowes the streamlines to gradually close to the area of the orifice section.

Curved inlet orifice

 If the jet is vertically downwards, the gravity will increase the

velocity and consequently the area will decrease continuously.So
vena contracta will not appear clearly.
 Hydraulic Coefficients
(Orifice Coefficients)

Coefficient of Coefficient of Coefficient of Coefficient of

Contraction Velocity Discharge Resistance

Dr. Mahmoud Zayed

 Coefficient of Contraction (Cc)

A th A act

c
Ath = theoretical area

Vena Contracta
Aact = actual area( at Vena Contracta)

Aact < Ath

Aact = Cc Ath

Therefore, the ratio between the area of jet at vena contracta and the area of
the orifice is called coefficient of contraction.

Area of jet at vena contracta (Aact)

Coefficient of Contraction (Cc) =
Area of orifice (Ath)

The value of coefficient of contraction depends on liquid head, size, and shape
of the orifice. The value is between (0.60- 0.69).

Dr. Mahmoud Zayed

 Coefficient of Velocity (Cv)

By applying Bernoulli equation between 1 and 2:

P1 = 0
V1 = 0
1 Z1

h = (Z1-Z2)

Orifice
Datum Line
2

P2 = 0
V2
Z2
2 2
P1 V1 P V
Z1   = Z2  2  2
 2g  2g
2
V2
So, h = (Z1 – Z2) =
2g

Vth=V2= 2 gh

Due to the orifice friction and energy loss, the differences in velocity attain.
The value of coefficient of velocity depends on liquid head, size, and shape
of the orifice.

Vact > Vth

Therefore, the ratio between the actual velocity of jet and the theoretical
velocity of the jet is called coefficient of velocity.

Actual velocity of the jet

Coefficient of Velocity (Cv) = = (0.95-0.99)
Theoretical velocity of the jet
Dr. Mahmoud Zayed
 Coefficient of Discharge (Cd)

The ratio between the actual discharge through orifice and the theoretical
discharge called coefficient of discharge.

Actual discharge
Coefficient of Discharge (Cd) =
Theoretical discharge

Actual velocity x Actual area

=
Theoretical velocity x Theoretical area

Cd = Cv xCc (0.60 – 0.64)

Determination of Discharge Coefficient (Cd)

Qth = Ath x Vth = Ath 2 gh

1

Qact = Volume
h
time
Ath of Orifice
Qact
Cd = 2
Qth

Volume

Dr. Mahmoud Zayed

 Coefficient of Resistance (Cr)

The walls of the orifice produce some resistance to the flow when it flows out,
so this coefficient occurs. But it is neglected in numerical solving in
hydraulics field.
The ratio between the loss of head in the orifice to the water head at the exit
of the orifice.

Loss of head in the orifice

Coefficient of Resistance (Cr) =
Head of water

Dr. Mahmoud Zayed

 Discharge through a Small Rectangular Orifice

The orifice is small if h < 5d

In small orifice, the velocity of liquid in jet cross section is considered to be

constant. The discharge through a small orifice can be given by the relation;

Qact = Cd x Ath x Vth = Cd x b x d 2 gh

1

h
Where, Ath of Orifice

Cd = discharge coefficient for orifice 2 d

Ath = Area of the orifice b

h = Height of liquid above the center of orifice

d = orifice depth
b = orifice width

Dr. Mahmoud Zayed

 Discharge through a Large Rectangular Orifice

The orifice is large if h > 5d

In large orifice, the velocity is not considered to be constant because of the

variation in head along the orifice height.

H1
h
H2

dh

H1 = liquid height above the top of the orifice b

H2 = liquid height above the bottom of the orifice

dh = horizontal strip of thickness at depth (h)
Cd = coefficient of discharge
Therefore, Area of strip = b dh
The velocity through the strip = 2 gh
So, the discharge through the strip dq= Cd x Area x theoretical velocity
dq= Cd x b dh x 2 gh
By integrating the above equation between limits H1, H2, we can get the
discharge through the whole orifice.
H2

Q= 
H1
Cd b dh 2 gh

H2

= Cd b 2 g 
H1
h dh

Dr. Mahmoud Zayed

 3 3
2
Q= Cd b 2 g ( H 22  H12 )
3

Discharge through Fully Submerged Orifice

The outlet of the orifice is under a liquid. The orifice does not flow freely into
the atmosphere.

h
H1
H2

Fully Submerged Orifice (drowned)

H1 = liquid height above the top of the orifice (on the upstream)
H2 = liquid height above the bottom of the orifice (on the upstream)
h = difference between the two liquid levels on orifice either side.
Cd = coefficient of discharge
Cv = coefficient of velocity
b = orifice width
Area of the orifice = b (H2-H1)
Actual velocity through orifice = Cv 2 gh

In that case of orifice, contraction coefficient = 1, so Cd = Cv

V = Cd 2 gh
The discharge = Area of orifice x actual velocity

Q = Cd x b (H2-H1) x 2 gh

Dr. Mahmoud Zayed

 Discharge through a Partially Submerged Orifice

The orifice is partially submerged, if the orifice outlet side is partially under
water. The lower portion of the orifice behaves as a drowned orifice, and the
upper portion behaves as an orifice flows out free. Therefore, the total
discharge is the sum of discharge of drowned and free portions of the orifice.

H1
H2 h
Q1
Q2

Partially Submerged Orifice

(drowned)
Discharge through the free portion of the orifice (Q1)

3 3
2
Q1 = Cd b 2 g ( h 2  H 12 )
3

Discharge through the drowned portion of the orifice (Q2)

Q2 = Cd x b (H2-h) x 2 gh

The total Discharge (Q) = Q1+ Q2

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