MODIBBO ADAMA UNIVERSITY, YOLA

FACULTY OF ENGINEERING AND ENGINEERING

TECHNOLOGY

DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

PRACTICAL REPORT
COURSE CODE: MCE 319
COURSE TITTLE: FLUID MECHANICS LABORATORY II

BY

MCE/17U/1139

JUNE, 2023

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INTRODUCTION

Flow in a conduits or channels are of interest in engineering, and everyday

life. Flow in a closed conduits or channels, like pipe or air duets, are entirely in
contact with rigid boundaries. Most closed conduits in engineering applications are
either circular or rectangular in cross section. Open-channel flows, on the other
hand, are those whose boundaries are not entirely a solid or a rigid material; the
other part of the boundary of such flow maybe another fluid or nothing at all.
Important open –channel flows are rivers, tidal current, irrigation channels, or
sheets of water across the ground surface after the rain.

In both closed conduits and open channels, the shape and area of the cross
section of the flow can change along the stream; such flow are said to be non-
uniform. Flow that do not change in geometry or flow characteristics from cross
section to cross section are said to be uniform. Remember that fluid can be either
steady (not change with time) or unsteady (changing with time). At this practice
we will look at simplification of flow in natural world, in rivers and in the ocean,
but it will reveal many fundamental aspects of those more complicated flows.

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EXPERIMENT 1

EXPERIMENT TITLE: FLUID MECHANICS LABORATORY

OBJECTIVES:

1. To visualized a range of open flow channels flow behavior.

2. To visualized flow pattern around immersed object in a steady flow.

METHODS:

Open channel flow behavior can be archive by creating flow phenomena in an

open channel, using an undershot weir upstream and an overshot weir
downstream and sharp edge and broad crest weir in between flow area the same as
stream lines.

THEORY:

The four basic scientific laws used in analysis of fluid flow are; conservation of
mass, conservation of energy, conversation of momentum or angular
momentum and second law of thermodynamics.

i. Conservation of Mass: This law states that the mass of a fluid that
enters a control volume must be equal to the mass of the fluid that
exits the control volume. This principle is also known as the
continuity equation and is fundamental in analyzing fluid flow.
ii. Conservation of Energy: This law states that the total energy of a fluid
in a system must remain constant, assuming no energy is added or lost
to the system. This principle is also known as the Bernoulli’s
equation, which is used to determine the pressure and velocity of a
fluid at different points in a system.
iii. Conservation of Momentum: This law states that the net force acting
on a fluid in a control volume must be equal to the rate of change of
momentum of the fluid in that control volume. This principle is used
to calculate the force acting on a fluid in a system, such as the forces
acting on a pump or turbine.
iv. Second Law of Thermodynamics: This law states that thee total
entropy of a closed system will tend to increase over time. This
principle is used to analyze the efficiency of fluid systems, such as

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 heat exchangers, and to ensure that energy is being used in the most
efficient manner possible.

EXPERIMENTAL SETUP:

1. Hydraulic bench
2. Flow visualization apparatus
3. A stop watch
4. Dye

PROCEDURE 1: GENERAL EQUIPMENT SETUP

1. I install the visualization apparatus over the hydraulic bench open channel.
2. I locate the flexible bypass tube in the over flow of the volumetric tank, to
return the water directly to the sump tank.
3. I add marbles to the apparatus reservoir to reduce the level of flow
disturbances in the inflowing fluid.
4. I use dye to improve the contrast in the water and I mount a white board
behind the channel.
5. I adjust the height of the overshot and the undershot weir.

TEST A

By adjustment of the undershot weir I demonstrate

i. Discharge beneath a sluice gate

ii. The creation of hydraulic jump downstream of a sluice gate
iii. Drowning of a sluice gate

TEST B

Flow over a band –crested weir. I mount the broad-crested weir in the channel
base. I adjust the overshoot and the undershot to create;

i. Supercritical and sub-critical flow over the weir

ii. The creation of a hydraulic jump downstream of the weir
iii. Drowning of the weir
Test over a sharp edge weir
I repeat the procedure describe for test B.

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PROCEDURE 2: FLOW PATTERN VISUALIZATION

1. I remove the undershot weir and positioned the undershot weir to give an
aperture of 5.5mm between the weir top and the end face of the channel.
2. I connect the apparatus the bench supply and I open the bench valve.
3. I adjust the flow to give me a free surface about 6.5mm below the top of the
channel under which the flow rate is about 2.4 litre/min.
4. I closed the dye flow control valve and I pure dye into the reservoir to the
about two-third full.
5. I open the control valve and as each syringe is filled with dye, and I replace
hypodermic tubes and I ensure free flow from all the five hypodermic and I
reopen the dye valve.
6. By viewing from the above channel, I check the hypodermic tubes, outlines
are created in the channel inlet section.
7. I adjust the die flow to give clear thin streams of dye from each tube.

QUESTIONS;

Write on the following

i. Steady and unsteady flow.

ii. Lamina and turbulent flow.
iii. Uniform flow, reversible flow and three dimensional flow.

ANSWERS;

i. Steady and unsteady flow; motion of a fluid is said to be steady when

the fluid parameters at any point in the flow field remain constant with
respect to time, the quantity like velocity, pressure, temperature and
density etc.
Example of steady flow; flow through a pipe of variable diameter under
constant pressure head (e.g. reservoir or tank) mathematically
dv/dt=dp/dt=DT/dt=0
where as
Unsteady flow is when the conditions varies with respect to time. And
the example of unsteady flow includes; a flow through a pipe of variable
diameter under a variable pressure due to an increasing and decreasing
water level of the reservoir or opening or stopping or starting hydraulic
machines connected to the pipe.

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 ii. Lamina and turbulent flow; this flow is known as streamline or viscus
fluid it is characterize by smooth flow of lamina of fluid over
one another
iii. Uniform flow, reversible flow and three dimensional flow:
Uniform flows simply means or defined as a fluid flowing into different
parts of the fracture surface with equal flow velocity per unit area.
Reversible flow:
While three dimensional flow is the flow parameters like velocity, pressure
and so on vary in all the three coordinate directions

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EXPERIMENT 2

TITLE: Flow through pipe with different diameter

AIM/OBJECTIVES: To measure head loss versus discharge for water through

individual pipes with different internal diameter.

THEORY:

This experiment will be carried out by using the flow rate and corresponding head
loss (pressure drop) across pipes with different internal diameter. Water will be
allowed to flow through pipes with different internal diameter at the same and also
at different flow rates. The major aim is to determine the head loss at each pipe and
also the pressure in each pipes as water flows through the pipe at certain flow rate

Head losses in pipe refer to the pressure drop (due to friction) as fluid through a
pipe. Head losses represent how much pressure will be lost due to orientation of
the pipe system. This is used to determine if your pipe system is of optimum
efficiency. In a typical pipe system, there are many bends. As fluid flow through
this bends, the pressure of the fluid flow decreases due to frictional forces acted on
the surface of the pipe on the fluid. Head losses depend on input velocity of the
fluid flow, the density of the fluid, the orientation of the pipe system (how many
bends, whether the bends is horizontal or vertical). Any pipeline with diameter ‘d’
and length ‘L’ carrying a flow rate ‘Q’ will have a head loss ‘Hf ‘ due to friction
along its length that is defined by the equation
𝐿𝑄2
Hf = K(
𝑑5
) 𝑚𝐻2𝑂

Where K = Constant,

Q = volumetric flow rate (m3/s)

L = length of pipe (m) 0.7 constant

d = internal diameter (m) 0.009, 0.006, 0.010, and 0.014.

the actual head loss due to friction can be measured using the hand held pressure
meter so ‘K’ can be determined from the equation

K = (H1 − 2)𝑑5 / 𝑄2 𝐿

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EQUIPMENT:

1. Pipe network apparatus

2. Hydraulic bench
3. Stop clock
4. Hand held pressure meter

PROCEDURES:

1. The network was configured with the standard arrangement of test pipes; A
= 9mm, B = 6mm, C = 10mm and D = 14mm.
2. It was position so that the four outlets at the top will be discharged into the
side of the volumetric tank of the hydraulic bench.
3. All the pipes was fully primed to allow testing of ‘A’ by opening and closing
the appropriate isolating valves
4. The flow control valve was opened to base fully
5. The hand held pressure meter was connected to tapings H1 and H2 to
measure head loss across pipe ‘A’.
6. The flow was varied through the test pipes from zero to maximum flow rate
by adjusting the outlet flow control valve at the top.
7. At each setting, the condition was allowed to settle then the head loss and
the corresponding flow rate was measured
8. When the head loss versus flow characteristics has been obtained for test
pipe ‘A’, the isolating valve for test ‘B’ was reconfigured.
9. The same procedure was carried out for pipes ‘C’ and ‘D’.

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RESULT:

Table of measurement and calculated value of ‘K’.

Test Pipe Head loss Volume Elapsed Flow Pipe K = (H1 − 2)𝑑5 /
bore H1-2 collected time rate Length 𝑄2 𝐿
d (m) ( 𝑚𝐻2𝑂) V ( m3 ) T (sec) Q ( m3/s) L
(m) 𝑠2
(𝑚𝐻2𝑂 2 )
𝑚

1 0.014 136.00 0.005 9.20 0.000543 0.7 0.355

0.010 560.00 0.005 9.20 0.000543 0.7 0.272
0.009 606.00 0.005 9.20 0.000543 0.7 0.174
0.006 1530.00 0.005 9.20 0.000543 0.7 0.058
2 0.014 36.20 0.007 15.90 0.000440 0.7 0.144
0.010 176.40 0.007 15.90 0.000440 0.7 0.130
0.009 200.80 0.007 15.90 0.000440 0.7 0.087
0.006 700.20 0.007 15.90 0.000440 0.7 0.040
3 0.014 176.60 0.009 16.00 0.000563 0.7 0.428
0.010 822.60 0.009 16.00 0.000563 0.7 0.371
0.009 854.20 0.009 16.00 0.000563 0.7 0.227
0.006 1674.00 0.009 16.00 0.000563 0.7 0.059
See attached graph of head loss against flow rate

CONCLUSION

As velocity increases, head loss increases. That is head loss is directly proportional
to velocity flow in a pipe. Also, the head loss depends on the diameter of the pipe.

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EXPERIMENT 3

TITLE: Flow through pipes connected in parallel

AIM/OBJECTIVES: To measure head loss versus discharge for water flowing

through pipes with different internal diameter that are connected in parallel.

METHOD

This experiment can be conducted by measuring the flow rate and corresponding
head loss (pressure drop) across different combinations of pipes in parallel then
comparing the loss with the predicted loss from individual pipes at the same flow
rate.

THEORY

In a pipe network consisting of pipes of various diameters in parallel with each

other, the pressure in the common manifolds at the junction of the pipes must be
the same for all the pipes. i.e. H is the same for each of the pipes. The total Q
therefore distributes itself between the individual pipes in accordance with the
controlling end pressures and:

QT = QA + QB For two pipes in parallel

QT = QA + QB +QC For three pipes connected in parallel

QT = QA + QB +QC +QD For four pipes connected in parallel

EQUIPMENT

1. Pipe network apparatus

2. Hydraulic bench
3. Stop clock
4. Hand held pressure meter

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 PROCEDURES

1. The configuration was positioned so that the four outlets at the top will be
discharged into the side of the volumetric tank of the hydraulic bench.
2. It was ensured that all the pipe is fully primed to allow testing of ‘A’ by
opening and closing the appropriate isolating valves.
3. All the pipes was fully primed to allow testing of ‘A’ by opening and closing
the appropriate isolating valves
4. The flow control valve was opened to base fully
5. The hand held pressure meter was connected to tapings H1 and H2 to
measure head loss across pipe ‘A’.
6. The flow was varied through the test pipes from zero to maximum flow rate
by adjusting the outlet flow control valve at the top.
7. At each setting, the condition was allowed to settle then the head loss and
the corresponding flow rate was measured
8. Repeat the experiment with the network of pipes configured for three (3)
pipes in parallel then (4) pipes in parallel.

RESULT

Table of values

Test Pipe arrangement Head Volume Elapse Measured Calculated

(m) loss collected time flow flow
(mH2O) ( m3 ) (s) Q ( m3/s) Q ( m3/s)
1 0.014//0.006 136.8 0.005 13.28 0.000377 0.000377
0.014//0.006//0.01 115.8 0.005 13.28 0.000377 0.000377
0.014//0.006//0.01//0.009 104.2 0.005 13.28 0.000377 0.000377
2 0.014//0.006 191.2 0.010 15.77 0.000634 0.000634
0.014//0.006//0.01 130.5 0.010 15.77 0.000634 0.000634
0.014//0.006//0.01//0.009 112.8 0.010 15.77 0.000634 0.000634
3 0.014//0.006 524.2 0.015 11.72 0.001280 0.001280
0.014//0.006//0.01 368.2 0.015 11.72 0.001280 0.001280
0.014//0.006//0.01//0.009 282.4 0.015 11.72 0.001280 0.001280

K = (H1 − 2)𝑑5 / 𝑄2 𝐿

𝑠2
Given that K= 0.355 (𝑚𝐻2𝑂 )
𝑚2

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 L = 0.7m, d = 0.014m and H = 136mH2O

(𝐻1 − 2)𝑑 5
𝑄=√
𝐾𝐿
√136×0.014 5
𝑄= =0.000543 (m3/s)
√0.355×0.7

An example of where this network can be used in practice is a parallel radial

system and water supply system when a need arise to increase the discharge
through the main.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, the flow rate through pipe system connected in parallel differs while
the head loss remains constant through each pipe

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EXPERIMENT 4

TITLE: Flow through pipes connected in series.

AIM/OBJECTIVES: To measure head loss versus discharge for water flowing

through pipes with different internal diameters that are connected in series.

METHOD

This experiment can be conducted by measuring the flow rate and corresponding
head loss (pressure drop) across different pipes in series then comparing the loss
with the predicted loss from individual pipes at the same flow rate.

THEORY

In the pipe network consisting of pipes of various diameters in series with each
other, the same total flow Q must pass through each of the pipes in turn. The
velocity in each of the pipe will vary, depending on the diameter, so head loss will
vary. A flow through the series network will have a total head loss H f along the
whole length which is the sum of the losses in each of the individual pipes.

Hf = H1-2 + H2-3 For two pipes in series

Hf = H1-2 + H2-3 + H3-4 For three pipes

connected in series.

EQUIPMENTS:

1. Pipe network apparatus

2. Hydraulic bench
3. Stop clock
4. Hand held pressure meter

PROCEDURES

1. The configuration was positioned so that the four outlets at the top will be
discharged into the side of the volumetric tank of the hydraulic bench.
2. It was ensured that all the pipe is fully primed to allow testing of ‘A’ by
opening and closing the appropriate isolating valves.

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 3. All the pipes was fully primed to allow testing of ‘A’ by opening and closing
the appropriate isolating valves
4. The flow control valve was opened to base fully
5. The hand held pressure meter was connected to tapings H1 and H2 to
measure head loss across pipe ‘A’.
6. The flow was varied through the test pipes from zero to maximum flow rate
by adjusting the outlet flow control valve at the top.
7. At each setting, the condition was allowed to settle then the head loss and
the corresponding flow rate was measured
8. Repeat the experiment with the network of pipes configured for three (3)
pipes in parallel then (4) pipes in parallel.

RESULTS

test Pipe Head Head Head Vol Elaps Flow Tota

loss loss loss um ed rate l
Lengt e time head
h H1-2 H2-3 H3-4 coll Q( loss
mH2 mH2 mH2 ecte (s) m3/s)
O O O d mH2
(m3) O

1 0.7 -1.62 -0.68 -1.67 0.0 21 0.0002 -

05 4 3.97

2 0.7 -1.85 -1.05 -1.87 0.0 9 0.0005 -

05 6 4.77

3 0.7 -1.95 -1.39 -1.98 0.5 5 0.001 -

5.31

Arrangemen 0.00 0.014 0.009

t of pipes 6,0.0 ,0.01 ,0.00
10 0 6,0.0
10
Given that k= darcy coefficient of friction=0.355

Q=0.000543 m

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 d=0.014 m3/s

L=0.7m

K = (H1 − 2)𝑑5 / 𝑄2 𝐿
𝐾𝐿𝑄2
H1-2=
𝑑5

0.355×0.7×0.0005432
H1-2= =136 mH2O
0.014 5

Estimated friction factor ƛ=4K =4×0.355 =1.42

Series pipe network is mostly used in house fittings or pipe network.

CONCLUSION

The flow rate through pipe in series is constant but the head loss differs in each
pipe. The total head loss is the sum of the individual head loss in each pipe

REFERENCE

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