CEWB1021 : MECHANICS OF FLUID LABORATORY

EXPERIMENT 1 : DEAD WEIGHT PRESSURE TESTER

Group Members : 1.Al Mohammed Karrar CE01082998

2. Al Awlaqi Abdullah CE01083274

3. Mohamed Osama CE01083235

INTRODUCTION
A dead-weight tester is a device used for balancing a fluid pressure with a known weight. Typically, it is used
for static calibration of pressure gages.

Area of piston = 250mm 2

Mass of piston = 0.5kg

Maximum pressure gauge = 3kg /cm2

The equipment comprises a precision machined piston and cylinder, and weights maybe added to the piston
so that a number of predetermined pressures may be set up within the cylinder. The cylinder is screwed on
to a base plate supported on levelling screws and the base plate is fitted with a bull’s eye level.

Weight supplied are (2 x 2.0) kg + (2 x 1.0) kg + (1 x 0.5) kg. Piston weight is 0.5kg. The gauge under test is
linked to the cylinder, by a flexible tube, and leakage past the piston is taken to drain, which is drilled
opposite an annular recess at the top of the cylinder.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the accuracy of a pressure gage with a dead weight gage tester.

PROCEDURE
1. The pressure gauge was placed on the tester and the connection wan ensured tight and adjusted for
levelling.
2. The cylinder was filled with water until overflow to reduce trapped bubble.
3. The piston was inserted and spin to minimize friction effect and the gauge reading was taken.
4. Additional weight was added on the piston and the reading was recorded until all weight were used
or maximum gauge reading is reached
5. The weight was remove and pressure reading was recorded for every weight.
6. Graph of gauge reading versus absolute gauge error and graph of gauge reading versus percentage
gauge error was plotted.
7. The sources contributing to error of this experiment was discussed.

RESULTS:

Piston Weight Pressure in Gauge Reading Absolute Gauge % Gauge Error

(kg) Cylinder (kg/cm2) Error (%)
(kg/cm2) (kg/cm2)
0.5 0.2 0.375 0.175 87.50
1.0 0.4 0.550 0.150 37.50
1.5 0.6 0.750 0.150 25.00
2.0 0.8 0.950 0.150 18.75
2.5 1.0 1.100 0.100 10.00
3.0 1.2 1.300 0.100 8.33
4.0 1.6 1.700 0.100 6.25
5.0 2.0 2.100 0.100 5.00
6.0 2.4 2.500 0.100 4.17
ANALYSIS

Gauge Reading vs Absolute Gauge Error

3
2.5
2.5
2.1
Gauge Reading (kg/cm^2)

2
1.7

1.5 1.3
1.1
0.95
1 0.75
0.55
0.5 0.375

0
0.175 0.15 0.15 0.15 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1
Absolute Gauge Error (kg/cm^2)

Gauge Reading vs Percentage of Gauge Error

3
2.5
2.5
2.1
Gauge Reading (kg/cm^2)

2
1.7

1.5 1.3
1.1
0.95
1 0.75
0.55
0.5 0.375

0
4.17 5 6.25 8.33 10 18.75 25 37.5 87.5
Percentage of Gauge Error (%)
DISCUSSION
The factors that contributing to error of this experiment are dirty, corroded, or chipped weights. It will not
provide accurate measurements. In addition, dead weight testers are position sensitive, they should always
be levelled to archive accurate results.

CONCLUSION
When we use a pressure balance, we are looking for the equilibrium between a downward force and am
upward force. The downward force Is that of a mass being accelerated by gravity. The upward force is
directed by the pressure we are measuring onto the effective area of the piston, which is pressed downward
by the mass. When these two forces are equal, they counterbalance each others .