Experiment No 3

Objective:
To determine the coefficient of velocity of two small orifices.
Apparatus:
 Hydraulic Bench
 Orifice and Jet apparatus
 Needles
 Blank Page

Apparatus Description:
The orifice and free jet flow apparatus consists of a cylindrical head tank with an orifice plate set
into its side. An adjustable overflow pipe is adjacent to the head tank to allow changes in the
water level. A flexible hose attached to the overflow pipe returns excess water to the hydraulics
bench. A scale attached to the head tank indicates the water level. A baffle at the base of the head
tank promotes smooth flow conditions inside the tank, behind the orifice plate. Two orifice plates
with 3- and 6-mm diameters are provided and may be interchanged by slackening the two thumb
nuts. The trajectory of the jet may be measured, using the vertical needles. For this purpose, a
sheet of paper should be attached to the backboard, and the needles should be adjusted to follow
the trajectory of the water jet. The needles may be locked, using a screw on the mounting bar.
The positions of the tops of the needles can be marked to plot the trajectory. A drain plug in the
base of the head tank allows water to be drained from the equipment at the end of the
experiment.
Determination of the Coefficient of Velocity:
From the application of Bernoulli's Equation (conservation of mechanical energy for a steady,
incompressible, frictionless flow):
the ideal orifice outflow velocity at the jet vena contracta (narrowest diameter) is

V₁ = 𝟐𝒈𝒉

where h is the height of fluid above the orifice.

The actual velocity is:

v=Cv 𝟐𝒈𝒉 .... (1)

CV is the coefficient of velocity, which allows for the effects of viscosity and, therefore C V <1
CV can be determined from the trajectory of the jet using the following argument:
Neglecting the effect of air resistance, the horizontal component of the jet velocity can be
assumed to remain constant so that in time, t, the horizontal distance travelled,
x= vt (2)
Because of the action of gravity, the fluid also acquires a downward vertical (y-direction)
component of velocity. Hence, after the same time, t, (ie. after travelling a distance x) the jet will
have a y displacement given by
𝒕𝟐
𝒚=𝒈 (3)
𝟐
Rearranging this equation gives:
𝒕 = (𝟐𝒚/𝒈)𝟎.𝟓
Substitution of t and v from Equations 1and 3 into Equation 2 results in:
 𝟐𝒚
𝒙 = 𝑪𝒗 𝟐𝒈𝒉( )𝟎.𝟓 (4)
𝒈

Equations (4) can be rearranged to find Cv:

𝒙
𝑪𝑽 =
𝟐 𝒚𝒉

Therefore, for steady flow conditions (i.e., constant h in the head tank), the value of C v can be
determined from the x, y coordinates of the jet trajectory. A graph of x plotted against 𝑦ℎ will
have a slope of 2Cv.

Procedure:
 First of all, place a blank paper on the back board.
 Turn the switch on and open then bench valve gradually to start the flow of water.
 Using your thumb close the orifice and using the head adjuster along the side of reservoir
set the value of head h.
 Uncover the orifice to allow the water flow out of the reservoir. This will form a jet of
water having parabolic trajectory.
 Now by loosing the screws adjust the position of needles so that their tip just touches the
top surface of trajectory of water. Adjust all the screws in the same manner. After
adjusting the screw, tight them.
 Mark points on paper corresponding to the top end of each needle. Take the point
corresponding to the first needle as origin and draw two mutually perpendicular axis
through it marked as x and y axis. Joining the points will form a parabolic path and for
each point note the value of x and y.
 Plot a graph between x and . Half of the slope of this graph will give the value of Cv.

Observations & Calculations:

 No. of Orifice Head Horizontal Vertical 𝑦ℎ Coefficient
Observations diameter h Distance Distance of velocity
d (m) x y (m)1/2 Cv
(m) (m) (m)

1 3 0.280 0.0135 0.002 0.023 0.2934

2 3 0.280 0.0635 0.007 0.044 0.7215
3 3 0.280 0.1135 0.018 0.070 0.8107
4 3 0.280 0.1635 0.030 0.091 0.8983
5 3 0.280 0.2135 0.052 0.120 0.8895
6 3 0.280 0.2635 0.074 0.143 0.9213

Graph:
0.023 0.0135
0.044 0.0635
0.07 0.1135
0.091 0.1635
0.12 0.2135
0.143 0.2635

Chart Title
0.3

0.25

0.2
(y/h)1/2

0.15

0.1

0.05

0
0 0.02 0.04 0.06 0.08 0.1 0.12 0.14 0.16
x

Theoretical slope:
0.7557

Graph slope:
Coefficient of velocity = average slope / 2 = 1.98 / 2 = 0.99

No. of Orifice Head Horizontal Vertical 𝑦ℎ Coefficient

Observations diameter h Distance Distance of velocity
d (m) x y (m)1/2 Cv
(m) (m) (m)

1 0.006 0.290 0.0135 0.002 0.0244 0.2776

2 0.006 0.290 0.0635 0.006 0.0424 0.7488
3 0.006 0.290 0.1135 0.018 0.0774 0.7332
4 0.006 0.290 0.1635 0.029 0.1009 0.8102
5 0.006 0.290 0.2135 0.048 0.1224 0.8721
6 0.006 0.290 0.2635 0.066 0.1539 0.8560

Graph:

0.0244 0.0135
0.0424 0.0635
0.0774 0.1135
0.1009 0.1635
0.1224 0.2135
0.1539 0.2635

Chart Title
0.14

0.12

0.1

0.08
(y/h)1/2

0.06

0.04

0.02

0
0 0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2 0.25
x
Theoretical Slope:
0.7163

Graph Slope:
Coefficient of velocity = average slope / 2 = 1.91 / 2 = 0.95

Applications:
 Wind Tunnel Testing: Wind tunnels are used to determine the coefficient of velocity for
various aircraft and automotive designs by measuring the airspeed and pressure
distribution, aiding in aerodynamic optimizations.
 Hydraulic Flow Experiments: In fluid mechanics, experiments with different nozzles
and orifices help determine the coefficient of velocity for liquids, aiding in efficient
pipeline and nozzle design.
 Water Jet Propulsion: Coefficient of velocity is crucial in water jet propulsion systems
for boats and ships, helping engineers design efficient water jets for propulsion.
 Gas Flow Control: In industrial settings, determining the coefficient of velocity is
essential for designing valves and control systems to regulate gas flow accurately and
safely.
 HVAC System Design: Calculating the coefficient of velocity is vital in heating,
ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems to optimize air distribution and energy
efficiency in buildings.