Ch.

2a Hydrostatic
Pressure-Manometry
PROF. TAHA ALDOSS
Application: Barometer

A barometer measures local absolute atmospheric

pressure: the height of a mercury column is
proportional to patm;

Atmospheric Pressure = the weight of air from a point

on the earth surface up to the end of atmosphere on
unit area on earth surface. [N/m2 = Pa]

Patm = ρair g Hatm

Using the barometer,

Patm = ρM g hM = ϒM hM; ϒ is the specific weight = ρg

Patm = 10.3 m water = 10.3/13.6 = 0.757 m Hg = 757.4 mm Hg = 101.325 Kpa = = 33.8 ft = 14.6959 psi
Pressure Units:

Pressure = Force / Area

Pressure = ρg . Height of Fluid (Static Head)
HL ρL
∆p = ρ g HL
A

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Absolute and Gage Pressure
Relationship between Pressure and Elevation

2
P = Po + ϒ.h (linear relation)
Figure shows a tank of oil with one side open to the
atmosphere and the other side sealed with air above
the oil. The oil has a specific gravity (ϒ) of 0.90.
Calculate the gage pressure at points A, B, C, D, E,
and F and the air pressure in the right side of the
tank.
Oil, SG 0.9 #
Calculate gage pr at A,B,C,D,E,F
Calculate gage pr at traped air
ρ_water 998 kg/m3
ρ_air 1.2 kg/m3
ρ_oil 898.2 kg/m3
p=ρ.g.h
g 9.81 m/s2
p_A 0.00 kPa,g 0.00 Pa,g
P_B 26.43 kPa,g 26434.03 Pa,g
P_C 52.87 kPa,g 52868.05 Pa,g
P_D=P_B 26.43 kPa,g 26434.03 Pa,g
P_E=P_A 0.00 kPa,g 0 Pa,g
P_F=P_E - ρg.∆h(F-E)
-13.22 kPa,g -13217 Pa,g
P-Air=P_F -13.22 kPa,g -13217 Pa,g
Mechanical Pressure-Measurement Devices
U-tube manometer

∆p = ρ.g.∆h

Px = Px’ ρf

Px = P + ρf.g.h; Px’ = Pa + ρm.g.h

ρƒ = flow fluid density

ρm = manometer fluid density x x’
ρm
Does the location of manometer with respect to point
of pressure measurement matters?

9
Calculate the pressure at point A.

Water at 20 deg-C
ρ_W 998 kg/m3
SG_Hg 13.54 #
ρ_Hg 13512.92 kg/m3
* Inside the tube fluid is static
P3=P2
P3=PA+ρW.g.(0.15+0.25)
P2=P1+ρM.g.(0.25)
PA=P1+ρM.g.(0.25)-ρW.g.(0.4)
PA 29.22 kPa,g 29224.28 Pa,g

∆p = ρ.g.∆h
A well-type manometer (Readability (or Sensivity) Improvement)

Original level at zero ΔP

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A well-type manometer
∆p = ρ.g.∆h

Px = Px’

PxR = P + ρf.g.h; PxL = Pa + ρm.g.h

Fluid side
h’
Measurement is made from the displacement of the
small column from the zero-ΔP level (the blue-line
reference), h’.
xL xR

12
In terms of h’, h = h’ (A2/A1 + 1)

Exact (h’ is the scale reading)

CF = Correction Factor

h’
In case of constant diameter U-tube, CF = 2

13
 CF =

Error = (Exact-Appr) / (Exact) Relative error

CF = (d/D)2 + 1 d

D: Well Diam.
d: Tube Diam.
D

The tube side The well side

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d/D CF E%
CF =
0.10 1.01 0.99
0.20 1.04 3.85
0.30 1.09 8.26
0.40 1.16 13.79
0.50 1.25 20.00
0.60 1.36 26.47
0.70 1.49 32.89
0.80 1.64 39.02
0.90 1.81 44.75
1.00 2.00 50.00

h’
Well-Inclined Manometers (readability & sensivity)
(amplification effect)
h = h’ (A2/A1 + 1)

θ = 30o; 1/sinθ = 2;
and L = h/sinθ increases readability

For an inclined manometer:

S: L/Δp = 1/sin θ; θ↓: S↑

For vertical U-manometer U-manometer is less sensitive

than inclined manometer.

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Effect of Manometer Inclination

Sens
θ, deg θ, rad sin(θ) L/[Δp*(ρm-ρƒ)*g]
S ̴ 1/sin θ

90 1.57 1.00 1.00

80 1.40 0.98 1.02
70 1.22 0.94 1.06
60 1.05 0.87 1.15
50 0.87 0.77 1.31
40 0.70 0.64 1.56
30 0.52 0.50 2.00
20 0.35 0.34 2.92
10 0.17 0.17 5.76

S: L/Δp ̴ 1/sin θ; θ↓: S↑

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Differential Manometer

Calculate the difference in pressure between points A

and B.

Differential Pressure
∆P = PA - PB ???
oil, SG 0.86 #
ρ_W 988 kg/m3
ρo=SG*ρW 849.68 kg/m3
Solution
P1=P2
P1=PA+ρo.g.(0.75+0.11)
P2=PB+ρw.g.(0.75)+ρo.g.(0.11)
PA-PB=[ρw.g.(0.75)+ρo.g.(0.11)]-[ρo.g.(0.86)]
∆P 1.02 kPa 1017.69 Pa
EXAMPLE

Derive a formula for the pressure difference pa –

pb in terms of the system parameters.

Px = Px’ X X’

Pa + ρ1 g (h + L) = Pb + ρ1 g L + ρ2 g h
Ex:
Pressure gage B is to measure the pressure at point A in a water
flow. If the pressure at B is 87 kPa, estimate the pressure at A, in
kPa. Assume all fluids are at 20°C.

x x'
Px = Px’

PA + γw. hw = PB + γo.ho + γm.hm

PA = 87,000 + 8720x0.06 + 133,100x0.07 – 9790x0.05

Water flow
Hg manometer

h = 200 mm
Find: P1 - P2 = ?