Lab 3: Flow across an orifice plate
Problem Statement:
A fluid of density 62.4 lb/ft3 and dynamic viscosity 6.72 x 10-4 lb/ft.s is flowing through a
pipe of diameter 0.1 ft and height 0.5 ft; with a velocity of 1 ft/s. An orifice plate of radius
0.02 ft and height 0.01 ft has been kept to measure the flow rate. The orifice plate is
located at a distance of 0.1 ft from the base of the pipe.
Obtain the following:
1. Surface plots:
● Velocity Surface plot
● Arrow Surface plot
● Streamline Plot
2. Velocity profiles at:
● Outlet
● Axial Symmetry
● r = 0.03 ft
3. Pressure contour
4. Average pressure at:
● z = 0.05 ft (pressure below the orifice)
● z = 0.15 ft (pressure above the orifice)
5. Coefficient of discharge
6. Pressure profile at the symmetry and the effect of change in velocity on the same.
(vin: 0.5: 0.5: 2.5)
Assumptions:
1.Incompressible Fluid ( density = constant)
2.Newtonian Fluid ( viscosity= constant )
3.Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes
4.Time- Average Pressure and Velocity
5.K-E Turbulent Model
Governing equations:
RANS
Momentum equations in X and Y directions
Boundary conditions
1.Outlet Pressure =0
2.axial symmetry at left boundary
3.Inlet Velocity = 1 ft/s
GEOMETRY AND MESHING DETAILS
The orifice plate is of radius 0.02 ft and height of the orifice plate is 0.01 ft
The diameter of the pipe is 0.1 ft and height of the pipe is 0.5 ft
Domain elements :
The domain Ω=(0,L) of interest is divided into a collection of finite elements. The set of
subintervals in a domain is called the finite element mesh of the domain.This is obtained
after discretization of the entire interval where a Second Order Differential Equation is
validated experimentally using Numerical Method .
Boundary elements :
This is obtained after discretization of the entire interval where a Second Order
Differential Equation is validated experimentally using Numerical Method. Boundary
elements are generally used to obtain the elements of the boundary of the wall .
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
1.Surface Plots
Velocity Surface
INFERENCE:-before the orifice plate,the fluid was flowing freely, so the surface plot has
blue color ( representing less velocity magnitude) , at the orifice plate, due to restriction,
the area decreases and velocity increases to compensate the flow rate.
Arrow Surface
Inference :- the size of the arrows represent magnitude of velocity. Before reaching
orifice, the flow is normal.
And after crossing the plate due to pressure drop there is a huge increase in velocity
magnitude
Streamline
Inference :- All the flow lines squeeze into each other near the orifice plate due to area
contraction and again separate once the fluid passes through the plate.
2. Velocity Profiles at:
Outlet
Inference :-The profile is more linear than parabolic due to turbulence. At the outlet , the
fluid near the surface of the pipe is at less due to no slip condition while at the centre of
the pipe (r=0) has the highest velocity.
Axial Symmetry
Inference :-the orifice plate is placed at 0.1ft from base of pipe , so due to contraction in
area by which fluid passes , its velocity increases to the max, then when flow becomes
free flowing again, velocity decreases slowly till it reaches the outlet.
At r = 0.03 ft
Inference :- from the two graph we can see that at z=0.1 and r=0.03
The flow is obstructed by orifice , hence velocity is zero as seen in the second graph.
3. Pressure contours :
Inference : The velocity becomes least before it encounters with the orifice plate hence
by bernoulli principle pressure is max(shown by red) before orifice plate , while the
velocity becomes max after it passes through orifice plate so the pressure drops (shown
by greenish blue color).
4.Average pressure at:
z = 0.05 ft (pressure below the orifice)
z = 0.15 ft (pressure above the orifice)
Value of Pressure at z = 0.15 ft (pressure after the orifice plate) = -357.91 (lb/(ft*s2)
Due to increase in velocity the pressure decreases after the orifice plate.
Value of Pressure at z = 0.05 ft (pressure below the orifice plate) = 1109.0(lb/(ft*s2)
Since the velocity is least before the orifice , pressure increases.
5. Coefficient of discharge
Coefficient Of Discharge: The coefficient of Discharge (Cd) can be found using the
formula:
ρ = density of the fluid
β = the ratio of orifice diameter to pipe
diameter
Ao = the cross-sectional area of the orifice
Qtheoritical = Ain* Velocity= pi*0.05square* 1= 7.85 * 10^-3 ft^3/s
ρ = 62.4 lb/ft3
β = orifice diameter / pipe diameter = 0.04/0.1= 0.4
Ao = 0.001256 ft2
P2 = -357.91 (lb/(ft*s2)
P1 = 1109.0(lb/(ft*s2)
Q = 7.85 * 10^-3 ft^3/s
Cd = 0.89
6.Pressure profile at the symmetry and the effect of change in velocity on the same.
(vin: 0.5: 0.5: 2.5)
After orifice Before orifice
INFERENCE -The extreme right column represents the pressure before the orifice
plate. As we increase the velocity the pressure also increases before the plate.
Pressure After orifice plate in (lb/(ft*s^2))
Inference :- As the inlet velocity increases, the pressure drop also increases as the
velocity after the orifice is more as the inlet velocity is more , so the pressure also has to
be the highest in accordance with Bernoulli principle.
Discussion -
Orifice plate is used to measure the flow rate and discharge coefficient of a fluid flowing
in a pipe.The principle is Bernoulli Equation and the pressure drop on both side of the
orifice is found out to calculate the flow rate.
Also in accordance with theory we found that the pressure hits it maximum just before
the orifice plate ,hence the velocity is minimum.
While after passing the plate region the pressure drop to minima and velocity hits the
maxima, all this happens in accordance with Bernoulli Equation.
Conclusion
During a flow expansion, the pressure increases because the volume is decreasing.
There is a loss of velocity in a flow expansion that increases the pressure.The orifice
plate contains a sudden and drastic change in diameter where the fluid is flowing.Also
through the parametric sweep we have obtained the velocity profile and the pressure for
different ranges of values.We have also obtained the coefficient of discharge which is
approximately 0.89.
