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Venturi Meter Handout-1

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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
2K views9 pages

Venturi Meter Handout-1

Uploaded by

Michael Langat
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Venturi meter

It is an apparatus for measuring discharge through a pipe.

Convergent cone Throat

x Divergent cone

In its simplest form, it c onsists of the following three parts:


1) Convergent cone
 Also known as the inlet
 Converges from the original pipe diameter d 1 to a smaller diameter d 2
 Convergi ng cone slopes at 21 0
2) Throat
 The small portion of a circular pipe of diameter d 2 and length equal to the
diameter
3) Divergent cone
 Diverges from di ameter d 2 to the original diameter d 1 whose length i s about 3 -4
times that of convergent cone
 Diverging cone slopes at 5 -7 0
 Also called the outlet
The liquid as i t flows through the Venturi meter accelerates through the convergent cone and
as a result, the veloci ty along the throat exceeds that along the in let. The increase in
velocity resul ts in consi derable decrease in pressure in the throat. If the pressure head in
the throat falls bel ow Separation Head (2.5m of water), there will be a tendency of
separation of the liquid flow. (See Cavitation in subseq uent topics).
In order to av oid the occ urrence of separation, the ration of d 2 /d 1 is set to between 1/3 and ½.
The liquid velocity is retarded as it flows through the divergent section and consequently , the
pressure increases. If the pressure is recovered rapidly, there will be every possibility of the
stream of liquid breaking away from the walls of the meter due to Boundary layer effects .
To avoid this phenomenon, the divergent cone is made sufficiently longer. Another reason for
this measure is to mi ni mise the frictional losses – See Energy losses in subsequent topics.
Horizontal Venturi meter
Consider a horizontal Venturi meter as shown in the figure below:
1
2
X X Flowing liquid

Z Z

Mercury

From Bernoulli’s Equation,


2 2
P1 v1 P2 v2
   - - - - - - - i) (Z 1 = Z 2 for a horizontal meter)
 2g  2g
Rearranging,

v2  v1 P1  P2
2 2
 - - - - - - - - - ii)
2g 
P1  P2
 h (head of liquid flowing in the meter)

a1v1
and v 2 
a2
a1
 m,  v2  mv1 and v 2  m 2 v1
2 2
Let
a2
Substituting these values in equati on ii),

m 2 v1  v1
2 2
 h - - - - - - - - iii)
2g
from which, v 1 2 (m 2 – 1) = 2gh - - - - - - - iv)
Theoretical discharge Q T = av = a 1 v 1
2 gh
v1  from iv)
m2 1

2 gh
QT  a1
m2 1
Actual discharge Q A = Cd x Q T where Cd = Coefficient of discharge.

2 gh
 Q A  Cd a1 - - - - - - - - vi)
m2 1
Note:
i) The Venturi head (h) has been taken in terms of the liquid head. But in
practice, this head is gi ven as the mercury head (x). In such a case, the
mercury head should be converted into the liquid head as follows:
  s 
h  x  m  1 or, h  x  m  1 (Refer Differential manometer)
  s 
 f   f 
If the flowing liqui d is water, h = 12.6x
ii) A 2 may be given instead of A 1 and therefore the discharge equation has to
be adjusted appropriatel y:

2 gh
Q A  Cd a2
1 m 2

Selected Examples:
1. A Venturi meter having a horizontal throat diameter of 50mm is fitted to a horizontal
water pipeline having a diameter of 100mm. If the U -tube differential manometer fi tted
to the inlet and throat points measures a deflection of 150mm of mercury, calculate
the rat e of flow assuming the Cd = 0.98.
Solution:
The flowing liquid is water h = 12.6 x
h = 12.6x = 12.6 x 0.15 = 1.89m
a1 = r 1 2 =  x 0.05 2 = 7.85 x 10 - 3 m 2
Let a 1 / a 2 = m = (d 1 /d 2 ) 2 = (100/50) 2 = 4

2 gh 19.62 x 1.89
Q A  Cd a1  0.98 x 7.85 x 103  0.0121m 3 / s
m2 1 42  1
2. A Venturi meter having a horizontal throat diameter of 100mm is fitted into a 250mm
diameter horizontal pipeline through which oil of specific gravity 0.9 is flowing. A U -
tube manometer contai ning mercury of specific gravity 13.6 measures the pressure
differenc e b etween the entry and throat tappings, and the connections are filled with
the oil fl owing in the pipeline. If the difference of level indicated by the mercury in the
U-tube is 0.63m, calcul ate the theoretical volume rate of flow through the meter.
Solution:

s   13.6 
h  x  m  1  0.63  1  8.89m
s   0.9 
 f 
a1 = (d 1 2 )/4= ( 0.25 2 )/4 = 0.0491m 2
a 1 / a 2 = m = (d 1 /d 2 ) 2 = (250/100) 2 = 6.25

2 gh 19.62 x 8.89
QT  a1  0.0491  0.105m 3 / s
m2 1 6.252  1
3. A horizontal Venturi meter measures the flow of oil of specific gravity 0.9 in a 75 mm
diam pipeline. If the difference of pressure between the full bore and the throat
tappings is 34.5 kN/m 2 and the area ration m = 4, calculate the rate of flow, assuming
a coefficient of discharge of 0.97.
P P 34.5
Here, h     3.92m of oil
o  w so 9.81 x 0.9
The rest of the solution is as above. (Q = 0.01 m 3 /s)
Inclined Venturi meter
The manometer readi ng (h) for a given discharge (Q) is not affected by the inclination of the
meter. If however the actual pressure difference (P 1 -P 2 ) is measured to determine the
discharge then the v alu es of z 1 and z 2 , and therefore the slope of the meter, must be taken
into account.
Derivation:

Z2
From Bernoulli’s Equation,
2 2
P1 v1 P2 v2
Z1    Z2   - - - - - - - i)
 2g  2g
Rearranging,

v2  v1 P1  P2
2 2
  ( z1  z 2 )
2g 
a1v1
v2 
a2
a1
 m,  v2  mv1 and v 2  m 2 v1
2 2
Let
a2
Substituting these values in equati on ii),

m 2 v1  v1  P1  P2 
2 2
    Z1  Z 2 
2g  
 P1  P2 
from which, v 1 2 (m 2 – 1) = 2g   Z1  Z 2 
  
and,

P  P 
2 g  1 2  Z1  Z 2  - - - - - - - ii)
1
v1 
m2 1   
Actual discharge Q A = Cd a 1 v 1

P  P 
2 g  1 2  Z1  Z 2  - - - - - - iii)
Cd a1

m2 1   
P1  P2   
But,  x  m  1  ( Z 2  Z 1 ) (Differential manometer equation)
  
 f 
Re-arranging,

P1  P2   
 ( Z 1  Z 2 )  x  m  1
  
 f 
Equation iii) can therefore be written

Cd a1   
QA  2 gx  m  1 or
m2 1   f 

Cd a1   
QA  2 gx  m  1
m2 1   f 
Inclined/Vertical Venturi meter – When Pressure difference is given
A vertical Venturi meter measures the flow of oil of specific gravity 0.82 and has an entranc e
of 125 mm  and a throat of 50 mm . There are pressure gauges at the entrance and at the
throat, which is 300 mm above the entrance. If the coefficient for the meter is 0.97 find the
flow in m 3 /s when the pressure difference is 27.5 kN/m 2 .
Solution:

Cd a1   
QA  2 gx  m  1
m2 1   f 

  P 27.5
x  m  1  h   ( Z 1  Z 2 )   (0  0.3)  3.119 m
   0.82 x 9.81
 f 

Cd a1 2 g x 3.119
QA 
m2 1
a 1 = ¼ (0.125) 2 = 0.0123m 2 and m = (125/50) 2 = 6.25

0.97 x 0.0123 19.62 x 3.119


QA   0.0151 m 3 / s
6.25  1
2

Venturi meter with Piez ometers


For an inclined Venturi meter shown in the figure below, piezometers are fitted in to measure
the inlet and throat pres sures. Calculate the rate of flow through the device.
2.65
m 2.00
m
d1 = 200mm
d2 = 100mm
0.25
m

P1  P2
h  ( Z1  Z 2 )  (h1  h2 )  ( z1  z 2 )

= (2.65 – 2) + 0 – 0.25) = 0.4m
a 1 = ¼ (0.2) 2 = 0.0315m 2 and m = (200/100) 2 = 4

2 gh 19.62 x 0.4
Q A  Cd a1  0.98 x 0.0315  0.0223m 3 / s
m2 1 42  1

Venturi meter subject to Head Loss


A Venturi meter is introduced in a 300 mm  horizontal pipeline carrying water under a
pressure of 150 kN/m 2 . The throat diameter of the meter is 100 mm and the pressure at the
throat is 400 mm of mercury below atmosphere. If 3% of the differential pressure is lost
between inlet and throat, determi ne the flow rate in the pipeline.

P1
2
v1 P2 v2
2
 P  P2 
    0.03 1 
 2g  2g  g 

 P  P2  v 2 2  v 21
0.97 1  

 g  2g
P 1 = 150 x 10 3 N/m 2 = 15.29m of water
P 2 = -400 mm of mercury = -0.4 x 13.6 = -5.44 m of water

 P  P2 
  1   15.29  ( 5.44)  20.73m Hence,
 g 
v 2
2 v 21 
 0.97 x 20.73  20.11m - - - - - - - - - - i )
2g
From the continuity equation,
v 1 = (d 2 / d 1 ) 2 v 2 = (1/3) 2 v 2 = 1/9 v 2 - - - ii)

 1  1 / 9 2 
From i) and ii ) v 2    20.11 from which v 2 = 19.863 m/s
2
 2g 
 
 Flow rate (Q ) = a 2 v 2 = ¼ (0.1) 2 x 19.89 = 0.156 m 3 /s.

Venturi meter with Inverted U -tube


A 500 mm diameter verti cal water pipeline discharges water through a constriction of 250 mm
diameter as shown in the figure below. The pressure difference between the normal and
constricted s ections of the pipe is measured by an inverted U -tube. Determine:
i) the difference in pressure between these two sections when the discharge through
the system is 600 l/s, and
ii) the manometer deflection, h if the inverted U -tube contains air.

500 mm Dia.
Air

0.5m
x

250 mm Dia.

Solu tion:
0.6 x 4
v a = Q/a =  3.056m / s
 x 0.52
0.6 x 4
and v b =  7.54m / s
 x 0.252
Applying Bernoulli’s equation between aa and bb (Assuming no losses):
Pa 3.0562 Pb 7.54 2
0.5    0   from which,
 2g  2g
( Pa  Pb)
 1.92m - - - - - - - i)

and (P a – P b ) = 1.92 x 9.81 = 18.8 kN/m 2
Manometer equation:
P a / - (h + x – 0.50) + x = P b /
( Pa  Pb)
  h  0.50  1.92m (from equation i)

h = 1.92 + 0.50 = 2.42m.

The water s upply to a gas water heater contracts from 10 mm in  at A to 7 mm  at B as


shown in the figure bel ow. If the pipe is horizontal, calculate the difference in pressure
between A and B when the velocity of the water at A is 4.5 m/s.
The pressure differenc e operates the gas control through connections that are taken to a
horizontal cylinder in which a piston of 20 mm diam moves. Ignoring friction and the area of
the piston connecti ng rod, what is the force on the piston?
(Solution: 31.9 kN/m 2 , 10.1N)

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