TITLE :

Characteristics of Compressible Flow in A Convergent – Divergent Section.

Figure 1.0 The Convergent – Divergent Section machine set.

OBJECTIVE :
The objective of this laboratory work is to study the characteristics of compressible flow of a
converging – diverging section.
Given data :
d1 = 9.5mm ρoil = 784 kg/m3
d2 = 24mm ρ mercury = 13600 kg/m3

Suction d 2
 d1
atmospheric

P 2 P 1 P 0

Throat

Figure 1 Converging Diverging

P1 P2

P0

THEORY :

Figure 2 The converging diverging section.

From the figure above, air is suck into the converging diverging section by a vacuum pump. The
atmospheric air can be considered stagnant. The energy equation for the flow between the
stagnant atmospheric condition (0) and the throat (1) can be written as;

P 0 V 02 P1 V 1
+ + gz 0 + u0 + q= + + gz 1 + u1 +w
ρ0 2 ρ1 2
The differences between (0) and (1) are negligible and the flow can be approximated to be
frictionless and adiabatic, thus isentropic. As such;
q=w =0 Δ gz =0 V 0 =0
Since the air can be treated as ideal gas, following ideal gas relationship can also be used,
manipulated and substituted into the energy equation.
P CP
T= ; C P =C V + R ; γ=
ρR CV

With some algebraic manipulation the throat velocity, V 1 can be derived

P 0 P1
V1 = √ 2γ
−
(γ −1) ρ0 ρ1( )
Using isentropic flow equation relation for ideal gas,
P0 P1
=
ρ ρ
0γ 1γ

And then substitute into V 1 the following is derived after some algebra;
γ +1
V 1=
√
2 γ P0
γ −1 ρ0
1−r ( γ )

P1
Where r = P 0

The mass flow rate in the section can be computed by m = ρ1 V 1 A1 and can be shown to be :
2 γ +1
m=ρ0 A 1
√ 2 γ P0
γ −1 ρ0
(r γ −r γ )
Thus, by measuring the atmospheric pressure and the pressure at the throat, the mass flow rate
can be estimated.

APPARATUS :

Starter U tube
and manometer
Speed
control
Drive Guard Mercury Inclined
manometer

Oil

plexi-glass
convergent
divergent
section

Speed control : is used to control the flow inside the plexi-glass convergent divergent
section

U tube manometer : is used to measure the pressure height at section 1 and section 2
PROCEDURE :

RESULTS :

Calculation:

The calculation below is based on random data,

The known properties:

P0 = 101.325 X 103 Pa T0 = 22.50 C
S.g.hg = 13.6 S.g.f = 0.784
R0 = 287 J/kg. K  = 1.4

To calculate density,
P0 = 0 R0 T0
0 = 100.5 X 103 = 1.1968 kg/m3
(287) (301)

Area of section 2, A2 =  d2
4
=  (0.0095) 2
4
= 7.0882 X 10-5 m2
Oil density,
m = S.g.hg X water
= 13.6 X 103 kg/m3

P2 = m g h2
= (13.6 X 103) (9.81) (0.002)
= 0.267 k Pa

P0 - P2 = 101.325 X 103 – 0.267 X 103

= 101.058 kPa

P3 = m g h3
= (13.6 X 103) (9.81) (0.003)
= 0.400 kPa

P0 – P3 = 101.325 X 103 – 0.400 X 103

= 100.925 kPa

r = P2 / P0
= 0.266 X 103
101.325 X 103

= 0.003

The mass flow rate, m

2 γ +1
2 γ P0 γ
m = ρ0 A 1
√ γ−1 ρ0
(r −r γ
)

= 8.48×10−5 √592642.881 (0.003 1.428−0.0031 .714 )

kg
0 . 927 × 10−3
= s
Graphs :

ṁ vs (P0-P2)
18

16

14

12

10

0
60 70 80 90 100 110 120

ṁ vs P2
18

16

14

12

10

0
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45
 ṁ vs (P0-P3)
3.5

2.5

1.5

0.5

0
100.75 100.8 100.85 100.9 100.95 101 101.05 101.1

ṁ vs P3
18

16

14

12

10

0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
 (P0-P2) vs (P0-P3)
105
100
95
90
85
80
75
70
65
60
94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION:

Hazril Rizman B. Rozeli

Discussion:

1. The graph shows that when the pressure increased the mass flow rate will also increased.

2. Theoretically, the graph should have a constant value, which the mass flow rate will remain

constant although the pressure is increased.

3. This experiment also shows that there is a point having the constant values.

4. During the experiment only 20 readings were taken and the graph plotted does not look similar to

theoretical.

5. If number of reading is increased, may be the result will be more accurate.

Conclusion:
From the experiment we can conclude that the characteristic of convergent-divergent tube as shown on

the graph plotted. The maximum mass flow rate is that function only of the stagnation conditions and the

minimum cross sectional area. This maximum flow rate can be controlled either by reducing the pressure

at downstream end or by minimizing the cross sectional area.

DISCUSSION :

Referring to the Graph 1.0, P0 −P1 (mm) versus P0 −P2 ( mm) , the highest value for

P0 −P1 (mm) is 220mm and P0 −P2 ( mm) is 45mm. It is determined that the ‘choking’
phenomenon happened at the value of r equals to 0.2912 for the value at Pressure 200 mmH g.

From the graph , we can see that when the pressure at the suction area increase P0 −P1 (mm)

the pressure at the throat will also increase P0 −P2 ( mm) . The differences of area at each area,
suction and throat will result in different characteristics of the flow. The measure of
compressibility of fluid flow can be determined by using Mach number, which is dimensionless.
.
versus P0 −P2 ( mm) , the highest
−3
For the Graph 1.1, Mass Flow Rate ( m ) ¿ 10

kg
1. 53 × 10−3 P0 −P2 ( mm) is 45 mm. The ‘choking’
value of the mass flow rate is s at

kg
1. 53 × 10−3
phenomenon occurs at the mass flow rate of s . From this experiment, we can

see that ,when the value of P0 −P2 ( mm) increases, the mass flow rate alsowill increases.
However, from the theory of Compressible Flow in A Convergent – Divergent Section, it stated

that the mass flow rate increase with decreasing of the P0 −P2 ( mm) , and reaches a maximum

value at back pressure equal to P0 −P2 ( mm) and remain constant for P0 −P2 ( mm) values
which less than this critical ratio. Thus, the comparison between the determined result of the
experiment and the theoretical statement is totally different.
There are several errors that occurred during the experiment which contributed to the
error of this experiment. From my observation, this happened during taking the readings of the
mercury U tube manometer where the indicator ball always moving up and down. So that it is
hard to take the exact readings regarding to this matter. The other error that might happened is at
the suction area where, the air flow can be interrupted by human body or hands whose operating
the experiment. The interruption may cause the flow of air suction to be affected and causing
different values of pressures at the Convergent – Divergent Section.

CONCLUSION :

There are two types of characteristics of compressible that can be determined from a
converging-diverging section. They are compressible subsonic flow (0.3 Ma 1.0) and the other
one is compressible supersonic flow (Ma 1.0). Compressible subsonic flow is unrestricted but
noticeably asymmetrical pressure communication and the compressible supersonic flow is the
formation of Mach wave and the pressure communication is restricted to zone of action.
Characteristic of compressible flow in a converging-diverging section vary from the inlet
and the throat, the cross-sectional area and the flow density. Compressible flow of a converging-
diverging section is important in terms of Mach number. Compressible flow can have fluid
deceleration in a converging-diverging section where it involved minimum area.
As a conclusion , from this experiment we can study the characteristics of compressible
flow of a converging – diverging section. We also can investigate how mass flow rate and
pressure inside the section vary with the increasing suction pressure.

REFERENCES:

1. FLUID MECHANICS, J. F. Douglas, J. M. Gasiorek, J. A. Swaffield, Third Edition,

Longman Scientific & Technical
2. INTRODUCTION TO FLUID MECHANICS, Robert W. Fox, Alan McDonald, Second
Edition, John Wiley & Sons.