Experiment of Flow meters
Addis Ababa University
Addis Ababa Institute of Technology
School of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering
Fluid Mechanics I
Laboratory Report
Group 1
Group Member Name ID
1. Ali Abdulhakim UGR/7959/14
2. Bokena Abdi UGR/7578/14
3. Bonny Girma UGR/3442/13
4. Estifanos Takele UGR/3183/14
5. Eyuel Ayehu UGR/1832/14
6. Nahom Merkebu UGR/7646/14
7. Yeabsira Kebede UGR/6214/14
8. Ermyas Dejene ATR/6519/11
9. Ana Usmael UGR/4347/13
Instructor: Desta Lemma (BSc, MSc)
Fluid Mechanics Lab report
Abstract
This is a report on an experimental demonstration of Flow meters and Flow measurement.
A total of three meters in series were used to measure the volume flow rate of water
passing through a pipe. The pressure difference between the inlet and outlet of these
meters was measured using a set of barometers pre-installed in the setup. Each
measurement was done five times by altering the flow rate through the pipe each time.
Before each measurement, the actual flow rate through the pipe was measured through a
separate fourth meter which will be used as a reference for the flow rate (. i.e. Actual flow
rate).
Objective
The objective of the experiment is to measure the volume flow rate of water through a pipe
using three different flow meters, namely a Venturi tube, a Rotameter and a nozzle. The
results of these measurements will then be compared to the reference measurement (actual
flow) and to each other to determine the accuracy and precision of the meters.
Apparatus Required / Setup
The setup consists of:
Primary flow pipe
Valve to adjust the flow rate through the pipe
Three flow meters (Venturi tube, Rotameter and nozzle) connected in series on the
pipe
Barometers
Water reservoir
Pump
Actual flow meter
Rotameter
Venturi Tube
Barometers
Reservoir
Actual flow meter
Intro/theory
Variable-head meter
A variable-head meter is a kind of flow meter that measures how much fluid is flowing through a
pipe by creating a variable area of constriction in the pipe. There are two common types of variable-
head meters: the venturi tube and the rotameter.
Venturi tube
The venturi tube is a device that has a narrow section in the middle of the pipe, called the throat.
The fluid speed increases in the throat, causing a decrease in pressure. The pressure difference
between the inlet and the throat is related to the flow rate, based on the Bernoulli equation. The
fluid speed decreases after the throat, recovering some of the pressure loss. The venturi tube has a
low pressure drop and a high turn down ratio (the ratio of maximum to minimum flow rates that can
be measured accurately).
A venturi tube is a device that measures the volumetric flow rate of fluid in a closed tube by creating
a pressure difference across a constricted section of the pipe. The venturi effect states that as the
fluid passes through the narrow section, its velocity increases and its pressure decreases. The
pressure difference is proportional to the flow rate, and can be measured by a manometer or a
differential pressure transmitter.
Working principle: The Venturi tube operates on the fundamental principles of fluid dynamics, utilizing a
cleverly designed structure to measure the flow rate of fluids in pipes accurately. Its functionality relies on
Bernoulli's principle, which states that as the speed of a fluid increases, its pressure decreases, and vice versa.
where V is the flow rate, A0 = A2 = d2 /4 is the cross-sectional area of the throat and = d/D is the
ratio of throat diameter to pipe diameter, P1 and P2 are the pressures at the inlet and the throat, ρ
is the density of the fluid. The value of Cd depends on both and the Reynolds number Re = V1D/ ,
and charts and, curve-fit correlations for Cd are available for various types of obstruction meters.
Note that Cd is actually the product of the velocity coefficient CV and the contraction coefficient CC,
i.e., Cd = CVCC, but usually only Cd is listed in manufacturers’ literature.
The relationship between the pressure difference and the volume flow rate for both types of variable-
head meters can be derived from the continuity equation and the Bernoulli equation.
For the venturi tube, the equation is:
where Q is the volume flow rate, A1 and A2 are the cross-sectional areas of the inlet and the throat, P1
and P2 are the pressures at the inlet and the throat, and ρ is the density of the fluid.
The pressure difference and the flow rate are directly proportional, as seen from the equation above.
A higher flow rate causes a larger pressure drop across the venturi tube.
Rotameters
Definition: A rotameter (also known as a Variable-Area flow meter) is a device used to measure the
volume flow rate of fluids. The name comes from older designs that used to have float that are free to
rotate. It consists of a vertical conical (tapered) measuring tube and a mobile ‘float.’ The float is free to
move up and down the tube when there is a flow and the tube is calibrated along its height.
a). Working principle
At first, when there is no flow through the rotameter, the float is at the bottom and orifice area is zero.
But as a flowing medium is introduced, i.e., there is a change in volume flow rate, the float rises to a
certain height and the volume flow rate can be read from the standard calibrated scale along the outside
of the tube. The measured volume flow rate is proportional to the height of the float.
This is done by calculating the volume flow rate (Q) of the flow from the three principal forces acting on
the float, namely: The Buoyant force (Fb), Weight of the float (W), and the drag force (Fd).
The weight of the float and the buoyant force acting on it are constant through out the tube, while the
drag force is variable. These forces are given by the following equations:
Vf= Volume of float
ρ f =density of float
v fl =velocity of fluid
ρ fl=density of fluid
C d=Drag force coefficient Substituting these equations in the equilibrium equation, we
get:
V f ρf g=V f ρfl g 2
Cⅆ A f ρ fl ( v fl )
+¿ ¿
2
Solving for velocity, vfl, we get:
v fl =
√ 2 V f g( ρf −ρfl )
Cd A f ρfl
Multiplying this by the orifice area, A, we get volume flow rate (Q) :
Qfl = A v f 1
Qfl = A
√ 2V f g (ρ f −ρ fl )
Cd A f ρ fl
The area, A, will vary along the height of the tube according to the angle of tapering of the tube and
other geometrical specifications. If the properties of the flow medium and the float are held constant
(standard), then the volume flow rate will only be a function of the height of the float.
Procedure
First, the barometers were set so that their water levels are all equal.
Then, the pump was turned on and water was let to flow through main pipe.
The actual flow rate of water was recorded by measuring the time it took the water level on the
actual flow meter to reach 5L mark.
Then measurements from the barometer (difference in heights of water) were taken for the
nozzle and the venturi tube.
The reading on rotameter (the level of float on the calibrated scale) was recorded.
The above steps were then repeated five times, each time varying the flow in the pipe a bit using
the control valve. So, a total of 15 measurements were taken for the three flow meters in series
and 5 measurements were taken from the actual flow meter.
Observations
At first, the laboratory instructor had some difficulty setting up the barometers so that their
water levels were equal. It could be seen that the equipment was not in perfect shape and some
water actually spurted out of the tubes in the process. As we changed the flow rate through the
pipe, we could see that the water levels on the barometers were also changing, suggesting that
the pressure at the inlets and outlets of the venturi tube and the nozzle was also changing.
Rotameter
Reading
H1 H2 H3 H4
For Venturi For Nozzle
Results and analysis
Flow rate calculation:
For the variable area meter (rotameter), the flow rate will be the reading taken directly
from the graduated tube (level of the float).
For the Nozzle, Orifice plate and Venturi Tube, the flow rate will be proportional to
litre
square root of delta pressure. Or: Q=k √ ΔP where K=293 for Orifice
h √ mbar
litre litre
K=132 for Venturi and K=231 for Nozzle where Δ P is
h √ mbar h √ mbar
measured in mbar (millibar)……………………………………… (* Formulas taken from Lab-
manual)
Δ P can be calculated by formula (H1-H2) ρg where H1 -H2 is the difference in height of
manometers and the inlet and outlet of either nozzle or venturi tube. The unit of (H1-
H2) ρg will be in mbar (millibar) since H1 and H2 are in mm.
%Error can be calculated by the formula (Q-Qa)/Qa where Qa is the actual flow rate and
Q is flow rate measured by Venturi, nozzle or Rotameter.
Data collected:
Trial # Volume Time to Actual Flow rate Rotameter H1 H2 H3 H4
collected collect Qa (Volume reading (mm) (mm) (mm) (mm)
(L) (s) collected/time (L/hr)
to collect) (L/hr)
1 5 5 90 200 180 340 150 140
2 5 5 50 360 300 335 138 155
3 5 5 45 400 450 335 100 145
4 5 5 40 450 575 333 45 178
5 5 5 30 600 650 330 5 205
Calculation to find flow rate through nozzle and venturi tube:
Trial # Δ P for Venturi Δ P for Nozzle Venturi flow rate Nozzle flow rate
or (H1-H2) ρg or (H3-H4) ρg 132 √ ΔP 231 √ ΔP
(mbar) (mbar) (L/hr) (L/hr)
1 1.8601 0.24475 180 114.2808153
2 1.92863 0.2937 183 125.1883609
3 2.30065 0.3916 200 144.5550677
4 2.81952 0.71467 222 195.2831428
5 3.18175 0.93005 235 222.7743209
Error Calculation
Trial # %Error Rotameter= %Error Venturi= %Error Nozzle=
Qr−Q a Qv −Qa Qn−Qa
×100 % × 100 % × 100 %
Qa Qa Qa
1 -10 -10 -42.85959234
2 -20 -49.16666667 -65.22545531
3 12.5 -50 -63.86123307
4 28 -50.66666667 -56.60374604
5 8 -60.83333333 -62.87094652
Discussion and conclusion
Overall, it could be seen that the rotameter is much more reliable and accurate than the venturi tube
and the nozzle. The significant errors in the latter could be attributed to error in calibration of change in
pressure between the inlet and outlet and the formula given in the lab manual. Also, our timing of the
actual flow rate maybe off due to random reaction time error.
