Discharge Coefficients Through Perforated

Plates at Reynolds Numbers of 400 to 3,000

P. 1. SMITH, JR., and MATTHEW VAN WINKLE
University of Texas, Austin, Texas

The correlation of Kolodzie and Van Winkle (3)for predicting dry plate orifice coeffi- parameter. Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4 present
cients through perforated plates originally covering a Reynolds number range of 2000 to these data.
20,000 has been extended to apply to Reynolds numbers as low as 400. The correlation Sudden sharp decreases in pressure
applies to column diameters ranging from 3 to 15 in. -
dror, as the flow rate was araduallv de-
creased were encountered in testing plates
Kolodzie and Van Winkle (3) reported procedure enabled duplicate determinations having a plate thickness t o hole diameter
experimental data and a correlation de- to be made with a maximum absolute error of 0.75 to 0.80. Because of this, the experi-
rived therefrom based on a study of of 5% and an average absolute error of mental points were not as reproducible
approximately 2y0.
perforated plate dry pressure drop with as in other situations. A number of
air as a fluid and the Reynolds numbers ORIFICE COEFFICIENTS points were taken and averaged to give
range of 2000 to 20,000. Because of the points from which the dashed curves
possible interest in discharge coefficients The orifice coefficients shown on the shown on the figures were drawn.
and pressure drop through perforated figures were calculated by means of Such instability in a study of a single
plates a t lower Reynolds numbers than Equation (1) orifice in approximately the same range
those covered in the original work, this of thickness-to-diameter ratio was re-
investigation was initiated to extend the ported by Lesem, et al. (4).They explained
data over the range down to Reynolds the phenomenon by postulating that for
numbers of 400. Essentially, Reynolds thick-plate orifices, the vena contracta lies
numbers ranging from 400 to 3000 were between the upstream and downstream
studied in this work. EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS surfaces of the plate; for thin plate
For each pitch t o diameter ratio a plot orifices the vena lies beyond the down-
EQUIPMENT was prepared showing the orifice coeffi- stream surface of the plate; and that for
The equipment arrangement was the cient as a function of Reynolds number orifices for intermediate plate thicknesses,
same as that used by Kolodzie ( 3 ) and with the thickness to diameter ratio as a the vena lies between the surfaces. In the
consisted mainly of flanged sections of
3-in. I.D. Pyrex glass pipe arranged hori-
zontally so that perforated plates of variow TABLE 2
characteristics could be placed between the COMPARISONOF EXPERIMENTAL AND PREDICTED DRY-PLATEPRESSUREDROP
flanges. Details of the setup are given in (3).
The perforated plates studied were the Reynolds AP, exp. AP, calc. %
same as those in the original work and the Fluid NO. t l d Ratio P/d Ratio in HzO in HzO Difference
range of variables included in their design Arnold, el al. ( 1 ) 15411. column
are shown in Table 1.
Air 1760 0.35 1.085 0.51 0.66 -16.6
880 0.15 0.15 0.0
TABLE1 400 0.04 0.04 0.0
RANGEOF PLATE DESIGNVARIABLES 2500 0.49 1.14 2.80 2.70 0.4
1880 1.70 1.66 0.2
Hole diameter, in. 1/16, 3/32, 1/8, 1252 0.70 0.68 0.3
5/32,3/16,1/4
. . 1096 0.50 0.50 0.0
Hole pitch to diam- 985 0.49 1.06 0.30 0.31 -0.1
eter ratio 2, 3, 4 657 0.12 0.14 -0.2
Plate thickness, in. 0.081, 0.125, 0.1875, 494 0.082 0.083 -0.2
0.25
Plate thickness to hole Mayfield, et al. (6) &in. column
diameter ratio 0.33 to 4.0 2570 1.00 4.00 0.45 0.48 -6.2
Plate free area, 70 of 2380 0.40 0.42 -4.8
pipe cross-sectional 1925 0.25* 0.28 -10.1
area 2.33 to 15.8 1475 0.15* 0.17 -7.1
All holes were drilled on a triangular pitch. Hunt et al. ( 8 ) 6411. column
PROCEDURE Air 2820 1.00 4.00 0.166 0.162 4.9
2000 0.083 0.082 1.2
The experimental procedure was essen- 0.033 0.033 0.0
tially that followed by Kolodaie but slightly 1260
1395 0.166 0.164 2.4
modified to obtain greater accuracy in 0.083 0.082 1.2
reading pressure drop data at the lower flow 982
624 0.033 0.033 0.0
rates. These modifications included use of
a more sensitive draft gauge with optical
Carbon
Dioxide 2360 1.00 4.00 0.50 0.49 2.0
magnification of the scale and meniscus in 0.025 0.025 0.0
the tube. Also the runs were started at the 1665
Methane 1835 1.00 4.00 0.046 0.045 2.1
high flow rates and readings taken at 0.0184 0.0183 0.0
decreasingly lower rates until the pressure 1160
drop was too small to be measured. This Argon 2230 1.00 4.00 0.115 0.112 2.6
1310 0.046 0.046 0.0
P. L. Smith, Jr., is at present with C. F. Brsun
Cq,Alhambra, California. 'extrapolated

Page 266 A.1.Ch.E. Journal September, 1958

 I00 I00

I-
z
w
090 2 090
u w
u
g 080
U

;
LL

080
W W
0 u
U
G 070
u.E 070
0 0

0 60 0 60
0 400 800 1200 1600 2000 2400 2800 02 06 10 14 18 22 26
REYNOLDS NUMBER THICKNESS TO DIAMETER RATIO
Fig. 1. Plot of orifice coefficient vs. Reynolds number for a pitch Fig. 5. Cross plot of Figures 1,2,3,and 4 at a Reynolds number
to hole diameter ratio of 2.0. of 2000.

THICKNESS TO DIAMETER RATIO

Fig. 6. Cross plot of Figures 1,2,3,and 4 at a Reynolds number

REYNOLDS NUMBER of 1000.
Fig. 2. Plot of orifice coefficient vs. Reynolds number for a pitch
to hole diameter ratio of 3.0. first case, the jet is attached to the down-
stream edge. In the second, i t is not
attached to the surface. In the third case,
the jet moves downstream as flow is
increased or upstream as it is decreased;
I00
thus the jet attaches itself to or detaches
itself from the surface and causes sharp
c
z 090 changes in pressure drop. I n all prob-
e ability where perforated plates are con-
c.'
U
LL cerned, this mechanism is intensified by
g
u
080 interference action between adjacent
w holes a t their downstream edges.
0 Figures 5, 6, and 7 are cross plots of
U
E 070 Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4 a t Reynolds
0
numbers of 2000, 1000, and 600; these
0 60
plots relate orifice coefficients to plate-
0 400 800 1200 1600 2000 2400 2800 thickness-to-hole-diameter ratio with pa-
REYNOLDS NUMBER rameters of hole-pitch-to-diameter ratio.
Fig. 3. Plot of orifice coefficient vs. Reynolds number for a pitch From these curves a plot of orifice
to hole diameter ratio of 4.0. coefficient vs. hole diameter-to-pitch ratio
on log-log paper, Figure 8, indicated a
series of parallel straight lines at each
thickness-to-diameter-ratio. The average
I00 slope of the lines was 0.10. Equation (2)
represents this family of lines.
l-
z 090
w
log c = log k + 0.10 log Pd
- (2)
0
LL
v
W Equation (2) may be rearranged in the
8 080 form of Equation (3):
w
2
k 070
0

0 60 The curves in Figures 1 through 4 may

0 400 800 1200 1600 2000 2400 2800 be represented by one curve when K is
REYNOLDS NUMBER plotted vs. the thickness-to-diameter
Fig. 4. Plot of orifice coefficient vs. Reynolds number for a pitch ratio. K is a constant for any given
to hole diameter ratio of 5.0. thickness-to-diameter ratio.

Vol. 4, No. 3 A.1.Ch.E. Journal Page 267

 I00
and predicted pressure drop selected a t
random.
c
2 090
Table 3 gives a summary of t h e range
w of variables in which this correlation has
2
L
been shown t o be accurate within 5%.
g 080
W
2
k
TABLE
3
E
0
070 EFFECTIVE
RANGEOF CORRELATION
Variable Minimum Maximum
0 60
0 2 06 10 14 18 22 26 Pld ratio 2.0 5.0
T H I C K N E S S TO D I A M E T E R RATIO t / d ratio 0.25 3.0
A r / i l t ratio 0.60 1.00
Fig. 7. Cross plot of Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4 at a Reynolds number of 600. Reynolds number 400 20,000
Column diameter 3 in. 15 in.
I I
It applies to air, carbon dioxide,
methane, a n d argon and c o v ~ r sa gas
molecular weight range from 1O t o 44.
Maximum orifice coefficients were ob-
tained under the following conditions:
Reynolds 1000and grcater Lesb than 1000
number
t / d ratio 1.0 or greater 2.0 or less
0 20 025 0 3 0 033 040 050 0 0
P / d ratio 2.0 or less 2 0 or less
HOLE D I A M E T E R TO PITCH RATIO

Fig. 8. Cross plot of Figures 5 , 6, and 7 at two thickness to hole diameter ratios. T h e correlation therefore has been
shown t o apply t o dry-plate pressure
drop through perforated plates at
Reynolds numbers down t o 400.

NOTATION

AD = free cross-sectional arc~:l of duct,

sq. ft.
A , = total free area of holes 011 the plate,
sq. ft.
A , = maximum total free a1t.L of holes
on t h e plate, sq. ft.
C = orifice coefficient
d = hole diameter, ft.
gc = 32.2 (lb. force-ft.)/(lb. xiiass-sec.z)
K = constant
P = hole pitch (center t o center dis-
Fig. 9. tance), when used i n ratio ( P / d )
P = pressure drop avross plate, Ib./
sq. ft.
Figure 9 is a plot of K vs. thickness-to- Figure 9 indicates that orifice coefficients
AP = pressure drop, lb./sq. ft.
diameter ratio for the range of Reynolds increase with increasing Reynolds numbers Re = Reynolds number
numbers at parameters from 400 t o only when the thickness-to-diameter ratio t = plate thickness
20,000. The single curve for Reynolds is above approximately 1.0. Below this w = mass flow rate, lb./sec.
numbers of 4000 t o 20,000 was taken value the orifice coefficient increases with Y = expansion factor
directly from Kolodzie and Van Winkle
increase in Reynolds number up to approxi- p = density of fluid (air), li)./cu. ft.
mately 1000 and then decreases sharply
(3). until the minimum is reached for Reynolds
numbers of 4000 to 20,000 a t a thickness- LITERATURE CITED
DISCUSSION
to-diameter ratio below 0.4. 1. Arnold, D. S., C. A. Plank, and E. 11.
The correhtion shown in Figure 9 Schoenborn, Chenz. Eno. Procir..
" , 48., 633
indicates that for Iieynolds numbers above APPLICABILITY OF CORRELATION (1952).
4000 the orifice coefficient increases with 2. Hunt, C. d'A., D. N.Hanson, and C. It.
increaPing thickness-to-diameter ratio until Kolodzie (S) showed that t h e original
Wilke. A.Z.Ch.E. Journal, 1, 441 (19551.
the ratio reaches approximately I .7. For correlation, based on Reynolds numbers 3. Kolodzie, P. A,, and Matthew Van
~I

t / d ratios greater than 1.7, the coefficient of 2000 to 20,000, could predict other Winkle, A.1.Ch.E. Journal, 3, 305 (1957).
is practically independent of the t / d ratio. dry-plate pressure drop d a t a reported 4 . Lesem, L. B., J. J. McKetta, and G. H.
A t Reynolds numbers below 2000 the in the literature ( 1 , 2, 5 ) within a n Fancher, J . Pet. Tech., 210, No. 9, 61
coefficient increases with increasing t / d accuracy of 5%. T h e correlation,.extended (1957).
ratio to a maximum value a t around 5. Mayfield, F. I]., W. T,. Chiirch, A. C.
t / d = 1.0. It then decreases. A t the lower
i n Reynolds number range t o 400 by this
work, also predicts t h e available data t o Green, 1). C. Lee, and R. W. Itasmussen,
Reynolds numbcrs, the rate of decrease Ind. Eng. Chem., 44, 2238 (1952).
relative t o t / d ratio is more rapid. The within a n accuracy of 5% at the lower
coefficient also decreases with irirrensing Reynolds numbers. Table 2 includes com-
Manuscript received Dec. 30, 1957: rp:ision received
pitch-to-diameter ratio. parison of experimental pressure drop Jan. BS, 195X; paper accepted Jan. %5, 1958.

Page 268 A.1.Ch.E. Journal September, 1958