CH 5

Chapter Five
Flow Measurement
INTRODUCTION
 Fluid measurements include the determination of pressure,
velocity, discharge, shock waves, density gradients, turbulence,
and viscosity.
 Many ways used for measuring like
 Direct measurements for discharge consist in the determination of
the volume or weight of fluid that passes a section in a given time
interval.
 Indirect methods of discharge measurement require the
determination of head, difference in pressure, or velocity at several
points in a cross section, and with these the computing of
discharge
OBJECT
 At the end of this chapter the student should be
able to:
 Describe the importance of flow sensing and its
problem
 Describe the principle of operation of different
flow meter
 Describe the constructional and mean aspects of
differential meter.
WHY IT IS IMPORTANT?
 Flow measuring are needed for flow control and
flow measuring
 Flow control are needed for controlling
 Temperature
 Pressure
 Level tank
TYPES OF FLOW MEASURING

 The flow measurements can be classified into:
 Obstructive Device
 Differential pressure flow meter like:
 Venture, orifice, pitot tube
 Rotameter
 Turbines
 Non-obstructive
 Electormegnatic
 Ultrasonic
 Cross-correlation
DIFFERENTIAL PRESSURE FLOW METER
 Its widely used to measure the liquid and gas

 The principle is that a restriction is placed in the
pipe and the differential pressure developed
across the restriction is measured
 The differential pressure output is calibrated in
terms of volumetric flow rate (not mass this
will need density)
1- ORIFICE METER
 The primary element of an orifice meter is

simply a flat plate containing a drilled (hole)
located in a pipe perpendicular to the direction
of fluid flow
Or
2- VENTURI METER
Or
 These equations for venture and orifice are valid for
 Turbulent flow
 Incompressible flow
 For gases : additional expansibility factor
 The values of discharge coeffiecient depends on
 Type of flow measurement; venture and orifice
 Diameter ratio
 Reynold number
CHARACTERISTICS OF DIFFERENTIAL PRESSURE MEASUREMENT

 No moving parts, cheap, maintainable
 Well established, calibration available
 Permanent head loss
 Nonlinear relationship, so its not use for low pressure since the
pressure has square root with velocity
 Discharge coefficient changes with wear, flow distribution
 Generally applicable for clean fluids
 Installation constraints (for straight pipe not elbow)

COMPARISON OF VENTURE AND ORIFICE
Venturi orifice
Expensive but offer good Least expensive
accuracy
Long working life and almost no Low working life due to wear in
maintenance the edge
Can measure flow for fluid with Used for clean fluid, can be used
suspended solid for dilute slurries
High rang
Lowest permanent head loss
3- PITOT TUBE
 The Pitot tube is used to measure the local velocity at a given point in the flow
stream and not the average velocity in the pipe or conduit.
 One tube, the impact tube, has its opening normal to the direction of flow and
the static tube has its opening parallel to the direction of flow.
 The fluid flows into the opening at point 2, pressure builds up, and then
remains stationary at this point, called “Stagnation Point”. The
difference in the stagnation pressure (impact pressure) at this point (2)
and the static pressure measured by the static tube represents the pressure
rise associated with the direction of the fluid.
 Impact pressure head = Static pressure head + kinetic energy head
 where, Cp: dimensionless coefficient to take into account deviations

from Bernoulli’s equation and general varies between about 0.98 to 1.0.
 The first method, the velocity is measured at the
exact center of the tube to obtain umax. then by
using the Figure, the average velocity can be
obtained.
 The second method, readings are taken at several
known positions in the pipe cross section and then
a graphical or numerical integration is performed
to obtain the average velocity, from the following
equation;
4 - THE NOZZLE
 The nozzle is similar to the orifice meter other than that it has
a converging tube in place of the orifice plate, as shown in
below. The velocity of the fluid is gradually increased and the
contours are so designed that almost frictionless flow takes
place in the converging portion; the outlet corresponds to the
vena contracta on the orifice meter. When the ratio of the
pressure at the nozzle exit to the upstream pressure is less
than the critical pressure ratio ωc, the flow rate is independent
of the downstream pressure and can be calculated from the
upstream pressure alone.

Nozzle orifice
Expensive Least expensive
Long working life and almost Low working life due to wear
no maintenance in the edge
Generally Used to measure Used for clean fluid, can be
steam used for dilute slurries
High discharge coefficient = Low discharge coefficient=
0.99 0.62
It has permanent head loss The same permanent head
loss since it has no
diverging cone
5 VARIABLE AREA METERS –
ROTAMETERS
 In the Rotameter the drop in pressure is constant and the flow rate is
function of the area of constriction. When the fluid is flowing the
float rises until its weight is balanced by the up thrust of the fluid.
 Force balance on the float
 Gravity force = up thrust force +(drag force)Pressure forec
 Vf ρf g = Vf ρg + (–ΔP) Af
EXAMPLES
 1- A horizontal Venturi meter is used to measure the flow rate of water through
the piping system of 20 cm I.D, where the diameter of throat in the meter is d2
= 10 cm. The pressure at inlet is 17.658 N/cm 2 gauge and the vacuum pressure
of 35 cm Hg at throat. Find the discharge of water. Take Cd = 0.98.
 2- A Venturi meter is to be fitted to a 25 cm diameter pipe, in which the

maximum flow is 7200 lit/min and the pressure head is 6 m of water. What is
the maximum diameter of throat, so that there is non-negative head on it?
 3- A (30cm x 15cm) Venturi meter is provided in a vertical pipe-line carrying

oil of sp.gr. = 0.9. The flow being upwards and the difference in elevations of
throat section and entrance section of the venture meter is 30 cm. The
differential U-tube mercury manometer shows a gauge deflection of 25 cm.
Take Cd = 0.98 and calculate: -
 i-The discharge of oil
 Ii-The pressure difference between the entrance and throat sections.
EXAMPLES
 4- An orifice meter consisting of 10 cm diameter orifice in a 25 cm
diameter pipe has Cd = 0.65. The pipe delivers oil of sp.gr. = 0.8. The
pressure difference on the two sides of the orifice plate is measured by
mercury oil differential manometer. If the differential gauge is 80 cm
Hg, find the rate of flow.
 5- Water flow through an orifice meter of 25 mm diameter situated in a

75 mm diameter pipe at a rate of 300 cm3/s, what will be the difference
in pressure head across the meter μ = 1.0 mPa.s.
 6- Water flow at between 3000-4000 cm3/s through a 75 mm diameter

pipe and is metered by means of an orifice. Suggest a suitable size of
orifice if the pressure difference is to be measured with a simple water
manometer. What approximately is the pressure difference recorded at
the maximum flow rate? Cd = 0.6.
EXAMPLES
 7- A rotameter tube of 0.3 m long with an internal diameter of 25 mm at the top and
20 mm at the bottom. The diameter of float is 20 mm, its sp.gr. is 4.8 and its volume
is 6 cm3. If the coefficient of discharge is 0.7, what will be the flow rate water when
the float is half way up the tube?
 8- A Pitot tube is inserted in the pipe of 30 cm I.D. The static pressure head is 10 cm
Hg vacuum, and the stagnation pressure at center of the pipe is 0.981 N/cm2 gauge.
Calculate the discharge of water through the pipe if u/umax = 0.85. Take Cp = 0.98.
 9- A Pitot tube is placed at a center of a 30 cm I.D. pipe line has one orifice pointing
upstream and other perpendicular to it. The mean velocity in the pipe is 0.84 of the
center velocity (i.e. u/ux =0.94). Find the discharge through the pipe if: -
 i-The fluid flow through the pipe is water and the pressure difference between orifice
is 6 cm H2O.
 Ii-The fluid flow through the pipe is oil of sp.gr. = 0.78 and the reading manometer
is 6 cm H2O. Take Cp = 0.98.

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Chapter Five

 Its widely used to measure the liquid and gas

 The primary element of an orifice meter is

 where, Cp: dimensionless coefficient to take into account deviations

 2- A Venturi meter is to be fitted to a 25 cm diameter pipe, in which the

 3- A (30cm x 15cm) Venturi meter is provided in a vertical pipe-line carrying

 5- Water flow through an orifice meter of 25 mm diameter situated in a

 6- Water flow at between 3000-4000 cm3/s through a 75 mm diameter

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