OBAFEMI AWOLOWO UNIVERSITY, ILE-IFE

DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

Harmarttan Semester 2016/2017 Session

CVE 493 – HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING LABORATORY

Experiment Number 1
CALIBRATION OF A SHARP-CRESTED WEIR

Submitted By: Group 5

S/N NAME REGISTRATION SIGNATURE

NUMBER
1 BALOGUN Emmanuel Adedeji CVE/2013/061
2 OYEBODE Innocent Ayotunde CVE/2014/063
3 OGUNSOLA Samuel Blessing CVE/2013/033
4 IDOWU Jamiu Adekunle CVE/2013/025
5 ODEMAKINDE Taiwo CVE/2013/031
6 ADEGBITE Martins Adejuwon FST/2013/001
7 MOSHOOD Abiola CVE/2013/
8 ALAWODE Abdulmaliq Abiodun CVE/2013/015
9 NASIR Sheriff Omolaja CSC/2013/056
10 AJAYI Temiloluwa Joshua CVE/2013/
11 OGUNDEJI Damilare Florentin CVE/2014/
12 OLANLOKUN Samson Omotoso CVE/2014/061
13 OLUWO Mumini Dayo CVE/2014/062
14 AJALA Michael Olatunji CVE/2013/009
15 ADEDOKUN Funsho CVE/2013/001
16 AKINTOLA Ibukun Josiah CVE/2013/012

August 2017
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this experiment was to determine the discharge coefficient of a
sharp-crested 90˚ triangular weir.

THEORETICAL BACKGROUND
Fluids mechanics has developed as an analytical discipline from the application of the
classical laws of statistics, dynamics and thermodynamics, to situations in which fluids
can be treated as continuous media. The particular laws involved are those of the
conservation of mass, energy and momentum and, in each application, these laws can
be simplified in an attempt to describe quantitatively the behaviour of the fluid.

A weir is an opening in the sidewall of a tank at top. The stream of liquid coming out
the weir is known as a nappe, sheet, or vein. There is no difference between a notch and
weir except that the former is a small structure and has sharp edges. A weir is generally
an overflow structure, with a broad crest, built across an open channel. The terms air
and weirs are used synonymously in general. The top of weir wall over which the liquid
flows is known as the sill or crest. The head under which the weir is discharging is
measured from the crest to the free surface. A weir or notch is generally used for
measuring the flow of liquids. [1]

In this experiment, we are using the triangular weirs. Rectangular weirs and triangular
or v-notch weirs are often used in water supply, wastewater and sewage systems. They
consist of a sharp edged plate with a rectangular, triangular or v-notch profile for the
water flow. Broad-crested weirs can be observed in dam spillways where the broad edge
is beneath the water surface across the entire stream. Flow measurement installations
with broad-crested weirs will meet accuracy requirements only if they are calibrated. [3]

There are different types of weir. It may be a simple metal plate with a V-notch cut into
it, or it may be a concrete and steel structure across the bed of a river. A weir which
causes a large change of water level behind it, compared to the error inherent in the
depth measurement method, will give an accurate indication of the flow rate. Some of
them are:
i) Broad-crested weir

A broad-crested weir is a flat-crested structure, with a long crest compared to the flow
thickness (Chanson 1999,2004, Henderson 1966, Sturm 2001). When the crest is
“broad”, the streamlines become parallel to the crest invert and the pressure distribution
above the crest is hydrostatic. The hydraulic characteristics of broad-crested weirs were
studied during the 19th and 20th centuries. Practical experience showed that the weir
overflow is affected by the upstream flow conditions and the weir geometry. [2]

ii) Sharp crested weir (fayoum weir)

A sharp-crested weir allows the water to fall cleanly away from the weir. Sharp crested
weirs are typically 1/4" or thinner metal plates. Sharp crested weirs come in many
different shapes such as rectangular, V-notch and Cipolletti weirs. [2]

iii) Combination weir

The sharp crested weirs can be considered into three groups according to the geometry
of weir: a) the rectangular weir, b) the V or triangular notch and c) special notches, such
as trapezoidal, circular or parabolic weirs. For accurate flow measurement over a wider
range of flow rates, a combination weir combines a V-notch weir with a rectangular
weir. This is typically used in pipes ranging from 4" to 15" in diameter. [2]

Theory of the Triangular or V notch[4]

Fig 1: Triangular or V Notch

  
5
8
Qt  C d tan   2 g H 2
15  2 

Where

Qt = volume flow rate

H = height above notch base

B = width of rectangular notch

θ = angle of the Vee in the triangular notch

Cd = the discharge coefficient, which has to be determined by experiment

Thus,

Cd = 15Qt .
8 tan (θ/2) √ (2g) H5/2

For a rectangular notch the rate of discharged is proportional to the liquid depth raised
to power 1.5 and for the triangular notch to a power of 2.5. A triangular notch will
therefore handle a wider range of flowrates. It can be shown that the notch must have
curved walls giving a large width to the bottom of the notch and a comparatively small
width towards the top. The weir is frequently installed for controlling the flow within
the unit itself, for instance in a distillation column or reactor. [5]
APPARATUS

Fig 2.0 The hydraulic bench apparatus

1. The hydraulic bench which allows us to measure flow by timed volume collection.
2. The stilling baffle
3. The Vee Notch
4. Verneir height gauge
5. Stop watch
6. Spirit level

EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE

1. The hydraulic bench was positioned so that its surface is horizontal (necessary
because flow over notch is driven by gravity).
2. The triangular notch plate was mounted into the flow channel and the stilling baffle
was positioned as shown in the diagram.
3. In order to measure the datum height (with the height gauge) of the base of the
notch, the instrument carrier was positioned in the opposite way round from that
shown in the diagram.
4. Then carefully the gauge was lowered until the point was just above the notch base
and the coarse adjustment screw was locked.
5. Then, using the fine adjustment, the gauge was adjusted until the point just touched
the notch bottom and a reading would be taken. Here we must be careful not to
damage the notch.
6. The instrument carrier was mounted as shown in the diagram and it would be
approximately located half way between the stilling baffle and the notch plate.
7. The bench control valve was opened and water was admitted to the channel.
8. The general features of the flow were observed and recorded.
9. To take an accurate height reading, the fine adjustment was used to lower the gauge
until the point just touched its reflection in the surface and the water flow are waited
till its flow are steady.
10. The flow rate was ensured large enough to prevent the outflow from the notch
“clinging” to the notch plate. It was projected clear of the plate.
11. The time are started when the ball valve close the tank outflow and stop until the
water level reach a certain litre of water.
12. After determined the volume collected, the valve was opened again at the end of
the measurement.
13. This procedure was repeated 8 times by having opened the bench valve further, the
level was checked in stable condition before taking readings.
14. The flowrates of the water is then calculated.
RESULTS

Table 1: Results from the experiment

Height, H H5/2 Log H Flowrate, Q Log Q Discharged

(m) ( m3/s ) coefficient.
Cd
11.19 × 10-2 4.189 × 10-3 5.545 × 10-3 0.560

10.31 × 10-2 3.413 × 10-3 4.369 × 10-3 0.541

9.40 × 10-2 2.709 × 10-3 3.460 × 10-3 0.541

8.50 × 10-2 2.106 × 10-3 2.608 × 10-3 0.524

7.73 × 10-2 1.661 × 10-3 2.050 × 10-3 0.522

10.11 × 10-2 3.250 × 10-3 4.180 × 10-3 0.544

10.59 × 10-2 3.650 × 10-3 4.726 × 10-3 0.548

11.07 × 10-2 4.077 × 10-3 5.307 × 10-3 0.551

SAMPLE CALCULATIONS

θ = 90O

g = 9.81 m/s

For H = 11.19 × 10-2 m

H 5/2 = 4.189 x 10-3

Volumetric flowrate, Q = 5.545 × 10-3 m3/s

 15Q
Discharged coefficient, Cd = 5
𝜃
8 tan2 √2g H 2

15 × 5.545 × 10−3
= 90
8 tan
2
√2g ×4.189 ×10−3

= 0.560

GRAPH OF LOG Q AGAINST LOG H

DISCUSSION

From the experiment, we determined the discharged coefficient of the 90˚ triangular
notch. The discharged coefficient for triangular notches are influenced by its θ, H and
also its volumetric flow rate.

From the results, we can see that the volumetric flow rate is increased. These showed
that the water outflow increased as the H increased. These is supposed to happen as the
water level increased, the water outflow from the notch should be increased over time.
But from the discharged coefficient, we can see that the value of the notch is not stable.
This may be from the friction at the head of the notch during the start of the experiment.
The friction will affect the time taken to collect the quantity of the water. Thus it will
affect the volumetric flow rate and also the discharged coefficient as the volumetric
flow rate influenced the value of the Cd.

These deviations of values are contributed by the errors during handling the experiment.
If we take it as overall errors, most of errors occurred when step of taking the height
started. First, we have to be careful about the height of datum. For convenience, it is
recommended to take your datum height as zero.Other than that, the time should be
taken at least 3 times to take the average so that the error during the time taken can be
minimized. The purpose of doing it is to minimize the errors. Besides that, we noticed
that there is inconsistency in our readings because of the error that occur.

CONCLUSION

i) V-notch has small range of variations for the value of Cd. This is because this notch
has an angle at its bottom where about 90o. This angle might affect the values of
flowrate and Cd.
ii) Experimentally the discharged coefficient, Cd obtained is very reasonable.
REFERENCES

1. http://www.gitam.edu/eresource/environmental/murali/notches.htm
2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weir
3. http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/weirs-flow-rate-d_592.html
4. http://www.cussons.co.uk/SOFTWARE/Part5/PART5.HTM
5. Fluid Flow, Heat Transfer and Mass Transfer Volume 1, Sixth Edition, Coulson
& Richardson’s Chemical Engineering by J M Coulson & J F Richardson with J
R Backhurst and J H Harker.