Orifice and Jet Flow Meter

Jupiter, Larisa Anne , Masicat, Czarina Jean, Oliva, Aurea Pauline,

Pabalan, Francis Aeron R., Vibar, Alexander Jimuel

CHE131L – Chemical Engineering Laboratory 1 / A03

3rd term of A.Y. 2018-2019

Mapúa Institute of Technology at Laguna

Malayan Colleges Laguna

ABSTRACT coefficient of discharge. According to Lienhard (V)

and Lienhard (IV), there are various way to calculate
The jet trajectory and orifice flow is an apparatus in
this parameters and one these methods is using the
the laboratory which allows the full study of the
trajectory method.
discharge through an orifice vertically mounted or
through the trajectory profiles. In the experiment Using the trajectory method, consider a tank shown
performed about using the apparatus, the trajectory in Fig.1, the water level in the tank H is measured
of the jet was measured by adjusting the needle point from the water surface to the center of the orifice.
to the water trajectory and plotting it in the graph
behind. Aside from the vertical distance, the
horizontal distance for each vertical distance is pt.1

measured as well. The coefficient of velocity and

discharge was then calculated by the derived formula
from Bernoulli equation (basis of the coefficient of
velocity calculation) and flowrate equation (basis of
coefficient of discharge calculation). The result of the pt. 2
experiment showed that the coefficient of discharge
and velocity were affected by the water level in the
vessel and the distance of the fluid from the orifice.
INTRODUCTION

An orifice is an opening in a vessel which where the

Figure 1. Orifice configuration and definition of
fluid comes out. As shown in Fig. 1, the fluid will
terms (Lienhard (V), J. H. & Lienhard (IV), J. H.,
continuously flow out as long as the level of the height
1984).
(h) of the liquid is above the orifice. The orifice is
usually circular at the side or base on the tank which The cross-sectional area of the fluid flowing out from
restrict to measure flow or to control pressure or flow. the orifice (Ajet) is less than the area of the orifice
It is used to determine the coefficient of velocity and (Aorifice). This phenomena is called vena contracta.

Experiment 1. Orifice and Jet Flow Meter By: Jupiter, Larisa Anne S.
Masicat, Czarina Jean
Oliva, Aurea Pauline
Pabalan, Francis Aeron R.
Vibar, Alexander Jimuel

CHE131L – A03 BS in Chemical Engineering

Vena contracta is usually fomerd downstream from 𝑉𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑢𝑎𝑙
𝐶𝑣 =
the contraction (Geankoplis, 1995). As shown in 𝑉𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑜

Fig.2, before the liquid flows out from the orifice, it

Equation 2. Coefficient of velocity, Cv
loses energy. As a result, the jet gets contracted. The
maximum contraction of the jet happens at a section As shown in Fig. 3, After flowing out from the orifice,
where the flow of the fluid approaches the horizontal the jet trajectory is dropping due to gravitational force.
direction. The vertical dropping distance Y from the starting
point is:

1 2
𝑌= 𝑔𝑡
2

Equation 3. Vertical falling velocity of the jet

Figure 2. Flow of Fluid leaving the orifice.

(http://diracdelta.co.uk/science/source/v/e/vena

%20contracta/source.html)

The velocity leaving the orifice can be found from

Bernoulli`s equation. The velocity consists of two
components, the horizontal and vertical component.
Figure 3. Trajectory of the jet from constant head
In this equation, the air resistance is considered
tank
negligible, thus making the velocity constant.
Manipulating Eq. 3, to obtain the equation of time to
𝑣𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑜 = √2𝑔𝐻
reach that vertical distance Y, the actual velocity at
each Y can be calculated using the equation:
𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑔 = 𝑎𝑐𝑐𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑑𝑢𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑣𝑖𝑡𝑦,

𝑋 𝑋
𝐻 = 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑙𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑙 𝑉𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑢𝑎𝑙 = =
𝑡 2𝑌
√
𝑔
Equation 1. Theoretical velocity of the jet
Equation 4. Actual Velocity, Vactual
Actually due to energy losses, the actual velocity is
lesser than the theoretical velocity. The ratio of the However, the change in velocity of the fluid also
actual velocity to the theoretical velocity is called the affects the volumetric flow rate, hence, the need to
coefficient of velocity. calculate the change in the amount of fluid discharge.
The ratio of the actual volumetric flow rate to the

2
theoretical volumetric flow rate is called the coefficient water levels or constant heads for a same
of discharge. given orifice diameter.
3. To determine the effect of varying the water
𝑄𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑢𝑎𝑙
𝐶𝑑 = level in the tank (H) to the trajectory of the
𝑄𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑜
fluid leaving the orifice.
Equation 5. Coefficient of discharge, Cd 4. To determine the effect of varying the water
level in the tank (H) to the coefficient of
The actual volumetric flow rate is just the measuring
velocity and coefficient of discharge.
volume over measuring time and the theoretical
5. To compare the differences of jet trajectories
volumetric flow rate is the area of orifice multiplied by
relative to the theory of fluid mechanics.
theoretical velocity. Manipulating Eq. 5 with these
definition will yield to,

METHODOLOGY
𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑣𝑜𝑙.
𝑜𝑟 𝑄𝑎𝑐𝑡
𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒
𝐶𝑑 = 2
𝜋𝑑 1. Instruments and equipment used in the
2𝑔𝐻
4 √
experiment:
Equation 6. Coefficient of discharge, Cd 1.1 Hydraulics Bench
1.2 Orifice and Jet Flow Instrument
1.3 Graphing Paper
A sample sketch of the orifice and jet apparatus for
1.4 500 mL Beaker (Measuring
determination of the hydraulic coefficient Cv and Cd Cup)
is shown in Fig. 4. 1.5 Stop Watch

Figure 5: Orifice and Jet Flow Instrument

Figure 4. Sketch of the orifice and jet apparatus 2. Setup the graphing paper on the probe
board of the Orifice and Jet Flow instrument.
EXPERIMENT OBJECTIVES 3. Setup the Orifice and Jet Flow instrument on
top of the Hydraulic Bench, adjust the
apparatuses used for leveling.
1. To operate an Orifice and Jet Flow
4. Take note of the used diameter of the
Instrument. orifice.
2. To determine the coefficient of velocity (Cv) 5. Open the water supply from the Hydraulics
Bench to achieve a steady flow with
and coefficient of discharge (Cd) for different
minimum overflow.
3
 6. Adjust manually the overflow pipe to obtain Experiment No.
the desired level of water in the tank.
1 2 3 4 5
7. Record the distance, in millimeters, of the
upper tips of the probe profiles as well as Cv,1 - - - - -
the Y = 0 mark.
Cv,2 1.1043 1.2659 1.0196 1.0102 1.0206
8. Record the volume of flow using a stop
watch and a measuring cup. Cv,3 1.0273 1.0533 1.0421 0.9449 0.9848
Cv,4 1.0081 1.0230 1.0196 0.9600 0.9713
DATA AND RESULTS
Table 1. Parameters Cv,5 0.9761 1.0008 0.9797 0.9545 0.9644
Orifice Diameter = 3mm Cv,6 0.9564 0.9725 0.9748 0.9515 0.9412
Cross-Sectional Area of Orifice = 7.06858 x10-6 m2 Cv,7 0.9603 0.9556 0.9590 0.9547 0.9463
Experiment No.
1 2 3 4 5 Cv,8 0.9594 0.9612 0.9531 0.9759 0.9470
Water
Level H, 410 390 370 350 200 Table 4. Experimental Coefficient of Discharge,
mm
Cd
Volume,
270 265 260 250 205
mL Experiment No.
Time, s 20 20 20 20 20
1 2 3 4 5
Flow
Rate Cd 0.6734 0.6776 0.6826 0.6748 0.6547
Qact, 1.350 1.325 1.300 1.250 1.025
m3/s
x10-5 Trajectory of Jet
Distance X from orifice, mm
0 200 400 600
Table 2. Distance (Y) from graph, mm
0
Experiment No.
Distance Y from orifice, mm

1 2 3 4 5 50
X1 = 50,
0 0 0 0 0
Y1=? 100
X2 = 100,
5 4 6.5 7 12
Y2=? 150
X3 = 150, Q =1.35x10-5 m3/s
13 13 14 18 29
Y3=? 200
Q =1.325x10-5 m3/s
X4 = 200, Q = 1.30 x10-5 m3/s
24 24.5 26 31 53
Y4=? Q = 1.25 x10-5 m3/s
250
X5 = 250, Q = 1.025 x10-5 m3/s
40 40 44 49 84
Y5=?
X6 = 300, Figure 6. Graph of the Jet Trajectory
60 61 64 71 127
Y6=?
X7 = 350,
81 86 90 96 171
Y7=?
X8 = 400,
106 111 119 120 223
Y8=?
ANALYSIS, INTERPRETATION, & CONCLUSION
Table 3. Experimental Coefficient of Velocity, Cv

4
The experimental determination of coefficient of
velocity and coefficient of discharge was facilitated by Using Table 2 and Fig. 7, it can be verified that at
the used of the HB019 Orifice and Jet Flow. lower water level, the jet trajectory is steeper 𝐻 ∝
1
. Thus, an inversely proportional
𝑌 (𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙 𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒)
As shown in Table 1, varying the water level H
relationship between H and Y can be made.
resulted from different volumetric flow rate at constant
time t. This phenomena can be explained due to the
In Table 3, it shows the coefficient of velocity values
loss in potential energy. Applying the mechanical
at each different water levels. At a specific water level,
energy balance (leading to Bernoulli`s equation) at pt.
the coefficient of velocity data shows a slightly
1 and pt. 2 at Fig. 1. will prove the loss of energy.
decreasing trend with respect to increasing horizontal
𝑄 + 𝑊 = ∆𝐻 + ∆𝐾𝐸 + ∆𝑃𝐸
distance, x. Moreover, varying the water level shows
𝑣22 − 02
0+0=0+ + 2𝑔(0 − 𝐻) a changing coefficient of velocity. At constant
2
horizontal distance with higher water level, the
𝑣 = √2𝑔𝐻
coefficient of velocity is higher than those with lower
(𝐵𝑒𝑟𝑛𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑙𝑖`𝑠 𝐸𝑞𝑢𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛)
water level. However, this differences are abrupt in
The loss in potential energy is due to the decreasing
values. This trends can also be explained by the loss
water level resulting to a lower liquid`s velocity. A
of potential energy due to lower initial water level.
lower liquid velocity is associated to a lower
According to Liendhard (V) and Lienhard (IV) (1984),
volumetric flow rate (𝑄 ∝ √𝐻).
it is common assumption that Cv values ranges from
0.97-0.99. Comparing with the data, not all fits with
At every water level, there is a specific jet trajectory
the common assumed value and this is associated
formed. At higher water level, there is more potential
with experimental errors.
energy for the liquid to flow so the depth of the jet
trajectory is lower (Fig.7). This is opposite when the
The coefficient of discharge is a parameter to
water level is lower. Since in the experiment, air
determine the decrease in the actual flow rate to the
resistance is considered negligible, the jet trajectories
theoretical flow. In Table 4, Cd at the highest water
follows the general projectile motion equation.
level is higher than the Cd of the lowest water level.
𝑔𝑥 2
𝑦 = 𝑥𝑡𝑎𝑛𝜃 − Based on Hicks and Slaton (2014), coefficient of
2𝑣𝑜 2 𝑐𝑜𝑠 2 (𝜃)
discharge experimental data with no-grommet case
Equation 7. General equation for projectile motion
(Cd ≈0.65), the data in Table 4 is near that value. A
At the point where the liquid comes out from the
trend between Cd and H cannot be determine due to
orifice, the angle based on the horizontal with respect
the fluctuations of Cd values. This is also associated
to the liquid is zero. The Vo is the velocity of the jet
with experimental errors.
leaving the orifice. Considering same horizontal
distance, x at every jet trajectory, it shows that at
One possible source of error is the parallax error.
higher velocity, the depth of the trajectory is smaller
Since the experiment is highly dependent of length
than those with lower velocity. Referring to Fig. 6, it
measurements and volume measurements, a small
shows the differences of each jet trajectory with
change in this readings can cause changes in the
different water level.
calculated hydraulic coefficients (Cv and Cd). The
5
parallax errors are due to human reading errors. 𝑀𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒𝑑 𝑉𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒
𝑄𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑢𝑎𝑙 =
Other sources of error include water temperature 𝑅𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑟𝑑𝑒𝑑 𝑇𝑖𝑚𝑒

fluctuations since viscosity and density is dependent Equation 8. Actual Volumetric Flow Rate
to temperature.

According to the results we gathered, we can 270 𝑚𝐿 1𝐿 1 𝑚3

𝑄𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑢𝑎𝑙 = 𝑥 𝑥
20 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑑𝑠 1000 𝑚𝐿 1000𝐿
conclude that the actual flow rate is lower than the
theoretical. This is due to the contraction of the
𝑚3
diameter of the jet after passing the orifice which is 𝑄𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑢𝑎𝑙 = 1.35 × 10−5
𝑠
called the vena contracta. Also, the energy loss due
to the viscosity of the water when flowing is also a (b) Coefficient of Velocity, Cv
factor.

𝑉𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑢𝑎𝑙 1 𝑋
𝐶𝑣 = =
As for the coefficient of discharge, it is concluded that 𝑉𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑜 2 √𝑌𝐻
the discharge varies by depending on the water level Equation 9. Coefficient of Velocity
in the tank of changing the orifice size. In conclusion,
the higher the height of water gives high flow rate
1 100𝑚𝑚
which results to high discharge coefficient, therefore 𝐶𝑣,2 =
2 √5𝑚𝑚 𝑥 410𝑚𝑚
the reservoir can be voided at shorter time. Also, the
𝐶𝑣,2 = 1.1043
results also varies since there are also errors that are
done and experienced when conducting the
experiment. (c) Coefficient of Discharge, Cd
𝑄𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑢𝑎𝑙 𝑄𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑢𝑎𝑙
𝐶𝑑 = = 2
REFERENCES 𝑄𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑜 𝜋𝑑
2𝑔𝐻
4 √
1. Lienhard (V), J. H. (1984). Velocity coefficients for
free jets from sharp-edged orifices. Journal of Equation 10. Coefficient of Discharge
Fluids Engineering, 106. 1.35 𝑥 10−5 𝑚3 /𝑠
𝐶𝑑 =
𝜋(0.003𝑚)2
2. Geankoplis, C.J. (1995). Transport Process and
4 √2 𝑥 9.81𝑚/𝑠 2 𝑥 0.410𝑚
Unit Operations, 3rd edition
Cd = 0.6734
3. Hicks, A., & Slaton, W. (2014). Determining the
Coefficient of Discharge for a Draining Container.
The Physics Teacher, 52(1), 43-47.
doi:10.1119/1.4849155

APPENDICES

For Flow Rate ( as in Table 1):

(a) Flow rate, Qactual