Fluids lab

Experiment no :3
Fundamentals of Pressure Measurement
Introduction : Pressure of a fluid is the normal force
exerted by a fluid on a unit area. The pressure
designated will be either an absolute pressure or a
gauge pressure. Absolute pressure is measured relative
to a perfect vacuum (absolute zero pressure), whereas
gauge pressure is measured relative to the local
atmospheric pressure. Absolute pressures are positive,
but gauge pressure can be either positive (above
atmospheric pressure) or negative (below atmospheric
pressure) U-tube manometers, bourdon gauge and the
pressure transducer used in this experiment to measure
.the pressure
Manometer: It is a widely used device for :1
measurement of fluid pressure under steady state and
laboratory conditions. This method involves balancing
the unknown pressure against the pressure produced by
a fluid column of known density. The manometer gives
directly the gauge pressure. In order to improve the
resolution on very low-pressure manometers, the
indicating tube is inclined to cause a greater linear
movement than a vertical tube. U-tube and inclined 2:
Bourdon Pressure Gauge: The Bourdon tube is usually
an elliptical cross-section tube having a ‘C’ shape
configuration. When pressure is admitted to the inside
of the tube, an elastic deformation results, which tries
to straighten up the tube. One end of the tube is fixed
and the other end is free to move and is connected to a
spring-loaded linkage, which amplifies the displacement
and transforms it into an angular rotation of the pointer
.3: Pressure Transducer: The operation of this device is
based on the principle of elastic deformation of a
sensitive element. The commonly used transducer is the
strain-gage base transducer. It converts pressure into an
analog electrical signal by the physical deformation of
strain gages. Pressure applied to the transducer
produces a deflection of the diaphragm which
introduces strain to the gages. The strain will produce an
electrical resistance changes proportionally to the
.pressure
Aim: To get familiar with different pressure measuring
instruments and to verify the theoretical manometer
.equation for measurement of pressure

. :Equipment
Direct method with U-tube manometer and inclined :1
tube manometer

:Procedure
Familiarize with adjusting the pressure of the pump .1
.using the control knobs
Check the range of pressures to which each .2
.instrument can be exposed
Connect the U-tube manometer and the pressure .3
.transducer to the network
Get multiple pressure readings by increasing the .4
.pressure gradually
Repeat steps 3 and 4 but connect the U-tube .5
manometer with the Bourdon gauge instead of the
.pressure transducer

:Calculations & results

;Disscution
 Experiment :3
Calibration of a Bourdon Pressure Gage
Introduction: Instrument calibration is one of the
primary processes used to maintain instrument
accuracy. It is the process of configuring an instrument
to provide results within an acceptable range. Known
weights have been applied on a Dead Weight Calibrator
to apply pressure to a fluid for checking the accuracy of
readings from a pressure gage. Various types of pressure
measuring instrument have been used to measure the
pressure intensity at any point in static or moving fluid.
One of these devices is the Bourdon tube pressure gage.
Bourdon-tube pressure gages are most widely used
nowa-days because of their reliability, compactness, low
cost and ease of use. It consists of a curved tube
When pressure is applied to the tube, it tends to
straighten out, and the deflection of the end of the tube
is communicated through a system of levers to a
recording pointer. This gauge is widely used for steam
and compressed gases. The pressure indicated is the
difference between the system pressure and to the
external (ambient) pressure, and is usually referred to as
the gauge pressure
The bourdon gage is the most popular pressure
measuring device for both liquids and gasses. It can be
connected to any source of pressure such as a pipe or
vessel containing a pressurized fluid. I. Bourdon Gage:
The Bourdon Gauge is fitted with a transparent dial,
which lets you see the internal workings of the gauge.
The gauge consists of a thin walled closed ended tube
which is oval in cross section. This tube is bent through
an angle of about 270o along its long axis. The open end
of the tube is welded to a hollow mounting block which
allows the pressurized fluid to reach the tube. This
causes the pressure from the source to be transmitted
directly to the inside of the bourdon tube. The applied
pressure causes the oval tube to become rounder (since
a round cross section has the maximum area for a given
circumference). As it becomes rounder, the bourdon
tube tends to uncurl which causes its free end to move.
A system of linkages and levers transmits this motion to
the gauge needle which moves over the scale. 2. Dead
Weight Calibrator: In order to obtain very accurate
pressure measurements, it is essential to regularly re-
calibrate the gauge. This is because the tube tends to
become weaker with extended use. The usual procedure
is to apply a known pressure to the gauge using a device
called a Dead Weight Calibrator. The normal calibration
procedure is to load the gauge for known pressures,
using a dead weight calibrator including a liquid of
known specific gravity (use water as the liquid). This
dead weight tester uses a simple piston and cylinder
arrangement to provide a source of pressurized liquid
(in the experiment water will produced a better result
than oil) which is transmitted to the gauge. Since the
true pressure of the liquid can be easily calculated, the
value can be compared directly to the reading on the
gauge over the complete scale range. (The scale range is
the range of pressures from zero to the full-scale
deflection value). The dead weight tester consists of a
cylindrical piston which is free to move vertically in a
close fitting cylinder. A Platen is attached to the piston
which can be loaded with a series of accurate weights.
The pressure developed in the cylinder is transmitted via
a transparent tube to the gauge under test. The cylinder
is mounted on a base board which is supported on
.leveling screws and fitted with a spirit level

Aim: To calibrate a Bourdon type pressure gage and to

:Procedure
.Measure the weight of the calibration masses .1
Note down the weight of the piston and it’s cross .2
.sectional area
Remove the piston and pour the water into the .3
cylinder until it is full to overflow level. Any air trapped
in the tube may be cleared by tilting and gently tapping
the apparatus
Insert the piston carefully and spin it to minimize any .4 .
friction effects
Note the pressure reading from the gage .5 .
Add the weights in convenient increments, and at .6 .
.each increment, observe the pressure gage reading
Take the similar sets of readings with decreasing .7
weights

: Calculation results

:Discussion
:Conclusion
inclined is more graduated so its more precise :1
gauge  are the most accurate and very easy to read. :2
Most will display air pressure
about 14.7 pounds per square inch :3
the pressure to be measured is applied to one side of :4
 ,the tube producing a movement of liquid
How can you find specific weight of unknown liquid :5
?when you have just head of liquid