Report 1

Flow Measurement

Zeinab Ahmed Elbhnsawi

193247

Submitted to: Dr. Mai Hassan

Fluid Mechanics

Year 2, Chemical Engineering

The British University in Egypt

Paper format: APA style with BUE guidelines

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Abstract

The following lab report discusses the friction in fluid in case of major and minor

losses separately where values of fluid amount, time, velocity and pressure change are

determined in order to calculate the friction coefficient in both cases where an inversely

proportional relation was established between velocity and friction coefficient.

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Table of contents

Abstract............................................................................................................................2

Table of contents.............................................................................................................3

List of tables and figures................................................................................................4

Introduction......................................................................................................................5

Experimental method and procedure............................................................................7

Experimental equipment and materials.....................................................................7

Experimental procedure..............................................................................................7

Experimental results.....................................................................................................10

Major Losses...............................................................................................................10

Minor Losses..............................................................................................................10

45 Degrees...............................................................................................................11

90 Degrees...............................................................................................................11

Valve.........................................................................................................................11

Discussion......................................................................................................................12

Sources of errors...........................................................................................................13

Conclusion.....................................................................................................................14

References......................................................................................................................15

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List of tables and figures

Figure 1. Moody chart........................................................................................................6

Figure 2. Major and Minor Losses.....................................................................................7

Figure 3. fluid friction apparatus........................................................................................8

Figure 4. pressure meter...................................................................................................9

Figure 5. 45 elbow.............................................................................................................9

Figure 6. 90 elbow...........................................................................................................10

Figure 7. valves...............................................................................................................10

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Introduction

Fluids get opposed to many factors, one of these factors is head losses. Head

losses can be defined as forms of energy lost or dissipated as result of friction in the

fluid system. These losses differ according to used pipes and valves, it is also affected

by velocity and pressure. These head losses cannot be avoided by any means as it is

usually produced by the friction of the fluid and the walls of the pipes (Head Losses,

n.d.).

These head losses can be differentiated as major losses and minor losses. Major losses

are losses due to friction of the liquid depending on its viscous character which is closer

to the pipe’s surface. The major head losses are caused as result of straight pipes

friction where they can be presented as function of Reynolds number, velocity,

dimensions and friction. An equation called Darcy’s equation is used to calculate the

major losses in which friction factor is determined by a chart called Moody chart (Major

Head Loss, n.d.).

∆ hgD
f= 2
2Lv

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Figure 1. Moody chart

On the other hand, there is minor head losses in which the losses are result of

components of pipes such as valves and bends. This type of losses refer to an extra

dissipation of energy due to the presence of a secondary flow of the fluid which is a

result of the bending and the valves, the loss coefficient in case of minor losses is

referred to as K and it is affected by the same factors as in major losses and can be

found by a certain relation (Sellens, n.d.).

∆ h2 g
K= 2
v

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Figure 2. Major and Minor Losses

Experimental method and procedure

Experimental equipment and materials

 Stopwatch

 Internal vernier caliper

 Venturi meter and a pilot tube

 Orifice plate

 Valves and certain bending in the pipes path

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Experimental procedure

 An amount of 10 L of water is pushed through the apparatus of the friction of the

fluid by a centrifugal pump with the use of a switch.

 The length of the flow is 1 m, and the diameter of the pipes is 16 mm in case of

major losses and 17 mm in case of minor loses.

 Firstly, the flow of the water goes through a straight valve and pressures values

and time taken is recorded for major head losses for three times.

 The same procedure is repeated but to record minor head losses using 45 and

90 degrees elbows and finally using a valve where for each one 3 values are

taken for pressure and time to use these results to find friction coefficients.

 Data are the presented in an excel sheet to find f and K values using certain

relations.

Figure 3. fluid friction apparatus

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Figure 4. pressure meter

Figure 5. 45 elbow

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Figure 6. 90 elbow

Figure 7. valves

Experimental results

Amount = 10 L

Major Losses

Diameter = 16 mm

Area = 2.01 x 10-4

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Q = velocity x area

∆ hgD
f= 2
2Lv

Volume Time (s) Q (m3/s) Velocity Δp (m H2O) f

(m3) (m/s2)
10 x10-3 24.54 4.07497 2.027348 298 5.68428
x10-4
10 x10-3 39.56 2.5278 x10-4 1.2576 253 12.541559
10 x10-3 70.11 1.42633 0.7096 173 26.93611
x10-4

ρDv
ℜ=
μ

Re for the first velocity = 32320

Re for the second velocity = 20121.6

Re for the third velocity = 11353.6

Minor Losses

Diameter = 17 mm

Area = 2.2698 x10-4

∆ h2 g
K= 2
v

45 Degrees

Volume Time (s) Q (m3/s) Velocity Δp (m H2O) k

(m3) (m/s2)
10 x10-3 40.21 2.48694 1.09566 79 1289.827
x10-4
10 x10-3 27.40 3.64963 1.6079 71 538.265
x10-4

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10 x10-3 22 4.5454 x10-4 2.002579 74 361.666

90 Degrees

Volume Time (s) Q (m3/s) Velocity Δp (m H2O) k

(m3) (m/s2)
10 x10-3 44 2.27272 1.001286 165 3225.698
x10-4
10 x10-3 38.43 2.60213 1.146413 210 3131.79
x10-4
10 x10-3 35.55 2.81293 1.239289 266 3394.63
x10-4

Valve

Volume Time (s) Q (m3/s) Velocity Δp (m H2O) k

(m3) (m/s2)
10 x10-3 19.54 5.1177 x10-4 2.25469 4 15.422
10 x10-3 23.45 4.26439 1.87875 10 55.52877
x10-4
10 x10-3 20 5 x10-4 2.202837 24 96.9399

Discussion

The obtained data from the fluid friction apparatus are tabulated in the results section in

tables in order to calculate the friction coefficients for both major and minor losses.

Firstly, in major losses the Q value is calculated using amount of fluid and time values,

then the velocity is calculated using Q = velocity x area where area is calculated using

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diameter. Then the difference in pressure is recorded from the apparatus so that the

friction rate is calculated using an equation,

∆ hgD
f=
2 L v2

Then Reynolds number is calculated using the following equation where it shows if the

flow is turbulent or laminar,

Re= ρDv/μ

The same steps are repeated using valves, 45 and 90 degrees elbows and the friction

coefficient is calculated using a certain equation,

∆ h2 g
K= 2
v

The tabulated results and findings stated that the values of friction coefficient are

inversely proportional with velocity so that as velocity increase the friction coefficient

decrease and vice versa so in order to decrease friction coefficient, velocity should be

increased.

Also, by changing the path, the amount of the friction coefficient and the velocity differs

where the values of the 45 degrees elbow differs than that of the 90 and that of the

valve and they all differ from the major loss in the straight pipe.

Sources of errors

There are many sources of errors in this experiment that can be sorted as human errors

and systematic errors. Human errors can be found in calculations and in making table, it

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can also be found in taking readings from the apparatus that may be not very accurate

and values may be sorted wrongly in the papers of the manual.

Systematic errors can be found in the friction fluid apparatus where a leakage may have

occurred causing difference in the recorded values and measurements. Fracture in the

manometer may also be detected that causes percentage of error in the results, the

stopwatch may be not calibrated well and finally the pressure meter may also not be

calibrated well.

Conclusion

This experiment used the fluid friction apparatus in four different means, straight pipes

to find major losses, 45, 90 degrees pipes and a valve to calculate minor losses. By

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pushing a certain amount of fluid with certain dimensions of the pipes, velocity changes

according to amount, time and area and then it is calculated and used to calculate

friction in all cases where it was found that friction increase by decreasing velocity and

vice versa.

References

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1. Head Losses. (n.d.). Retrieved from CorrosionPedia:

https://www.corrosionpedia.com/definition/625/head-loss

2. Major Head Loss. (n.d.). Retrieved from Nuclear power com:

https://www.nuclear-power.com/nuclear-engineering/fluid-dynamics/major-head-

loss-friction-loss/

3. Sellens, R. (n.d.). Losses in Pipes. Retrieved from Queen's University:

https://me.queensu.ca/People/Sellens/LossesinPipes.html

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