HO CHI MINH CITY UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY

OFFICE FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDY PROGRAMS

FLUID MECHANICS EXPERIMENTS

REPORT
 EXPERIMENT 3A: ENERGY EQUATION
PURPOSE: To investigate energy equation in current, having changeable cross section
THEORY: The energy of one weight unit of fluid at a section is determined by 3 parts:

V i2
- Kinetic energy α
2g
pi
- Force
γ
- The elevation zi
With zi, pi, Vi alternately are elevation, pressure and average velocity of the water current at
cross-section i, α is kinetic fixing coefficient, α appears in the component of …. Is due to
unsteady velocity distribution (by friction in the current) above the section.

( ) dA
3
1 u
α=
A
∬ V
(3.1)

With u, V alternately are point velocity and average velocity above wet cross-section with
area A.
With the inside current, when moving layers, α = 2, during the tangled motion,  = 1.05 –
1.15. To determine  more accurate, we need to know the rule for distributing velocity u in
section A and using formula (3.1) to find. Normally, for fluctuated flow, we use  = 1 to
make the calculation easier.
So at section (i) the energy of a liquid weight is equal to:

ai V 2i pi
H i= + +z
2g γ i
With Hi is the total water column (m)
Consider the flow is stable from section 1-1 to section 2-2, it can be described as an energy
equation:

p1 a1 V 21 p2 a2 V 22
z 1+ + =z 2+ + +hf (3.2)
γ 2g γ 2g 1−2

With h f 1−2 is the energy loss of the flow from section 1-1 to section 2-2
If neglecting the energy loss, equation (3.1)is:

p aV2
z+ + =const (3.3)
γ 2g
Equation (3.3) show us the derive of potential energy z + p/ and kinetic energy V2/2g
of the flow. From section with small area to section have big area, the kinetic energy
decrease and the potential energy increase.
It is usually called that the potential energy z + p/ as the water column and the kinetic
energy V2/2g as the velocity water column and the total of these 2 are the total energy of
the flow or total water column.
I. Experiment tool

 Water from tank (6) is pumped into tank (1) flow into glass channel through valve (2) (to
change discharge).
 The horizontal section of the glass channel (3) is rectangle, in which bottom width B=78mm.
 Broad crested – weir (4) has a trapezoidal cross – section, with the sides angle is 45 o. Height is
a = 33.1.

 The water level after broad crested weir is changed by the valve (5) located at the end of the
channel. Then the water is poured into the tank (6) through the rectangular overflow.
 Point gauge and Vernier (7) are mounted on the glass channel (3) to determine channel bottom
level and water level in the glass channel.

II. Experiment step

1- Determine the location of the section in the cannel to the point from 1 to 6 according
from the upstream to the downstream in which the middle is point at trail 40 cm in the
 cannel, the position of the section in the cannel accumulated to the picture below. The
distance between the section is:
L1−2=L2−3=L4 −5 =L5−6=20 cm ; L3− 4=3.7 cm
2- Measure the depth of the bottom of the cannel Zđi correspond with section 1 to 6.
Record the measurement to the table 1.
3- Use the valve (5) to adjust the flow and water level in the cannel so that the water
level in the downstream is higher than the upstream.
4- Wait for the flow remain stable, use the needle (7) to measure the height of the free
surface zi from section 1 to 6. Record the measurement to the table 1
5- Remain the flow unchanged, adjust the water level in the upstream by using valve (5)
(this time the downstream is lower than the upstream, see the black mark in the
cannel). Wait for the flow remain stable, start to measure like step 4. Record to the
table 1.
III. Instruction
1. Calculate the velocity
The average velocity at section I equal to:
Q
V i= (3.4)
Ai

Q = 0.48 L/s
With Ai is the area of section Ai = Bhi
The width of cannel B = 78mm;
The water level from the bottom of the cannel: hi = |Zđi – Zi|; Zi and Zđi are the water surface
elevation and the depth of the cannel in each section.
Attention:
- Check all the system to make sure it work safely
- Turn on the switch
- Before bumping the water, check the water level in the cannel to avoid the water
spill out.
2. Calculate the water column velocity
The average water column velocity at section i:
2
Vi
hV =
i
2g
(3.5)
3. Determine the energy lost
The energy lost between section i and j are determined by using Bernoulli equation (3.1)
between 2 sections:

( )
2 2
pi aV i pj aV j
hV = z i + + −( z j + + )=( zi +h Vi )−( z j +hVj )
ij
γ 2g γ 2g
 pi p j
With zi and zj are the elevation of water level from section I to j; = =0
γ γ
We also have  = 1 and the average water column velocity is calculated like (3.5)
Apply (3.6) to calculate energy loss of the flow from section 1 to 2 (hf1-2), from section 2 to 3
(hf2-3), from section 3 to 4 (h3-4), from section 4 to 5 (hf4-5), from section 5 to 6 (hf5-6).
Determine for both cases.
4. Determine the change of water surface
If neglecting the energy loss of the flow from section 1 to I randomly (i=26), and if we
assume that the flow of all section are stable or hardly changed:

V 21 V2
z 1+ = z i+ i (3.7)
2g 2g
Choose a standard plane at the bottom of the cannel (in the experiment, the bottom of the
cannel is a horizontal plane):
zi= hi if i before and after the step
zi = hi + a if I on the step (3.8)
Use Vi from (3.4), zi from (3.7) to place at equationg 3.8:
If i before and after the step

Q2 Q2
h1 + =hi + (3.9)
2 g B2 h21 2 g B 2 hi2

If i on the step:

Q2 Q2
h1 + −a=h i + (3.10)
2 g B2 h21 2 g B 2 h2i

In equation (3.9) and (3.10), if we know the figure in the left side, we can find hi is a result of
a third order equation. Solving this equation by using trial-and-error method to find hi.
Attention: By using the trial-and-error method, we have the original hi (smaller or bigger
than hi we measure), replace to the right side of the equation (3.9) or (3.10), if the result in
right side is higher than the left side, decreasing the value of hi and calculate again to
compare the result with the left side until it is equal we can take hi.
5. Draw the water surface line in the cannel
Draw in the same diagram with the bottom of the cannel and the water surface line calculate
from (3.10) and hi. Give out the conclusion that the water level in downstream is higher than
that in the upstream

EXPERIMENT REPORT
 I. Preparation
1. How to measure the water level and the bottom coordinate?
Ans: A measuring needle (7) is used to measure the water level and the bottom coordinate
2. How to adjust the water level in the channel? How many water level modes in the
downstream for the experiment?
Ans: A valve (5) is used to adjust the water level in the channel. There are two water level
modes in the downstream:
+ The water level in the downstream is higher than that on the ladder
+ The water level in the downstream is lower than that on the ladder
3. How many kinds of energy loss in the experiment?
Ans: There is one main kind of energy loss which is losses along the wa
Table 1: The coordinates of bottom and free surface

No Section 1 2 3 4 5 6
Bottom height
7.53 7.53 10.42 10.42 7.52 7.52
Zd,cm
1 Water level 14.04 13.92 13.44 12.78 12.91 13.28
2 Zi, cm 14.40 14.32 13.85 13.96 14.15 14.21
Distance from section i to section i+1,cm 20 18.2 3.6 18.2 20
Accrual distance from section 1 to section
20 38.2 41.8 60 80
i+1,cm

I. Calculation and results

1. Calculate the current velocity and water column at each section based one equation
(3.4) and (3.5). Calculate for 2 attempt. Write the result into table 2
2. With 2 attempt, calculate the energy lost among each section based one equation (3.6)
3. Based on the water level at section 1. Calculate the water column h, at sections I with
equation (3.9) and (3.10) by testing method. Calculate for the first attempt. Write the
results into table 2.
4. In figure 1, draw the bottom of the channel:
a. Based on the results measure zi in Table 3, draw on Figure 1 a “measuring” waterline
(draw for the first water level).
b. Based on the results calculate hi by testing method in Table 3, drawing on Figure 1 an
“ideal” waterline (drawing for the first water level).
c. Discussing two “measuring” waterlines and “ideal” waterlines.
_Though out the graph, we can see the line from testing method which mean the ideal line
and the actual measurement line are both fluctuate at the same level, the water level is
decrease a lot at 175 cm and 200 cm sections.
 5. Discussing the water level between section 5 and section 6?
_The water level at section 5 and section 6 is almost nearly the same.
6. Please comment, compare and explain the energy loss calculations power between the
sections in Table 2.
Table 2: The results of calculated velocity and energy losses
No Average Velocity Vi, cm/s Average Velocity head hv1, cm

Sec Sec Sec Sec Sec Sec Sec Sec2 Sec Sec Sec Sec
1 2 3 4 5 6 1 3 4 5 6
1 9.45 9.63 20.3 26.07 11.4 10.68 0.045 0.047 0.211 0.346 0.066 0.058
7 1
2 8.95 9.06 17.9 17.38 9.28 9.19 0.040 0.041 0.164 0.153 0.043 0.043
4
Energy Energy Energy Energy Energy
Losses Losses Losses Losses Losses
hf1-2 cm hf2-3 cm hf3-4 cm hf4-5 cm hf5-6 cm
0.118 -0.564 0.525 0.150 -0.362

0.079 0.347 -0.099 -0.080 -0.060

Table 3: The results of calculated water level Z1 by testing method

No 1 Z1=8.8cm H1=5.9cm
Zi,cm Section
(zi=hi) 2 3 4 5 6
Calculated by the test
5.9 2.59 2.59 5.9 5.9
method
Measurement (from table1) 5.9 2.7 2.8 6.0 6.1
Accrual distance from
90 180 198 288 378
section I to I+1, cm

Testing - Actual water level ( Case 1)

7
6
Water level (cm)

5
4
3
2
1
0
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400
Distance from section 1 (cm)

Testing Actual
method measurement
Polynomial (Actual
measurement)