Fluid Flow Lab Report

Abstract

The mass flow rate of a system was measured across an orifice plate. The discharge coefficient and Reynolds number was found for the same system and plotted (figure 1). Figure 2 is the log-log plot of mass flow rate vs pressure drop across the orifice. The constant “k” from equation 10 is found to be 0.2488. A rotameter is used in a separate experimental setup to determine a linear relationship between the rotameter reading and the mass flow rate. Using the velocity profile inside a pipe the wall shear stress (equation 12) and the Darcy friction factor (equation 13) was found to be 1.15 kg/ms and 0.792 respectively. It was found that for an inclined manometer six times more sensitive than a simple manometer, angle of inclination should be 9.6o. A Pitot-static tube is investigated to determine the flow of water in an open channel. The corresponding flow velocity is found to be 1.09 m/s

Introduction:

Fluid mechanics problems enclosed by boundaries are considered to be internal flows. Internal fluid flows experience pressure, velocity, and flow rate changes. The changes are measured using various types of measurement devices. It will be shown with the given equations how pressure, velocity, and flow rate all relate to one another. Introduction to Thermal Systems Engineering: Thermodynamics, Fluid Mechanics, and Heat Transfer were used as the primary reference along with MAE 491 lecture and lab notes. Three experimental procedures will be conducted to become familiar with measuring pressure, flow rate, and velocity.

Several ASME long-radius flow nozzles are arranged in a plenum chamber, which is in series with a concentric orifice plate. It is assumed that the mass conservation (equation 2) applies to this setup. It is also assumed that we have an ideal case, no head loss, for the mechanical energy equation (equation 3). The mass flow rate of the system is calculated experimentally by measuring the pressure drop across an orifice plate. The discharge coefficient (equation 7) for the orifice is found and plotted versus the calculated Reynolds number. The mass flow rate versus the pressure drop is plotted on a