UGNA3023 Applied Hydraulics Practical 1: Investigation of Flow and Pressure Drop in A Pipe and Across Fixtures

UGNA3023 Applied Hydraulics
Practical 1
Investigation of flow and pressure drop in a pipe and across fixtures
OBJECTIVE:
Learn how flow in long pipes of various sizes and roughness cause pressure drop along a pipe. Learn how
the friction coefficient in fully-developed flow is related to the Reynolds number and the pipe surface roughness.
Also learn how much pressure drop occurs as a flow goes through valves and bends.
INTRODUCTION:
The pressure drop p over a length L of a pipe of
constant cross sectional area A can be related to the
shear stress  on the pipe wall by the momentum
balance in the direction of the pipe axis as
s
Ap = − sL or p = − L (1)
A
where s is the perimeter of the pipe. A few
assumptions are made that are good for flows in long
Figure 1.
and straight pipes (called ‘fully developed pipe flow’)
so the pressure within a cross section and the shear stress on the perimeter are constant.
The shear stress  (which is not large and it is often neglected for short pipes) is due to the viscosity of the
fluid and is related to the details of the flow. If the flow is smooth and laminar, the Newton’s law of viscosity
will apply. If the flow is turbulent and/or if the pipe wall is not smooth, the effective shear stress is a
complicated function of the flow properties and the wall geometry. So the pressure drop is generally expressed
by an empirical expression in terms of the fluid property (density and viscosity), the flow property (velocity)
and the pipe geometry (shape, diameter and wall roughness). One expression commonly used for circular
pipes of diameter D is Darcy-Weisbach equation
p L V2
- = hf = f (2)
g D 2g
where g is the weight of the water of unit volume and hf is pressure drop in the unit of the height of water, V
is the average velocity in a cross section, f ( is used Chadwick et al Ch.4) is the non-dimensional friction
factor. It can be interpreted as a function of all the factors influencing the pressure drop, so f is usually given
in a graphical form (equations have also been proposed) as a function of the Reynolds number NR =VD/ and
the relative roughness /D (see appendix). See Table 4.1 for the researchers who contributed in the
development of this and other friction laws for pipe flows.
APARRATUS (picture will be shown online) :
Figure 2. Pipe flow setup.
EXPERIMENT (done online) :

If the pressure drop is measured by an experiment, the value of the friction factor f can be obtained. It will
depend on various parameters so a series of measurement will be needed to characterize its dependencies on
these parameters. Dependency on the velocity, pipe diameter and roughness will be investigated. The
obtained values can be evaluated based on the established values given in text books as the Moody Diagram
given in the appendix.
PROCEDURE (shown online):

1. Set the pipe-flow apparatus valves so that the flow coming out of the flow meter on the left hand side goes
through the smooth smallest pipe ( 10.9mm) and returns to the sump through the return circuit.
2. Connect the manometer to two pressure taps provided on this pipe.
3. Run the pump and remove all the air bubbles in the flow system.
4. Adjust the flow control valve so the flow rate is near the maximum that can be run without over ranging
the manometer.
5. Record the flow rate reading and the pressure drop on the manometer.
6. Repeat the measurement for two different flow rates.
7. Take the temperature measurement of water whenever its variation is significant (more than a degree) so
the density and the viscosity of the water are determined accurately.
8. Repeat steps 2 through 7 for the smaller diameter pipe and the rough pipe.
9. Obtain the relative roughness of the rough pipe by reading the pipe smallest and the largest diameters.
10. Discuss the results relating their accuracies to the characteristics of the possible flows for the Reynolds
numbers tested and other effects.
11. Similar measurement can be done with the pipe bend provided at upper left in the return circuit. If steps to 10
are completed try to measure the pressure drop around this bend.
DATA COLLECTION AND REDUCTION:
Pipe 1
Water temperature T (deg C):
Water density  (kg/m3):
Coefficient of kinematic viscosity  (m2/s):
Pipe diameter D (mm):
Distance between two pressure taps L(mm):
Relative roughness /D:
Flow rate Pressure Mean Friction factor Reynolds Friction
Q drop velocity V p / g number, NR factor from
f =
(lpm, m3/s) −p/g=hf (m/s) ( L / D)(V 2 / 2 g ) VD/ Moody
(mm H2O) diagram
Remarks:
Pipe 2
f =
(mm H2O) diagram
Remarks:
Pipe 3
f =
(mm H2O) diagram
Remarks:
Pipe bend
Bend radius R/D:
Flow rate Pressure Mean Loss Coeff. Reynolds Loss
Q drop velocity V p / g number, NR Coefficient
Kb = 2
(lpm, m3/s) −p/g=hb (m/s) V / 2g VD/ from table
(mm H2O)
Remarks:
Appendix Tables and Figure
zz
Loss coefficient for bend of radius R

hb
Kb = 2
V / 2g
hf VD
f = , NR =
2
( L / D)(V / 2 g ) 

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UGNA3023 Applied Hydraulics

Figure 2. Pipe flow setup.

EXPERIMENT (done online) :

PROCEDURE (shown online):

Loss coefficient for bend of radius R

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