Objectives

1. To use the pitot static to determine the volumetric flow in small wind tunnel.

2. To get the static pressure drop of a centrifugal fan as a function of applied impedence.

3. To plot the centrifugal fan performance graph (Static pressure difference vs

Volumetric flow)

Introduction

The Pitot Static tube measures the total pressure (or impact pressure) at the nose of the Pitot
tube and the static pressure of the gas stream at side ports. The difference of these pressures,
i.e. the dynamic or velocity pressure (Pdynamic) varies with the square of the gas velocity.
Thus the gas velocity may be expressed as:

where r is the gas density and C is a correction constant dependent on the design of the Pitot
Static tube.

Assumption: The flow is incompressible

A centrifugal fan is provided with an inlet cone that serves to measure air flow through the
fan. The inlet cone has a flared inlet for receiving air, a narrow throat, and a flared outlet for
expelling air into the center of a rotating fan wheel. Pressure taps are provided to measure the
static pressure at the inlet and the throat. The difference between these pressures, adjusted for
the empirically determined characteristics of the inlet cone, can be used as an indication of air
flow. In one aspect of the invention, a controller monitors the pressure differential, calculates
a flow rate based on the characteristics of the cone, and adjusts the fan speed to maintain a
desired air flow.
Procedures

1. The equipment is set up so that the airflow circuit includes that conical inlet
measuring unit, inlet straightener, bench mounted fan unit and output flow
straightener and outlet air control valve.

2. The exit valve is adjusted like in Table 1 and for each measurement the 3-tranverse
velocity pressure and the static pressure. Data is recorded in Table 3.

3. Upright manometer tube scaled 0.5kPa is connected to measure the static pressure
difference between the fan outlet and inlet pressure tapping.
Results

Air temperatre, Tair,1 = 25 °C; Tair,2 = 273 + Tair,1 = 298 K

Atmosphere pressure, Patm = 1013.25 mmBar

# Control valve Pitot tube Local velocity Local Static

position position pressure, pressure,

Pv [kPa] Ps [kPa]

Top 2.10 3.20

1 Almost open Centre 2.58 3.20

Bottom 1.70 3.18

Top 1.10 -

2 Partially open Centre 2.50 3.25

Bottom 2.20 -

Top 1.39 -

3 Centre Centre 2.30 3.45

Bottom 1.80 -

Top 1.30 -

4 Partially closed Centre 1.95 3.84

Bottom 1.45 -

Top 0.45 -

5 Almost closed Centre 0.70 4.35

Bottom 0.60 -

Table 3
 # Control valve position Static pressure difference,

Ps [kPa]

1 Almost open 3.19

2 Partially open 3.25

3 Centre 3.45

4 Partially closed 3.84

5 Almost closed 4.35

Table 4

# Control Effective Effective Air Average Reynolds #, Mass Volumetric

valve Velocity Absolute density, velocity, Re Flow flow,
position pressure static ρ V [m/s] (dimensionless) Rate, Q [m3/s]
Pv, eff [kPa] pressure [kg/m3] M [kg/s]
Ps,abs [kPa]

1 Almost 2.13 104.515 1.222 59.04 5.694x105 1.208 0.9883

open
2 Partially 1.93 104.575 1.223 56.18 5.422 x105 1.150 0.9405
open

3 Centre 1.83 104.775 1.225 54.66 5.276 x105 1.121 0.9150

4 Partially 1.57 105.165 1.230 50.53 4.905 x105 1.040 0.8459

closed

5 Almost 0.58 105.675 1.236 30.64 2.989 x105 0.634 0.5129

closed

CALCULATION:

i. Effective velocity pressure, PV,eff [kPa]

= (2.10 + 2.58 + 1.70) / 3

= 2.13kPa

ii. Effective absolute static pressure, PS,abs [kPa]

From data given, 1 m bar = 100 [kPa]

Patm = 1013.25mm x 1m x 100 kPa

1000 mm 1mBar

= 101.325 kPa

PS,abs = Patm + PS

= 101.325 + 3.19
 = 104.515 kPa

iii. Air density, ρ

From the equation, air density ρ is given by:

ρ = PS,abs
RTair,2

with R is gas constant, R = 287 [m2/s2.K]

Therefore,

ρ = PS,abs
RTair,2

= 104.515 kPa
287 x 298

= 1.222 kg/m3

iv. Average velocity, V [m/s]

V = (2 PV,eff / ρ )1/2

= (2 x 2.13k / 1.222)1/2

= 59.04 m/s

v. Reynold number, Re (dimensionless)

 Re = VD ρ / μ

Thus,

V as the average velocity of the air,

D is the diameter of the duct,

ρ is the air’s density at the taken point, and

μ is the air’s viscosity, measured in the value related to the temperature in taken.

The value of μ at 25ºC is 1.85x10-5.

Therefore;

Re = VD ρ / μ

= 59.04 x 0.146 x 1.222 / 1.85x10-5

≅ 5.694x105.

vi. Volumetric flow, Q

Q = AcV

with Ac is the area of the duct.

Computing Ac, we get:

Ac = πr2

= π (0.146 / 2)2
 = 16.74x10-3 m2.

Thus;

Q = 16.74x10-3 x 59.04

= 0.9883 m3/s.

vii. Mass flow rate, m [kg/s]

m = Qρ

= (0.9883) (1.222)

= 1.208 kg / s
Discussion

Theoretically, the Pitot tube will be connected to the pressure transducer to measure total
pressure and fluid velocity. Total pressure is defined as pressure at point in an airstreams
existing by virtue of the air density and the degree of compression and rate of motion of the
air; hence it is the sum of static and velocity pressure while static pressure is the pressure at a
point in an airstreams existing by virtue of the air density and its degree of compression, and
it is independent of the rate of motion of the air. Meanwhile, the velocity pressure defined as
the pressure at a point in an air streams existing by virtue of the air density and its rate of
motion .

Before we do the experiment we should know that result for traverse location at the
center point should be higher compared to top or bottom point. This is because accuracy of
reading increase with the increase of traverse pitot tube location in the wind tunnel and this is
true with our result. We also get almost same result for the local static pressure for aech
condition and this is because local static pressure is constant due to actual thermodynamic
pressure of fluid that does not incorporate with any dynamic effects.

There are things that we need to take precaution of in this experiment. It is required not to
stand in front of the inlet air intake because this will greatly cause error in the experment. We
also must be alert all the time while taking the reading because the reading keep changing and
we required o take reading for the lowest reading when doing the experiment. Member of the
group must be able to cooperate with each other so that the experiment will be smoothly and
easily.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the objectives of the experiment have been achieved. We managed to

measure the volumetric flow using the Pitot static tube and obtained the Static pressure drop
of a centrifugal fan as a function of applied impedance and plot a graph of it. The graph also
agrees with the theory that the pressure is decreasing with increasing volumetric flow.
Overall the objectives is achieved.

References:

1. Syed Noh, Fluid Mechanics Lab Manual, pp 1-8, IIUM Press, 2007
2. Yunus A. Cengel, John M. Cimbala, pp 174 – 178, McGraw Hill