VISAYAS STATE UNIVERSITY

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

MENG – 106
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING LABORATORY 1

NAME: Abanes, Dejadena, Paña, Taghap, Yuson

COURSE AND YEAR: BS in Mechanical Engineering
INSTRUCTOR: Engr. Jake Ernest P. Binueza
DATE SUBMITTED: June 4, 2018

EXPERIMENT NO. 7

THE VENTURI METER

I. OBJECTIVE:

1. To be able to operate a venture meter

2. To find the velocity or speed of a fluid (Air) using venturi meter and Bernoulli’s
equation
3. To be able to compute the volumetric flow rate of a fluid (Air)

II. INTRODUCTION:

Venturi Meter

A Venturi Meter is a device that allows flow rates through pipes to be

calculated by measuring the difference in pressure created by a contraction in a
pipe. When the flow goes through the contraction it must speed up, and so the
pressure must drop. By measuring the two pressures, engineers can directly
calculate the velocity of the fluid. Knowing the pipe diameter, this velocity can be
converted into a flow rate.

A venturi meter is a measuring or also considered as a meter device that is

usually used to measure the flow of a fluid in the pipe. A Venturi meter may also
be used to increase the velocity of any type fluid in a pipe at any particular point.
It basically works on the principle of Bernoulli's Theorem. The pressure in a fluid
moving through a small cross section drops suddenly leading to an increase in
velocity of the flow. The fluid of the characteristics of high pressure and low
velocity gets converted to the low pressure and high velocity at a particular point
and again reaches to high pressure and low velocity. The point where the
characteristics become low pressure and high velocity is the place where the
venturi flow meter is used.

The Venturi meter is constructed as shown in Figure 2. It has a constriction

within itself. The pressure difference between the upstream and the downstream

flow, Δh, can be found as a function of the flow rate. Applying Bernoulli’s
equation to points 1 and 2 of the Venturi meter and relating the pressure difference
to the flow rate yields.
Assume incompressible flow and no frictional losses, from Bernoulli’s
Equation
𝑃1 𝑉12 𝑃2 𝑉22
+ + 𝑍1 = + + 𝑍2
𝛾 2𝑔 𝛾 2𝑔

Use of the continuity Equation Q = A1V1 = A2V2, equation (1) becomes

𝑃1 − 𝑃2 𝑉22 𝐴2
+ 𝑍1 − 𝑍2 = [1 − ( )]
𝛾 2𝑔 𝐴1

1 𝑃1 − 𝑃2
𝑉2 = √2𝑔 ( + (𝑍1 − 𝑍2 ))
2 𝛾
√1 − (𝐴2 )
𝐴 1

𝐴2 𝑃1 − 𝑃2
𝑄𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑜 = 𝐴2 𝑉2 = √2𝑔 ( + (𝑍1 − 𝑍2 ))
2 𝛾
√1 − (𝐴2 )
𝐴 1
 𝑃1 −𝑃2
The term + 𝑍1 − 𝑍2 represents the difference in piezometric head (∆h)
𝛾
between the two sections 1 and 2. The above expression for V2 is obtained based
on the assumption of one-dimensional frictionless flow. Hence the theoretical
flow can be expressed as
𝐴2
𝑄𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑜 = 𝐴2 𝑉2 = √2𝑔(∆ℎ)
2
√1 − (𝐴2 )
𝐴 1
Thus,
2𝑔(∆ℎ)
𝑄𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑜 =
√ 1 1
( 2 − 2)
𝐴2 𝐴1

III. PROCEDURES

Setting up the device:

1. Place the venturi meter in a flat platform.
2. Fill the U-tube manometer with water. Make sure that there are no gaps in
the tube, which means that there must be no bubbles in the tube to avoid
error.
3. Test whether the motor of the fan, turbine or any device that will produce
air works.
Gathering the data:
1. Measure the dimensions of venturi meter, for determining the cross
sectional area. In point 1, 2, and 3.
2. Mark the initial position or height of the water in the U-tube manometer.
3. Turn on the device.
4. Measure the change in height of the water in the U-tube manometer using
a ruler or any scaling device (the distance of the water from the marked
position to the new height of the water) then turn off the device and record
the measured change in height.
5. Repeat no. 4 three times.
 IV. EXPERIMENTAL SETUP AND DATA COLLECTED

Table 1. Gathered Value of ∆height of U-tube manometers

Trial U-tube Manometer 1 U-tube Manometer 2

∆ℎ1 ∆ℎ2
1 .009 m .003 m
2 .010 m .002 m
3 .011 m .001 m
Average .01 m .002 m

Table 2. Dimension of the passage of fluid in the venturi meter

Point Dimensions Area

height Width
1 .3048 m .3048 m .0929 m2
2 .1524 m .1524 m .0232 m2
3 .3048 m .3048 m .0929 m2
 V. INTERPRETATION OF DATA

Solving for ∆P (Change in Pressure) from the U-tube manometer:

∆P1 (P1-P2) = ρH2Og∆h1 - ρairg∆h1

∆P1 = (1000kg/m3) (9.81m/s2) (.01m) - (1.205kg/m3) (9.81m/s2) (.01m)
∆P1 = 98.1 Pa - .1182105 Pa
∆P1 = 97.9817895 Pa

∆P2 (P1-P3) = ρH2Og∆h2 - ρairg∆h2

∆P2 = (1000kg/m3) (9.81m/s2) (.002m) - (1.205kg/m3) (9.81m/s2) (.002m)
∆P2 = 19.62 Pa - .0236421 Pa
∆P2 = 19.5963579 Pa

Solving for V2 & V3:

Using the formula:

1 𝑃1 − 𝑃2
𝑉2 = √2𝑔 ( + (∆ℎ1 ))
2 𝛾
√1 − (𝐴2 )
𝐴 1

1 9.81𝑚 97.9817895 Pa
𝑉2 = √2 ( 2 ) ( + .01 m)
𝑠 1.205kg 9.81𝑚
2 2 ( )( 2 )
√1 − (. 0232 𝑚2 ) 𝑚3 𝑠
. 0929 𝑚

V2 = 13.249 m/s

1 𝑃1 − 𝑃3
𝑉3 = √2𝑔 ( + (∆ℎ2 ))
2 𝛾
√1 − (𝐴3 )
𝐴 1

h1 = h3,

1 9.81𝑚 19.5963579 Pa
𝑉2 = √2 ( 2 ) ( + .002 m)
𝑠 1.205kg 9.81𝑚
2 2 ( ) ( )
√1 − (. 0929 𝑚2 ) 𝑚3 𝑠2
. 0929 𝑚

V3 = Undefined or 0.
𝑄𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑜 = 𝐴2 𝑉2 = (.0232 𝑚2 )13.249 m/s

Qtheo = .307𝒎𝟑 /𝒔

𝑸𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒐 = 𝑨𝟑 𝑽𝟑 = Undefined or 0.

VI. DISCUSSION

An experiment was conducted by a group, which involved the venturi meter device,
the U-tube manometer, and Bernoulli’s Principle. The U-tube manometers were used to
measure the pressure difference of the two points in the venturi meter. The two points
have different height or altitude which means that they have different value of pressures,
one must have bigger pressure than the other. As for the Bernoulli’s Principle, which
states that “the pressure in a stream of fluid is reduced as the speed of the flow is
increased”. By changing the area of the passage of the fluid, the change in speed was
achieved and so a change in pressure has occurred. Using the Bernoulli’s Equation, the
group were able to calculate for the speed of the fluid (air). The group also computed for
the volumetric flow rate of the fluid (air).
After the group computed for the data, they observed that the velocity and volume
flow rate of the fluid at point 3 is undefined. The group discussed and able to arrive that
there must be an error to the data, that the change in pressure in the U-tube manometer
connecting at point 1 and 3 must be zero, and that they must have the same pressure since
they have the same passage area.

VII. CONCLUSION

Therefore, as the students conducted the experiment, the students were able to know
how to operate a venturi meter and able to know how the venturi meter works. The group
also able to observed the relationship, “the lesser the cross sectional area, the greater the
velocity or speed of the fluid and also, the lesser the pressure. And “the greater the cross
sectional area, the lesser the velocity or speed of the fluid and also, the greater the pressure.
That observation was observed from the data gathered and from the computed values.

References:
http://www.mikesoltys.com/2011/03/15/demo-for-theoretical-fluid-mechanics-venturi-meter/
https://www.ybu.edu.tr/muhendislik/makina/contents/files/VENTURIMETER%20EXPERIM
ENT(1).pdf