HYDRAULICS AND PNEUMATICS LAB: AMEE 310

LABORATORY HANDOUT EXPERIMENT 6: PRESSURE DROP VS FLOW RELATIONSHIP

Students name: Reg. No: Group: Date:

Pressure Drop vs Flow Relationship

PRESSURE DROP VS FLOW RELATIONSHIP

EXERCISE OBJECTIVE To introduce flow meters, needle valves, check valves and flow control valves To show the relationship !etween pressure drop and generated flow using a test circuit in order to see the effect of a load on the measured flow. DISCUSSION Flow !"!#$

The flow rate in a fluid power circuit descri!es the volume of fluid passing through the circuit during a given period of time. The flow rate is measured in liters per minute, l"min #Standard $u!ic %eet per &inute, S$%&, or Standard $u!ic %eet per 'our, S$%'(. The device used to measure the flow rate is called a flow meter. The %low meter supplied with )our trainer is a varia!le*area flow meter. +n this t)pe of flow meter, the flow of air is used to float a lightweight !all or !ullet*shaped element through a tapered tu!e. ,s the flow rate of air increases, a larger orifice inside the flow meter is needed to allow the air to escape. The taper of the tu!e re-uires a nonlinear scale, which means that the scale cali!rations are not evenl) spaced. The %low meter supplied with )our trainer is shown in %igure .*/.

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Pressure Drop vs Flow Relationship

%igure .*/. T)pical %low meter and S)m!ol.

The varia!le*area flow meter must !e mounted verticall) to allow gravit) to act on the !all or !ullet. +t is cali!rated to measure air at atmospheric pressure. This means that the flow meter should !e placed in a circuit to measure flow as the air is returning to atmospheric pressure. N!!%l! V&l'!$ The needle valve is a component that allows control of the rate of flow in a s)stem. +t consists of a valve !od) containing two ports, an ad0usta!le needle, a seat and a stem seal. +ts operation is shown in %igure .*12.

%igure .*12. T)pical Needle 3alve and S)m!ol.

4hen the needle is held against the seat !) screwing the threaded stem, fluid #air( cannot flow through the valve. 4hen the needle is lifted off the seat slightl), an orifice is created, permitting a small amount of fluid to flow past the needle. ,s the needle is lifted farther off the seat, the si5e of the orifice is increased, allowing more fluid to flow past the needle. +f the orifice is not large enough to permit full s)stem flow to pass through the valve, the orifice acts as a restriction , and creates pressure upstream from the valve . The difference between the pressures upstream and downstream from the needle valve is called the pressure drop , or pressure differential, across the valve.
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The flow through the valve will increase if either the size of the orifice is increased or, if the size of the orifice remains constant but the pressure drop is increased !) raising the upstream pressure. Needle valves control the flow in !oth directions. C(!)* V&l'!$ $heck valves allow fluid to flow through the component in one direction onl). , simple check valve as shown in %igure .*11, consists of a valve !od) containing two ports, a sealing element such as a !all or poppet and a light spring.

%igure .*11. T)pical $heck 3alve and S)m!ol.

4hen fluid enters the inlet port of a check valve, the sealing element is lifted off the valve seat, and fluid flows through the valve. 4hen the direction of flow is reversed, the sealing element is pushed against the valve seat and fluid cannot flow through the valve. , pressure of .2 to 67 k8a #or 6 to 7 psi( is generall) re-uired to compress the light spring in a check valve and unseat the sealing element. The actual inlet pressure needed to open the valve is sometimes referred to as cracking pressure.
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Pressure Drop vs Flow Relationship

Flow Co+"#ol V&l'! The %low $ontrol 3alve supplied with )our trainer consists of a needle valve and a check valve connected in parallel and integrated in one package. The ma0or difference !etween a simple needle valve and a flow control valve involves the direction of metered flow. , needle valve placed into a pressure line meters flow in !oth directions. , flow control valve meters flow in onl) one direction. The check valve permits flow to !)pass the needle valve in one direction. , t)pical %low $ontrol 3alve and its corresponding graphic s)m!ol are shown in %ig. .*1..

%igure .*1.. T)pical %low $ontrol 3alve and S)m!ol.

REFERENCE MATERIAL %or additional information, refer to the chapters entitled !ontrol of Pneumatic "ner#y and Flow !ontrol $alves% &ilencers% 'uic( ")hausts in the 8arker* 'annifin manual *ndustrial Pneumatic Technolo#y+ P#o)!%,#! $, &#-

+n the first part of the e9ercise, )ou will set up a circuit in order to o!serve the
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Pressure Drop vs Flow Relationship

effect of a check valve. +n the second part of the e9ercise, )ou will var) the flow rate through a flow control valve !) var)ing the si5e of the orifice in the needle valve and !) var)ing the pressure drop across the valve. E.UIPMENT RE.UIRED Refer to the :-uipment ;tili5ation $hart, in ,ppendi9 , of this manual, to o!tain the list of e-uipment re-uired to perform this e9ercise. PROCEDURE < 1. 3erif) the status of the trainer according to the procedure given in :9ercise 1*.. < .. $onnect the circuit shown in %igure .*16.

No"!: The muffler is located at the outlet port of the main shutoff valve of the !onditionin# .nit+

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Pressure Drop vs Flow Relationship

%igure .*16. Schematic Diagram of a $ircuit using a %low $ontrol 3alve.

< 6. $lose the %low $ontrol 3alve !) turning the control kno! full) clockwise. < =. >pen the main shutoff valve and the !ranch shutoff valve at the manifold. Set the pressure regulator at .22 k8a #or 62 psi( on the regulated 8ressure Gauge. < 7. Record the reading indicated !) the %low meter. Answer: < ?. >pen the %low $ontrol 3alve !) turning the control kno! full) counterclockwise. < @. Record the reading indicated !) the %low meter. Answer: < A. $lose the %low $ontrol 3alve !) turning the control kno! full) clockwise, and close the main shutoff valve without modif)ing the setting of the pressure regulator. < /. Reverse the tu!es at the %low $ontrol 3alve ports to reverse the air flow through the valve. < 12. >pen the main shutoff valve. < 11. Record the reading indicated !) the %low meter. Answer: < 1.. Since the %low $ontrol 3alve is closed, e9plain wh) the %low meter
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Pressure Drop vs Flow Relationship

indicates a flow through the valve. Answer: < 16. >pen the %low $ontrol 3alve !) turning the control kno! full) counterclockwise. < 1=. Record the reading indicated !) the %low meter. Answer: < 17. $ompare the flow rates measured in steps 11 and 1=. :9plain wh) the flow rate is a little larger when the %low $ontrol 3alve is full) open. Answer: < 1?. $lose the shutoff valves and turn the regulator ad0usting kno! completel) counterclockwise. < 1@. %rom the results o!tained, what can )ou conclude a!out the metering of a %low $ontrol 3alveB Answer: < 1A. &odif) )our circuit as shown in %igure .*1=.

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%igure .*1=. Schematic Diagram of a $ircuit using a %low $ontrol 3alve.

< 1/. >pen the shut off valves. < .2. $lose the %low $ontrol 3alve !) turning the control kno! full) clockwise. Set the pressure regulator at =22 k8a #or ?2 psi( on the regulated 8ressure Gauge. < .1. Graduall) open the %low $ontrol 3alve !) turning the control kno! counterclockwise as indicated in Ta!le .*6. Refer to the mark on the control kno! to help )ou set the correct position. %or each setting, ensure that the regulated pressure is set at =22 k8a #or ?2 psi(. Record the flow rates in the appropriate cells in Ta!le .*6.

PRESSURE RE/ULATOR =22 k8a #or ?2 psi( =22 k8a #or ?2 psi( =22 k8a #or ?2 psi( =22 k8a #or ?2 psi(

FLOW CONTROL VALVE

FLOW RATE

Ta!le .*6. %low Rate vs Si5e of the >rifice.

< ... 4hat relation is there !etween the opening of the %low $ontrol 3alve and the flow rateB Answer: < .6. 4ithout modif)ing the setting of the %low $ontrol 3alve, set the pressure regulator to o!tain a reading of 72 C"min #or . S$%&( on the %low meter. Record the value of 81 , and 8. in Ta!le .*=. FLOW RATE 72 l"min
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P0

P1

2P

Pressure Drop vs Flow Relationship

#or . S$%&( @7 l"min #or 6 S$%&( 122 l"min #or = S$%&(

Ta!le ..=. %low Rate vs 8ressure Drop.

< .=. Set the pressure regulator to o!tain the remaining flow rate values indicated in Ta!le .*=. %or each setting, record the value of 8, and 8.. < .7. $lose all the shutoff valves. < .?. $alculate the pressure drop #D8( for each flow rate and record the result in Ta!le .*=. < .@. 4hat relation is there !etween the pressure drop and the flow rateB Answer:

< .A. >n the $onditioning ;nit, turn the regulator ad0usting kno! completel) counterclockwise. Eou should read 2 k8a #or 2 psi( on the regulated 8ressure Gauge. < ./. Disconnect and store all tu!ing and components. CONCLUSION

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REVIEW .UESTIONS 1. , needle valve is used to #a( ,d0ust the flow rate in a circuit. #!( ,d0ust pressure downstream from the valve. #c( $ontrol the direction of fluid flow. #d( ,lign the needle in an industrial pneumatic sewing operation. .. 4hich components are com!ined within a pneumatic flow control valveB #a( , relief valve and a needle valve. #!( , needle valve and a check valve. #c( , check valve and a regulator. #d( , regulator and a needle valve. 6. , needle valve consists of a valve !od) containing #a( Two ports, a spring and a spool. #!( Two ports, a needle and seat, and a threaded needle stem. #c( Three ports, a spring and a !all. #d( >ne port, a needle and seat, and a spring. =. The flow through a control valve will increase if either the si5e of the orifice is increased or #a( +f the si5e of the orifice remains constant !ut the pressure drop is increased !) raising the upstream pressure. #!( +f the si5e of the orifice remains constant !ut the pressure drop is decreased !) lowering the upstream pressure. #c( +f the si5e of the orifice remains constant !ut the pressure drop is increased !) lowering the upstream pressure. #d( +f the si5e of the orifice remains constant !ut the pressure drop is
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decreased !) raising the upstream pressure. 7. The ma0or difference !etween a simple needle valve and a flow control valve involves #a( The si5e of the valve. #!( The construction method. #c( The num!er of ports. #d( The direction of metered flow.

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