Orific Plate Calculation

Theory
Calculation of flow rate using orifice plate calculator is for incompressible flow, based on the Bernoulli principle:

where is:
p - pressure
rho - density
V - velocity
g - gravitational constant (9.81 m/s2)
z - geodetic height
Explanation of used values
D1
D2
p1
p2
p1 - p2
ni
mi
T
rho
R
kappa

diameter of tube
throat diameter
upstream pressure
downstream pressure
pressure drop through orifice
kinematic viscosity
dynamic viscosity
upstream temperature
upstream density
gas constant
isentropic coefficient

Resulting values
Q
G
V1
V2
ReD
e
C

volumetric flow rate

mass flow rate
upstream velocity
throat velocity
upstream Reynolds number
expansion coefficient
coefficient of discharge

Assumption that pressure lost is negligible (pressure drop is obvious and included with coefficient of discharge
which is introduced bellow):

and:

and if velocities substituted with flow rate:

where is: Q - volumetric flow rate

D - diametar
Pressure drop through the orifice because of velocity increase can be calculated as follows:

or:

Expressing flow rate from the previous equation leads to:

Substituting:

flow rate can be determined as:

where is:
C - coefficient of discharge
e - expansion coefficient

Coefficient of discharge can be calculated using following equation (ISO):

where is:
beta - diameter relation D2/D1
ReD - Reynolds number which can be calculated as follows:

where is:
ni - kinematic viscosity
mi - dynamic viscosity

L1 and L2 are functions on tap type and it is:

L1=L2=0 for corner taps
L1=1 L2=0.47 for D & D/2 taps
L1=L2=0.0254/D D[m] for 1" taps

Expansion coefficient e can be calculated (for gases only):

where is:
kappa - isentropic coefficient; kappa = 1.4 for air and other two atom gas molecules
Other values are calculated using following equations:
mass flow:

velocities:

If flowing fluid is gas, then it is considered as incompressible and ideal. Equation for ideal gas:

can be used for calculation of temperature T:

as well as density rho:

where R is gas constant (R=287 J/kgK for air).

Appliance
Orifice plate calculator can be used for both liquids and gases. Fluid is considered as incompressible, so density
(rho) and temperature (T) are constant through tube. Also, gas is considered as ideal.
Units of measure are both in SI and English system.
Orifice plate calculator can be used for calculation of:
volumetric flow - Q
mass flow - G
velocity on inlet, bigger diameter - V1
velocity on smaller diameter - V2
Reynolds number on bigger diameter - ReD
For calculation of those values, necessary values for input are:
inlet, bigger diameter - D1
smaller diameter - D2
inlet pressure - p1
either pressure on smaller diameter - p2, or pressure drop p1-p2
either kinematic viscosity - ni, or dynamic viscosity - mi
for gases only:
either temperature - T, or density - rho
gas constant - R
for liquids:
density - rho
Beside four values (Q, G, V1, V2), which calculation is main purpose of calculator, values that are not defined by
user are determined in process of calculation (for example: if pressure p1 and temperature T are specified for gas

flow - value for rho is calculated together with four main values (Q, G, V1, V2)). Also necessery coeffients:
expansion - e and discharge - C are calculated and results are shown.

Orifice plates and metering runs are popular

because of low cost . Orifice plates combined with
differential pressure transmitters are now commonly
supplied as complete flow measurement packages.
Multiport pressure transmitter manifold valves gives
options to operators for e.g to isolate , equalize and
vent the differential pressure transmitter. Orifice
plates and differential pressure measurement
devices are used to measure the flow of fluids such
as steam, air, gas and water. In natural gas
transmission a familiar type of orifice plate is the
senior orifice plate. This special design allows
operators to remove and inspect the orifice plate
during normal pipeline operation. A metering run,
flow straightener may have to be installed to correct
the flow profile in custody transfer applications or
orifice plate applications that require higher
accuracy.