OES 3124

LABORATORY REPORT COVER SHEET

EXPERIMENT NUMBER 2

TITLE ORIFICE FLOW PROCESS

SUBMITTED BY NITESH PATEL

DATE ASSIGNED 03 APRIL 2018 LAB SECTION L-23

DATE PERFORMED 03 APRIL 2018 LAB GROUP D

DATE DUE 13 APRIL 2018

DATE SUBMITTED 13 APRIL 2018

PARTNERS SHYAMAL SHAH

PAWANPREET SINGH

LAB GRADE____________________
 EXPERIMENT 2
ORIFICE FLOW PROCESS

THEORY

The orifice plate is pressure-based flow

element. It is simply a metal plate with hole
in middle of the fluid to flow. The holes are
placed at different position as per the
application. The orifice plates are placed
between two flanges of a pipe. It is simple to
install and replace. The point where the fluid
contrast is called vena contracts and it is the
area having minimum fluid pressure. the
most common design of orifice plate is
square edged having concentric orifice. It has
straight hole in the middle of thin plate.
Square edged orifice plate is installed in
either direction. It allows the plate to measure
bidirectional flow rates. The purpose of https://www.google.ca/search?q=orifice+plate&cli
square edge on hole is to minimize friction of ent=firefox-b-ab&dcr=0&source=lnms&tbm=isch
fast moving fluid through hole. Further to minimize contact it is necessary to bevel downstream side of the
hole. In downstream side bevel type the intended direction of flow is from left to right. The other type of
orifice is eccentric type with square edge. In eccentric type orifice plate the hole is located off-centre to
allow the undesired portions of fluid to pass through. For gas flow hole is offset downward, so any liquid
droplets or solid particles easily pass through downstream side. The sub type of off-centre orifice plate is
segmental orifice plate, where the hole is segmental instead of circular. In some types of plates there is
small holes near the edge of the plate allowing the undesired particles to pass through the plate rather than
collected. If the hole is drilled upwards, then it is called vent hole which allows the vapor bubbles to pass
through. If the hole is oriented downward then it is called drain hole which allows the liquid droplets to
pass through. The main disadvantage of the orifice plate is that it creates highest permanent pressure lost.
(lessons in industrial instrumentation, Unit 22, Pg. 1455)

Image is take from: pan global 4 class, part B1,2008 ch 86, p. 292
DATA
∆Height Flowrate
Nominal d/p Actual d/p ∆ Time (s)
(inches) (l/min)
125 127.32 45.88 12 18.712
100 100.59 47.49 12 18.0768
75 76.74 55.93 12 15.3500
50 51.18 67.98 12 12.6282
25 26.90 91.85 12 9.3466

CALCULATION
Area of tank = 𝜋𝑟 2
= 3.14x (9.625/2)2 (diameter of tank = 9.625 inch)
= 72.769 inch2
Volume change in litre = 1inch change = 1.192319118 litres
For 12 inches, = 12 inches x 1.192319118 litres
= 14.30782 litres
Flowrate = total volume change (in litres) / time taken for volume change (in minutes)
For 100 differential pressure
= 14.30782 litres / 0.7915min
= 18.07684 lit/min

GRAPH

Actual d/p vs Flowrate

140

120

100
Actual d/p

80

60

40

20

0
9 11 13 15 17 19 21
Flowrate (litres/min)
 DISCUSSION
The obtained graph of flowrate and differential pressure shows that flowrate is directly
related with pressure difference. As the pressure difference increases flowrate also
increases and vice versa. As pressure difference increases velocity increases and
because of this flowrate increase.
As per the law of conservation of energy, energy is neither be created nor be destroyed.
In orifice plate total energy remains same throughout the system it is just transformed from
inlet to outlet. In orifice plate as the area of the flow decreases energy is first converted to
pressure in converging section and then increases as pass through outlet section.

The Bernoulli’s equation states that there is no differential pressure created without loss
in energy. The energy which is not recovered is generally loss due to friction. The loss in
energy is shown by heat loss in fluid. In orifice plate energy loss is mainly affected due to
change in flowrate. As the flowrate increases energy loss due to friction. Sometimes due
to increase in flowrate causes turbulence in flow due to which friction increases. When
there is sudden change in area it creates obstruction due to which there is swirl behind
the orifice. The smaller the diameter (vena contracta) more differential pressure means
high energy loss.

There are some advantages and disadvantages of orifice plate.

Advantages (1)
 it is small and easy to install.
 Low pressure drops.
 Measures wide range of flowrates.
 More suitable for liquids and most of the gases.
 Low price

Disadvantages (1)
 Requires homogeneous fluid and single-phase liquid.
 Fluid viscosity limits measuring range.
 To maintain accuracy straight pipe run is needed.
 Low range ability.

The orifice plate is used in Chemical industry, water treatment plants, power generation,
gas generation and distribution industry etc to measure flowrate.

There are some sources of error in measurement of flowrate because of fluid condition,
instrumentation error, and human error to maintain the differential pressure condition.

SUMMARY
There are different types of orifice plates which are used as per the requirement. The
differential pressure is directly related to velocity of the fluid and flowrate. There is energy
loss in the system due to friction and turbulence of the flow. It is suitable for most of the
liquids and gases.
 REFERENCES

(1)ipfs.io/ipns/QmdJiuMWp2FxyaerfLrtdLF6Nr1EWpL7dPAxA9oKSPYYgV/wiki/Ad-
vantages_and_disadvantages_of_orifice_meter_and_venturi_meter.html

Lab Manual (2018)

Lessons in Industrial Instrumentation (April 2013), v 1.32, Tony R Kuphaldt.

Pan Global Training Systems. (2008). Power Engineering Fourth Class (ed. 2.0) Calgary
AB