Department of Technical Education

Andhra Pradesh

Name : V.N. Siva Raman

Designation : HCES
Branch : Civil Engineering
Institute : S.V. Govt. Polytechnic, Tirupati
Year/Semester : III Semester
Subject : Hydraulics
Subject Code : C304
Topic : Flow Of Fluids
Duration : 50 Minutes
Sub Topic : Practical application of Bernoulli's
theorem - orifice meter
Teaching Aids : PPT, Diagrams
Revised By : V. Srinivasa Rao, Lecturer, DAGPT,
Ongole
9C304.21 1
 Objectives
On completion of this session, you would be able to

• Find the discharge through the orifice meter

• Design the diameter of orifice meter

• Find the head between inlet and throat portion

9C304.21 2
Recap

In the previous session, you have learnt in detail

about

• Applications of Bernoulli theorem

• Venturimeter and its applications

• Various types of problems on Venturimeter

9C304.21 3
Orifice Meter

• It is also a device designed based on Bernoulli’s theorem

• It is used to find the discharge flowing through closed

conduits

• The discharge measured by using orifice meter is only an

approximate discharge

• Orifice meter consists of orifice plate with a central hole

of diameter less than the diameter of the pipe

9C304.21 4
• When water flows through the orifice plate the difference of
pressure is created

• By finding the difference of pressure using differential

manometer the discharge is found

• To find the discharge, Bernoulli's theorem is to be applied

 In front of the orifice meter

 Section at the orifice meter

9C304.21 5
Orifice Meter

9C304.21 6
9C304.21 7
Discharge Through Orifice Meter
• The concept used in finding the discharge through orifice meter is
by creating difference of pressure between the inlet and the throat.
• By measuring that pressure head using u-tube differential
manometer.
• The pressure tapings are to be provided one at the inlet and the
other at the starting of the throat where acceleration takes place.
Let
h = reading on the mercury manometer
p1 = pressure at inlet
v1 = Velocity of liquid at inlet
a1 = Area of pipe at inlet, and
p2 , v 2 , a 2  corresponding values at throat
9C304.21 8
Now applying Bernoulli's equation for inlet of the
pipe and the throat

v12 p1 v 22 p
 Z1    Z2   2       (i)
2g w 2g w

p1 p 2 v22 v12
    ( Z1  Z2 )
w w 2g 2g

v 22 v12
 h        (ii)
2g 2g

9C304.21 9
we know from the equation of continuity,
a1 v1  a 2 v 2
a2
v1   v2
a1
a 22
v12   v 22
a12

Substituting the above value of v12 in equation ( 2)

v 22 a 22 v 22
h  
2g 2 2g
a1

v 22  a 2 
h  1  2 
2g  2 
 a1 
9C304.21 10
 v22  a 2 a 2 
h   1 2 
2g  2 
 a1 
 a12 
v2  2 g h 
2 
 a 2 a 2 
 1 2 
(OR)
 
v2  2g h  a1 
 2 
 a1  a 2 
2


We know that the discharge

Q = coefficient of orifice meter × a 2 v 2
Cd a1 a 2
= 2g h
a12 - a 22
9C304.21 11
Position of Pressure Tapings in an
Orifice Meter
• The first pressure tapping shall be provided approximately at a
distance of 1.5 to 2 times the diameter of the pipe

• The second tapping shall be provided approximately at a

distance of d/2 from the orifice meter on the downstream side

• The diameter ratio between the orifice and the diameter of the
pipe for minimum losses shall be d2 / d1 = 0.5

• At the downstream side portion of the orifice meter water is

subjected to loss of head due to sudden expansion and also
eddy losses
9C304.21 12
Problems
1. A 15 cm x 10 cm orifice meter is mounted in a vertical
pipe carrying water the flow being upwards. The throat
section is 20 cm above the entrance section of the
orifice meter. For a certain flow through the meter, the
differential gauge between the throat and entrance
indicates a gauge deflection of 25 cm. Assuming the
Coefficient of discharge of orifice meter is 0.65. Find the
discharge.

9C304.21 13
Solution:

Given data:
Diameter at inlet  15 cm

Area at inlet a1  (15)2
4
176.71 cm 2
Diameter at throat  10 cm

Area at inlet a 2  (10)2
4
 78.54 cm 2

9C304.21 14
  Sm 
h x  1
 S 
 13.6 
 25   1
 0.8 
 315 cm of water

Cd  a1 a 2 2gh
Q 
a12  a 22
0.65  176.71 78.53  2  981 315
Q 
176.712  78.532

Q  44790 c m3 /sec

Q  44.790 lit/sec 9C304.21 15

Problems

1. An orifice meter consisting of 10 cm diameter orifice in

a 25 diameter pipe has coefficient of 0.65. The pipe

delivers oil specific gravity of 0.8. The pressure

difference on the two sides of the orifice plate is

measured by a mercury oil differential manometer. If the

differential gauge reads 80 cm of mercury, calculate the

rate of flow in litre / sec.

9C304.21 16
Solution:
Given data:
Diameter of orifice meter  10cm
π
 Area a1  102  78.59cm 2
4
Diameter of pipe  25cm
π
 Area a 2   252  490.87 cm 2
4
Orifice meter coefficient Cd  0.65
Specific gravity of oil  0.8
9C304.21 17
 π  0.12
a 2  area at throat   0.00785 m 2
4

x  difference between mercury levels

 x 150 mm  0.15 m

S 
h  x  m  1
 S 

13.6 
 0.15   1
 0.8 

 2.4 m
9C304.21 18
discharge through the venturimeter

Cd  a1 a 2 2gh
Q 
a12  a 22

Cd  0.65

0.65  0.070  0.00785  2  9.81 2.4


0.0702  0.007852

 36.32  103 m3 /sec

9C304.21 19
2. Find the discharge flowing through a orifice meter on
inlet dia. 30 cm and throat dia. 15 cm. The pressure
difference between inlet and throat as read with the help
of differential manometer is found to be 20 cm. of
mercury. Specific gravity of liquid 0.8 and that of
mercury is 13.6

Cd = Coefficient of orificemeter is 0.65

9C304.21 20
Solution:
Given data:
Diameter at inlet  30 cm

Area at inlet a1  (30) 2
4
 706.86 cm 2
Diameter at throat  15 cm

Area at inlet a 2  (15) 2
4
176.71 cm 2

9C304.21 21
Specific gravity of oil  0.8

Difference of pressure head

h  20 cm of mercury
 13.6  0.8 
 20  
 0.8 
 320 cm of oil

Coefficient of meter K  0.98

Let Q  Disch arg e of oil through the pipe. Using the relation
Cd a1 a 2
Q= 2gh with usual notation
a12  a 22
9C304.21 22
 Cd a1 a 2
Q= 2gh
 a12  a 22 
0.65  706.86 176.71
Q=  2  981 320
 706.86 2  176.71 2 
    
 93996.60 cm3 / sec
 93.99 lit / sec
 0.0939 m3 / sec

 Disch arg e of oil through the orificemeter

Q = 0.0939 m3 / sec.

9C304.21 23
3. A 20 cm x 10 cm orifice meter is mounted in a vertical
pipe carrying water the flow being upwards. The throat
section is 20 cm above the entrance section of the
orifice meter. For a certain flow through the meter, the
differential gauge between the throat and entrance
indicates a gauge deflection of 25 cm. Assuming the
Coefficient of orifice meter is 0.66. Find the discharge.

9C304.21 24
Solution:
Given data:
Diameter at inlet  20 cm

Area at inlet a1  (20) 2
4
2
 314.16 cm
Diameter at throat  10 cm

Area at inlet a 2  (10) 2
4
2
 78.54 cm
9C304.21 25
 Mercury manometer reading,

h  25cm of mercury
 13.6  1 
 25  
 1 
 315cm of water

Coefficient of meter K  0.66

Let Q  Disch arg e of oil through the pipe. Using the relation
Cd a1 a 2
Q= 2gh with usual notation
a12  a 22
9C304.21 26
 Cd a1 a 2
Q= 2gh
 a12 -a 22 
0.66×314.16×78.54
Q= × 2× 981× 315
 314.16 2 - 78.54 2 
    

Q = 42085.1 cm3 / sec

Q = 42.085 lit / sec

9C304.21 27
 4. A orifice meter has an area ratio of 9 to 1, the
larger diameter being 30 cm. During the flow, the
recorded pressure head in the larger section is 6.5
m and that at the throat 4.25 m. If meter coefficient,
K=0.68 Compute the discharge through the metre.

9C304.21 28
Solution:
Given data:
a1
Ratio of areas, =9
a2
Diameter at larger section = 0.3m
π
Area at inlet a1 = (0.3) 2
4
= 0.07069 m 2
0.07069
Area at smaller section a 2 =
9
= 0.00785 m 2

9C304.21 29
Pressure head at larger section
 6.5 m
Pressure head at smaller section
 4.25 m
Difference of pressure heads

h = 6.5  4.25 = 2.25 m of liquid

Coefficient of meter K= 0.68

Let Q  Disch arg e of oil through the pipe. Using the relation
Cd a1 a 2
Q= 2gh with usual notation
a12  a 22
9C304.21 30
 Cd a1 a 2
Q= 2gh
 a12 -a 22 
0.68×0.07069 ×0.00785
Q= × 2× 9.81× 2.25
 0.07069 2 - 0.00785 2 
    

Q = 0.0357 m3 / sec

Q = 35.717 lit / sec

9C304.21 31
5. A horizontal orifice meter 16 cm x 8 cm is used to
measure the flow of an oil specific gravity 0.8 . Determine
the deflection of the oil mercury gauge, if the discharge
of a oil is 50 lt /sec. Assume Cd =0.68

π 2
Sol: Area of the inlet end = 16 =201.06 cm2
4
π
Area of the inlet throat = ×82 = 50.265cm2
4
specific gravity of oil =0.8
Q = 50 lit /sec or 50x1000 = 50000 cm3 /sec

9C304.21 32
  Sh 
h  x   1
 Sf 
 13.6-0.8 
x 
 0.8 
h  16x

a1a 2 2gh
Q  Cd
a12  a 2
2

0.68  201.06  50.26

50000   2  981  16x
201.062  50.26 2

x  63.919 cm

differences of liquid columns  63.919 cm of mercury

9C304.21 33
6. A horizontal orifice meter 30 cm x 15 cm is used to
measure the flow of water. Determine the deflection of
the water mercury gauge, if the discharge of a water is
110 lt /sec. Assume Cd =0.67

Sol:
π
Area of the inlet end =  302 = 706.85 cm 2
4
π
Area of the throat = ×152 = 176.714 cm 2
4
Q = 110 lit /sec or 110x1000 = 110000 cm3/sec

9C304.21 34
  Sh 
h  x   1
 Sf 
 13.6 - 1 
x 
 1 
h  12.6 x
a1a 2 2gh
Q  Cd
a12  a 22

0.67  706.85.06 176.714

110000   2  981  12.6 x
706.852  176.714 2

x  32.73 cm of mercury
differences of liquid columns  32.73 cm of mercury
9C304.21 35
Summary

In this session, you have learnt in detail about

• Finding Discharge through orifice meter

• Finding Throat Diameter of Orifice meter

• Finding Difference of Pressure between Entrance

and Exit

9C304.21 36
Quiz
1) Orifice meter is used to measure.

a. Velocity

b. Discharge.

c .Pressure difference.

d. All of the above.

9C304.21 37
Quiz
2. Co efficient of orifice meter is

a. 0.9 to 0.98

b. 0.50 to 0.65

c .0.855

d. All the above

9C304.21 38
Quiz
3) If an error of 5% is made while finding head through

orifice meter the % of error in discharge is

a) 2. 5%

b) 5%

c) 7.5%

d) 10%

9C304.21 39
Quiz
4) The total losses expected in a orifice meter

ranges between

a) 2 to 3%

b) 35 to 38%

c) 50 to 60%

d) 10%

9C304.21 40
Quiz
5) The Cd of Orifice Meter ranges between

a) 0.64 to 0.68

b) 0.95 to 0.98

c) 0.75 to 0.85

d) 0.50 to 0.60

9C304.21 41
Quiz
6) The formulae for percentage of loss in discharge in
orifice meter due to loss in head is
dQ 1 dh
a) 
Q 2 h
dQ 2 dh
b) 
Q 3 h
dQ 3 dh
c) 
Q 4 h
dQ 5 dh
d) 
Q 2 h
9C304.21 42
Quiz
7) Orifice Meter is used to find

a. velocity in pipes

b. velocity in streams

c. Discharge through pipes

d. discharge through streams

9C304.21 43
 Frequently Asked Questions
1. Derive the formula for finding the discharge through orifice
meter?
2. A 20 cm x 10 cm orifice meter is mounted in a vertical pipe
carrying water the flow being upwards. The throat section is
30 cm above the entrance section of the orifice meter. For a
certain flow through the meter, the differential gauge
between the throat and entrance indicates a gauge deflection
of 30 cm. Assuming the Coefficient of orifice meter is 0.65.
Find the discharge.

9C304.21 44
Frequently Asked Questions

3. An orifice meter consisting of 15 cm diameter orifice in a

30 cm diameter pipe has coefficient of 0.68. The pipe
delivers oil specific gravity of 0.9. The pressure difference on
the two sides of the orifice plate is measured by a mercury oil
differential manometer. If the differential gauge reads
50 cm of mercury.

Calculate the rate of flow in litre / sec.

9C304.21 45
 Frequently Asked Questions

4) An orifice meter consisting of 7.5 cm diameter orifice in a 15

cm diameter pipe has coefficient of 0.65. The pipe delivers

oil specific gravity of 0.8. The pressure difference on the

two sides of the orifice plate is measured by a mercury oil

differential manometer. If the differential gauge reads 60

cm of mercury.

Calculate the rate of flow in litre / sec

9C304.21 46