HYDRAULICS 9: FLUID FLOW MEASUREMENT DEVICE COEFFICIENTS

PREPARED BY: ENGR. BILLY I. REJUSO

Coefficient of Discharge (C or CD)

- Ratio of the actual discharge through the device to the ideal or theoretical discharge.
C/CD= Actual Discharge/Theoretical Discharge= QA/QT
Coefficient of Velocity (CV)
- Ratio of the actual mean velocity to the ideal or theoretical velocity.
CV= Actual Velocity/Theoretical Velocity= VA/VT
Coefficient of Contraction (CC)
- Ratio of the actual area of the contracted section of the stream or jet to the area of the opening through
which the fluid flows.
CC= Area of stream or jet/Area of Opening= a/A

Relationship between the 3 coefficients:

CD= CC x CV
Head Loss (Venturi Meter, Orifice, Tubes and Nozzles):

= (

)
[

/
)
(
]

If the device takes of directly from a tank where A, is very much greater than A2, then the velocity approach
is negligible, therefore:

= ( )

Venturi Meter:
-

Is generally a casting consisting of an upstream section which is the same as the pipe, has a bronze
liner and contains a piezometer ring from measuring static pressure.
The size of a venture meter is specified by the pipe and the throat diameter

Sample Problems:
1. Water flows through a venture meter as shown at a rate of 3.05 ft3/sec. Compute the following:
A. Change in pressure heads between 1 and 2
B. Velocity at the throat
C. Coefficient of Discharge

2. For the Venturi meter shown, the deflection of mercury in the differential gage is 14.3 inch. Assuming no
energy is lost between A and B, determine the following:
A. Velocity at B
B. Velocity at A
C. Flow of water through the meter

3. A 300mm pipe delivers 2 m3 per minute through a venturi meter shown. A2 is 1/10 of A1. If the pressure
head in A1 is 6m, solve for the following:
A. Compute the main velocity at point 1
B. Compute the main velocity at point 2
C. Compute the pressure head at point 2