Experiment : Bernoulli’s Equation Applied to a Convergent-Divergent Passage

Aim
The main purpose of the experiment is to measure the distribution of total pressure and static pressure
along the duct and to compare these datas as an estimate of the yield obtained with the bernoulli
equation.

Experimental Procedure
The position of the pitot static tube on X axis was changed. The static pressure, total pressure and airbox
pressure values at these positions were measured with the aid of a position-changed pitot static tube.

x (mm) Po (N/m2) P (total p (static Bt/B ((P-p)/(Pt-pt))0.5

pressure) pressure)
(N/m2) (N/m2)
0 1667.13 1667.13 1010.08 0.579 0.651
5 1676.93 1676.93 961.05 0.597 0.680
10 1686.74 1686.74 921.82 0.616 0.703
15 1686.74 1686.74 853.17 0.636 0.733
20 1686.74 1686.74 784.53 0.658 0.763
25 1686.74 1686.74 686.45 0.681 0.803
30 1686.74 1686.74 608.01 0.706 0.834
35 1686.74 1686.74 519.75 0.733 0.868
40 1686.74 1686.74 421.68 0.762 0.904
45 1686.74 1686.74 343.23 0.794 0.931
50 1686.74 1686.74 274.58 0.828 0.955
55 1686.74 1686.74 225.55 0.865 0.971
60 1686.74 1686.74 196.13 0.906 0.981
65 1686.74 1686.74 176.51 0.951 0.987
70 1686.74 1686.74 156.9 1 0.993
81 1686.74 1686.74 137.29 1 1
92 1686.74 1686.74 147.09 1 0.996
103 1686.74 1686.74 196.13 1 0.981
114 1686.74 1686.74 264.77 1 0.958
120 1686.74 1686.74 304.0 0.962 0.944
130 1686.74 1686.74 362.84 0.928 0.924
140 1686.74 1686.74 441.3 0.896 0.896
150 1686.74 1686.74 500.14 0.866 0.875
160 1686.74 1686.74 549.17 0.838 0.856
170 1686.74 1686.74 598.2 0.811 0.838
180 1686.74 1686.74 647.23 0.787 0.819
 190 1686.74 1686.74 686.46 0.763 0.803
200 1686.74 1686.74 725.69 0.742 0.787
210 1686.74 1686.74 755.11 0.721 0.775
220 1686.74 1686.74 794.33 0.701 0.758
230 1686.74 1686.74 823.75 0.683 0.746
240 1686.74 1686.74 853.17 0.665 0.733
250 1686.74 1686.74 872.79 0.649 0.724
260 1686.74 1686.74 902.21 0.633 0.711
270 1686.74 1686.74 921.82 0.618 0.702
280 1686.74 1686.74 941.43 0.603 0.693
290 1686.74 1686.74 961.05 0.589 0.684
300 1686.74 1686.74 990.47 0.576 0.670
305 1686.74 1686.74 1019.89 0.564 0.656
Table 1

Po : Airbox pressure

P : Total pressure

p : Static pressure

B : Width of duct

Bt : Width of throat

Pt : Total pressure of throat

pt : Static pressure of throat

According to the measurements made in the experiment, the data were recorded in the table.
Result Analysis
Pressures Change Along the Duct

Pressures Change Along the Duct

1800

1600

1400

1200
Pressure (N/m2)

1000

800

600

400

200

0
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350
Distance x (mm)

P total pressure p static pressure Po in airbox

Graph 1

As seen in the graph, the airbox pressure and total pressure values are very close to each other along
the duct.

The throat section of the duct continues until the value of x is 114 mm from the value of 70 mm. The
static pressure in the throat section seems to be quite low. This indicates the correctness of the
Bernoulli equation. Because static pressure is decreasing in the constricted part of the duct. The static
pressure is less, the dynamic pressure is higher, so the velocity will be higher in the throat section.

After 114 mm, the throat section finishes and the static pressure increases steadily. The increase in
static pressure in this expanding section once again demonstrates the correctness of the Bernoulli
equation.
Velocity Ratio Along the Duct

Velocity Ratios Change Along the Duct

1.2

0.8
u/ut

0.6

0.4

0.2

0
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350
Distance x (mm)

Calculated From Bt/B Measured by P-S tube

Graph 2

In the graph, the y-axis is the local velocity and throat velocity ratio, and the x-axis is the distance along
the duct.

The maximum velocity occurs in the throat zone. Therefore, as the distance in the x-axis approaches the
throat zone, the velocity ratio approaches 1. In other regions, this ratio is lower than 1 because the
static pressure increases and the speed decreases because the area expands as the Bernoulli equation
requires.

Small differences are observed between measured and calculated curves. However, in general, the
velocity ratio value reaches to 1 in the throat region of two curves, indicating that it supports the
Bernoulli equation.
Results – Review

When a flow through the duct is examined, it is expected that this flow will have different properties in
different regions of the duct. Duct starts with wide area in general. The area called throat shrinks and
eventually duct expands again.

According to the results obtained in the experiment, the total pressure remained constant throughout
the duct and the static pressure varied. It has been observed that the static pressure decreases in the
decreasing part and the static pressure increases in the expanding part, that is, the static pressure
increases with the field. These results were found to be compatible with the Bernoulli equation.