Experiment # 09

SMOOTH PIPE FRICTION

Object:

To determine friction factor, f, for a smooth Perspex pipe, for laminar and turbulent
flows

Apparatus:

Hydraulics bench with pipe friction apparatus.

Stop watch.
Measuring cylinder.
Thermometer.

Fig. 9.1 Pipe Friction Apparatus

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Theory:
4f V 2
hf  . (Darcy formula) (9.1)
d 2g
where f is Darcy’s frictional coefficient
dgh
 f  2 Vf2 (9.2)

For a smooth pipe,

f  φ( R )

where Reynold’s Number

R Vd
γ

For Laminar flow:

16
f (9.3)
R
For Turbulent flow:

0.079
f (Blasius) (9.4)
R 0.25

Procedure:

Note inside diameter of the test section and measure distance between the pressure
tappings.

Close the manometer bleed valves and connect the test section directly to the bench
supply. Open pressure gauge control valve of the hydraulics bench (IE) to allow water
to pass thorough the test section, then attach a burette clip to the outlet tube to reduce
the flow to a trickle. Operate bleed valves at top of the mercury manometer, opening
one valve and closing the other, then closing the first valve and opening the other, and
repeating this process until all air has been expelled from the system. Carefully open
bleed valve of the air manometer to allow the levels to come about half-way up the
scales. Close all bleed valves and tighten burette clips on tubes leading to the air
manometer so as to isolate this manometer.

Release burette clip on the outlet tube and adjust the supply valve IE to give a
maximum mercury manometer reading. Take scale readings of the levels in this
manometer, and measure the flow rate using a measuring cylinder and stopwatch.
Reduce the flow rate in steps to give manometer level differences which reduce
approximately in geometric progression. For each flow rate, measure the flow rate and
take manometer readings.

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When the mercury level difference is below 3 cm carefully open the burette clips
which isolate the air manometer and operate bleed valve if necessary to bring the
levels within range of the scales. Continue the procedure, reading both manometers.

When the air manometer level difference is below 10 cm, close the supply valve, close
the outlet tube burette clip, and connect the bench supply and the test section to the
constant head tank. Avoid admitting air to the system: keep the tube which supplies
the test section full of water and slide it on to the constant head tank outlet when that
outlet is delivering water.

Open fully outlet pipe burette clip and adjust the water supply until water is just
spilling into the overflow pipe. Continue the procedure described above of taking
manometer and flow rate readings for manometer level differences reducing in
approximately geometric progression.

Measure the water temperature.

Observations & Calculations:

Table 9.1

Kinematic Viscosity of water, v

T v x 10-3
o
( C) (cm 2 /s)
0 17.94
5 15.35
10 12.97
15 11.37
20 9.96
25 8.84
30 7.96
35 7.24
40 6.63
45 6.11
50 5.62
55 5.18
60 4.80

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 Table 9.2
0
d = 0.3 cm T = --------- C
l = 52.6cm  v  ..... x 10 3 cm 2 /s

π 2 hf = f
S. v  Q/( d )
t Q= 4 M1 M2 M1- R  vd / v  dgh f /(2 V 2 ) log R log f
No. /t = 14 Q M2  2.8h f /V 2

3 3
cm s cm /s cm/s cm cm cm

Plot:
Plot log f vs log R. The plot will show two distinct straight lines. Derive equations for them.

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log f

log R

Fig. 9.2 Plot of log f vs log R

Comments:

Sig. of the lab. lecturer _________________ Date _____________

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