Journal of Hydraulic Research

ISSN: 0022-1686 (Print) 1814-2079 (Online) Journal homepage: https://www.tandfonline.com/loi/tjhr20

Discharge equation of a circular sharp-crested

orifice

Prabhata K. Swamee & Nimisha Swamee

To cite this article: Prabhata K. Swamee & Nimisha Swamee (2010) Discharge equation
of a circular sharp-crested orifice, Journal of Hydraulic Research, 48:1, 106-107, DOI:
10.1080/00221680903568626

To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.1080/00221680903568626

Published online: 18 Mar 2010.

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 Journal of Hydraulic Research Vol. 48, No. 1 (2010), pp. 106– 107
doi:10.1080/00221680903568626
# 2010 International Association for Hydro-Environment Engineering and Research

Technical note

Discharge equation of a circular sharp-crested orifice

PRABHATA K. SWAMEE, Professor of Civil Engineering, National Institute of Tech. Jalandhar, Jalandhar,
144 011, India.
Email: swameefce@yahoo.com (author for correspondence)

NIMISHA SWAMEE, Executive, Railway Infrastructure, Railway Business Unit, Larsen and Toubro, Faridabad,
121 003, India.
Email: NimishaSwamee@larsentoubro.com

ABSTRACT
The discharge of circular sharp-crested orifices is commonly obtained by using experimental data of the discharge coefficient. This procedure is
subjected to errors in graph reading. Further, such a procedure also cannot be used for analytical purposes. Presented herein is a high-accuracy explicit
equation of the orifice discharge. The equation unifies viscous and potential flows.

Keywords: Discharge coefficient, discharge measurement, explicit equation, flow rate, orifice, viscous effect

1 Introduction 2 Analytical considerations

Orifices are used as an emptying device for tanks. The classical For small [d(gh)1/2/n], the relationship Cd versus[d(gh)1/2/n] is
discharge equation for circular orifice flow from a side of a large linear on a double logarithmic plot (Fig. 1), namely
tank is
pffiffiffiffiffi
0:0268d gh
p pffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi Cd ¼ (2)
Q ¼ Cd d 2 2gh (1) n
4

For very large [d(gh)1/2/n], the asymptotic discharge coeffi-

where Q is the discharge, Cd the discharge coefficient, d the
cient may be fitted to
orifice diameter, g the gravitational acceleration and h the depth
of orifice centre below free surface. The discharge coefficient  
varies with d(gh)1/2/n, where n is the kinematic fluid viscosity. 4:5n 0:882
Cd ¼ 0:611 1 þ pffiffiffiffiffi (3)
Lea (1938) explored the relation of Cd versus [d(gh)1/2/n] by d gh
utilizing various classical test data. These tests were conducted
using mixtures of water and glycerin and a number of oils, Following Swamee (1988) by combining Eqs (2) and (3) and
resulting in Lea’s (1938) curve for Cd (Fig. 1). This curve was fitting the test data of Lea (1938) results in
considered so important that it was redrawn by Rouse (1946)
on a different abscissa (Vd/n) with V ¼ Q/(pd2/4) being the " 1:43   #
0:7
average orifice flow velocity. For large [d(gh)1/2/n] the limit n 4:5n
1:26
Cd ¼ 0:611 87 pffiffiffiffiffi þ 1 þ pffiffiffiffiffi : (4)
value of Cd ¼ 0.592 is reached, whereas for large (Vd/n) or d gh d gh
[d(gh)1/2/n] the plot of Rouse (1946) reaches Cd ¼ 0.611 for
potential flow. Thus, Rouse rejected data with Cd , 0.611 for
large [d(gh)1/2/n]. Figure 1 follows Rouse by using the asymp- Equation (4) is shown in Fig. 1, which is fairly accurate to
totic value of Cd ¼ 0.611. predict Cd as the errors involved are well within +1.0%.

Revision received 6 October 2009/Open for discussion until 31 August 2010.

ISSN 0022-1686 print/ISSN 1814-2079 online
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106
Journal of Hydraulic Research Vol. 48, No. 1 (2010) Discharge equation of a circular sharp-crested orifice 107

indicating that for highly viscous flow the orifice discharge is

proportional to the operating head h, and proportional to 1.5
power of the opening area. Thus, whereas by doubling the area
the discharge is the double of inviscid flow, it is almost three
times for viscous flow.

4 Conclusions

A unified equation for the discharge coefficient of a sharp-crested

orifice flow was established providing a smooth transition
between viscous and potential flows.

Figure 1 Lea’s (1938) averaged curve for Cd versus [d(gh)1/2/n]

Notation
Combining Eqs (1) and (4), the orifice discharge is finally
"  1:43   #
0:7 Cd ¼ discharge coefficient
pffiffiffiffiffi
2 n 4:5n
1:26
Q ¼ 0:679d gh 87 pffiffiffiffiffi þ 1 þ pffiffiffiffiffi : d ¼ orifice diameter
d gh d gh
g ¼ gravitational acceleration
(5) h ¼ hydraulic head
Q ¼ discharge
3 Discussion
V ¼ average flow orifice velocity
n ¼ kinematic fluid viscosity
Putting n ¼ 0 for potential flow, Eq. (5) reduces to
pffiffiffiffiffi
Q ¼ 0:679d 2 gh (6)
References
A perusal of Eq. (6) reveals that for very high Reynolds
numbers, the orifice discharge varies directly with the opening Lea, F.C. (1938). Hydraulics for engineers and engineering
area, and as a square root of the operating head. In turn, by students, 6th ed. Arnold, London.
putting n ! 1 for highly viscous flow, Eq. (5) reads Rouse, H. (1946). Elementary mechanics of fluids. Wiley &
Sons, New York.
0:0298d 3 gh Swamee, P.K. (1988). Generalized rectangular weir equations.
Q¼ (7)
n J. Hydraul. Eng. 114(8), 945–949.