Discussions and Closures

Discussion of “Discharge Coefficients Area of Pipe Removed by the bit, Ao

for Orifices Cut into Round Pipes” by Consider a riser of diameter D as shown in Fig. 1. The diameter of
Alex J. McLemore, John S. Tyner, the bit that cut the hole is equal to d. An equation for Ao (area of
Daniel C. Yoder, and John R. Buchanan pipe removed by the bit) can be found from the following integral:
DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)IR.1943-4774.0000641 Z d=2 Z pffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi sffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi
 qffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi2
ðd=2Þ2 −x2 ∂
Ao ¼ 4 1þ ðD=2Þ2 − x2 dzdx
0 0 ∂x
Ali R. Vatankhah 1
1
Associate Professor, Irrigation and Reclamation Eng. Dept., University ð1Þ
College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Univ. of Tehran, Simplifying Eq. (1) yields
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P.O. Box 4111, Karaj, 31587-77871 Tehran, Iran. E-mail: sffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi

arvatan@ut.ac.ir Z d=2 ðd=2Þ2 − x2
Ao ¼ 2D dx ð2Þ
0 ðD=2Þ2 − x2
Introduction
Assuming z ¼ td=2, Eq. (2) takes the form
The authors are appreciated for a useful contribution regarding the sffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi
discharge coefficient for flow into orifices cut with a circular bit Z 1
1 − t2
perpendicular to and along the centerline of a round pipe, and the Ao ¼ d2 dt ð3Þ
0 1 − ε 2 t2
discusser would like to draw attention to some points.
As mentioned by the authors, the orifice area is generally
in which ε ¼ d=D. The dimensionless area, Ao =D2 , can be ex-
defined as the area of the bit used to cut the hole, but the true orifice
pressed as follows:
area is larger than the bit due to the curvature of the riser pipe.
Prohaska et al. (2010) studied flow into a riser while assuming the sffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi
Z 1
orifice area equal to the bit area. McLemore et al. (2011) provided Ao 2 1 − t2
¼ ε dt ð4Þ
several descriptions for the orifice area. D2 0 1 − ε 2 t2
The authors conducted an excellent investigation of the dis-
charge through orifices in riser pipes, but the area used to calculate An equivalent version of Ao can also be obtained by using the
discharge in the orifice equation is considered as an ellipse area, Ae , elementary arc strip shown in Fig. 1 as
due to the complexity of the solutions for the actual area.
Z d=2 Z d=2 pffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi 
In this research, the actual orifice area, Ao , is considered equiv- ðd=2Þ2 − z2
alent to the area of pipe removed by the bit (Fig. 1), and a near exact Ao ¼ Ldz ¼ D sin−1 dz ð5Þ
−d=2 −d=2 D=2
solution for Ao is presented using the two-point Gauss quadrature
rule (Vatankhah 2011). As orifice depth decreases, the error due to in which L is the arc length. Assuming z ¼ td=2, Eq. (5) takes
assuming a single h (head at center of orifice) increases. This error the form
can be removed by integrating the head across the area. A simple Z
accurate approximation for this case is also presented. Because the Dd 1 −1  pffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi2 
Ao ¼ sin ε 1 − t dt ð6Þ
orifice area encountered by water entering a riser is described more 2 −1
accurately by Ao, it is interesting to ponder whether the fits to dis-
charge coefficient in the original paper might be further improved The dimensionless area, can also be expressed as
by using this area. Z
Ao ε 1 −1  pffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi2ffi
¼ sin ε 1 − t dt ð7Þ
D2 2 −1

A graphical representation of Eqs. (4) and (7) is shown in Fig. 2.

As seen, these solutions are equivalent.

Near Exact Solution for Ao

Analytical integration of Eqs. (4) and (7) yields complex results in

terms of elliptic integrals. A simple and suitable form for integral
term in Eq. (7) can be considered as follows:
Z 1  pffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi 
sin−1 ε 1 − t2 dt ≅ w1 sin−1 ðw2 εÞ þ w3 sin−1 ðw4 εÞ ð8Þ
−1

where wi (i ¼ 1; 2; : : : ; 4) coefficients to be determined by curve

Fig. 1. Graphical representation of a hole cut perpendicularly by a
fitting against accurate numerical integration. The final results will
circular bit into the center of a round pipe
be as follows:

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Fig. 2. Graphical representation of the dimensionless area Ao =D2 in Fig. 4. Percentage deviation of the dimensionless area Ae =D2 com-
terms of ε computed by Eqs. (4) and (7) pared with the exact integral values of Ao =D2 from Eq. (4) or Eq. (7)

 
Ao ε Discharge through Orifice
¼ ½1.1485sin−1 ð0.758εÞ þ 0.707sin−1 ð0.99εÞ
D2 ∗ 2
Eq. (9) can be used for the entire practical range of the argument
0 ≤ ε ≤ 1. The percentage error PE (%), of the approximation
Eq. (9) can be determined as
" #
ðD2 Þ
Ao
PEð%Þ ¼ 100 × 1 − Ao
ð10Þ
D2
where Ao =D2 stands for the exact integral values from Eq. (4)
or Eq. (7); and ðAo =D2 Þ stands for the approximation Ao =D2 from
Eq. (9). As shown in Fig. 3, for the practical range of 0 ≤ ε ≤ 1,
the maximum percentage error [PE (%)] of Eq. (9) is less than
0.08%. Thus, this direct and simple equation represents a near exact
solution for the dimensionless area Ao =D2 .
The authors of the original paper have defined a new ellipse area
as Ae =D2 ¼ 0.25πε sin−1 ðεÞ. The percentage deviation [PD (%)] of
this equation compared with the exact integral values of Ao =D2
from Eq. (4) or Eq. (7) is up to 23% as shown in Fig. 4.
ð9Þ
Small Orifice
The standard equation used to calculate theoretical discharge Qt ,
through an orifice, where the head over the orifice is high compared
with the orifice dimensions (i.e., small orifice) can be written as
pffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi
Qt ¼ Ao 2gh ð11Þ
where Ao = actual area of the orifice; g = gravitational
acceleration; and h = head relative to the orifice center.
Substituting Ao from Eq. (9) into Eq. (11) yields
pffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi
Qt ¼ 0.5Dd 2gh½1.1485sin−1 ð0.758εÞ þ 0.707sin−1 ð0.99εÞ
ð12Þ
Eq. (12) is valid over the range of 0 ≤ ε ≤ 1. The maximum
percentage error associated with the theoretical discharge for the
mentioned range is less than 0.08% compared with the exact theo-
retical equation. It should be noted that this small error is only
related to approximating the orifice area by Eq. (9).
Introducing the discharge coefficient, Cd , to theoretical dis-
charge, Qt , the actual discharge, Q ¼ Cd Qt through the orifice can
be computed.

Large Orifice
Large orifice condition occurs for very low upstream heads. For
large orifices, the discharge has to be determined by integrating the
discharges through small elements of the area. Considering an ele-
mentary arc strip of length L and width dz at height z from the
centroid of the section of the orifice (Fig. 1), the theoretical dis-
charge through the orifice can be expressed as
pffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi 
pffiffiffiffiffi Z d=2 pffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi ðd=2Þ2 − z2
Qt ¼ 2gD h − zsin−1 dz ð13Þ
−d=2 D=2

Assuming z ¼ td=2, Eq. (13) takes the form

Fig. 3. Percentage error of the dimensionless area approximation pffiffiffiffiffi Dd3=2

Ao =D2 by Eq. (9) Qt ¼ 2g Fðε; h Þ ð14Þ
2

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Fig. 5. Percentage error [PE (%)] of F ðε; h Þ compared with the exact
integral values of Fðε; h Þ from Eq. (15)
in which h ¼ h=d is the dimensionless height above the orifice
centroid and
Z 1 pffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi  pffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi 
Fðε; h Þ ¼ h − 0.5tsin−1 ε 1 − t2 dt ð15Þ
−1
Analytical integration of Eq. (15) yields complex results in
terms of elliptic integrals. Fðε; h Þ values can be precisely deter-
mined for any 0 ≤ ε ≤ 1 and h ≥ 0.5 using numerical integration
methods. These values of Fðε; h Þ can be considered as true ones
and used for curve fitting methods to determine a suitable equation
for Fðε; h Þ through the undetermined coefficients method. Using
the method of undetermined coefficients with two points yields
1.1485sin−1 ð0.758εÞ þ 0.707sin−1 ð0.99εÞ
F ðε; h Þ ¼ ð16Þ
ð1 þ 0.066h−2.6 Þ0.11 h−0.5
in which F ðε; h Þ is an approximation for Fðε; h Þ. Eq. (16) is
valid over the range of 0 ≤ ε ≤ 1 and h ≥ 0.5. The maximum
percentage error associated with this equation for the mentioned
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J. Irrig. Drain Eng., 2015, 141(11): 07015022
ranges is less than 0.35% compared with the exact numerical values
of integral Eq. (15) as shown in Fig. 5.
Substituting F ðε; h Þ from Eq. (16) into Eq. (14) yields
 
pffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi 1.1485sin−1 ð0.758εÞ þ 0.707sin−1 ð0.99εÞ
Qt ¼ 0.5Dd 2gh
ð1 þ 0.066h−2.6
 Þ0.11
ð17Þ
Thus, the actual discharge, Q ¼ Cd Qt through the orifice can
be computed. It is important to note that Eq. (17) is valid for both
small and large orifices and for h ≥ 2 reduces to Eq. (12) for small
orifices.
Because the orifice area encountered by water entering a riser is
described more accurately by Ao than by Ae, it is interesting to pon-
der whether the fits to discharge coefficient in the original paper
might be further improved by using this area. Thus it is proposed
below equation for the actual discharge of an orifice cut into round
pipes
 
pffiffiffiffiffiffiffiffi 1.1485sin−1 ð0.758εÞ þ 0.707sin−1 ð0.99εÞ
Q ¼ 0.5DdCd 2gh
ð1 þ 0.066h−2.6 Þ0.11
ð18Þ
Acknowledgments
The discusser gratefully acknowledges the support provided by the
Center of Excellence for Evaluation and Rehabilitation of Irrigation
and Drainage Networks, University of Tehran.
References
McLemore, A. J., Tyner, J. S., and Yoder, D. C. (2011). “Discussion of
‘Investigation of flow through orifices in riser pipes’ by P. D. Prohaska,
A. A. Khan, and N. B. Kaye.” J. Irrig. Drain. Eng., 10.1061/(ASCE)IR
.1943-4774.0000328, 632.
Prohaska, P. D., Khan, A. A., and Kaye, N. B. (2010). “Investigation of
flow through orifices in riser pipes.” J. Irrig. Drain. Eng., 10.1061/
(ASCE)IR.1943-4774.0000195, 340–347.
Vatankhah, A. R. (2011). “Approximate solutions to complete elliptic in-
tegrals for practical use in water engineering.” J. Hydrol. Eng., 10.1061/
(ASCE)HE.1943-5584.0000376, 942–945.
J. Irrig. Drain Eng.