Manometer

- a tube, usually bent in a form of a U, containing liquid

of known specific gravity, the surface of which moves
proportionally to changes of pressure.
- It is used to measure pressure.

Types of Manometer
1. Open Type – has an atmospheric surface in one leg
and is capable of measuring gage pressure.
Open end and is exposed to atmosphere
fluid surface inside is exposed to atm.
In absolute value pabs of fluid surface is
equal to patm. Its pressure gage is zero.

There is a U so it’s a manometer

 2. Differential Type – without an atmospheric surface
and capable of measuring only differences of pressure.
Cross sectional
area of pipe

There is a U so it’s a
manometer

Piezometer – The simplest form of manometer. It is a

tube tapped into a wall of a container or conduit for the
purpose of measuring pressure. The fluid in the
container or conduit rises in this tube to form a free
surface.
NOT considered
It is NOT a U tube as U tube
Limitations of piezometer:
• large pressures in the lighter liquids require long
tubes
• gas pressures cannot be measured because gas
can’t form a free surface
 Piezometer problems:
P1)
For the figure below, h is 20 in.,
Determine the pressure at A
When the liquid has s.g. = 1.90

A
P2)

𝒑𝑨 = 0 + glycerin(h)1-A

𝒑𝑨 = 0 + (s.g)glycerin(water)(h)1-A
40.8
𝒑𝑨 = 0 + (1.26)glycerin(62.4)( )
12

1 𝒍𝒃 1𝑓𝑡 2
𝒑𝑨 = 267.32 𝟐 X
122 𝑖𝑛2
𝒇𝒕

𝒍𝒃
𝒑𝑨 = 1.856
𝒊𝒏𝟐
𝒑𝒃𝒐𝒕𝒕𝒐𝒎 = 0 + oil(h)1-2 1

𝒑𝟐 = 0 + (s.g)oil(water)(h)1-2
𝒌𝑵
𝒑𝟐 = 0 + (0.86)oil(9.81 𝟑 )(3 m)
𝒎
2
𝒌𝑵
𝒑𝟐 = 25.31 𝟐
𝒎

bottom of piezometer
𝑝2 𝟐𝟓.𝟑𝟏
h= = = 3.0 m
𝛾𝑜𝑖𝑙 (𝟎.𝟖𝟔)(𝟗.𝟖𝟏)
P3)
Determine the piezometric levels in terms of elevations of
The piezometres attached to the side of the tank.

A B C

Elev. 3.0 m  1

interface 1.0 m
Oil (s.g. = 0.82
0.82)

Elev. 2.0 m 2 Elev @ A

interface 1.5 m H2O (s.g. = 1.0) Elev @ B

Elev. 0.5 m 3 Elev @ C

0.5 m A (s.g. = 1.6)

Elev. 0 4
Steps in solving manometer problems:

1. decide on the fluid in feet or meter of which the heads

are to be expressed, (water is most advisable)
2. starting from an end point, number in order, the inter-
face of different fluids,
3. identify points of equal pressure (taking into account
that for a homogenous fluid at rest, the pressure along
the same horizontal plane are equal). Label these
points with the same number
4. proceed from level to level, adding ( if going down) or
subtracting (if going up) pressure heads as the elevation
decreases or increases, respectively with due regard for
the specific gravity of the fluids.
For the manometer shown, determine the pressure at the center
of the pipe.
pA = p2 – H20(0.80)
= 200.124 – 9.81(0.80)
= 192.276 kPa

Solution with fewer equations:

pA = p1 + HghHg - WhW

pA = 0 + (s.g)(w)(h)Hg - whw

pA = 0 + (13.6)(9.81)(1.5) –
Using transmission of pressure (9.81)(0.80)
from level to level:
pA = 192.276 kPa
p1 = 0
p2 = p1 + Hg( 1.50)
= 0 + (9,81)(13.6)(1.5)
= 200.124 kPa
Alternate solution: ℎ𝐴 = ℎ2 − ℎ𝑤
Using pressure head “h” and in head
of water ℎ𝐴 = 20.4 − 0.80
Starting at point 1 (open to 𝒉𝑨 = 𝟏𝟗. 𝟔 𝒎𝑯𝟐𝑶
atmosphere, pg = 0)
Height of Hg Solving for pA
𝑝𝑔 0 converted to
ℎ1 = = 0 height of water 𝑝𝐴
𝛾𝑤 ℎ𝐴 =
𝛾𝑤
(𝑠.𝑔.𝐻𝑔 )(𝑕𝐻𝑔 )1
ℎ2 = ℎ1 + −
2
𝑝𝐴 = 𝛾𝑤 ℎ𝐴
𝑠.𝑔.𝐻2𝑂
𝑘𝑁
13.6 (1.5)1 2 𝑝𝐴 = (9.81 )(19.6 m)
𝑚3
ℎ2 = 0 + −
1
𝒌𝑵
13.6 (1.5)1 2 𝒑𝑨 = 192.276 𝟐
ℎ2 = 0 + −
𝒎
1

𝒉𝟐 = 𝟐𝟎. 𝟒 𝒎𝑯𝟐𝑶
Using pressure head “h” and in head of water using summations of
pressure heads:
ℎ𝐴 = ℎ1 + ℎ𝑤(1−2) − ℎ𝑤
𝑝𝑔 𝑝
ℎ𝐴 = +  (1 − 2) − ℎ𝑤 (2 − 3)
𝛾𝑤 𝛾𝑤

(𝑠.𝑔.𝐻𝑔 )(𝑕𝐻𝑔 )1
ℎ𝐴 = 0 + −  − ℎ𝑤
2
𝑠.𝑔.𝐻2𝑂

13.6 (1.5)1 2
ℎ𝐴 = 0 + −  − 0.80
1

𝒉𝑨 = 𝟏𝟗. 𝟔 𝒎𝑯𝟐𝑶
𝑝𝐴 = 𝛾𝑤 ℎ𝐴
𝑘𝑁
𝑝𝐴 = (9.81 )(19.6 m)
𝑚3
𝒌𝑵
𝒑𝑨 = 192.276 𝟐
𝒎
 converted to
Using pressure head “h” and in head ℎ𝐴 = ℎ2 − ℎ𝑤 height of Hg
of mercury (Hg)
1 (0.80)
Starting at point 1 (open to ℎ𝐴 = 1.50 
13.6
atmosphere, pg = 0)
𝒉𝑨 = 𝟏. 𝟒𝟒𝟏 𝒎𝑯𝒈
𝑝𝑔 0
ℎ1 = = 0 Solving for pA
𝛾𝐻𝑔
𝑝𝐴
ℎ𝐴 =
𝛾𝐻𝑔
ℎ2 = ℎ1  ℎ𝐻𝑔(1−2)
𝑝𝐴 = 𝛾𝐻𝑔 ℎ𝐴
ℎ2 = 0  1.50 𝑚
𝑘𝑁
𝑝𝐴 = (13.60)(9.81 )(1.441 m)
𝑚3
𝒉𝟐 = 𝟏. 𝟓𝟎 m𝑯𝒈
𝒌𝑵
𝒑𝑨 = 192.252
𝒎𝟐
𝑝2 = (s.g.Hg)(w)(h2)
The discrepancy is due to the rounding off
of the value of hA
Using pressure head “h” and in head of mercury using summations
of pressure heads:
ℎ𝐴 = ℎ1 + ℎ𝑤(1−2) − ℎ𝑤
𝑝𝑔 𝑝
ℎ𝐴 = +  − ℎ𝑤 (2 − 3)
𝛾𝐻𝑔 𝛾𝐻𝑔 (1 − 2)

(𝑠.𝑔.𝑤 )(𝑕𝑤 )1 2
ℎ𝐴 = 0 + ℎ𝐻𝑔  − 
𝑠.𝑔.𝐻𝑔

1 (0.8)
ℎ𝐴 = 0 + 1.5  
13.6

𝒉𝑨 = 𝟏. 𝟒𝟒𝟏 𝒎𝑯𝒈
𝑝𝐴 = 𝛾𝐻𝑔 ℎ𝐴
𝑘𝑁
𝑝𝐴 = (13.6)(9.81 )(1.441 m)
𝑚3
𝒌𝑵
𝒑𝑨 = 192.252 𝟐
𝒎
A differential manometer is shown below. Calculate the pressure
difference between points A and B.

B

Oil (s.g. = 0.92) 24 in

Oil (s.g. = 0.92)

A
x
2
12 in
1
Hg (s.g. = 13.6)
 Negative value means pressure at A is greater than at B

Difference in pressure between A and B

With pA now coming before pB, postive results can be seen.