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HYDRAULICS LABORATORY
EXPERIMENT NO. 4
Name:
Schedule:
Date:
RATING

MEASUREMENT OF DISCHARGE COEFFICIENT

OF A GIVEN VENTURI METER

I. Specific objectives:

1. To measure the coefficient of discharge, Cd of given Venturi meter.

2. To determine the relation between the coefficient of discharge and headloss between the inlet and
the throat of a Venturi meter.

II. Apparatus:

Hydraulic bench Volumetric tank

Venturi meter Weighing scale
Stopwatch

III. Theory

One of the direct applications of Bernoulli’s Energy Theorem is the measurement of discharge of a
steady flow through a Venturi meter. Energy equation is taken from the inlet (1) to the throat (2) of the
Venturi meter. Thus, a discharge through a Venturi meter can be formulated as:
𝐐 = 𝐂𝐝𝐤√𝐡𝟏 − 𝐡𝟐

The constant k of the Venturi meter is equal to:

𝐀𝟏 𝐀𝟐
𝐤= √𝟐𝐠
√ 𝐀𝟐 − 𝐀𝟐
𝟏 𝟐

where C - Discharge coefficient of a Venturi meter

h1 - Piezometer reading at the inlet
h2 - Piezometer reading at the throat
A1 - Cross-sectional area of inlet
A2 - Cross-sectional area of
throat g - Gravitational
acceleration

IV. Procedure
1. A schematic diagram of flow must be set-up as shown.

bench valve

Venturi meter
Hydraulic bench

Volumetric tank
2. Following the schematic diagram shown, the outlet hose of the hydraulic bench must be connected
to the inlet of the Venturi meter. Then the collection of water will be through the volumetric tank.

3. Put on the pump motor of the hydraulic bench. The bench valve should be fully opened.

4. While water is flowing, close the Venturi meter control valve. Notice that water flows to the
piezometric tubes. Be sure that no water leakage is found at the inlet or outlet or any at the
piezometer tappings. Check and remove all bubbles at the tubes.

5. With the bench valve fully opened and the control valve fully closed, the water at the piezometric
tubes will generally rise on the same level. If difficulty is experienced in reaching the desired
condition, air may be released from or admitted to the manifold through a small air valve located
at the top of the meter.

6. Fully open the control valve and check if the water level at the first Piezometer (A, inlet) is just
below the upper bar while the water level of the fourth Piezometer (D, throat) is just above the
lower bar. Judiciously adjust the air pressure through the air valve until the required condition is
attained.
air valve

upper bar

h1 lower bar

h2 control valve

D
A

7. The rate of flow is now measured by collecting water in the volumetric tank, and while this is in
progress, values of h1 and h2 and the rest of Piezometer readings (tubes B, C, E, F, G, H, J, K, L)
are read from the scale. Record the time of collection. To maintain an accurate discharge
measurement, it is recommended that the volume of water collected is more than half the volume
of the volumetric tank. Recall the formula to determine the volume of collected water,

Mwater = Mvolumetric tank + water – Mvolumetric tank

Vwater = Mwater / mass densitywater

actual discharge, Qa = Vwater / time

theoretical discharge, 𝐐𝐭 = 𝐤√𝐡𝟏 − 𝐡𝟐

8. Similar readings must be taken at a series of reducing the values (h1 – h2), about ten (10)
readings, roughly equally spread in the range of 250 mm to 10 mm.

9. Tabulate all data accordingly.

Table 1. Pressure distribution for each Piezometer in millimeters.
No. of
A (h1) B C D (h2) E F G H J K L
Trials
27 25 .21 15 .13 .16 .18 .20 .21 .22 .23
1
45 41 36 31 31 35 40 41 42 42 43
2
61 54 51 44 45 50 54 57 59 61 65
3
86 84 77 69 72 75 78 82 85 87 89
4
103 98 92 85 88 88 91 94 96 101 104
5
110 105 99 90 95 98 102 106 106 108 109
6
121 113 105 99 99 100 106 111 115 117 120
7
159 153 151 137 137 143 150 147 158 150 150
8
180 178 165 160 165 168 171 175 176 177 177
9
205 201 195 183 187 192 199 201 203 203 203
10

Table 2. Measurement discharge and discharge coefficient.

actual theoretical
Volume of
No. of h1 h2 Time discharge discharge
water Cd
Trials (m) (m) 3 (sec) 104 x Q 104 x Q
(m ) (m3/s) (m3/s)
.027 .015
1
.045 38
2
.061 .044
3
.086 .069
4
.103 .085
5
.110 .090
6
.121 .099
7
.160 .137
8
.181 .160
9
.205 .183
10

Notations:

Qa - Actual discharge
Qt - Theoretical discharge
Cd - Coefficient of discharge
Mw - Mass of water
Vw - Volume of water

VI. Computations

Computations shall be done on a separate bond paper.

VII. Graphs

On a separate graphing paper, draw a graph of the following:

Graph 1. Variation of height of water, h for each piezometer tapping.

Height of water, h (mm)

A B C D E F G H J K L
Piezometer tapping

Graph 2. Variation of (h1 – h2) with actual discharge, Qa.

h1 – h2, mm

Actual discharge, Qa (104 x m3/s)

Graph 3. Variation of coefficient of discharge, Cd with actual discharge, Qa.

Coefficient of discharge, Cd

Actual discharge, Qa (m/s)

VIII. Question for further discussion:

1. What would be the effect on the results if the Venturi meter were not horizontal? Would you make
any correction to the peizometer readings if the meter were mounted with its axis vertical? Why?

2. The experimental results show that there is a pressure drop across the meter from inlet to outlet,
and this pressure drop increases with discharge. Would there be any disadvantages in using this
pressure drop rather than that between the inlet and the throat for the purpose of calibrating the
meter? Why?

3. Using the value of Cd, which you have obtained by experiment, determine the throat diameter of a
Venturi meter which would measure a flow of 0.40 m3/s in a pipe of 0.60 meter diameter with a
differential head of 0.80 meter.
IX. Drawing

Draw the apparatus used in the experiment.

IX. Conclusion