DCC30122

Fluid Mechanics
Chapter 2
MEASUREMENT

OF
PRESSURE

BY :
LIZA SUHANA RAMLI liza@ptsb.edu.my
 Learning Outcome
Measurement of Pressure


2.1. Explain pressure and pressure
variation in a fluid at rest
2.1.1 Describe concept of pressure,
pressure head and relationships
between absolute pressure, gauge
pressure, and atmospheric pressure
2.2.2 Estimate the pressure by using
barometer, piezometer and
differential manometer and
inverted differential manometer
 Concept of pressure

 The amount of force exerted on
surface per area is defined
as pressure

 It is a scalar quantity denoted by

the symbol P

 The unit of pressure : Newton per

square meter,which is also called
pascals (Pa)
Pressure of liquid


 Liquid Pressure, P

P = ρgh
where

ρ = fluid density
g = acceleration of gravity
= 9.81 m/s²
h = height or depth of fluid
  Example 1

A diver diving 18m below sea level. Calculate the

experienced pressure caused by the water head
(water = 10000 N/m3 )

Solution:
 

= h
=
Example 2
Calculate the water head for intensity
pressure 340000 N/m2

Solution:

𝑃= 𝜌 𝑔h
 

 
 PRESSURE HEAD
 In

fluid mechanics, pressure head is the
pressure exerted by a liquid column on
the base of the container

 It is represented as the height of the

liquid column

 Pressure head is also called static

head or static pressure head which
is represented by ‘Z’

 Unit for pressure head is meter (m)

 
Relationship between Absolute
Pressure, Gauge pressure and
Atmospheric pressure
 Absolute pressure


 Is the pressure that sum of the gauge
pressure and atmospheric pressure

 Uses absolute zero, which is the lowest possible

pressure
 Therefore, an absolute pressure will always be
positive
 Equation relating the two pressure measuring
system can be written as:

Absolute pressure (PM) = Gauge pressure (PT) + Atmospheric pressure (Patm)

Gauge pressure


 Is the intensity pressure that measured
against atmospheric pressure
 Gauge pressure is the pressure readings above
or below atmospheric pressure
 The gauge will give a zero reading, if the pressure
of a fluid equal to atmospheric pressure, so the
atmospheric pressure take as datum
Atmospheric pressure, Patm


 Is the pressure caused by the weight of air in the
earth's surface

 Atmospheric pressure (Patm) varies according to

altitude measured from sea level

 At sea level, the average atmospheric pressure is

101 kN/m2 equivalent to 10.3m water head and
760mm mercury head.
 

In any fluid under gravity :

* An increase in elevation causes a decrease in pressure.
* A decrease in elevation causes an increase in pressure.
 Example 1


 What will be the gauge pressure and absolute pressure of
 water at a depth 12m below the surface? Take ρwater
 = 1000 kg/m3 and Patm = 101 kN/m2

Solution:

Pgauge = ρgh
= 1000 x 9.81 x 12
= 117.7 kN/m2 (kPa)

Pabs = Pgauge + Patm

= (117.7 + 101) kN/m2
= 218.7 kN/m2
 Exercise 1

Draw the pressure distribution
120 mm Water
diagram acting on the tank walls xA
containing Fluid X and Fluid Y 200 mm Fluid X
(Figure Q2). If the specific gravity xB
for Fluid X = 0.75 and specific of Fluid Y
gravity for Fluid Y = 0.85, 300 mm
xC
100 mm
calculate the pressure at point A ,
Figure Q2
B and C.
 Pressure Measuring
Devices

 Fluid pressure can be measured with a certain
pressure gauge
i) Barometer (Aneroid and Bourdon pressure
gauge)
ii) Piezometer
iii) Manometer
 Barometer
 • is a simple gauge to
measure atmospheric
pressure

The atmosphere pushes on the container of mercury which forces

mercury up the closed, inverted tube. The distance d is called the
barometric pressure.
 How to know Patm = 10.3 m water head = 760mm
Vacum mercury head ?
ANSWER : Use Barometer
Mercury
(Hg)
h
Patm
Unknown,
A
Patm = 101kN/m2 = PA
PA
101x103 N/m2 = HgghHg
101x103 = (13.6x103 ) ( 9.81 ) hHg
101x103 = 133416 hHg
hHg = 101x103
133416
hHg = 0.757m
hHg = 757 mm
hHg  760 mm Hg
 Piezometer


 A simple vertical tube open at the top, which is attached to the

system containing the liquid where the pressure (higher than
atmospheric pressure) to be measured.
 As the tube is open to the atmosphere, the pressure measured is
the gauge pressure.

3) Manometer
 Manometer is used to measure the difference

in air or liquid pressure

 A U-shaped manometer essentially pits two
different gas pressures against one another, and
measures the strength of the captured gas

 There are three types of manometer, which:

1.) Simple Manometer
2.) Differential Manometer
3.) Inverted Differential Manometer
Three types of manometer:
1. An open / simple manometer: has one end open to

atmospheric pressure and is capable of measuring the
gage pressure in a vessel.

2. A differential manometer: connects each end to a

different pressure vessel and is capable of measuring the
pressure difference between the two vessels.

3. An inverted differential manometer: consists of an

inverted U-tube, containing a light liquid whose two ends are
connected to the points whose difference of pressure is to be
found out.
 Open Manometer

A manometer is a Both ends of the
U-shaped tube tube are open to
that is partially the atmosphere.
filled with liquid,
usually Mercury
(Hg).
 Simple Manometer

 One end of the U-tube is connected to the pressure that is to be
measured, while the other end is left open to atmosphere.
 The tube contains a liquid, which is called the manometric fluid,
which does not mix with the fluid whose pressure is to be
measured.
 The fluid whose pressure is being measured should have a lesser
density than the manometric fluid. (ρ < ρman )
Differential Manometer

 In some cases, the different
between the pressures at two
different points is desired rather
than the actual value of the
pressure at each point.
 A manometer to determine this
pressure difference is called the
differential manometer (see figure
below).
 The liquids in manometer will rise
or fall as the pressure at either end
(or both ends) of the tube changes.

Differential manometer
Inverted Differential Manometer


An inverted differential
manometer is used for measuring
difference of low pressure, where
accuracy is the prime consideration.

It consists of an inverted U-tube,

containing a light liquid whose two
ends are connected to the points
whose difference of pressure is to
be found out.
 Exercise 2

Determine the pressure at point A in the figure below if h 1 = 0.2 m and h2 = 0.3 m.
Use water = 1000 kg/m3.
 Exercise 3

Determine the difference
in pressure between the
pipe P and Q where
Z1=1.2 m, Z2=0.8m and 2

Z3=0.4m. Liquid in pipes 3

P and Q is water and S.G

for mercury is 13.6.
 
THANK

YOU