Example Calculation of Air Velocity from Pitot-static Tube Measurement: Given: A pitot-static tube via a manometer measures a dynamic

pressure of 0.201 in H2O in a wind tunnel. The ambient temperature and pressure are 72.0 F and 14.55 psia. Find: Calculate the air velocity in ft/s Assume: Steady, incompressible, isentropic flow of air; good alignment of pitot-static tube (streamlines parallel to stagnation tap and perpendicular to static tap); air as an ideal gas Analysis: Convert pressure from in H2O to lbf/ft2 using Equation 1-6 and Table A.7* for H 2O at 72.0 F.

( pT p ) = H O g h
2

( pT p ) = 1.93

1 ft 1 lbf slug ft 32 . 174 0 . 201 in ( ) 2 ft 3 s2 12 in 1 slug ft/s

( pT p ) = 1.040 lbf /ft 2

which is the dynamic pressure

Calculate density of air at patm = 72.0 F, Tatm = 14.55 psia using ideal gas law where R is the universal gas constant for air from Table A.6*. p air = atm R Tatm

air

1 slug (14.55 lb /in ) (12 in 1 ft) = (53.33 ft lb lb R) [(72.0 + 459.69) R] 32.174 lb

f f m

air = 0.002297 slug/ft 3

Calculate air velocity using Equation 1-5.

V=

2 ( pT p ) air

2 (1.040 lbf /ft 2 ) 1 slug ft/s2 V= (0.002297 slug/ft 3 ) 1 lbf

V = 30.1 ft/s

Fox, R. W., Pritchard, P. J., and McDonald, A. T., Introduction to Fluid Mechanics, 7th edition, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2009.