UNIVERSITI TENAGA NASIONAL

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

CEWB121 MECHANICS OF FLUID LABORATORY

EXP. TITLE

: HB 019- ORIFICE AND JET FLOW

EXP. NO

:2

STUDENT NAME : NUR FAREHA BINTI ABDUL GHAFAR

STUDENT ID

: CE096508

SECTION

: 01

GROUP

: 02

GROUP MEMBERS: 1. AZRUL AFFAN BIN MUHAMAD RASHIDI

CE096502
2. HARIGARAN A/L KANDASAMY
CE096504
3. MOHAMMAD OMAR HAMID WAGIEALLA
CE097089
INSTRUCTOR
Performed Date
15 JUNE 2015

: PROF. IR. DR. MARLINDA BINTI ABDUL MALEK

Due Date
22 JUNE 2015

Submitted Date
22 JUNE 2015

TABLE OF CONTENT
TITLE

PAGE

Objective

Theory

Anticipated Results

4-5

Apparatus

Procedure

Data, Observations and Results

7-9

Discussions

10

Conclusions

10

Critique

10

References

11

Appendix

12

OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this experiment is to study the velocity coefficient for small orifice and
comparing the measured jet trajectory with the theoretically predicted jet trajectory. In this
experiment, the trajectory of the jet flowing out of the orifice and the fall of the liquid surface
2

in the tank are recorded and compared with theory. Other than that, the purpose of this
experiment is also to determine the discharge coefficient of small orifice for constant head
flow and variable head flow.
THEORY
The Roman engineer Frontinus, who was in charge of the water supply under Augustus, used
short pipes of graduated sizes to meter water delivered to different users. This was purely
empirical, since the effects of pressure, or "head," and orifice size were not known
quantitatively until Torricelli, in 1643, showed that the velocity of efflux was given by V i =
2gh. We still calculate the velocity from Bernoulli's principle, h + p/g + V 2/2, is a constant
along a streamline in irrotational flow, which is equivalent to the conservation of energy.
We'll consider here the case of zero initial velocity, as at the surface of a liquid in a container
with an orifice in the side. We assume that a streamline starts at the surface, a distance h
above the orifice, and neglect the pressure on the surface of the liquid, since it would cancel
out anyway. The streamline then leads somehow to the orifice, and out into the jet that issues
from it. We choose the point at which the streamlines are parallel a short distance from the
orifice, and find that the velocity there is Vi = 2gh, as given by Torricelli's theorem.
A jet surrounded only by air (or another fluid of small density) is called a free jet, and is acted
upon by gravity. A jet surrounded by fluid is called a submerged jet. If the fluid is the same as
that of the jet, then buoyancy eliminates the effect of gravity on it. A submerged jet is also
subject to much greater friction at its boundary. We shall consider here only free jets of water,
and neglect the viscosity of water, which is small, but finite.
A cross section of a circular orifice of diameter Do is shown. The thickness of the wall is
assumed small compared to the diameter of the orifice. Because of the convergence of the
streamlines approaching the orifice, the cross section of the jet decreases slightly until the
pressure is equalized over the cross-section, and the velocity profile is nearly rectangular.
This point of minimum area is called the vena contracta. Beyond the vena contracta, friction
with the fluid outside the jet (air) slows it down, and the cross section increases perforce. This
divergence is usually quite small, and the jet is nearly cylindrical with a constant velocity.
The jet is held together by surface tension, of course, which has a stronger effect the smaller
the diameter of the jet.
The average velocity V is defined so that it gives the correct rate of discharge when it is
assumed constant over the vena contracta, or Q = VA. Then, we can write V = C vVi, where
Cv is the coefficient of velocity. The coefficient of velocity is usually quite high, between
0.95 and 0.99. Combining the results of this paragraph and the preceding one, the discharge
Q = VA = CvViCcAo = CdAoVi. Cd, the coefficient of discharge, allows us to use the ideal
velocity and the orifice area in calculating the discharge.

ANTICIPATED RESULTS

The result that we predicted is the calculation of the Q theo (which is the theoretical value of
flow rate). Qexp must have the same value as Qtheo so that the coefficient of discharge will equal
to 1.
Coefficient of discharge: Qexp / Qtheo
However the experimental result may be varies with the theoretical one as there might be
certain error occurred during conducting the experiment.
The calculation of theoretical value of flow rate;
Q =VA
V= 2gH
A= d2
4
Diameter of orifice : 4 mm
For Experiment 1 :
Q = 2(9.81)(0.42) x (0.004)2
4

= 3.608x10-5 m3/sec

For Experiment 2 :
Q = 2(9.81)(0.38) x (0.004)2
4

= 3.433x10-5 m3/sec

For Experiment 3 :
Q = 2(9.81)(0.35) x (0.004)2
4

= 3.294x10-5 m3/sec

For Experiment 4 :
Q = 2(9.81)(0.30) x (0.004)2
4

= 3.050x10-5 m3/sec

For Experiment 5 :
Q = 2(9.81)(0.25) x (0.004)2
4

= 2.784.x10-5 m3/sec

Diameter of orifice : 8 mm
4

For Experiment 1 :
Q = 2(9.81)(0.42) x (0.008)2
4

= 1.444x10-4 m3/sec

For Experiment 2 :
Q = 2(9.81)(0.38) x (0.008)2
4

= 1.373x10-4 m3/sec

For Experiment 3 :
Q = 2(9.81)(0.35) x (0.008)2
4

= 1.318x10-4 m3/sec

For Experiment 4 :
Q = 2(9.81)(0.30) x (0.008)2
4

= 1.220x10-4 m3/sec

For Experiment 5 :
Q = 2(9.81)(0.25) x (0.008)2
4

= 1.114x10-4m3/sec

APPARATUS

This equipment is used for a study of flow through an orifice i.e. velocity coefficient and
discharge coefficient jet profile may be compared with that of theory.
The equipment consists of:
1. Clear acrylic tank 20 cm diameter x 48 cm high. Water inlet is at the bottom of the
tank which has stilling materials to smoothen the flow. Level scale is attached to he
side of the tank.
2. An over flow pipe can adjust water level in the tank to as high as 42 cm from the
center of orifice. Water from overflow should be directed to the storage tank.
3. The sharp edged orifice is attached to and flushing with the side of the tank. Two
orifices are provided which are 4 (mm) and 8 (mm) diameter.
4. A white whiteboard with 8 probes is attached next and vertically parallel to the tank
and perpendicular to the jet path. The probes are at a distance of 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30,
35 and 40 (cm) from the orifice. A graph paper can be attached to the top of the board
to record the level of tip of the probes. (All probe lengths are equal). Hence tips of
probes at top or bottom provide the same projectile.
5. The equipment is used in conjunction with Hydraulics bench for measurement of flow
rate.

PROCEDURE.
1.
2.
3.
4.

The required orifice is installed

The overflow pipe is adjusted to obtain a required level in the tank
The water supply valve is opened to obtain a steady flow with minimum overflow.
The water label in the tank is make sure to be stable before the probe tips is adjusted
to be in line with the center of the jet. The probe tip profile (upper tip) is recorded and
marked as y=0
5. The flow volume (1L) is recorded by using a stopwatch and the bench measuring
tank.
6. The result is compared and been explain in different orifice size.
7. The source contributing to error in this experiment is discussed.
DATA, OBSERVATIONS AND RESULTS
Diameter of orifice: 4 mm
Experiment No.
2
3
4
380
350
300
1.0
1.0
1.0
38.05
40.28
43.75
0.0262
0.0248
0.0229

Water Level H (mm.)

Volume (Lt.)
Time (sec)
Flow Rate (Lt/sec.)

1
420
1.0
37.50
0.0267

5
250
1.0
47.00
0.0212

Distance from graph

(mm)
X1= 50 ,
Y1=
X2= 100, Y2=
X3= 150, Y3=
X4= 200, Y4=
X5= 250, Y5=
X6= 300, Y6=
X7=350, Y7=
X8= 400, Y8=

251
246
237
225
208
190
168
140

249
246
235
224
208
182
161
132

249
245
234
218
201
178
154
123

246
244
230
214
192
165
134
100

244
242
226
206
180
147
112
67

Coefficient of
Velocity
CV1
CV2
CV3
CV4
CV5
CV6
CV7
CV8

0.076
0.156
0.238
0.325
0.423
0.531
0.659
0.825

0.081
0.164
0.251
0.343
0.445
0.570
0.707
0.893

0.085
0.171
0.262
0.362
0.471
0.600
0.754
0.964

0.092
0.185
0.286
0.395
0.521
0.674
0.873
1.155

0.101
0.203
0.316
0.441
0.589
0.782
1.046
1.545

Coefficient of
Discharge

0.740

0.764

0.754

0.751

0.930

C0

Diameter of orifice: 8 mm
Experiment No.
3
4
350
300
1.0
1.0
10.81
11.0
0.093
0.091

1
420
1.0
9.0
0.110

2
380
1.0
10.0
0.100

Distance from graph

(mm)
X1= 50 , Y1=
X2= 100, Y2=
X3= 150, Y3=
X4= 200, Y4=
X5= 250, Y5=
X6= 300, Y6=
X7=350, Y7=
X8= 400, Y8=

255
252
239
225
213
195
162
146

253
250
237
225
208
183
164
135

252
247
236
223
205
182
157
127

251
246
234
216
185
172
142
106

250
245
229
210
154
153
120
77

Coefficient of Velocity
CV1
CV2
CV3
CV4
CV5
CV6
CV7
CV8

0.077
0.154
0.237
0.325
0.418
0.524
0.671
0.808

0.081
0.162
0.250
0.342
0.444
0.569
0.701
0.883

0.084
0.170
0.261
0.358
0.467
0.594
0.747
0.949

0.091
0.184
0.283
0.393
0.531
0.660
0.848
1.106

0.100
0.202
0.313
0.436
0.637
0.767
1.010
1.441

0.762

0.729

0.706

0.746

0.736

Water Level H (mm.)

Volume (Lt.)
Time (sec)
Flow Rate (Lt/sec.)

Coefficient of
Discharge
C0

5
250
1.0
12.25
0.082

Calculations
The Flow Rate is calculated by the following formula:
Flow rate : Volume (Lt)
Time (sec)
= . 1.0 Lt
37.50 sec
= 0.0267 Lt/sec
The Coefficient of Velocity is calculated by the following formula:
Cv =

Actual velocity
Theoretical velocity
Cv =
X
2 YH
=
50
2 (251)(420)
=
0.077
The Coefficient of discharge is calculated by the following formula:
Coefficient of discharge, CD = Qexperiment
Qtheory
Q= VA
V=2gH
A= d2
4

= 2x 9.81x 0.42
= (0.004)2
4

= 2.871m/sec
= 1.257x10-5m2

Qtheo = 2.871x (1.257x10-5) = 3.609x10-5 m3/sec = 0.0361 Lt/sec

Qexp = volume / time = 1Lt/37.5sec = 0.0267
Coefficient of discharge ;

0.0267
0.0361
= 0.740

*(The other calculations are done using the same steps.)

DISCUSSION
After conducting this experiment, we can observed that the diameter of the orifice
is found to increase when the level of water in the tank (which is denoted by the head of
orifice) increased. This leads us to the conclusion that the diameter of the orifice is directly
related to the pressure acting upon by the volume of water in the tank. In other words, the
increase in depth of water creates a greater difference in pressure which leads to a greater
force which acts on a specific area. In this case, the force acts upon the sharp edged orifice
which ultimately causes a higher flow rate value. The higher the diameter of orifice, the
greater the pressure. Hence, the higher will be the flow rate. Some errors, such as parallax
error, may have been produced when the readings of water level due to the fact that
the volume of water kept on altering and hence a proper accurate value was most of the time
difficult to obtain. Secondly, the diameter of the water flow couldn't be measured accurately
due to the spreading of the water, making it difficult to determine the initial and final
boundary values of the flowing water.
CONCLUSION
As a conclusion, the initial objective are met because we are able to conduct the
experiment well and the result obtained is just slightly varies with the actual one. We
managed to calculate the coefficient of velocity of each experiments and comparing the
measured jet trajectory with the theoretically predicted jet trajectory effectively by calculate it
using the provided formula. The result varies because there are some errors occurred during
conducting the experiment such as equipment error.
CRITIQUE
We successfully conduct our experiment by referring the lab manual. The problem is just that
the apparatus that we used does not function very well. There is also typing error occurred in
the lab manual. The formula for the coefficient of velocity should be
Cv =

X
2 YH

But in the lab manual, the 2 is in power mode which is 2. It should be capital 2 so that we
know we need to multiply it. Other than that, everything is fine.

10

REFERENCES
1. Mechanics of Fluid Laboratory CEWB121, Lab Manual, Experiment 2 :
HB 019 Orifice and Jet Flow
2. Orifice and Jet flow brief explanation http://www.cussons.co.uk/education/products/mechanics_of_fluids/basic_flow_experi
ments_bench/p6223_and_p6224_orifice_experiments.asp
3. How orifice works- http://www.engineerinhgcivil.com/flow-through-orifices.html

11