TITLE : COMPRESSIBLE FLOW

1.0 INTRODUCTION
The aim of this experiment is to investigate compressible flow in a convergent-divergent
nozzle. But before starting the experiment, a brief knowledge on this convergent-divergent
nozzle should be introduce first so that students know what this experiment all about is.
Converging-Diverging or "de Laval" Nozzles have been widely used over the last few
decades in many engineering contexts, from civil and mechanical up to aerospace uses. It is
a tube that is pinched in the middle, making a carefully balanced, asymmetric hourglass
shape. They are designed to accelerate fluids to supersonic speeds at the nozzle exit.
Because of this, the nozzle is widely used in some types of steam turbines and rocket engine
nozzles. It also sees use in supersonic jet engines.
Their operation relies on the different properties of gases flowing at subsonic and
supersonic speeds. The speed of a subsonic flow of gas will increase if the pipe carrying it
narrows because the mass flow rate is constant. The gas flow through a de Laval nozzle is
isentropic (gas entropy is nearly constant). In a subsonic flow the gas is compressible, and
sound will propagate through it. At the "throat", where the cross-sectional area is at its
minimum, the gas velocity locally becomes sonic (Mach number = 1.0), a condition called
choked flow. As the nozzle cross-sectional area increases, the gas begins to expand, and the
gas flow increases to supersonic velocities, where a sound wave will not propagate backwards
through the gas as viewed in the frame of reference of the nozzle (Mach number > 1.0).
The purpose of this report is to gain an understanding of the nature of this flow by
investigating the pressure ratios effects on the mass flow rate of air through the system and
the differing pressure distributions that occur at varying lengths into the nozzle.

1.1 OBJECTIVES
i.

To study about the characteristics of pressure-flow rate of convergence-divergence

tube

ii.

To demonstrate the phenomenon of choking.

1.2 THEORY

Figure 1. Covergent-Divergent duct

Referring to the figure above, the steady energy equation between 0 and 2 is given by:
0 0 2
2 2 2
+
+ 0 + 0 + = +
+ 2 + 2 + +
0
2
2
2

. .. (1)

For gas with small elevation differences, 0

For isentropic flow where there is no work is transferred, = = 0, 0 is showing the stagnation
conditions, so 0 = 0.
Therefore, equation 1 now is,
0
2 2
+ 0 + = + + 2
0
2 2
But = , so =

. (2)
(3)

= +
So,

= 1+

. . (4)

Substitute (3) and (4) into (2),

0

0
2 2 2

2
+
= +
+
0 ( 1) 0 2
2
( 1) 2
0
1
2
1
2 2
(1 +
) = (1 +
)+
0
1
2
1
2
0
2 2 2
=
+
1 0 1 2
2
2
0 2
2 =
( )
( 1) 0 2

(5)

For isentropic flow,

0

2
2 = 0 ( )
0

(6)

Substitute (6) in (5),

2 =

2
0

( 1) 0

0 2
1

0 0 ( 2 )
0 )
1

2 0
2
=
(1
1)
( 1) 0
1
0
1
2 0
2
=
(1 ) , =
( 1) 0
0
1

2
2

= 2 2 2 = 0 ( ) 2 2 = 0 2 2
0

(7)

 = 0 2

+1
2 0 2
( )
( 1) 0

. (8)

1.3

APPARATUS

Figure 2 Pressure Reading

Figure 1 Inclined Manometer

Figure 4 Frequency Controller / DC Motor Controller

Figure 3 Convergent Divergent Nozzle

2.0 PROCEDURE

i.

Check all the electrical supply to make sure it is switch off.

ii.

All the respective tube connected to the compressor inlet.

iii.

The apparatus setup was checked to make sure there is no blockage/object around the
duct that may interfered the air flow into the duct.

iv.

The throat valve at the compressor exhaust was closed to avoid unnecessary manometers
fluid drawn into the compressor.

v.

The inclined manometer connected to read

Po P1

and U-tube manometer to read

Po P2 and Po P3 .
vi.

The speed control was set to 0. Then, start the motor by push the run button (the indicator
will be turn on). The speed control knob rotated clockwise slowly to increase the motor
speed until it reached the desired level.

vii.

The motor speed or the exhaust valve adjusted to give approximately 20 sets or readings.

viii.

All the reading of barometric pressure and the atmospheric temperature recorded and
tabulated in the table.

3.0 DATA AND RESULT

P1

h2

h3

P2

P3

P0 P1

P0 P2

P0 P3

(kPa)

(mm)

(mm)

(kPa)

(kPa)

(kPa)

(kPa)

(kPa)

0.1

0.750

0.250

1.000

0.333

101.225

100.324

100.991

0.010

0.207

0.2

1.250

0.375

1.668

0.500

101.125

99.657

100.825

0.016

0.289

0.3

2.250

0.500

3.002

0.667

98.3231

100.658

0.030

0.422

0.4

2.750

0.625

3.668

0.833

100.925

97.656

100.491

0.036

0.478

0.5

3.750

0.750

5.003

1.000

100.825

96.321

100.324

0.049

0.579

0.6

4.750

1.000

6.337

1.334

100.725

94.987

99.990

0.063

0.668

0.7

5.250

1.083

7.004

1.444

100.625

94.320

99.880

0.069

0.708

0.8

6.000

1.250

8.004

1.667

100.525

93.320

99.657

0.079

0.766

0.9

7.250

1.500

9.673

2.001

100.425

91.652

99.324

0.095

0.853

10

1.0

8.250

1.625

11.007

2.168

100.325

90.318

99.157

0.109

0.918

11

1.1

10.250

2.000

13.675

2.668

100.225

87.649

98.657

0.135

1.032

12

1.2

11.750

2.375

15.676

3.168

100.125

85.648

98.156

0.155

1.108

13

1.3

13.000

2.625

17.344

3.502

100.025

83.980

97.823

0.171

1.166

14

1.4

14.000

2.875

18.678

3.835

99.925

82.646

97.489

0.184

1.209

15

1.5

15.250

3.125

20.346

4.169

99.825

80.979

97.156

0.201

1.259

16

1.6

16.750

3.375

22.347

4.502

99.725

78.977

96.822

0.221

1.315

17

1.7

18.250

3.750

24.348

5.003

99.625

76.976

96.322

0.241

1.366

18

1.8

20.500

4.000

27.350

5.336

99.525

73.974

95.989

0.270

1.433

19

1.9

21.750

4.500

29.018

6.003

99.425

72.307

95.321

0.286

1.467

20

2.0

23.750

4.880

31.683

6.510

99.325

69.638

94.814

0.313

1.515

21

2.1

25.750

5.255

34.355

7.011

99.225

66.970

94.314

0.340

1.556

22

2.2

28.750

6.000

38.357

8.005

99.125

62.967

93.320

0.379

1.608

No.

101.025

P2
P0

m
(kg/s)

GRAPHS

i.

m Versus ( Po P2 )

Mass flow rate (kg/s)

Mass Flow Rate against ( Po - P2 )

1.8
1.6
1.4
1.2
1
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0
0

20

40

60

80

100

120

Po - P2 (KPa)

Figure 11: Graph for m Versus ( Po P2 )

m Versus P2

Mass Flow Rate against P2

1.8

1.6

Mass Flow Rate (Kg/s)

ii.

1.4
1.2
1
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0
0

10

20

30

40

P2 (kPa)

P
Figure 12: Graph for m Versus 2

50

m Versus ( Po P3 )

iii.

Mass Flow Rate (kg/s)

Mass Flow Rate against (Po - P3)

1.8
1.6
1.4
1.2
1
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0
92

94

96

98

100

102

10

Po - P3 (kPa)

( P P3 )
Figure 13: Graph for m Versus o

m Versus P3

iv.

Mass Flow Rate against P3

1.8

Mass Flow Rate (kg/s)

1.6

1.4
1.2
1
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0
0

P3 (kPa)

P
Figure 14: Graph for m Versus 3

( Po P2 )

v.

Versus

( Po P3 )

(Po - P2) against (Po - P3)

120

Po - P2 ( kPa)

100
80
60
40
20

0
92

93

94

95

96

97

98

99

Versus

( Po P3 )

Po - P3 (kPa)

Figure 15: Graph for

( Po P2 )

100

101

102

Sample calculation
2

= 7.25 cm

= gh
= 13600 x 9.81 x (7.25 x 10^-2 m)
= 9.67266 kPa

= 0.375 cm

= gh
= 13600 x 9.81 x (0.375 x 10^-2 m)
= 0.50031 kPa

- (kPa)
= 101.325 kPa 0.1 kPa
= 101.225 kPa
- (kPa)
= 101.325 kPa 1.00062 kPa
= 100.32438 kPa
- (kPa)
= 101.325 kPa 0.33354 kPa
= 100.99146 kPa
r=

r=

1.00062
101.325

r = 0.009875

2 =

0.0952
= 7.088 103 2
4

0=

= 2 [

2
1

+1

101.325 103
= 1.197 /3
287 295

)] . (kg/s)

2
1.4+1
2 1.4 101.325 103
= 1.197 7.088 103
[
] [0.00987 1.4 0.00987 1.4 ]
1.4 1
1.197

0.20685 = /
Percentage error calculation

x 100%

Theoretical value Mass flow rate

+1

2 2(1)
( )
+1

1.4+1

= (7.0882 x 10^-3
= 1.678 Kg/s

2 )

(101.325 x 10^3 Pa)

1.4
2
2(1.41)
287(299.15) (1.4+1)

Percentage error (maximum Mass Flow Rate)

1.6781.608
1.678

x 100%

= 4.17%

Percentage error (minimum Mass Flow Rate of Po - P2 )

1.6780.207
1.678

= 87.66%

x 100%

4.0 DISSCUSION AND CONCLUSION

5.0 REFERENCES

Yunus A.Cengel. John M. Cimbala. Fluid Mechanics Fundamental and

Applications : 3rd Edition. Singapore. McGraw Hill Education.

Allan D. Kraus. James R. Welty. Abdul Aziz. 2011. Introduction to Thermal and
Fluid Engineering. CRC Press.

Bruce R. Munson. Alric P. Rothmayer. Theodore H. Okiishi. Wade W. Huebsch.

2012. Fundamentals of Fluid Mechanics. Wiley.