UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA FAKULTI

KEJURUTERAAN KIMIA ENGINEERING

CHEMICAL ENGINEERING LABORATORY
(CHE465)
NAME
STUDENT NO.
GROUP
EXPERIMENT
DATE PERFORMED
SEMESTER
PROGRAMME / CODE
SUBMIT TO

No.
1
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Title
Abstract/Summary
Introduction
Aims
Theory
Apparatus
Methodology/Procedure
Results
Calculations
Discussion
Conclusion
Recommendations
Reference / Appendix
TOTAL MARKS

Remarks: Checked
by:
---------------------------

: MUHAMMAD AMIRUL BIN HASHIM

: 2014207844
: EH 220 2A
: FREE AND FORCED VORTEX
: 14/4/2015
:2
: EH 220
: MS NURUL DIYANAH

Allocated Marks (%)

5
10
5
10
5
10
10
10
20
5
5
5
100

Marks

Date:ABSTRACT

Vortex is the rotation of fluid elements around a common center. Its concept was
being used in various types of industry such as turbine design and creating standard
safety against natural disaster. This experiment

was carried out to study the

relationship between the surface shape of free and forced vortex. It also to study on the
angular velocity of a rotating liquid in a cylindrical tank. Theoretically, the angular
velocity of the fluid was manipulated by adjusting the control valve to provide different
flow rate of fluid flow. The height of vortex profile was measured when it maintained
constantly at its maximum height. After carried the experiment, it can be conclude that
the height of vortex profile increased as the vortex radius decreased. This conclusion is
obtained from the result of the experiment. For forced vortex , when the angular velocity
of the fluid in the cylinder increases, the depth of each pointer at the different vortex
radius will also increase due to the formation of semi parabolic shape. Therefore, it was
concluded that the height of water surface level is relative to the lowest point of the
surface of a forced vortex flow was directly proportional to the angular velocity of a
rotating liquid in a cylindrical tank and is inversely proportional to the squared radius at
which it was measured.

INTRODUCTION

In fluid dynamics a vortex is a region, in a fluid medium, in which the flow is

mostly rotating on an axis line, the vortical flow that occurs either on a straight-axis or a
curved-axis. Moreover, the plurals of vortex are vortices and vortexes. Examples of
vortices occur in nature, perhaps the most common being a tornado or a whirlpool. A
tornado is formed by high winds whirling around an area of extremely low pressure and
characterised by a funnel shaped cloud. Whirlpools can occur where tides flowing in
different directions meet or at the base of waterfalls where the effect is a spiraling or
swirling of the water again producing a funnel shape.
Basically there are two types of motion translation and rotation. The two may
exist independently or simultaneously. If now an element is represented, it may be
subjected to deformation. This can be linear or angular. If the motion of the particles is
purely translational and the distortion is symmetrical, the flow is irrotational and the
vorticity. Example: Flownet application. Forced vortex is also known as flywheel vortex.
= v C r Free vortex is also known as potential vortex. = v r C. Compound vortex
combination of free and forced vortex also known as Rankine vortex. Spiral vortex (free
vortex and a radial flow). Rotation of a fluid, moving as a solid, about an axis is called
forced vortex motion. Every particle of fluid will have same angular velocity. Free vortex
motion is each particle moves in a circular path with speed varying inversely as the
distance from the centre = vr constant.
This experiment is related to the free and forced vortex flow of fluid in rigid-body
rotation within a cylindrical tank. As mentioned in paragraph 1, vortex is the rotation of
fluid elements around a common center. Mostly the fluid flows in a spinning motion
about an imaginary axis, straight or curved. That motion pattern is called a vortical flow.
There are two types of vortices, which are forced and free. The fluid (or gas) circles
around a center in a forced vortex, while in a free vortex, the medium spirals towards
the center.

In an industry and in a real world, the applications of the vortex flow can be seen
in a various area such as turbine design, natural phenomenon and in creating safety
against natural disaster. Thus, the findings of the experiment are very important to help
the engineers to design a good turbine as the flow of water through the runner of turbine
is a good example that used the principle of forced vortex flow. The findings also can
help engineer in designing a good technology in minimizing the effect of natural disaster
such as tornado and hurricane. Furthermore, the knowledge gain from this experiment
will help students to apply the correct concept in a real situation related to vortex flow as
they already experienced it.
Generally, the apparatus for the study of the shape of "free and forced vortices"
consists of a 250mm diameter cylindrical, transparent vessel 180mm depth, having two
pairs of diametrically opposed inlet tubes of 9.0mm and 12.5mm diameter. The 12.5
diameter inlet tubes which are angles at 15 to the diameter, so that a swirling motion is
imparted to the liquid entering the vessel, are used as entry tubes for the free vortex
experiment. A smooth outlet is centrally positioned in the base of the vessel and a set of
push-in orifices of 24, 16, 12 and 8mm diameter is supplied to reduce the outlet
diameter to a suitable value. The profile of the vortex formed at the top of the vessel is
determined by a gauge, housed on a diametrically mounted bridge piece, which
measures the diameter of the vortex at various depths. This gives the co-ordinate points
required to plot the vortex profile. The forced vortex is created in the vessel described
above by using as the inlet the 90mm bore tubes which are angled at 60 to the
diameter. The input water from these tubes impinges on a simple two blade paddle
which acts as a stirrer / flow straightener. The water "leaves" the vessel via the 12.5mm
diameter angled tubes which are used as "entry tubes for the free vortex experiment.
The two bladed paddle rotates on a vertical shaft supported by a bushed plug, in the
hole used as the outlet for the free vortex experiment, and located at the top by a
suitable hole in the bridge piece fitting across the diameter of the vessel. This bridge
piece also houses the probes required to determine the co-ordinates of the vortex
profile to be measured.

For this experiment, SOLTEQ Free and Forced Vortex (Model: FM42) has been
used. This SOLTEQ Free and Forced Vortex (model FM42) has been designed for
students experiments to produce and measure free and forced vortices. It consists of a
clear acrylic cylinder where the free vortex is generated by water discharging through an
interchangeable orifice in the base of the cylinder. The resulting profile is then measured
using a combined caliper and depth scale. The forced vortex is induced by a paddle
rotated by jets of water at the cylinder base.
The profile of the forced vortex is then determined using a series of depth
gauges. Velocity at any point in the free or forced vortex may be measured using the
appropriate pitot tube supplied. A secondary flow at the base of the free vortex
demonstrated by means of dye crystals (not supplied).
Some of the important cases of forced vortexes are:
The movement of the liquids within the impeller of a centrifugal pump when there
is no flow as, for example, when the outlet valves are closed.
The rotation of the liquid within the confines of a stirrer in an agitated tank.
The rotation of liquids in the basket of centrifuge

Figure 1 : shows the example of force vortex formed

THEORY

Free Cylindrical Vortex

When a liquid is flowing out of a tank through a hole at the bottom of the tank, free
vortex is formed with the number of oscillation depending on the distortion that created
the flow. The liquid is moving spirally towards the center following current, energy per
unit mass is assumed to be constant when energy loss by viscosity is neglected. If,
while the mass of water is rotating, the central exit hole is plugged, the flow of water in
the vertical plane ceases and the motion becomes one of simple rotation in the
horizontal plane. This is known as free cylindrical vortex.
Bernoullis theorem can be used because the movement is along the flow axis,

p V2

z cons tan t
pg 2 g
For horizontal plane, the relation becomes

p V2

cons tan t
pg 2 g
Integration of the above relation with r gives

1 dp V dV
. .
0
pg dr g dr
(1)
Next, consider a pair of stream line being divided with distance, r and is in same
horizontal plane and are linked by a fluid tube with wide A. The centrifugal force of the
tube is balanced by the pressure difference between both ends, that is

V 2 dp
pg.A.r.
.r.A
gr dr

pgV 2 dp

gr
dr
(2)

Combine (1) and (2) to produce

V 2 V dV
.
0
gr g dr
dV V
0
dr r
Integrate above relation to obtain
ln r + ln V = Constant
Vr = K (Constant)

K
r

In free cylinder vortex, velocity is inversely proportional to distance from spiral axis,
Bernoullis theorem is used to determine surface profile as follow:

V2
z C (Cons tan t )
2g
(4)
Substitute (3) into (4)

K2
z C
2 gr 2
K2
Cz
2 gr 2
(5)

yx 2
That is, equation for hyperbolic curve
horizontal to z = C

= A that is symmetry to axis of rotation and is

Free Vortex
Movement in free vortex is different with free cylindrical vortex because free vortex
contains radical velocity towards center. Equation for such situation can be generated
by considering the water passes through round segments towards is diameter, where
energy passing any tube and is kept constant until

p V2

z cons tan t
pg 2 g

If A and V is surface area and velocity of a particular position while A1 and V1 are
surface area and velocity at distance r from center circle,
AV = A1V1 = Constant
By taking A = Kr,

r1V 1
r

If z is constant,
2

p r1 V1

C
pg 2 gr 2
2

p
rV
C 1 12
pg
2 gr
(6)

Also,
2

p1 V1

C
pg 2 g
p p1 V1 r1 V1

pg
2 g 2 gr 2
2

p p1 V1
r
{1 12 }
pg
2g
r1
2

(7)
Free vortex can be said as combination of cylinder vortex and radial flow. Velocity is
inversely proportional to radius in every case. Angle between flow axis and radius vector
at any point is constant and these axis from the spiral pattern.

Forced Vortex
As we know, angular velocity is constant, V= wr
Increase in radial pressure is given by

dp
V2
p
p 2 r
dr
r
p2

r2

p1

r1

2
dp p rdr

p2 p1
p1 p0
By taking

when

r1 0

, and

1
2
2
p 2 (r2 r1 )
2

p2 p

and

r2 r

p p0 w 2 2

r
pg
2g
Because, p/pg = h, so

2 2
h h0
r
2g
2 2
h h0
r
2g
This is a parabolic equation.
Surface profile for forced vortex can be represented by equation:

2r 2
z
2g

Distribution of total head can be represented by equation:

2r 2
H
g
Z = surface profile
= angular velocity
r = radius
g = gravity
H = total head

Angular velocity can be calculated by:

2 revolution
time (sec)

AIM / OBJECTIVES

Experiment 1: Free Vortex

1. To study on surface profile and speed.
2. To find a relation between surface profile and speed.
Experiment 2: Forced Vortex
1. To study on surface profile and angular velocity.
2. To find a relation between surface profile and total head.

APPARATUS

Orifice of diameter 8mm, 12mm, 16mm,

24mm

Profile measuring gauge

Paddle

Assembly View

Bridge

Profile measuring gauge

9.0 mm diameter, Nozzle

Three way inlet valve

12.5 mm diameter, Nozzle

Inlet

Surface profile

Outlet valve

Outlet

10

Pitot tube

11

orifice

12

Paddle

METHODOLOGY/PROCEDURE

General Start Up:

1. The hydraulic bench tank is filled with water.
2. The study bench is placed on the hydraulic bench.
3. All the accessories must be make sure are ready on the bench such as surface
probe, profile measuring gauge, pitot tube, paddle and orifices.
4. The inlet and outlet hose is set up.
5. The stand of the equipment is adjusted to reach the horizontal position.
General Shut Down:
1. The valves are closed and the pump is switched off.
2. The orifices, paddle and other accessories are removed from the cylindrical
vessel.
3. The water is drain off from the unit when it is not in used.
Safety Precaution:
1. A proper lab coat must be worn while doing the experiment.
2. The sharpened object is being aware during conducting the experiment.
3. When water is splashed out from tank, that area must be mopped immediately to
avoid slippery floor.
Experiment 1: Free Vortex
1. The general start-up procedures are performed.
2. An orifice with diameter 24mm is selected and it is placed on the base of cylinder
tank.
3. The output valve is closed and the inlet 3-way valve is adjusted to let the water
flows into the tank from two pipes with 12.5 mm diameter. The water is flow out
through the orifice.

4. The pump is switched on and the control valve on the hydraulic bench is opened
slowly until the tank limit. The water level is maintained by adjusting the control
valve.
5. After the water level is stable, the vortex profile is collected by measuring the
vortex diameter for several planes using the profile measuring gauge.
6. The profile measuring gauge is pushed down until the both of sharp point touch
the water surface.
7. The measured height, h (from the top of the profile measuring gauge to the
bridge) is recorded. The value of a (distance from the bridge to the surface of the
water level (bottom level of the cutout)) is obtained.
8. The pitot tube is used to measure the velocity by sinking it into the water at the
depth of 5 mm from the water surface. The depth of the pitot tube is measured in
the water, H.
9. Steps 3 to 8 are repeated for another orifice with diameter 12mm, 16mm and
8mm respectively.
10. The coordinates of vortex profile is plotted for all diameter of orifice in graph and
the gradient of the graph is calculated by:

K2 1
X
.
2g r 2
11. The graph of velocity which is calculated from the pitot tube reading versus the
radius of the profile is plotted.

V (2 gH ) 0.5
Theoretically, the velocity can be calculated by using the following equation:

K
r

Experiment 2: Force Vortex

1. The general start-up procedures are performed.
2. A closed pump with two pedals is placed on the base of the cylinder tank.
3. The output valve is closed and the inlet 3-way valve is adjusted to let the water
flowsinto the tank from two pipes with 9.0 mm diameter. The water can flow out
through another two pipes with 12.5 mm diameter.
4. The water is being made sure flow out from the tank with the siphon effect by
raising the hose to above the water level in the tank.
5. The outlet hose is being made sure filled with water before letting the water to
flow into the sump tank in the hydraulic bench.
6. The angular speed of the pedals is measured by counting the number of circles
in a certain times.
7. The surface probe is pushed down until the sharp point touch the water surface.
8. The measured height, (from the top of the measuring gauge to bridge) is
recorded.
9. Steps 4 to 8 are repeated with different volumetric flow rate.
10. The coordinates of vortex profile is plotted for different angular velocity.
11. The calculated vortex profile in the same graph is plotted as they related as

2 2
h h0
r
2g
Both experimental and calculated profile is compared

RECOMMENDATIONS

There are few recommendations that can be considered while doing this experiment in
order to get more accurate result:

Repeat the experiment at least twice to get more accurate result, the more data
we get, we can make comparison to determine the best result that can be
pointed out.

Error might happen while taking the time for the number of revolutions since the
paddle that created the forced to the vortex is rotated at the fast rate and this is
difficult for us to get the accurate time. It is best to get the time average.

The velocity of water need to be constant to get the best result so the water flow
need to be adjust and be watched for the whole experiment.

We must make sure that the needles touch the water surface accurately to get
precise data to be used in the further calculations.

It is also important to make sure that the apparatus is in the good condition. It is
because if the apparatus is it not in the good condition its will affect our result.

When we measure the length of the needles, use appropriate ruler such as long
ruler and try to get the average reading which is more accurate.

A better (computerized/digital) mechanism is needed to read the revolution of

paddle associated with time which meant for more precise calculating number of
revolution of paddle in forced vortex at the exact time.

REFERENCES/APPENDIX

1) Cengel, Y.A. & Cimbala J.M. (2006). Fluid Mechanics : Fundamentals and
Applications. Flow in pipes. New York : McGraw Hill, (324).
2) Laboratory Manual of CHE 465 Chemical Engineering Laboratory 1. Fakulti
Kejuruteraan Kimia, Universiti Teknologi Mara.
3) Science direct (n.d). Retrieved 19 May, 2015, from
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1026309813000175
4) Chapter 7: Flow of Fluid (n.d). Retrieved 19 May, 2015, from
http://www.nptel.ac.in/courses/112104118/lecture-21/21-2_forced_vortex_flow.htm
5) Free and Forced Vortex (n.d). Retrieved 19 May, 2015, from http://www.jsmefed.org/experiment-e/2011_2/003.html
6) Bruce R. Munson, Donald F. Young, John Wiley & son, Inc, FUNDAMENTAL OF
FLUID MECHANICS, 2nd edition.

DISCUSSION
When water flows out of a vessel through a central hole in the base, a free vortex
is formed, the degree of rotation being dependent in initial disturbance. The water
moves spirally towards the center with stream line in motion, so that, neglecting losses
caused by viscosity, the energy per unit mass remains constant. If, while the mass is
rotating, the central hole is plugged, the flow of water in the vertical plane ceases and
the motion becomes one of simple rotation in the horizontal plane, and is known as free
cylindrical vortex.
The free vortex experiment needed us to make an observation upon the vortex
formed while using different size of pitot which will give also different shape of vortex.
Three different in diameter of orifice has been used in this experiment and it was found
that the largest orifices diameter, give the larger and fast vortex produced and follows
by orifices with medium diameter and the smallest vortex produces using smallest
orifice diameter. This phenomena occurs because the vortex formed is depend on the
size of the orifice used. From the experiment, clearly the larger the orifice used, the
larger the vortex formed. This occurs because when the orifice size gets larger the more
water can flow out from the tank and caused it not accumulated. This vortex was formed
by the force of water flow in the tank and the flow pattern formed is in circumferential.
There are two types of vortices,
Forced vortex

Free vortex

In a free vortex, the medium spirals In a forced vortex, fluid (or gas) circles
toward the centre

around a centre.

If the vortex is to have any longevity, once the material arrives at the centre, it
must exit the system (the red area). Without a constant supply of energy to remove the
medium from the centre, the Free Vortex ceases to exist. If the fluid doesn't exit the
system, it no longer has any spiral nature, and becomes a forced vortex.
The experiment was conducted to determine the relationship between the
velocity and angular velocity for free vortex and forced vortex respectively, with the
vortex surface profile. The fluid mass for the free vortex rotates without external force;
only through internal action or some rotation previously imported to it .On the other
hand, forced vortex rotates by a constant torque exerted by some external source onto
the fluid mass.
Here, the water flows out through different orifice diameters of 24mm, 16 mm, 12
mm and 8 mm. Once the flow had stabilized, the diameter at centre, height, pitot tube
head difference and pressure head were recorded and calculated. Here, the water flows
out through different orifice diameters of 24mm, 16 mm, 12 mm and 8 mm. Once the
flow had stabilized, the diameter at centre, height, pitot tube head difference and
pressure head were recorded and calculated.
For experiment of free vortex, an observation of vortex profiles was
performed. In this experiment, three different sizes of orifices were used. For the orifice
size 9 mm, the vortex form was in the smaller radius. For the second orifice which is 15
mm in size, the vortex formed was much larger than the vortex formed by the 9 mm
orifice. The used of orifice in size of 25 mm was the largest vortex formed. This
phenomenon occurs because the vortex formed is dependent on the size of the orifice
used. From the experiment, when the size of orifice gets larger, then the vortex formed
will large too. This occurs because when the orifice size gets larger, the more water can
flow out from the tank. Then it not accumulated. When more water gets out, the larger
vortex formed. This vortex was formed by the force of water flow in the tank. The flow
pattern formed is in circumferential.

For the observation of destruction of the vortex, a core object has been placed at
the center of the orifice. This action will destroy the vortex formed because the flow of
water was block by the core object. When the blocking occurs, the flow rate of the water
through the orifice will decrease. This give more effect on the smaller orifice of 9 mm
cause the flow rate of the water will decrease more than other orifice of 15 mm.
Then the experiment was performed to discover the plotting profiles. The
diameter of the vortex formed was increased proportionally when the size of the orifices
used is much larger. The used of the small orifices will formed the small diameter of
vortex. The larger size of the orifice used the larger the diameter of the vortex formed.
The diameter of the vortex formed is decreased when the depth of the vortex increased.
The measurement of the diameter will result in decreased pattern if the measurement
was taken proportionally to the depth of the vortex formed.
From the results, 24 mm orifice diameter gave the biggest vortex diameter,
followed by the 16 mm, 12 mm and 8 mm. This is because as diameter of orifice
decreases, the vortex diameter also decreases. Also, the theoretical velocities were
calculated from the graph of pressure head against 1/r 2 that was plotted.
Forced vortex on the other hand is formed when a liquid is rotated by a paddle
within a tank. The surface profile of forced vortex is a parabolic shape and is dependent
to the angular velocity of the rotation. The rotational speed of the paddle was measured
by counting the number of rotations in 60 seconds. Two trials were conducted where
both used different flow rates of water. The angular velocities were calculated where it
was used to compare the actual and theoretical values centre between by plotting a
graph of height against distance from centre.
In second experiment, the propeller was used to determine the revolution of the
propeller per second (rps). As water flow into the container, it will force the propeller to
move. After increase the velocity, the propeller will spin with more speed. Then, the
velocity of the water need to be maintains and we put the needle to touch the surface of
the water.

As for the forced vortex experiment, we calculate the number of revolution based
on the rotating blades that formed the forced vortex also the length of the needles when
it touched the water surface and compare its value to the calculated length using
specified equation. The average velocity head, hc for the 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60
revolutions in the forced vortex experiment was determined
Based on the graph, all angular speed gives the same result on the trend line
which is when the radius increased, the depth decreased. For all the graphs, some of
the measured depth of the vortex is slightly different from the theoretical values. The
different in height between the measured and the theoretical is due to the error that
occurs during the experiment was conducted.

CONCLUSION
These experiments were carried out in order to determine the surface profile of a
forced vortex and to investigate the physical phenomena associated with a free vortex.
An observation upon vortex that formed and found that small diameter of pitot tube
created small vortex whereas large diameter of orifice created larger vortex. The speed
of circulation of vortex is slow, moderate and fast depends on the size of pitot tube
respectively. In the forced vortex experiment, the result as the average velocity head, hc
for the complete revolution were obtained.
In this experiment, Hydraulic Bench Service Module and Free and Forced Vortex
Apparatus was used in order to achieve the objectives of this experiment. All of the
criteria which are associated to both forced and free vortices have been determined.
From the result of this experiment, the conclusion that can be made here is that the
formation of the vortex is dependent on the size of the orifice used. The disturbance can
destroy the orifice is when some core object blocks the flow of water through the orifice.
The results that attained from this experiment is might deviate compared to the
information found from the theory. The inaccuracy results occurred in this experiment
may caused by some factor like human mistakes, equipment efficiency and other things.
In conclusion, the objective is achieved. As the rotation in the cylinder increases,
the radius of a vortex surface at the axis also will increase. From the results, graph for
the three different speed, the theoretical value for the depth at different vortex radius is
slightly lower than the actual value. Overall, it can be seen that the depth of the vortex
surface, Z is inversely proportional to the radius of vortex, r.

APPENDIX