Table of Contents

List of Figures............................................................................................................................2
List of Tables.............................................................................................................................2
Abstract:...................................................................................................................................3
Introduction:.............................................................................................................................4
Experimental Setup:.................................................................................................................5
Procedure:................................................................................................................................6
Raw Data:.................................................................................................................................6
Sample Calculations:.................................................................................................................7
Data Analysis:.........................................................................................................................10
Conclusion:.............................................................................................................................15
References..............................................................................................................................16

1
List of Figures

Figure 1. Fluid Friction Apparatus.............................................................................................5

Figure 2. Tabulated data of Kf for sudden contraction............................................................10
Figure 3. Tabulated data of Kf for globe valve.......................................................................11
Figure 4. Graph between Head Loss and Velocity Head for sudden contraction....................12
Figure 5. Graph between Loss Coefficient and Reynold's Number for sudden contraction....13
Figure 6.Graph between Head Loss and Velocity Head for gate valve...................................15
Figure 7.Graph between Loss Coefficient and Reynold's Number for gate valve...................15

List of Tables

Table 1. Raw data for sudden contraction.................................................................................7

Table 2. Raw data for gate valve..............................................................................................7
Table 3: Experimental data for sudden contraction.................................................................10
Table 4: Experimental loss coefficient and head loss for sudden contraction.........................11
Table 5: Comparison between the experimental and theoretical value of loss coefficient......11
Table 6.Experimental data for gate valve................................................................................13
Table 7.Experimental loss coefficient and head loss for gate valve........................................13
Table 8.Comparison between the experimental and theoretical value of loss coefficient.......13

2
Abstract

The aim of the experiment was to study the loss coefficient (Kf) that occurs
when fluid flows through various fittings in a piping system. Experiments were used
that study the loss coefficient in the cases of sudden enlargement and sudden
contraction in one pipe with a relatively small diameter of approximately 9 mm, as the
fluid flows at different rates of volumetric flow, and obtaining and studying the results
of the tests. Five trials have been conducted, the number of trials may vary according
to the level of accuracy required, and through the generating of the graph of head loss
against the kinetic head, and then determining its slope, the loss coefficient was
obtained. The experimentally calculated value, which is derived from the given
equations, was compared with the experimentally obtained value, and the resulting
deviation and other values were described in detail. The values of the loss factor for
sudden contraction and gate valve were found to be 0.131064 and 1.23077,
respectively.

3
Introduction

Understanding pressure changes along the pipeline is essential when designing

pipe systems for the flow of fluids. Any piping system will experience a pressure drop
or head loss, and the main source of head loss is friction generated by the internal pipe
roughness or change in diameter [1]. Another source of pressure drop is bends,
contractions, valves, and enlargements which are considered to cause a minor loss.
Pipes may be bent to change the direction of flow, and pipes of various diameters can
be connected using enlargement and contraction fittings [2]. The friction losses in
long pipes are significantly more than these minor losses due to fittings. Nevertheless,
in a short pipeline, the minor head loss is taken into consideration since it is equally
significant to the large head loss for the most accurate prediction. The aim of this
experiment is to determine the loss coefficient and compare the results to theoretical
values to study the head loss in a pipeline that has some fittings.

- The pressure drops and head loss due to fittings are calculated, using the
following equations:
2
ρv
∆ P=K f (1)
2

Where ∆ P; Pressure drops

v; Velocity

K f ; Loss coefficient

ρ; Fluid density

v2
H L=K f (2)
2g

Where HL; Head loss

g; Gravitational acceleration

4
 Dρv
N ℜ= (3)
μ

Where Nre; Reynolds’ Number

D; Diameter of the pipe

µ; Viscosity

2
∆ P v2 4
(4)
H L= − (1−β )
ρg 2g

Where β ; d/D

Experimental Setup:

The fluid friction measurement unit that has been used in this experiment is the
INFINIT-(FM-1849-36). As shown in Figure 1. the measurement unit consists of
different types of pipes with different diameters. Also, it includes different categories
of fitting such as valves, contractions, and enlargements. A water manometer device
is connected to the pipes to measure the pressure differences at the ends of the pipes.

Figure 1. Fluid Friction Apparatus

5
Procedure:

The first step to being done in this experiment is to make sure that the apparatus is
correctly assembled and that all the valves are closed. The hydraulic bench must be
filled with water, then a hose has to be connected to the device. Another hose needed
to be connected to the volumetric flow rate. The output flow control valve must be
opened briefly to allow water to flow through the necessary testing portion, then it
must be shut again. Once the pump is turned on and the input stream is opened to fill
the pipes and eliminate air bubbles, the device has to be connected to a power source.
To start the experiment, the volumetric flow rate is determined through the volumetric
tank and pressure differences are recorded. Steps have to be repeated until sufficient
data is obtained. The last step is to shut down the power supply and the water pump.

Raw Data:
- Density of fluid: 997.0 kg/m3

- Viscosity of fluid: 0.891 x 10-3 kg/m. s

- Temperature: 25 oC

- Gravitational acceleration: 9.81 m/s2

- Diameter of the larger cross-section area: 14.5 mm

- Diameter of the smaller cross-section area: 9 mm

Table 1. Raw data for sudden contraction

Q (PML) Q (m3 /sec ⁡¿ d/D

5 8.33333E-05 0.6206896552
6 0.0001 0.6206896552
7 0.000116667 0.6206896552
8 0.000133333 0.6206896552
9 0.00015 0.6206896552

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 Table 2. Raw data for gate valve

Q (PML) Q (m3 /sec ⁡¿ d/D

5 8.33333E-05 0.6206896552
6 0.0001 0.6206896552
7 0.000116667 0.6206896552
8 0.000133333 0.6206896552
9 0.00015 0.6206896552

Sample Calculations:

- all of the values were obtained from the first data input in each table.

Sudden contraction:

d = 0.009 m

1- Converting volumetric flowrate:

1m3 1 −3 3
Q = 5 LPM × L × =8.3333 ×10 m /s
1000 60

2- Calculating velocity of fluid:

Q 8.333 ×1 0−3 m3 / s
v= = =1.3099 m/ s
π 2 π 2
× (D ) (
× 0.009 m )
4 4

3- Calculating Reynolds number:

N D × ρ ×ν 0.009 m ×997 kg/ m3 ×1.3099m / s

ℜ= = =13191.62
μ −3 kg
0.891× 10
m ∙s

4- Calculating pressure drop:

kg m
∆ P=ρ × g ×∆ h=997.0 3
×9.81 2 × 0.063=616.18 Pa
m s

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 5- Calculating the velocity head:

2
υ 1.3099m/ s
hv= = =0.087454 m
2 × g 2 ×9.81 m/s 2

6- Calculating the head loss:

∆P υ2 ( 616.18 Pa
1−B )= −0.087454 m ( 1−0.62068 ) =0.011474 m
4 4
H L= −
g × ρ 2× g m kg
9.81 2 ×997 3
s m

7- Calculating the loss coefficient K f :

2
υ2 H L 0.011474 m
H L=K f ∙ → Kf = = =0.131064
2×g H v 0.087545 m

Gate Valve:

- D = 14.5 mm

- same previous steps 1-5, to calculate ∆ P , hv and N ℜ:

6- calculating head loss:

∆P 156.49 pa
H L= = =0.0160 m
g×ρ m 3
9.81 2 × 997 kg /m
s

7- Calculating the loss coefficient K f :

8
 2
υ2 H L 0.0160 m
H L=K f ∙ → Kf = = =1.23077 m
2×g H v 0.0130 m

- comparing between the experimental and empirical values of Kf, using

Tabulated Data:

Sudden Contraction:

d 2 0.0092
2
= 2
=0.38=0.4
D 0.0145

Figure2. Tabulated data of Kf for sudden contraction

K f ≈ 0.37

|0.37−−0.13121
0.37 |× 100=135.46 %

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 Gate Valve:

Figure 3. Tabulated data of Kf for globe valve.

K f =17

|17−1.23077
17 |×100=92.749 %
Data Analysis:

 Sudden Contraction:
Table 3: Experimental data for sudden contraction

∆ h(cm H 2 o) ∆ h(m H 2 o) Velocity Velocity Reynold’s ∆ P( pa)

(m/s) Head (m) number
6.3 0.063 1.309917 0.087456 13191.79 616.1759

10.6 0.106 1.571901 0.125936 15830.15 1036.74

14.8 0.148 1.833884 0.171413 18468.51 1447.524

21.4 0.214 2.095868 0.223887 21106.87 2093.042

26.4 0.264 2.357851 0.283357 23745.23 2582.07

Table 4: Experimental loss coefficient and head loss for sudden contraction

HL(m) Kf
-0.01148 -0.13121

-0.00124 -0.00988

0.002028 0.011832

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 0.023343 0.104262

0.0227 0.080109

Table 5: Comparison between the experimental and theoretical value of loss

coefficient

Kf (theoretical) Kf(experimental) Relative True

Error%
0.37 -0.13121 135.4633
0.37 -0.00988 102.6711
0.37 0.011832 96.80226
0.37 0.104262 71.82116
0.37 0.080109 78.34884

Figure 4. Graph between Head Loss and Velocity Head for sudden contraction

11
 Figure 5. Graph between Loss Coefficient and Reynold's Number for sudden
contraction

 Gate Valve:

Table 6.Experimental data for gate valve

∆ h(cm H 2 o) ∆ h(m H 2 o) Velocity Velocity Reynold’s ∆ P( pa)

(m/s) Head (m) number
1.6 0.016 0.504653 0.01298 818809.1 156.4891

2.5 0.025 0.605584 0.018692 982571 244.5143

3.9 0.039 0.706514 0.025442 1146333 381.4422

6 0.06 0.807445 0.03323 1310095 586.8342

7.8 0.078 0.908375 0.042056 1473856 762.8845

Table 7.Experimental loss coefficient and head loss for gate valve

HL(m) Kf

12
 0.016 1.232631

0.025 1.337491

0.039 1.532928

0.06 1.805612

1.854654
0.078

Table 8.Comparison between the experimental and theoretical value of loss

coefficient

Kf (theoretical) Kf(experimental) Relative True

Error%
17 1.232631 92.74922
17 1.337491 92.13240

17 1.532928 90.98278

17 1.805612 89.37875
17 1.854654 89.09027

Figure 6. Graph between Head Loss and Velocity Head for gate valve

13
 Figure 7. Graph between Loss Coefficient and Reynold's Number for gate valve

Conclusion:

To sum up, an experiment was conducted to determine the loss coefficient

(Kf) for a fluid passing through fittings in a piping system. According to the
experiment that was conducted, it was investigated that the sudden contraction was
the empirical loss factor through the data in the table was Kf=0.37 while the
experimental value of Kf = 0.131064 and when you compare the two values, will
notice that there is an error rate is 135.46 % and it is considered a high percentage. In
addition, the experimental value was kf = 1.23077 and the tabular value Kf = 17, and
this is for Gate Valve, by comparing the two percentages, will find that the error rate
is92.749 % , and considered a high value for the error. There are several reasons for
high percentage error values, including errors in readings or equipment malfunctions.

14
References

[1]
Hsu, F.-l. (1981). Flow of Fine-Particle Suspensions in Bends, Fittings and Valves. 1-
17.
[2] Silberman, E. (1960). Air-Water Mixtures Flow Through Orfices, Bends, and
other Fittings in a Horizontal Pipe. University of Minnesota: St. Anthony Falls
Hydraulic Laboratory.

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