Al-Farabi University College

Al-farabi University College
Students names:
Ali Kadhim Talib.
Yousef Hussen Jamel .
Hesham Sahim .
______
Refining Engineering Department, Oil
and Gas.
Stage:The second.
Supervision of Prof :HAMZAH A. LAFTA
Subject:
differential flow meter orifice and
venture.
1. Introduction
The flow rate of a fluid flowing in a pipe under
pressure is measured for a variety of
applications, such as monitoring of pipe flow rate
and control of industrial processes.
Differential pressure flow meters, consisting of
orifice, flow nozzle, and venturi meters,
are widely used for pipe flow measurement and
are the topic of this course. All three of
these meters use a constriction in the path of the
pipe flow and measure the difference
in pressure between the undisturbed flow and the
flow through the constriction. That
pressure difference can then be used to calculate
the flow rate. This course will provide
general background information about differential
pressure flow meters and the format
of the equation used for calculating liquid flow
rate through any of them. There will also
be presentation and discussion of equations used
for calculation of gas flow through a
differential pressure meter and the parameters in
those equations. There will be
descriptions of each of these meters and their
particular equations, along with example
calculations. Use of the ideal gas law to calculate
the density of a gas at known
temperature and pressure and use of an ISO 5167
equation to calculate the value of an
orifice coefficient are additional topics related to
orifice and venturi meter calculations
that are included in this course. A spreadsheet to
assist with orifice/venturi/flow nozzle
meter calculations and ISO 5167 calculation of an
orifice coefficient is also provided.
Note that there is provision for user input to select
either U.S. units of S.I. units in each
of the spreadsheet worksheets.
2. Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this course, the student will
• Be able to calculate the liquid flow rate from
measured pressure difference, fluid
properties, and meter parameters, using the
provided equations for venturi,
orifice, and flow nozzle meters.
• Be able to calculate the gas flow rate from
measured pressure difference, fluid
properties, and meter parameters, using the
provided equations for venturi,
orifice, and flow nozzle meters.
• Be able to estimate the density of a specified gas
at specified temperature and
pressure using the Ideal Gas Equation.
• Be able to determine which type of ISO standard
pressure tap locations are
being used for a given orifice meter.
• Be able to calculate the orifice coefficient, Co, for
specified orifice and pipe
diameters, pressure tap locations and fluid
properties using ISO 5167 equations.
• Be able to calculate the Reynolds number for
specified pipe flow conditions.
3. Topics Covered in this Course
I. Differential Pressure Flow Meter Background
II. Gas Flow Calculations for Differential Pressure
Flow Meters
III. The Ideal Gas Law for Calculating the Density of
a Gas
IV. The Venturi Meter
V. The Orifice Meter
VI. ISO 5167 for Determination of an Orifice
Coefficient
VII. The Flow Nozzle Meter
VIII. Summary
IX. References
4. Differential Pressure Flow Meter Background
Orifice meters, venturi meters, and flow nozzle
meters are three commonly used
examples of differential pressure flow meters.
These three meters function by placing a
constricted area in the flow path of the fluid
flowing through the pipe, thus causing an
increase in the fluid velocity as it goes through the
constricted area. As indicated by the
Bernoulli Equation ( p + 1/2ρV2 + ρgh = constant ),
if the velocity (V) increases, with
the density (ρ) remaining constant, then either
pressure (p) or elevation, (h) must
decrease. For a flow meter in a horizontal pipe, the
elevation will not change, so the
increase in velocity must be accompanied by a
decrease in pressure. This is the
principle used in the differential pressure flow
meter.
A general equation will now be derived for
calculating the flow rate from the measured
difference between the pressure of the approach
fluid and the pressure of the fluid in
the constricted area of flow. The parameters
shown in the venturi diagram below will be
used to represent those parameters in general for
a differential pressure flow meter
The Bernoulli equation written between cross-

section 1 in the approach fluid flow and
cross-section 2 in the constricted area of flow is
shown below:
Note that the Bernoulli equation is for “ideal

flow”, neglecting frictional effects and nonideal
flow factors. Also note that the density, ρ, has
been assumed to remain the same
for the approach fluid and the fluid flowing
through the constricted area in Equation (1).
If the pipe and meter are horizontal, then h1 = h2
and the ρgh terms “drop out” of the
equation, giving:
The volumetric flow rate through the pipe (and

meter) can be introduced by substituting
the expressions: V1 = Q/A1 and V2 = Q/A2 into the
equation. Then solving for Q gives:
Note that Equation (3) remains exactly the same

for either U.S. units or S.I. units. A
consistent set of each of those units is shown in
the parameter list below:
• Qideal is the ideal flow rate through the meter
(neglecting viscosity and other
friction effects), in cfs for U.S. units (or m3/s for
S.I. units)
• A2 is the constricted cross-sectional area
perpendicular to flow, in ft2 for U.S.
units (or m2 for S.I. units)
• P1 is the approach pressure in the pipe, in lb/ft2
for U.S. units (or N/m2 for S.I.
units)
• P2 is the pressure in the meter, in the
constricted area, in lb/ft2 for U.S. units (or
N/m2 for S.I. units)
• β is the diameter ratio = D2/D1 = (diam. at
A2)/(pipe diam.), dimensionless
• ρ is the fluid density in slugs/ft3 for U.S. units (or
kg/m3 for S.I. units)
The volumetric flow rate calculated from this
equation is called Qideal, because the
equation was derived from the Bernoulli equation,
which is for ideal flow and doesn’t
include the effects of frictional losses. The method
of taking into account friction losses
and other non-ideal factors for differential
pressure flow meters is to put a discharge
coefficient, C, into the equation for Q, giving:
Where:
• Q is the flow rate through the meter (and
through the pipe), in cfs for U.S. units
(or m3/s for S.I. units)
• C is the discharge coefficient, which is
dimensionless
All of the other parameters are the same as
defined above. The discharge coefficient,
C, will be less than one, because the actual
pipe/meter flow rate will be less than the
ideal flow rate due to fluid friction losses.
Note that Equation (4) works well for flow of
liquids through differential flow meters,
because the difference in pressure between the
upstream pipe and the constricted
region typically has negligible effect on the
density. Thus the density can be taken as
constant. For gas flow through a differential flow
meter, however, the difference in the
upstream pressure, P1, and the constricted
pressure, P2, typically has a significant effect
on the density. Thus a variation of Equation (4) is
typically used for gas flow
calculations as discussed in the next section.
5. Gas Flow Calculations for Differential Pressure

Meters
In order to account for the effect of changing
pressure on the density of a gas as it flows
through a differential pressure flow meter,
equation (5), shown below, is typically used
for gas flow calculations. This equation is equation
(4) with the compressibility factor
form of the ideal gas law (discussed further in the
next section of the course) used as an
expression for the gas density and incorporation of
the compressibility factor, Y, for the
gas as discussed below.
The Venturi Meter

The diagram of a venturi meter below shows the
general shape and flow pattern for this
type of differential pressure flow meter.
The converging cone, through which fluid enters a
venturi meter, typically has a cone
angle of 15o to 20o. This cone on the inlet side of
the meter converges to the throat
diameter, which is where the area of flow is at its
minimum, the velocity is at its
maximum, and the pressure is at its minimum. The
diverging exit section of the venturi
meter uses a cone angle of 5o to 7o, to bring the
meter diameter back to the full pipe
diameter. As shown in the diagram, D2 is the
diameter of the venturi throat and P2 is the
pressure in the throat. D1 and P1 are the diameter
and the pressure for the pipe before
the flow enters the converging section of the
meter.
The design of a venturi meter, with its smooth
contraction on the inlet side and gradual
expansion back to the pipe diameter, leads to very
little frictional loss through the meter.
The discharge coefficient for a venturi meter is
often called the venturi coefficient, Cv.
the equation for flow rate through a venturi
meter, thus becomes:
Due to the small frictional loss in a venturi meter,

the venturi coefficient is fairly close to
one, typically in the range from 0.95 to nearly one.
From reference #3 at the end of this
course ( ISO 5167-1:2003 ) the venturi coefficient
for cast iron or machined venturi
meters is given as 0.995. Cv is given as 0.985 for
welded sheet metal meters that meet
ISO specifications. All of these Cv values are for
Reynolds number between 2 x 105
and 106. Venturi meter manufacturers will often
provide information about the venturi
coefficient for their meters.
_______________________
Ali Kadhim Talib .

Discussion: The orifice meter, venturi meter and
flow nozzle meter all use a restriction placed in
the flow area to increase the fluid velocity and
thus decrease the fluid pressure in the restricted
area. The pressure difference between that in the
undisturbed flow and that in the restricted area
can then be used to calculate the flow rate
through the meter using the equations presented
and discussed in this course. The ideal gas law
can be used to calculate the density of a gas at
specified temperature and pressure, for use in
these calculations. The ISO 5167 procedure for
calculating the discharge coefficient for an
orifice meter was also presented and discussed.
Calculation of liquid flow rate and gas flow rate
through the meters was illustrated with several
worked examples.
________________________________________
Yosef Hussen Jamel

Discussion:
______________
Hisham sahim
Discussion:

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The Bernoulli equation written between cross-

Note that the Bernoulli equation is for “ideal

The volumetric flow rate through the pipe (and

Note that Equation (3) remains exactly the same

5. Gas Flow Calculations for Differential Pressure

The Venturi Meter

Due to the small frictional loss in a venturi meter,

Ali Kadhim Talib .

Yosef Hussen Jamel

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