Examples, manometer mechanisms

Example 3 Venturi Flowmeter An incompressible fluid flows through the venturi flowmeter in Fig. 6-7. An equation is needed to relate the flow rate Q to the pressure drop measured by the manometer. This problem can he solved using the mechanical energy balance. In a well-made venturi, viscous losses are neghgihle, the pressure drop is entirely the result of acceleration into the throat, and the flow rate predicted neglecting losses is quite accurate. The inlet area is A and the throat area is a. 

If the pump is a filter pump off a high-pressure water supply, its performance will be limited by the temperature of the water because the vapour pressure of water at 10°, 15°, 20° and 25° is 9.2, 12.8, 17.5 and 23.8 mm Hg respectively. The pressure can be measured with an ordinary manometer. For vacuums in the range lO" mm Hg to 10 mm Hg, rotary mechanical pumps (oil pumps) are used and the pressure can be measured with a Vacustat McLeod type gauge. If still higher vacuums are required, for example for high vacuum sublimations, a mercury diffusion pump is suitable. Such a pump can provide a vacuum up to 10" mm Hg. For better efficiencies, the pump can be backed up by a mechanical pump. In all cases, the mercury pump is connected to the distillation apparatus through several traps to remove mercury vapours. These traps may operate by chemical action, for example the use of sodium hydroxide pellets to react with acids, or by condensation, in which case empty tubes cooled in solid carbon dioxide-ethanol or liquid nitrogen (contained in wide-mouthed Dewar flasks) are used. 

In Sec. 2.5 we discussed manometers as pressure-measuring devices. There are many other fluid mechanical situations which are understood most easily if we analyze them Just as we analyze manometers. Several examples are shown here. 

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