Experiment No.

(6)
Air Flow Velocity and Pressure Coefficient Around The 90o
Rectangular Duct

Objective:
The purpose of this experiment to study the static pressure and velocity
distribution on outer, inner and radial walls for a 90o rectangular cross-
section bending duct.

Introduction:
The engineer is frequently presented with problems of flow contained within
tubes and ducts. Such flows may be classified as internal flows to
distinguish them from flows over bodies such aerofoils called external flows
fig. (1)

fig (1) AF15 Flow Around a Bend Apparatus

In this experiment we investigate the flow around a 90° bend in duct of
rectangular section, using pressure tapping along the walls to establish the
pressure distributions fig. (2)

fig. (2) Dimensions of the Bend and the Position of Pressure Tappings

Description of Apparatus:
A rectangular cross-sectional area duct was connected to apparatus as shown
in fig. (1) to measure the pressure distribution on three sides of this duct. A
10 pressure taps are mounted at outer bending wall, 10 pressure taps are
mounted on the inner bending wall, and 9 pressure taps are mounted on two
radial sides of that duct. All of these taps are connected to multi-tubes
manometer as clear in that figure, and according to Bernoulli’s equation and
pressure coefficient laws, the velocity of air can be estimated at each side of
this duct.

Theory:
When the viscous flow was attached to a flat surface, the viscous layer is
formed along that surface, and this layer is called (boundary layer). The flow
velocity inside this layer is les than the velocity of main stream due to the
friction between flow layers and outside boundary. The boundary layer can
be defined as the thickness of viscous flow sub-layer and this thickness can
be estimated using different mathematical models. The boundary layer can
be classified as laminar boundary layer or turbulent boundary layer
depending on the value of a dimensionless number which is called
(Reynolds number). Another phenomena which is related to boundary layer
are the secondary flow and flow separation. When the flow turns around a
curvature surface it subjected to (free-vortex) flow such as the flow inside
the washing machine. The velocity of flow is increased as the radius of
curvature decrease and the example on this case is the flow inside the
(tornado or twister) at bad weather days.
The velocity distribution at (free vortex) can be estimated from:
C
v= ………………………………………………………………….…(1.1)
r
Where v is the streaming line velocity at radius r from the center of
curvature of bend, and C is the vortex strength. The constant C can be
estimated by applying the Quntinuity equation between two sections as
follows:
Q = V × b(r2 − r1 ) ……………………………………………………….…(1.2a)
Where V is the air mean velocity inside the duct, b is the duct depth, and
r2 − r1` is the difference between outer and inner elbow radius. But the
velocity is changed with the radius of curvature and we can estimate it by
using Quntinuity equation in other form:
r2

Q = b ∫ v × dr …………………………………………………..…………(1.2b)
r1

Where v is the air velocity at any specified duct bending radius r. Now by
substituting the value of u from equation (1.1) into equation (1.2b) , and
equating equations (1.2a ) and (1.2b) we can find the value of constant C as
follows:
r2
C
Q = b∫ × dr , or:
r1
r
r2
C
V × b(r2 − r1 ) = b ∫ × dr
r1
r
r
V × (r2 − r1 ) = C [ln(r )]r12
V × (r2 − r1 ) = C[ln(r2 / r1 )]
V (r2 − r1 )
C= …………………………………….……………………….(1.3)
[ln(r2 / r1 )]
But we have C = v × r , then the velocity ratio can be estimated at each duct
curvature radius by using:
 v r2 − r1
= …………………………………………………………..(1.4)
V r × ln(r2 / r1 )
For this elbow, we have: r2 = 100mm , r1 = 50mm , then equation (1.4) now
becomes:
v 50
= or
V r × ln(2)

! !".!"
= ……………………………………………………….(1.5)*
! !
The corresponding pressure distribution may be found by applying
Bernoulli’s equation between the duct upstream section (before bending
section) and a section within the bend as follows:
p + 1 / 2 ρ × v 2 = po + 1 / 2 ρ × V 2 , or
p − po = 1 / 2 ρ × V 2 − 1 / 2 ρ × v 2 ……………………………………………(1.6)*
Where p o : is the static pressure upstream and p is the pressure at radius r in
the bend. It is convenient to express the pressures in the form of the
dimensionless pressure coefficient Cp as follows after dividing equation
(1.6) by ( 1 / 2 ρV 2 ):

!!!!
Cp = …………………………………………………....(1.7a)*
!/!"!!
Now by substituting the value of pressure difference in equation (1.6) in
numerator of equation (1.7), we can be calculated the pressure coefficient in
terms of velocity ratio:
1 / 2ρ × V 2 − 1 / 2ρ × v 2
Cp = , or
1 / 2ρ × V 2

Cp = 1 -
𝑣 !
…………………………………………….....(1.7b)*
𝑉

The calculated values of pressure coefficient and velocity ratios were

estimated using equations (1.5) and (1.7b) at each radius from ( r1 = 50mm to
r2 =100 mm) for 5 mm intervals as shown in table (8.2). The values of
 v
measured and calculated pressure coefficients Cp and velocities ratios are
V
tabulated in table (1.2). fig. (3)

fig. (3) Distribution of pressure Coefficient Cp over Walls

Experimental Procedure:

The pressure tapping along the outer wall, the reference tapping 0 and the
pressure tapping in the airbox are all connected to the manometer. The air
speed is adjusted to a value slightly below the maximum, as indicated by the
airbox pressure, and the pressure are recorded. (The setting of air speed
slightly below the maximum is to insure that the same setting may be
repeated in later tests). The tapping on the inner wall are then connected in
place of the ones on the outer wall. The airbox pressure is adjusted to the
previous value and a further set of readings are recorded. Finally the
procedure is repeated with the third set of pressure tapping. In table 8.1 the
pressure p are recorded relative to an atmospheric datum and the pressure
coefficient Cp are calculated from Equation.

For example:
Air box pressure = P (T.E.L) = 687 N/m2
Reference tapping pressure po (static head at beginning of duct) = 58.8 N/m2
!
Velocity pressure of uniform flow along duct (P-po )= ! 𝜌.V2 = 628.2 N/m2
Readings and Results::

Air box Pressure (P) Static Pressure (po) (P-po )

(N/m2) (N/m2)

Table (8.1) Measured values of pressures and velocities at outer and inner walls
No. Outer wall Inner wall
p Cp p Cp
2 2
(h) (N/m ) (h) (N/m )
(mm) (mm)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10

Notes: All elevations (h) must subtracted from (100 mm).

p = γ water × h /1000 = 9810 × h /1000 (N/m2)

po =
!
P-po = 𝜌.V2 =
!

!!!!
Cp =
!/!"!!
Cp calculation for a number of values of (r)

r 𝒗 Cp
(mm) 𝑽
50
55
60
70
75
80
85
90
95
100

𝑣 !
Cp = 1 -
𝑉

! !".!"
=
! !

Discussion:
1. Draw calculated values of Cp on Duct Shape for both outer and inner
sides.
2. Draw calculated values of Cp for outer and inner walls by illustrate
figure.
3. What is the main conclusion of this experiment?
4. Why static pressure is different in outer and inner sides ?