Experimental Determination of Nozzle efficiency

Sunil Kumar
(09D01015)
AIM
To study the variation of nozzle efficiency with varying Inlet and Back pressures for three different nozzles

THEORY
Flow through an Ideal nozzle is supposed to be isentropic, but in real life there are losses and hence it is
important to study the effect of various parameters on efficiency of nozzle. Efficiency is a factor indicative of
all losses that occur during the diffusion process inside the nozzle.
In this experiment we will study the effect of variation of efficiency with total inlet pressure and back
pressure for three nozzles having different exit area.

SETUP:
For this experiment we have used the following setup by PA HILTON

PA HILTON MODEL

Sensors:
1.
2.
3.
4.

Rotameter used for measuring mass flow rate

Dial Gauge used for measuring thrust or jet reaction
Pressure Sensors
Temperature Sensors

FORMULAE:

(_ 8.5893)
26.571

= 0.985

=
= 0.5 2

= 1 (1

)
where = P2/P1

=

= 2

OBSERVATION:
Calibration of Dial Gauge:
To measure the nozzle exit velocity we use an impact head to kill the entire axial component of velocity. This
change in momentum exerts a force on the impact head which is mounted on a cantilever arm. A Dial
Gauge is used to measure the deflection of the Cantilever Arm.
To calibrate dial gauge we have used the standard weights given by the manufacturer.
Note: The dial gauge was not properly configured and hence we got high value of intercept during our
calibration but since we is does not change the slope it will not affect the readings.

Weight
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
3.5
4

Dial Reading
23
35
48.5
61
75
85.5
103
116

Calibration
140

Dial Reading

120

y = 26.571x + 8.5893

100
80
60
40
20
0
0

0.5

1.5

2.5

3.5

4.5

Force

Hence the final relation between Force (F) and Dial Readings (D) is

F = (D-8.5893)/26.571

Sample Calculations:
Sample calculation for one of the readings for nozzle 1 has been shown below. Upper mentioned formulae
are directly used without stating here.
P1 = 801 kPa

P2 = 151 kPa
Mass flow rate = 5.4 /
Corrected mass flow rate = 0.985*5.4 = 5.319 g/sec
T1 = 29.1 = 302.25 K
Dial Reading = 72
Force= (72-8.589)/26.571 = 2.386 N
Pressure Ratio Pi = 151/801 = 0.19
Calculated Velocity = 2.386 / 5.319 = 448.67 m/s
Specific Kinetic Energy = 0.5*448.67^2 = 100652.2 J/Kg
0.4

= 1004.5 302.25 (1 0.191.4 ) = 115127.3

= 2 115127 = 479.8
Efficiency = (100652.2/115127.3) =0.874

Tables:
V calc = Velocity Calculated
Specific KE = Specific Kinetic Energy
Design Pressure Ratio for Nozzle 1 = 0.528 1
Design Pressure ratio for the nozzle 2 is ~ 0.26
Design Pressure ratio for the nozzle 5 is ~ 0.1
Correc = corrected

Nozzle 1 Case 1: Back Pressure Varied& Inlet Pressure is Constant

P1
kPa
700
700
700
700
700
700
700

P2
kPa
50
100
200
300
400
500
600

m
g/s
5.4
5.4
5.4
5.2
4.8
4
3

Dial T1
72
68
58
52
42
31
20

29.1
29.1
29.1
29.1
29.1
29.2
29.2

pi
(P2/P1)
0.19
0.25
0.38
0.50
0.63
0.75
0.88

m
correc
5.319
5.319
5.319
5.122
4.728
3.940
2.955

Force V calc

Specific.KE delta H

V
ideal

2.386
2.236
1.860
1.634
1.257
0.843
0.429

100652.2
88354.4
61114.1
50871.5
35365.4
22913.1
10560.6

0.874
0.892
0.825
0.934
0.928
0.957
0.930

479.8
445.1
384.9
330.0
276.0
218.8
150.7

448.67
420.37
349.61
318.97
265.95
214.07
145.33

115127.3
99077.3
74064.6
54459.2
38095.1
23931.8
11354.0

Nozzle 1 Case 2: Back Pressure is Constant & Inlet Pressure is varied

P1
kPa
200
300
400
500
600

P2
kPa
100
100
100
100
100

m
g/s
1.8
2.6
3.4
4
4.6

Dial T1
15
25
35
47
57

29.3
29.4
29.1
29.2
29.2

pi
(P2/P1)
0.67
0.50
0.40
0.33
0.29

m
correc
1.773
2.561
3.349
3.940
4.531

Force V calc

Specific.KE

delta H

V
ideal

0.241
0.618
0.994
1.446
1.822

9259.5
29080.7
44044.7
67309.0
80845.2

33105.1
54424.7
69731.8
81608.9
91164.2

0.280
0.534
0.632
0.825
0.887

257.3
329.9
373.4
404.0
427.0

136.08
241.17
296.80
366.90
402.11

700

100

5.4

67

29.2

0.25

5.319

2.198

413.29 85405.0

99110.1

0.862 445.2

Nozzle 2 Case 1: Back Pressure Varied& Inlet Pressure is Constant

P1
kPa
700
700
700
700
700
700
700

P2
kPa
50
100
200
300
400
500
600

m
g/s
5.7
5.7
5.7
5.6
5.2
4.6
3.4

Dial

T1

74
68
59
51
43
32
20

29.4
29.4
29.5
29.7
29.6
29.8
29.8

pi
(P2/P1)
0.19
0.25
0.38
0.50
0.63
0.75
0.88

m
correc
5.615
5.615
5.615
5.516
5.122
4.531
3.349

Force

V calc

Specific.KE

delta H

2.462
2.236
1.897
1.596
1.295
0.881
0.429

438.46
398.24
337.91
289.37
252.84
194.45
128.23

96124.4
79298.6
57093.0
41866.1
31964.6
18906.3
8221.9

115241
99175.7
74162.6
54567.3
38158.1
23979.3
11376.5

0.834
0.799
0.769
0.767
0.838
0.788
0.723

V
ideal
480.1
445.4
385.1
330.4
276.3
219.0
150.8

Nozzle 2 Case 2: Back Pressure is Constant & Inlet Pressure is varied

P1
kPa
200
300
400
500
600
700

P2
kPa
100
100
100
100
100
100

m
g/s
1.8
2.8
3.6
4.4
5
5.8

P1
kPa
700
700
700
700
700
700
700

P2
kPa
50
100
200
300
400
500
600

m
g/s
5.8
5.8
5.8
5.8
5.8
5.8
5.4

Dial

T1

14
25
36
47
58
68

29.7
29.7
29.7
29.6
29.5
29.6

pi
(P2/P1)
0.67
0.50
0.40
0.33
0.29
0.25

m
correc
1.773
2.758
3.546
4.334
4.925
5.713

Force V calc

Specific.KE delta H

0.204
0.618
1.032
1.446
1.860
2.236

6596.2
25074.7
42318.1
55627.3
71283.5
76587.8

0.199
0.460
0.606
0.681
0.781
0.772

114.86
223.94
290.92
333.55
377.58
391.38

33148.9
54478.6
69870.2
81716.9
91254.7
99241.2

V
ideal
257.5
330.1
373.8
404.3
427.2
445.5

Nozzle 5 Case 1: Back Pressure Varied& Inlet Pressure is Constant

Dial

T1

72
65
54
44
36
31
25

29.9
29.9
29.9
29.9
30
30.1
30.1

pi
(P2/P1)
0.19
0.25
0.38
0.50
0.63
0.75
0.88

m
correc
5.713
5.713
5.713
5.713
5.713
5.713
5.319

Force V calc

Specific.KE delta H

2.386
2.123
1.709
1.333
1.032
0.843
0.618

87247.9
69048.4
44745.3
27208.3
16303.3
10898.0
6741.6

0.756
0.695
0.603
0.498
0.427
0.454
0.592

417.73
371.61
299.15
233.27
180.57
147.63
116.12

115432.0
99339.6
74260.6
54603.3
38208.5
24003.0
11387.8

V
ideal
480.5
445.7
385.4
330.5
276.4
219.1
150.9

Nozzle 5 Case 2: Back Pressure is Constant & Inlet Pressure is varied

P1
kPa
200
300
400

P2
kPa
100
100
100

m
g/s
2.2
2.8
3.6

Dial
14
23
33

T1

pi
(P2/P1)
30
0.67
29.9 0.50
29.8 0.40

m
correc
2.167
2.758
3.546

Force V calc

Specific.KE delta H

0.204 93.97 4415.6

0.542 196.65 19335.4
0.919 259.08 33562.0

33181.8 0.133
54514.6 0.355
69893.3 0.480

V
ideal
257.6
330.2
373.9

500 100 4.5

600 100 5.2
700 100 5.8

43
54
66

29.8 0.33
29.8 0.29
29.9 0.25

4.433
5.122
5.713

1.295 292.17 42682.6

1.709 333.67 55666.9
2.161 378.20 71518.1

81770.9 0.522
91345.1 0.609
99339.6 0.720

PLOTS
PI = C => Inlet Pressure is Constant
PB = C => Back Pressure is Constant
Mass flow rate v/s Inlet Pressure (Back Pressure = 201 kPa)
6.000

Mass flow Rate(g/s)

5.500
5.000
4.500
4.000

Nozzle 1

3.500

Nozzle 2

3.000

Nozzle 5

2.500
2.000
1.500
280

380

480

580

680

780

Inlet Pressure (in kPa)

Mass Flow rate v/s Pressure Ratios

880

404.4
427.4
445.7

6.000
Nozzle 1
(PI=C)

5.500

Nozzle 2
(PI=C)

4.500
Nozzle 5
(PI=C)

4.000

Nozzle 1
(PB=C)

3.500
3.000

Nozzle 2
(PB=C)

2.500
Nozzle 5
(PB=C)

2.000
0.10

0.30

0.50

0.70

0.90

Pressure Ratio (pi)

Exit Velocity v/s Pressure Ratio

500.00

Nozzle 1
(PI=c)

450.00
400.00

Nozzle 2
(PI=c)

350.00
Exit Velocity

Mass Flow Rate(g/sec)

5.000

300.00

Nozzle 5
(PI=c)

250.00

Nozzle 1
(PB =c )

200.00
150.00

Nozzle 2
(PB=C)

100.00
50.00
0.00
0.00

0.20

0.40

0.60

Pressure Ratio(pi)

0.80

1.00

Nozzle 5
(PB=C)

Effieciency

Efficiency v/s Pressure Ratio

1.200

Nozzle 1
(PI=C)

1.000

Nozzle 2
(PI=C)

0.800

Nozzle 5
(PI=C)

0.600

Nozzle 1
(PB=C)

0.400

Nozzle 2
(PB=C)

0.200

Nozzle 5
(PB=C)

0.000
0.00

0.20

0.40

0.60

0.80

1.00

Pressure Ratio(pi)

Conclusions:

In Plot 1, we can that mass flow rate increases linearly with Inlet Pressure as expected
In Plot 2, for the case Inlet pressure is held constant and back pressure is reduced choking occurs
when P.R is less than 0.5.
o Also for second case when Inlet Pressure is varied and Back pressure is held constant we
can see that mass flow rate continuously increases with decrease in P.R and choking is not
observed. Hence we can say that mass flow rate not only depends on pressure ratio but
also on the value of Inlet pressure.
o For nozzle 1 and 2 choking occurs when pressure ratios are less than 0.5 but for nozzle 5
mass flow rate is almost constant from P.R of 0.7 which shows that flow is chocked below
P.R of 0.7.
In Plot 3, we find that Velocity increases with decrease in P.R and we have found similar trend in all
three nozzles and for both cases.
In Plot 4 of efficiency v/s pressure ratios we found that,
o Efficiency for nozzle 1 is almost same for P.R greater than 0.5, which is justified from the fact
that nozzle 1 is convergent type of nozzle which is most efficient for subsonic flows and
hence its efficiency decreases when operated below P.R of 0.5
o Efficiency for nozzle 2 increases once the flow turn supersonic, that is when P.R falls below
0.528, this is expected as the nozzle is designed for P.R of 0.26. But the efficiency does not
change much as compared to nozzle 1
o Trend of efficiency for nozzle 5 is little different from nozzle 2. The efficiency is maximum
when it is operated at very higher and very low P.R. The possible reason being the Exit to
Throat area ratio being high, close to 2. This means that is can be efficiently operated at P.R

greater than 0.7 and P.R lower than 0.4.

o For the case when back pressure is held constant and inlet pressure is varied we can see
that the efficiency is continuously increasing with decrement in P.R for all the three nozzles.
When nozzles are operated at P.R other than designed then they are either over expanded or under
expanded which increases loss in the nozzle and hence gives lower efficiency than expected.