Manometer
MANOMETER
A manometer is a tube, usually bent in a form of
U, containing a liquid of known specific gravity,
the surface of which moves proportionally to
changes of pressure. It is used to measure
pressure or pressure differences.
Types of Manometer
Open Type
It has an atmospheric surface in one leg and is capable of measuring gage
pressure.
Suggested Steps in Solving Open Manometer Problems:
1. Decide on the fluid in feet or meter, of which the heads are to be
expressed. (water is most advisable)
2. Starting with the atmospheric surface in the manometer, number in order,
the interface of different fluids.
3. Identify the points of equal pressure (taking into account that for a
homogeneous fluid at rest, the pressure along the same horizontal plane
are equal). Label these points with the same number.
4. Proceed from level to level, adding (if going down) or subtracting (if going
up) pressure heads as the elevation decreases or increases, respectively
with due regard for the specific gravity of the fluids.
Differential Type
It has no atmospheric surface and capable of measuring only pressure
differences.
Suggested Steps in Solving Differential Manometer Problems:
1. Number the “strategic points” indicated by the levels of contact of the
fluids.
2. Starting with the unknown pressure head at one of the end points, write a
continued algebraic summation of heads, progressing from point to point,
and equating the continued sum to the unknown head at the other end
point.
3. Solve the equation for the pressure-head difference and reduce to
pressure difference if desired.
Sample Problems
Sample Problem 1: A manometer is used to measure the pressure of a gas in a tank.
The fluid used has a specific gravity of 0.85, and the manometer column height is 55
cm. If the local atmospheric pressure is 96 KPa, determine: (a) the gage pressure in
the tank; (b) the absolute pressure in the tank
Solution:
(a) the gage pressure in the tank
Step 1(optional in this case)
• Decide on the fluid in feet or meter,
of which the heads are to be
expressed.
Use the pressure heads of the
original fluid
Sample Problem 1: A manometer is used to measure the pressure of a gas in a tank.
The fluid used has a specific gravity of 0.85, and the manometer column height is 55
cm. If the local atmospheric pressure is 96 KPa, determine: (a) the gage pressure in
the tank; (b) the absolute pressure in the tank
Solution:
(a) the gage pressure in the tank 1
Step 2
• Starting with the atmospheric
surface in the manometer, number
2
in order, the interface of different
fluids.
Sample Problem 1: A manometer is used to measure the pressure of a gas in a tank.
The fluid used has a specific gravity of 0.85, and the manometer column height is 55
cm. If the local atmospheric pressure is 96 KPa, determine: (a) the gage pressure in
the tank; (b) the absolute pressure in the tank
Solution:
(a) the gage pressure in the tank 1
Step 3
• Identify the points of equal
pressure (taking into account that
2 2
for a homogeneous fluid at rest,
the pressure along the same
horizontal plane are equal). Label
these points with the same
number.
Sample Problem 1: A manometer is used to measure the pressure of a gas in a tank.
The fluid used has a specific gravity of 0.85, and the manometer column height is 55
cm. If the local atmospheric pressure is 96 KPa, determine: (a) the gage pressure in
the tank; (b) the absolute pressure in the tank
Solution:
(a) the gage pressure in the tank Start 1
Step 4
• Proceed from level to level, adding
(if going down) or subtracting (if
2 2
going up) pressure heads as the
elevation decreases or increases,
respectively with due regard for
the specific gravity of the fluids.
Sample Problem 1: A manometer is used to measure the pressure of a gas in a tank.
The fluid used has a specific gravity of 0.85, and the manometer column height is 55
cm. If the local atmospheric pressure is 96 KPa, determine: (a) the gage pressure in
the tank; (b) the absolute pressure in the tank
Another Solution:
(a) the gage pressure in the tank Start 1
• Proceed from level to level, we can
also add (if going down) or subtract
(if going up) pressure as the
elevation decreases or increases. 2 2
Sample Problem 1: A manometer is used to measure the pressure of a gas in a tank.
The fluid used has a specific gravity of 0.85, and the manometer column height is 55
cm. If the local atmospheric pressure is 96 KPa, determine: (a) the gage pressure in
the tank; (b) the absolute pressure in the tank
Solution:
(b) Solving for the Absolute
Pressure in the tank
Sample Problem 2 (Open Type Manometer): The water in a tank is pressurized by air,
and the pressure is measured by a multi-fluid manometer. The tank is located on a
mountain at an altitude of 1400 m where the atmospheric pressure is 85.6 KPa.
Determine the gage air pressure in the tank if h1 = 0.1 m, h2 = 0.2 m, and h3 = 0.35
m. Take the specific gravity of water, oil, and mercury to be 1, 0.85, and 13.6,
respectively.
Solution:
Given: Patm = 85.6 Kpa, h1 = 0.1 m, h2 = 0.2 m, and h3 = 0.35 m
Step 1: Decide on the fluid in feet or meter, of which the heads are to be
expressed. (water is most advisable)
Convert the pressure heads into pressure head of water.
Solution:
Given: Patm = 85.6 Kpa, h1 = 0.1 m, h2 = 0.2 m, and h3 = 0.35 m
Step 2: Starting with the atmospheric surface in the manometer,
number in order, the interface of different fluids.
1
3
2
Solution:
Given: Patm = 85.6 Kpa, h1 = 0.1 m, h2 = 0.2 m, and h3 = 0.35 m
Step 3: Identify the points of equal pressure (taking into account that for a
homogeneous fluid at rest, the pressure along the same horizontal plane are equal).
Label these points with the same number.
1
3 3 3
2 2
Solution:
Given: Patm = 85.6 Kpa, h1 = 0.1 m, h2 = 0.2 m, and h3 = 0.35 m
Step 4: Proceed from level to level, adding (if going down) or subtracting (if going up)
pressure heads as the elevation decreases or increases, respectively with due regard
for the specific gravity of the fluids.
Start 1
3 3 3
2 2
Another Solution:
Given: Patm = 85.6 Kpa, h1 = 0.1 m, h2 = 0.2 m, and h3 = 0.35 m
Proceed from level to level, we can also add (if going down) or subtract (if going up)
pressure as the elevation decreases or increases.
Start 1
3 3 3
2 2
Sample Problem 3 (Differential Type
Manometer): A differential manometer
shown is measuring the difference in
pressure of two water pipes A and B. The
indicating liquid is mercury (s = 13.6)
• h1 = 225 mm
• h2 = 675 mm
• h3 = 300 mm
What is the pressure difference between
A and B?
Solution:
1 Start 1
4 4
3 3
SEAT WORK!
Problem 4. In a
manometer shown,
calculate the pressure at
A.