An orifice is an opening in the wall of a tank or in a plate which may be fitted in a
pipe such that the plate is normal to the pipe axis. An orifice is used for the
discharge measurement. Usually an orifice has a sharp edge as shown in figure. A
mouthpiece is a short pipe whose length does not exceed two to three times its
diameter. It may be of uniform section or may have varying section. Orifices and
mouthpieces are used for discharge measurement. The jet approaching the orifice
continues to converge beyond the orifice till the streamline are parallel. This section
of the jet is, then, a section of minimum area and is known as vena contracta. The
ratio of area of jet at the vena contracta, a0, to area of orifice, a, is called the co-
efficient of contraction, Cc.
a0 = Cc*a
If there is no friction, the jet will attain some velocity, say, Vt=(2gh)1/2, where h is
the height of water level in the tank above the centre of the orifice. However, owing
to the friction, the jet attains a lower velocity, Va. The ratio of Va (i.e. actual
velocity) to Vt is called the coefficient of velocity, Cv.
Va= Cv*Vt = Cv*(2gh)1/2
Similarly the ratio of the actual discharge Q to the discharge, Qt in the absence of
the friction and contraction is termed as the coefficient of discharge, Cd.
Q= Cd*Qt
Where
Qt= a*Vt = a(2gh)1/2
Q= a0*Va
On solving all the above equations,
Q
Cd
a 2gh
The above equation is valid if the head h in the tank, to which orifice has been
fixed, remains constant. The corresponding method of determining the coefficient
method of determining the coefficient of discharge Cd is therefore, named as the
constant head method.
The coefficient of discharge, Cd can be determined by another method known as the
variable head method in which case the formula is used.
2A h1 / 2 h1 / 2
Cd
1 2
Ta 2g
In which A is the area of cross section of the inlet tank and T the time taken in
falling of water level in the tank from head h1 to h2 when water is discharging
through the orifice with no supply into the tank. The heads h1 and h2 are measured
from the centre of the orifice. Here, it has been assumed that Cd remains constant
when the head varies from h1 to h2.