Fluid Flow in a Circulation Loop

This lab aims to give students experience with observing and regulating fluid flows in a pressurized circulation loop. It explores the ideas of pressure loss, as well as pressure equilibriums in the presence of a pump.

As you can see, a complex circulation system is used in this lab. Deionized water is stored in a resovoir, and then fed through the pump and a relief valve and into the system. It runs through a flow metering and measuring station, and then into the test section of the loop. The test section contains inlet and outlet areas, partially separated by two pieces of glass tube, providing several friction sources. The water is fed back into the resovoir after going through the test section, through a submerged pipe that prevents air from entering the circulation system.

Fluid flow in a circulating loop experiences frictional pressure loss due to both the insides of the piping and valves and fittings that are in the fluid flow. To regulate localized pressure levels, devices called flow meters can be used to provide a known pressure at a point in the loop. An obstruction-type flow meter, pictured below, is used in our experiment. When a pump is added to the system, an equilibrium is established that equals the pressure provided by the pump head.

Controlled fluid flow in circulating loops is very important to many different fields. Power generation plants use pressurized fluid flow throughout their energy production processes, keeping water under pressure to keep it in liquid form. Pressurized Water Reactors (PWRs), as pictured below, are nuclear plants that make extensive use of this. Biotechnology facilities use fluid flow in bioreactors for research and new treatments, as well as in kidney dialysis form. Semiconductor production other industries that want to limit waste and material contamination also makes use of fluid flows in circulating loops.

NEEP Lab Course Instructor: Yaron Danon, vist Dr. Danon's web site
NEEP Lab Teaching Assistant: Michael Rapp