Measuring pressure of water tank

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around measuring the pressure of water in a tank situated on a rooftop, specifically at a height of 1 meter from the ground. Participants explore various methods and calculations related to pressure measurement, considering factors such as the height of the water column and the diameter of the hose used for water discharge.

Discussion Character

  • Technical explanation
  • Mathematical reasoning
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant seeks advice on measuring the pressure at 1 meter height from the ground, given the dimensions of the water tank and the hose diameter.
  • Another participant explains that pressure can be calculated using the formula for weight divided by area, suggesting that the pressure at the end of the hose can be derived from the density of water and the height of the water column.
  • Concerns are raised about the losses due to the hose affecting the final pressure, with a suggestion that a gauge might be the best way to measure it.
  • Participants discuss the calculations for pressure at a specific point, with one providing detailed steps involving the volume of water and its weight, leading to a calculated pressure value.
  • There is a mention of discrepancies in pressure calculations, with one participant noting that the pressure calculated exceeds typical values expected from a 4-meter water column.
  • Another participant emphasizes that only the water column directly above the measurement point contributes to the pressure, referencing Pascal's law.
  • One participant shares information about their pressure measuring sensor's range and expresses intent to implement a project based on the discussion.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the calculations for pressure at point A, with some calculations suggesting excessively high pressures while others align with expected values based on fluid mechanics principles. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the exact pressure measurement and the factors influencing it.

Contextual Notes

There are unresolved assumptions regarding the impact of the hose on pressure measurements, and participants have not reached a consensus on the correct approach to calculating the pressure at the specified height.

PA3040
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Dear All

My water tank fixed on roof top 5M from the ground

Height of tank 1m
width of tank .75m ( Cylinder type water tank )
if water out from the tank by .5 inch hose

how can I measure the pressure at 1m height from the ground

Please advice
Thanks in advance
 
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PA3040 said:
Dear All

My water tank fixed on roof top 5M from the ground

Height of tank 1m
width of tank .75m ( Cylinder type water tank )
if water out from the tank by .5 inch house
You mean ".5 inch hose", right? That puzzled me for a while.

The pressure on a surface is the weight on that surface divided by the area. Since any fluid, like water, exerts the same pressure in all directions, to find the pressure at the end of a hose .5 inches in diameter, of height h, you could calculate the volume, \pi(.5)^2h, then multiply by the density (the density of water is 1000 kg per cubic m or 62.3 pounds per cubic foot) and finally divide by the area of the end of the hose, \pi (.5)^2. Of course the "\pi (.5)^2" terms will just cancel out, leaving "density times height".

It seems odd that you give the diameter of the pipe in "inches" and the height in meters but, since only the height (5- 1= 4 meters) is relevant, use 1000 kg per cubic meter (approximately) as the density of water.
how can I measure the pressure at 1m height from the ground

Please advice
Thanks in advance
 
Last edited by a moderator:
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Thanks for the reply
how can I measure the pressure at 1m height from the ground

I need to measure the pressure of .5inch hose at 1m height from the ground. the hose is connected to the water tank,

Please also advice how measure the pressure when the thank water level going down

Thanks in advance
 
Probably the best way is with a gauge.

It is hard to know the loses due to the hose. You know that the final pressure will be less then the ideal pressure given by ρgh. ρ is the density of water, g the acceleration due to gravity and h=4m.
 
HallsofIvy said:
You mean ".5 inch hose", right? That puzzled me for a while.

The pressure on a surface is the weight on that surface divided by the area. Since any fluid, like water, exerts the same pressure in all directions, to find the pressure at the end of a hose .5 inches in diameter, of height h, you could calculate the volume, \pi(.5)^2h, then multiply by the density (the density of water is 1000 kg per cubic m or 62.3 pounds per cubic foot) and finally divide by the area of the end of the hose, \pi (.5)^2. Of course the "\pi (.5)^2" terms will just cancel out, leaving "density times height".

It seems odd that you give the diameter of the pipe in "inches" and the height in meters but, since only the height (5- 1= 4 meters) is relevant, use 1000 kg per cubic meter (approximately) as the density of water.

Dear HallsofIvy

Could you please advice me according to my attached picture
How may I calculate the pressure location of Letter "A"

It could be much appreciated if you can sow me step by step

Thanks
 

Attachments

  • WATER TANK1.JPG
    WATER TANK1.JPG
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The pressure is, as I said before, the total weight of the water above that point, divided by the area it is pressing against. Here, you have cylinder of water, 1 m in diameter, so .5 m in radius and 1 m high. That has volume \pi (.5)^2(1)= \pi/4= 0.7854 cubic meters. Water, at standard temperature and pressure, has a density of 1000 kg per cubic meter (that&#039;s essentially the <b>definition</b> of &quot;kg&quot;) so that water has a mass of 785.4 kg and so a weight of (785.4)(9.81)= 7705 Newtons. <br /> <br /> Your pipe is relatively so small the water in it adds only a very tiny amount to the weight of the water and can be ignored. However, the pipe has radius .5 inch so 1.25 cm= .0125 m and area \pi (.0125)^2= 0.0004909 square meters. The pressure at A is 7705/.0004909= 15696497 Newtons per square meter.
 
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HallsofIvy said:
The pressure is, as I said before, the total weight of the water above that point, divided by the area it is pressing against. Here, you have cylinder of water, 1 m in diameter, so .5 m in radius and 1 m high. That has volume \pi (.5)^2(1)= \pi/4= 0.7854 cubic meters. Water, at standard temperature and pressure, has a density of 1000 kg per cubic meter (that&#039;s essentially the <b>definition</b> of &quot;kg&quot;) so that water has a mass of 785.4 kg and so a weight of (785.4)(9.81)= 7705 Newtons. <br /> <br /> Your pipe is relatively so small the water in it adds only a very tiny amount to the weight of the water and can be ignored. However, the pipe has radius .5 inch so 1.25 cm= .0125 m and area \pi (.0125)^2= 0.0004909 square meters. The pressure at A is 7705/.0004909= 15696497 Newtons per square meter.

Dear HallsofIvy
Thank you so much for details reply
Can you please tell me where did you get the value ( 9.81)
What is the meaning of (itex)Please advice
 
HallsofIvy said:
The pressure is, as I said before, the total weight of the water above that point, divided by the area it is pressing against. Here, you have cylinder of water, 1 m in diameter, so .5 m in radius and 1 m high. That has volume \pi (.5)^2(1)= \pi/4= 0.7854 cubic meters. Water, at standard temperature and pressure, has a density of 1000 kg per cubic meter (that&#039;s essentially the <b>definition</b> of &quot;kg&quot;) so that water has a mass of 785.4 kg and so a weight of (785.4)(9.81)= 7705 Newtons. <br /> <br /> Your pipe is relatively so small the water in it adds only a very tiny amount to the weight of the water and can be ignored. However, the pipe has radius .5 inch so 1.25 cm= .0125 m and area \pi (.0125)^2= 0.0004909 square meters. The pressure at A is 7705/.0004909= 15696497 Newtons per square meter.

Hi

I got 9.81 which Earth gravity and too.<br /> <br /> I should think you not consider water tank fixed from 5m from the ground in above calculation right?
 
I'm sorry, but the calculations for pressure at point A have taken a weird turn. According to Halls of Ivy, the pressure at point A is some 15.7 MPa, which is in excess of 2200 psi, or more than 150 atmospheres, all produced by a column of water 4 meters tall.

According to Pascal's law, the static pressure in the hose at point A is the fluid head or 4 meters of water. This is equivalent to a pressure of:

rho*g*h = 1000 kg/m^3 * 9.81 m/s^2 * 4 m = 39,240 N/m^2 = 39.24 kPa = 5.69 psi

which a hose or pipe should be able to withstand without blowing up and killing everyone standing nearby.

Remember, all of the water in the tank is not pressing on the hose at point A, just the column of water immediately above the point A in the hose and the tank itself.
 
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  • #10
SteamKing said:
I'm sorry, but the calculations for pressure at point A have taken a weird turn. According to Halls of Ivy, the pressure at point A is some 15.7 MPa, which is in excess of 2200 psi, or more than 150 atmospheres, all produced by a column of water 4 meters tall.

According to Pascal's law, the static pressure in the hose at point A is the fluid head or 4 meters of water. This is equivalent to a pressure of:

rho*g*h = 1000 kg/m^3 * 9.81 m/s^2 * 4 m = 39,240 N/m^2 = 39.24 kPa = 5.69 psi

which a hose or pipe should be able to withstand without blowing up and killing everyone standing nearby.

Remember, all of the water in the tank is not pressing on the hose at point A, just the column of water immediately above the point A in the hose and the tank itself.

Dear SteamKing Thanks for the reply

Actually my pressure measuring sensor measuring range is 1 to 100 kPa

http://www.freescale.com/files/sensors/doc/data_sheet/MPX5100.pdf

As per SteamKing I can implement the my project which is displaying water level in the LCD display

Please advice
 
  • #11
The easy answer is:
231' of water (measured vertically) creates 100 psi, no matter what the shape of the hose or tank.
(Or, more simply, 2.31' of water equals 1 psi).
So, if your tank is half full (filled to the 0.5m level), that would mean that at 1m from the ground, you'd have a vertical
measurement of 4.5m of water (4 meters up to the bottom of the tank, plus 0.5m to the surface of the water).
4.5m is approximately 177.165 inches.
177.165 divided by 2.31 equals roughly 76.69 psi.

So, simply measure the height of the water in the tank in meters (0m to 1m), add 4 meters, and
divide by 2.31 to get the psi at a point 1m above the ground.

Of course if the tank is empty, you would simply measure the vertical height of the water in the hose alone (0m to 4m).
 
  • #12
I just came across this post and noticed 2 errors:

1) The OP states that the tank is fixed on the rooftop 5m from the ground. This would mean that the vertical measurement from the ground to the bottom of the tank is 5m. However, the picture in Post #5 shows 5m from the ground to the top of the tank.

2) While zgozvrm showed an easy solution, he forgot to convert the units to match.
4.5m ≈ 177.165 inches ≈ 14.764 feet
Therefore, the pressure at the 1m level would be approximately 14.764/2.31 = 6.39 psi
 

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