Factors influencing on the discharge coefficients of sonic nozzle

Abstract

Accuracy of gas flow measurements using sonic nozzle and factors which influence on the discharge coefficients of sonic nozzle are investigated with high pressure gas flow standard measurement system. The gas flow measurement system comprises two compressors, storage tank, temperature control loop, sonic nozzle test section, weighing tank, gyroscopic scale and data acquisition system. The experiments are performed at various nozzle throat diameter and inlet pressure. Overall uncertainty of discharge coefficients is estimated to less than .+-.0.2% and most of experimental data fall into this range. Dependence of discharge coefficients on the Reynolds number is good agreement with those suggested in ISO document. The influence of swirl on the discharge coefficients becomes greater as the nozzle throat diameter is enlarged. The discharge coefficient of conical nozzle shows about 4.5% lower discharge coefficients than those of toroidal nozzle, but variation trend with Reynolds number is very similar each other and reproducibility of data is very good.