The present paper introduces a novel transient experimental method employed to determine the discharge coefficient of constant section nozzles of small diameters of 1 to 3 mm and with a length/diameter ratio of around one. Flow is considered to be real and compressible; the discharge process was analyzed at relatively high pressures, the fluid used was N2. Based on the experimental data, a generalized expression characterizing the discharge coefficient for nozzles of different diameters, lengths and fluid conditions was developed. In order to check the precision of the analytical equation presented, experimental upstream reservoir pressure decay was compared with the temporal pressure decay obtained using the new analytical equation. Good correlation was achieved for pressure differentials up to 7.6 MPa. Despite the fact that the procedure established can be extended to other gases and nozzle configurations, so far the equation presented to estimate the discharge coefficient, can only be applied to orifices with length to diameter ratios of around one.

Peer Reviewed