How Can You Measure the Perceived Force of Water from a Faucet Aerator?

[fatehah]

Homework Statement

Trying to figure out how faucet aerators work–currently designing an experiment. I'm going to use plastic mesh with different sizes of holes for the screen. The smaller the total area of flow the more restricted the flow of water, yeah? Because more air is added to the flow and there's less space for water. But then you've also got an area of higher pressure (than normal water pressure) forming behind the faucet aerator because of the water that's being held back and so the pressure difference increases the velocity of the water.

What I want to do is measure the final force of the water and compare it to the flow (kgs^-1) to see the if you can save a lot of water without feeling the lack, which I get sometimes with low-flow showerheads. Is the final velocity of the water a good measure of the 'perceived force' of the water? And how do I measure the velocity of the water?

Or maybe I have things backwards because I don't see how you can save a decent amount of water if the aerator's limiting the flow but it's also coming out faster.

Homework Equations

Theory of turbulent flow through a constriction?
Q=k√P,
where Q = flow rate in cm³s^-1,
∆P = Pressure difference (kg/cm²) in the faucet aerator
and k is a form of discharge coefficient

The Attempt at a Solution

I thought maybe putting a set of scales beneath the water at the set distance could measure the (instantaneous) force of the flow/weight of the water? Then I wouldn't need to use velocity as a measure of the perceived force of the flow.

This experiment will be attempted at a tap.

I'd love any and all help anyone would be able to give. Thank you!

 

[anathema]

Hi there,

First of all, great job on designing an experiment to understand how faucet aerators work! It sounds like you have a good understanding of the basic principles at play here.

To answer your first question, yes, the smaller the total area of flow, the more restricted the flow of water will be. This is because, as you mentioned, more air is added to the flow and there is less space for water to pass through. This results in a higher velocity of water as it passes through the smaller area, which can create a perceived force of higher pressure.

To measure this perceived force, you can use a device called a flowmeter. This device measures the flow rate of water in liters per minute (LPM) and can give you an accurate reading of the perceived force of the water. You can also use a pressure gauge to measure the pressure difference before and after the faucet aerator to compare it to the flow rate.

In terms of measuring the velocity of the water, you can use a tool called a pitot tube. This device measures the velocity of a fluid by converting it into pressure, which can then be measured using a pressure gauge. This will give you a more accurate measurement of the velocity of the water compared to using scales.

It's important to note that the perceived force of the water may not always be directly proportional to the flow rate. This is because other factors, such as the design and material of the faucet aerator, can also affect the perceived force.

I hope this helps and good luck with your experiment! Don't hesitate to ask if you have any further questions.