Pitot-Static Tube Measurement of Helium Velocity

What is the velocity of helium in the pipe?

a) V=203 ft/s

Is the flow of helium considered incompressible?

b) Yes, since the Mach number is 0.063 < 0.3, we can conclude that the flow is incompressible!

Answer:

a) The velocity of helium in the pipe is 203 ft/s.
b) Yes, it is reasonable to consider the flow of helium as incompressible.

A Pitot-Static tube is a device used to measure the velocity of a fluid, in this case, helium, in a pipe. The temperature and pressure in this scenario are 55°F and 28 psia, respectively. A water manometer connected to the Pitot-static tube shows a reading of 2.3 in.

To determine the velocity of helium in the pipe, we can use the Bernoulli equation along with the ideal gas formula. The given velocity of 203 ft/s is obtained by calculating the pressure difference between stagnation pressure and static pressure, considering the specific weights of water and helium.

Furthermore, to verify if the flow of helium is incompressible, we calculate the Mach number using the formula M = V/c. With a Mach number of 0.063, which is less than 0.3, we can conclude that the flow is incompressible.