KSCE Journal of Civil Engineering (2010) 14(4):489-492 Environmental Engineering

DOI 10.1007/s12205-010-0489-6
www.springer.com/12205

Effect of Air Inlet Hole Diameter of Venturi Tube on Air Injection Rate
Ahmet Baylar*, Fahri Ozkan**, and Mehmet Unsal***
Received July 9, 2009/Accepted November 1, 2009

Abstract

The oxygen concentration in water is a prime indicator of the water quality for human use as well as for the aquatic biota. The
physical process of oxygen transfer or oxygen absorption from the atmosphere acts to replenish the used oxygen. This process is
termed re-aeration or aeration. Venturi aeration is a method of aeration that has become popular in recent years. A venturi tube allows
air bubbles to be inserted into flowing water from air inlet holes and so increases oxygen levels in the water. In the present study, a
series of experiments on venturi tubes were conducted to investigate the effect of air inlet hole diameter on air injection. It was
observed from the results that air inlet hole diameter on venturi tube played a significant role in air injection and there was an optimal
diameter that maximizes air injection. Moreover, a multiple non-linear regression equation was obtained for venturi tubes relating air
flow and water flow to Reynolds number, inlet diameter and air inlet hole diameter.
Keywords: aeration, air injection, venturi, water quality

1. Introduction
Aeration improves water quality by maintaining good dis-
solved oxygen levels in the water. Dissolved oxygen enters water
by entrainment of air bubbles. Many industrial and environmental
processes involve the aeration of a liquid by the entrainment of
air bubbles. Venturi aeration is a particular instance of this. When
a minimal amount of differential pressure exists between the
inlet and outlet sides of a venturi tube, a vacuum occurs at
suction holes of venturi tube. Air that is entrained into the water
is instantly forced downstream in the form of small air bubbles.
These small air bubbles that creates a large air-water contacting
area facilities the solution of oxygen. Moreover, high pressure in
venturi flow systems also facilitates the solution of oxygen into
the water. Aeration systems with venturi tube can be also used to
solve many environmental problems. Bagatur (2005) stated that
aeration systems with a venturi tube can be used to solve (I)
disinfection in drinking water treatment, (II) sour drinking water
caused by hydrogen sulphide, (III) excessive organic matter,
nutrient and nitrogen, (IV) odor in waste water evaporation, (V)
lack of dissolved oxygen, (VI) excessive chemical oxygen
demand, (VII) excessive biochemical oxygen demand in waste
water treatment, (VIII) noise for packaged waste water treatment
plant, (IX) flotation process in waste treatment and (X) select of
efficient aeration system.
Recently, Baylar and Emiroglu (2003), Emiroglu and Baylar
(2003), Laksitanonta and Singh (2003 and 2004), Baylar et al.
(2005), Ozkan et al. (2006), Baylar and Ozkan (2006), Zhu et al.
(2007) and Baylar et al. (2007a-b, 2009, 2010) have studied the
use of venturi tubes in aeration systems. This paper describes an
experimental investigation into air injection efficiency of venturi
tubes, and in particular, the effect of air inlet hole diameter on air
injection efficiency.
2. Theory of Venturi Effect
The converging tube is an effective device for converting
pressure head to velocity head, while the diverging tube converts
velocity head to pressure head. The two may be combined to
form a venturi tube, named after Venturi, an Italian, who inves-
tigated its principle about 1791. It was applied to the measure-
ment of water by Clemens Herschel in 1886. As shown in Fig. 1,
it consists of a tube with a constricted throat which produces an
increased velocity accompanied by a reduction in pressure,
followed by a gradually diverging portion in which the velocity is
transformed back into pressure with slight friction loss (Daugherty
et al., 1985).
Writing the Bernoulli equation between section 1 and 2 of Fig.
1, we have, for the ideal case,
P1 V2 P V2
----- + z1 + -----1- = -----2 + z2 + -----2- (1)
2g 2g
where 1 and 2 are subscripts indicating points 1 and 2; P1 and P2
are pressures; is specific weight; z1 and z2 are elevations; V1 and

*Associate Professor, Civil Engineering Dept., Firat University, Elazig 23119, Turkey (Corresponding Author, E-mail: abaylar@firat.edu.tr)
**Assistant Professor, Construction Education Dept., Firat University, Elazig 23119, Turkey (E-mail: fozkan@firat.edu.tr)
***Assistant Professor, Civil Engineering Dept., Kahramanmaras Sutcu Imam University, Kahramanmaras 46100, Turkey (E-mail: munsal@ksu.edu.tr)

489
 Ahmet Baylar, Fahri Ozkan, and Mehmet Unsal
Fig. 1. Variation in Piezometric Head for Venturi Tube
V2 are velocities and g is gravitational acceleration.
Since z1 = z2, Eq. (1) may be written as:
P P V2 V2
-----2 = -----1 + -----1- -----2- (2)
2g 2g
Applying the continuity equation to points 1 and 2 allows us to
express the flow velocity at point 1 as a function of the flow
velocity at point 2 and the ratio of the two flow areas:
A
V1 = -----2 , V2 = V2 (3)
A1
where A1 and A2 is flow areas in points 1 and 2 and is ratio of
throat flow area to inlet flow area in the venturi tube.
Substituting this value into Eq. (2):
( P2 P1 ) V22 ( 2 1 )
-------------------- = ----------------------- (4)
2g
The venturi effect happens due to pressure drop in the throat
portion as velocity in the throat portion increases. The increase in
velocity V2 through the throat portion of the venturi tube, as a
result of the differential pressure, results in a decrease in pressure
P2 in the throat portion. When the pressure P2 in the throat
portion drops under atmospheric pressure (P2<Patm), air is
injected through suction holes and is dynamically entrained into
the motive stream. As the jet stream is diffused toward the
venturi tube outlet, velocity is reduced and reconverted into
pressure energy.
3. Experimental Methodology
3.1 Apparatus
Experimental investigations were conducted using the experi-
mental setup in the Hydraulic Research Laboratory, Civil Engi-
neering Department, Firat University, Elazig, Turkey. General view
of the experimental setup is given in Fig. 2. The experimental
setup consisted of water tank, water pump, flow control valve,
water flowmeter, water feed line, venturi tube, air hood and
release valve. All experiments were carried out in a 1.8 m3 water
tank with glass-walls (0.75 m wide2.0 m long1.2 m high).
The venturi tubes used in experiments were manufactured in
clear plastic material. The inlet and outlet diameters of the
venturi tubes, D, were 36 mm, 42 mm and 54 mm. The ratio of
throat diameter of venturi tube to inlet diameter of venturi tube
Dt/D was taken as 0.50 and 0.75. The throat lengths of the
venturi tubes were selected equal to the throat diameters of the
venturi tubes Dt. The converging cone angle 1 and the diverging
490
Fig. 2. Venturi Tube Experimental Apparatus
cone angle 2 of the venturi tubes were 21o and 7o, respectively.
These angles are those that, according to the ASME MFC-3M-
1989, minimize the head losses for a venturi tube. At the throat
portion of the venturi tubes, two air inlet holes with diameters of
3 mm, 6 mm and 12 mm (d) were drilled through the wall.
3.2 Experimental Procedure
The water in the experimental set-up was circulated by a water
pump through a water flowmeter. Reynolds number at the inlet
portion of the venturi tubes was varied between 22000 and
437000. When a minimal amount of differential pressure existed
between venturi inlet and outlet portions, the venturi tubes
caused air to be drawn into the water stream. An air hood for
which the plan-view dimensions were 0.70 m0.75 m was used
to trap the air bubbles entering from the air inlet holes on the
venturi tubes. Air flow QV was measured by using an air flow-
meter (an anemometer) installed on the air hood surface.
4. Experimental Results
The variation in the ratio of air flow entering from air holes on
venturi tube to water flow passing through venturi tube QV/QW
with Reynolds number Re is shown in Figs. 3-5. The values of
QV/QW increased with increasing Reynolds number up to a
certain point and then the values of QV/QW decreased with a
further increase of Reynolds number, as shown in Figs. 3-5. It
can be seen from Figs. 3-5 that the variation in d/Dt had a
significant effect on QV/QW. The values of QV/QW increased with
increasing d/Dt up to a certain point and then the values of QV/QW
remained constant with a further increase of d/Dt. Thus, the
results revealed that air inlet hole diameter on venturi tube
played a significant role in QV/QW and there was an optimal air
inlet hole diameter that maximized air injection. Moreover, it
was observed from Fig. 6 that QV/QW increased with decreasing
inlet diameter of venturi tube.
It was observed from the results that at low Reynolds numbers,
the values of QV/QW of venturi tubes with Dt /D equal to 0.50
were greater than for venturi tubes with Dt /D equal to 0.75.
However, at high Reynolds numbers, the values of QV/QW of
venturi tubes with Dt /D equal to 0.75 were greater than for
venturi tubes with Dt /D equal to 0.50. The primary reason of this
KSCE Journal of Civil Engineering
 Effect of Air Inlet Hole Diameter of Venturi Tube on Air Injection Rate

Fig. 3. Variation in QV /QW with Reynolds Number for Different Val- Fig. 5. Variation in QV /QW with Reynolds Number for Different Val-
ues of Dt /D and d/Dt (D=36 mm) ues of Dt /D and d/Dt (D=54 mm)

Fig. 4. Variation in QV /QW with Reynolds Number for Different Val- Fig. 6. Variation in QV /QW with Reynolds Number for Different Val-
ues of Dt /D and d/Dt (D=42 mm) ues of D and Dt /D (d=12 mm)

is the variation in the pressure differential across the venturi with confidence in the equation is seen in Figs. 7 and 8.
Dt /D.
Q X X
------V- = X1 ( Re 104 ) ( d D ) X4(Re 10 ) X5(d D )
2 4
3
(5)
QW
5. Development of Multiple Non-Linear Regres-
sion Equation where QV is air flow entering from air holes on venturi tube; QW
is water flow passing through venturi tube; X1, X2, X3, X4 and X5
A multiple non-linear regression equation was developed for are constants; Re is Reynolds number at inlet portion of venturi
venturi tubes relating air flow entering from air holes on venturi tube; D is inlet diameter of venturi tube and d is air inlet hole
tube QV and water flow passing through venturi tube QW to diameter on venturi tube.
Reynolds number at inlet portion of venturi tube Re, inlet
diameter of venturi tube D and air inlet hole diameter of venturi Table 1. Values of Constants in Eq. (5)
tube d. The resulting equation is given in Eq. (5). The values of
Correlation
constants in this equation are shown in Table 1. The measured Dt /D X1 X2 X3 X4 X5
coefficient
values were compared with those predicted with Eq. (5). Good
0.50 0.481 1.242 0.506 0.833 0.162 0.96
agreements between the measured values and the values
computed from the predictive equation were obtained. Further 0.75 0.144 0.581 0.249 0.957 0.544 0.94

Vol. 14, No. 4 / July 2010 491

 Ahmet Baylar, Fahri Ozkan, and Mehmet Unsal
Fig. 7. Comparison of Measured and Calculated Values of QV /QW
for Dt /D=0.50
Fig. 8. Comparison of Measured and Calculated Values of QV /QW
for Dt /D=0.75
6. Conclusions
Venturi aeration is one of the efficient ways of introducing
oxygen into water. Typical applications of venturi tubes are in-
jecting air, oxygen, or ozone gas into pressurized water systems.
In the present study, a series of laboratory experiments on venturi
tubes was carried out to study the effect of air inlet hole diameter
on air injection efficiency. The results revealed air inlet hole
diameter on venturi tube to play a significant role in air injection.
There was an optimal air inlet hole diameter that maximized air
injection. Moreover, a multiple non-linear regression equation
492
predicting the ratio of air flow entering from air holes on venturi
tube to water flow passing through venturi tube was developed.
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