Created By : Vaibhavi Kumari

Reviewed By : Rajashekhar Valipishetty

Last Updated : May 17, 2023


The orifice flow calculator calculates how much liquid is expelled from a tank through an opening. In simple words, an orifice is a hole or cutout that can be used to control or control the flow rate.

Diameter of orifice (d)
Area of orifice (A)
Coefficient of discharge (Cd)
Center line head (H)
Gravitational constant (g)
Discharge (Q)


What is the difference between an Orifice and an Orifice Flow Rate?

The flow goes through an orifice, which is a plate with a hole or cutout attached to the exit or placed within a pipe. To keep the flow regulated, the orifice is normally circular and has a known diameter and area. The pressure across the pipe reduces as the fluid flows through an orifice. The fluid properties are also measured using this phenomenon.

The orifice flow equation may be expressed as: The orifice flow equation yields the mass flow rate, or discharge Q, through an orifice, given the area of the orifice A.

Q = Cd * A * √(2 * g * H)

  • Where, Cd = coefficient of discharge
  • g = acceleration due to gravity in m/s^2
  • H = mean center line

The coefficient of discharge, Cd, is a function of several variables, including the orifice diameter d, gravity acceleration, hydraulic depth, and the fluid's kinematic viscosity v. It can be stated mathematically as Cd ∝ (d * √(g * H) / ν)

How do I Calculate the Orifice Flow Rate?

Using the orifice equation mentioned above, calculate the orifice flow rate:

  • Step 1: Insert the orifice's diameter, d.
  • Step 2: The orifice area, A, will now be calculated using the calculator.
  • Step 3: Enter the discharge coefficient, Cd.
  • Step 4: Enter H, the mean centre line's value.
  • Step 5: For your convenience, the acceleration due to gravity, g, is filled in as 9.81 m/s2. It can be changed in the calculator's advanced mode.
  • Step 6: The discharge or orifice flow rate, Q, will now be returned by the orifice flow calculator.

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How can you find out how much Water is flowing via an Orifice?

To find out how much fluid is flowing through an orifice, use the following steps:

  • Step 1: Multiply g with the mean centerline H to get the gravitational constant.
  • Step 2: 2x the amount of produce
  • Step 3: Calculate the product's square root
  • Step 4: Multiply the value by the orifice area A and the discharge coefficient Cd.

FAQs on Orifice Flow Calculator

1. What is an orifice?

To produce a pressure differential in the fluid flow, an orifice is a flat plate with a cutout that is mounted inside a pipe or at an exit.

2. What is the flow rate of an orifice?

The volume of fluid flowing through an orifice per unit time is known as the orifice flow rate. It can be expressed mathematically using the orifice flow equation: Q = Cd × A × √(2 × g × H)

3. How do you find out how much pressure to put on the nozzle?

Calculating the nozzle pressure and subsequently, the nozzle reactive force can be used to determine the counterweight. To calculate nozzle pressure, multiply the nozzle bore diameter by the flow rate in gallons per minute.

4. What is the difference between orifice size and orifice diameter?

The orifice diameter is the valve's internal opening, and it's used to find out how much flow it can handle. It doesn't matter whether you use metric or English units. The inside hole is the one you're looking for. The intake size refers to the thread size and type used to attach the valve to the valve's interface.

5. What is the orifice coefficient?

The flow and pressure loss behaviour of nozzles are measured using discharge coefficients. To reduce pressure or to assess flow rate, orifices and nozzles can be utilised.