Question

A 3-m-diameter tank is initially filled with water 2 m above the center of a sharp-edged 10-cmdiameter
orifice. The tank water surface is open to the atmosphere, and the orifice drains to the
atmosphere through a 100-m-long pipe. The friction coefficient of the pipe can be taken to be 0.015
and the effect of the kinetic energy correction factor can be neglected.

Someone suggests that it makes no difference whether the pump is located at the beginning
or at the end of the pipe, and that the performance will be the same in either case, but another
person argues that placing the pump near the end of the pipe may cause cavitation. The
water temperature is 30°C, so the water vapor pressure is Pv = 4.246 kPa = 0.43 m-H2O,
and the system is located at sea level. Investigate if there is the possibility of cavitation and
if we should be concerned about the location of the pump. Please discuss your results.

Answer 1