Based on the data obtained from the experiment and the calculations made afterwards, it can be noted that they were inaccuracies. As in all practical experiments, errors are unavoidable which can be observed in the experiment, as we were to produce a set of curves depicting total head loss against volumetric flow rate for five pipes. Seeing how inaccuracies early on will affect later proceedings, it is important that steps are taken to eliminate or lessen the errors possible in any experiment. For this particular experiment, errors can be deducted to have originated from both equipment condition and also faults by the observers conducting the experiment. Steps that can be taken are to ensure that the equipment used is in perfect working conditions. Maintenance if necessary, must be conducted regularly as directed and specified by the manufacturer of said equipment. Failure of the equipment mid experiment will without doubt affect the results or cause the experiment to be conducted again or rescheduled entirely. Instead of that, as this experiment requires observers to take measurements, it must be ensured that proper procedures are followed in taking said measurements. This is to avoid errors such as parallax errors. To increase accuracy, several readings of the same measurement can be taken and an average calculated based on them. Also, having more than one person taking the readings so that the observed reading would not be solely conditional to one person, reducing the risk of parallax error much more by having a second or third opinion from different pairs of eyes
CONCLUSION:
Although the experiment was not free of error, in the whole it can be said that the objectives of the experiment has been met. The head loss and discharge characteristics for each of the three different diameter test pipes supplied as network components has been observed and determined in its most accurate form based on the data we had collected and also the calculations made. Based on the results of the experiment, it can be noted that a pipeline will have head loss along its head when water flows through due to the friction loss in said pipe. This can be seen by the difference between Qin and Qout in which
the former is greater than the latter or in other words the actual flow rate is greater than the total discharge at the end of the pipe, showing that friction had occurred along the pipe which contributes to this difference between the two. However the rate in which it increases depends on the diameter of the pipe, the smaller diameter gives greater increments compared to the largest diameter pipe, ergo, dictating that smaller diameter pipes attributes to a greater friction loss compared to the large diameter pipes.
