Use of Torricelli's Equation for Describing Leakages in Pipes of Different Elastic Materials, Diameters and Orifice Shape and Dimensions

This paper shows that the link between the pipe leakage and the internal pressure can be represented through the Torricelli equation, introducing a correction factor to account for the potential deformation of leak area and hydraulic factors altering the coefficient of discharge. The quantities that determine this correction coefficient are identified by the Buckingham π theorem combined with an evolutionary technique called Evolutionary Polynomial Regression (EPR). The data necessary for the study were drawn from laboratory tests using two different elastic materials (steel and u-PVC), two diameters and two different leak shapes, each with different dimensions. The results obtained confirm the validity of the theoretical approach.