pitotstav

A pitotstav, commonly known as a pitot tube, is a pressure measurement instrument used to determine the speed of a fluid. It is named after the French scientist Henri Pitot, who invented it in the 1730s. The pitot tube is most frequently used to measure the airspeed of an aircraft, the speed of a boat in water, or the flow rate of liquids and gases in industrial applications.

The principle behind a pitot tube's operation is based on Bernoulli's principle, which relates fluid velocity to pressure. A basic pitot tube consists of a straight, hollow tube, usually made of metal, pointing directly into the fluid flow. This tube measures the stagnation pressure, which is the pressure exerted by the fluid when it is brought to rest. Simultaneously, another opening, often located on the side of the tube or a separate static port, measures the static pressure, which is the ambient pressure of the fluid not affected by the flow. The difference between the stagnation pressure and the static pressure, known as the dynamic pressure, is directly related to the velocity of the fluid. By applying the appropriate formula derived from Bernoulli's principle, the fluid velocity can be calculated.