The vena contracta is the narrowest jet section after an opening. Its area may be smaller than the opening area, so the jet speed and volumetric flow rate require separate comparisons with ideal flow.
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Vena contracta is a term used in fluid dynamics and medical imaging to describe the phenomenon that occurs in a fluid flow when it passes through a constricted area. Specifically, it refers to the point of minimum cross-sectional area downstream from a restriction, such as a valve or a stenosis in a blood vessel. In the context of blood flow, for example, when blood passes through a narrowed area in a vessel, the velocity of the blood increases as it enters the constriction.