8V

iscous Flow in Pipes

CHAPTER OPENING PHOTO: Turbulent jet: The jet of water from the pipe is turbulent. The complex, irregular, unsteady structure typical of turbulent flows is apparent. (Laser-induced fluorescence of dye in water.) (Photography by P. E. Dimotakis, R. C. Lye, and D. Z. Papantoniou.)

Learning Objectives
After completing this chapter, you should be able to: identify and understand various characteristics of the flow in pipes. discuss the main properties of laminar and turbulent pipe flow and appreciate their differences. calculate losses in straight portions of pipes as well as those in various pipe system components. apply appropriate equations and principles to analyze a variety of pipe flow situations. predict the flowrate in a pipe by use of common flowmeters.
In the previous chapters we have considered a variety of topics concerning the motion of fluids. The basic governing principles concerning mass, momentum, and energy were developed and applied, in conjunction with rather severe assumptions, to numerous flow situations. In this chapter we will apply the basic principles to a specific, important topicthe incompressible flow of viscous fluids in pipes and ducts. The transport of a fluid 1liquid or gas2 in a closed conduit 1commonly called a pipe if it is of round cross section or a duct if it is not round2 is extremely important in our daily operations. A brief consideration of the world around us will indicate that there is a wide variety of applications of pipe flow. Such applications range from the large, man-made Alaskan pipeline that carries crude oil almost 800 miles across Alaska, to the more complex 1and certainly not less useful2 natural systems of pipes that carry blood throughout our body and air into and out of our lungs. Other examples

V8.1 Turbulent jet

Pipe flow is very important in our daily operations.

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Chapter 8 Viscous Flow in Pipes

Outlet Pipe

Pump Elbow Tee Valve

Inlet

F I G U R E

8.1

Typical pipe system components.

include the water pipes in our homes and the distribution system that delivers the water from the city well to the house. Numerous hoses and pipes carry hydraulic fluid or other fluids to various components of vehicles and machines. The air quality within our buildings is maintained at comfortable levels by the distribution of conditioned 1heated, cooled, humidifieddehumidified2 air through a maze of pipes and ducts. Although all of these systems are different, the fluid mechanics principles governing the fluid motions are common. The purpose of this chapter is to understand the basic processes involved in such flows. Some of the basic components of a typical pipe system are shown in Fig. 8.1. They include the pipes themselves 1perhaps of more than one diameter2, the various fittings used to connect the individual pipes to form the desired system, the flowrate control devices 1valves2, and the pumps or turbines that add energy to or remove energy from the fluid. Even the most simple pipe systems are actually quite complex when they are viewed in terms of rigorous analytical considerations. We will use an exact analysis of the simplest pipe flow topics 1such as laminar flow in long, straight, constant diameter pipes2 and dimensional analysis considerations combined with experimental results for the other pipe flow topics. Such an approach is not unusual in fluid mechanics investigations. When real-world effects are important 1such as viscous effects in pipe flows2, it is often difficult or impossible to use only theoretical methods to obtain the desired results. A judicious combination of experimental data with theoretical considerations and dimensional analysis often provides the desired results. The flow in pipes discussed in this chapter is an example of such an analysis.

8.1

General Characteristics of Pipe Flow

Before we apply the various governing equations to pipe flow examples, we will discuss some of the basic concepts of pipe flow. With these ground rules established we can then proceed to formulate and solve various important flow problems. Although not all conduits used to transport fluid from one location to another are round in cross section, most of the common ones are. These include typical water pipes, hydraulic hoses, and other conduits that are designed to withstand a considerable pressure difference across their walls without undue distortion of their shape. Typical conduits of noncircular cross section include heating and air conditioning ducts that are often of rectangular cross section. Normally the pressure difference between the inside and outside of these ducts is relatively small. Most of the basic principles involved are independent of the cross-sectional shape, although the details of the flow may be dependent on it. Unless otherwise specified, we will assume that the conduit is round, although we will show how to account for other shapes.

The pipe is assumed to be completely full of the flowing fluid.