Mechanical Engineering Programme of Study

Instructor: Marios M. Fyrillas

Fluid Mechanics Email: eng.fm@fit.ac.cy

SOLVED EXAMPLES ON VISCOUS FLOW

1. Consider steady, laminar flow between two fixed parallel plates due to a
pressure gradient. Using a control volume of unit depth, height 2y , and
width x o (centred at 0 y = ) obtain an expression for the velocity profile.
a. By integrating the velocity profile obtain an expression for the
volumetric flow rate and the mean velocity.
b. Obtain an expression for the dimensionless pressure loss as a function
of the Reynolds number.


x o

Consider -momentum conservation
0 (steady-state so net momentum flux is zero)
The forces acting are:
i. right surface:
ii. left surfac
out in x
r r
x
M M F
p A
= =
Conservation of Momentum of the control volume

e:
iii. top surface:
iv. bottom surface:
l l
t t
b b
p A
A
A
t
t




w

y

Balance of forces: - ( )
Because of symmetry:
Areas are given by: 1 2 , 1
2 ( - ) 2
d
(Newtonian fluid)
d
d
constant (pressure increases lin
d
r r l l t t b b
t b
r l t b
l r
p A p A A A
A A y A A x
y p p x
u
y
p
x
t t
t t t
o
t o
t
+ = +

= =
`

= = = =
)
= / /
=
=
( )
2
early)
d d d
( )
d d d
Integrate above expression
d d d
d d d constant
d d 2 d
To find the constant use the boundary conditions, i.e.
at and - the velocity i
u p u
y p p p x y
y x y
y p y p y p
u y u y
x x x
y h y h
o o

)
+ = =
/ /
= = = +
= =
}
2 2
2
2 2 2
2
2
s zero (u 0)
d d
( ) 0 constant constant=-
2 d 2 d
d d d
so u= - 1
2 d 2 d 2 d
To find the volumetric flow rate:
d
d 1 d 1 d
2 d
h p h p
u y h
x x
y p h p h p y
x x x h
h p y
Q u A u y
x h

=
= = = +
| |
| | | |
=
|
| |
|
\ . \ .
\ .
| |
| | | |
= = =
|
| |
|
\ . \ .
\ .
} }
2
3
3
2
2 2
2 2 2
d 4
2 d 3
2 d
3 d
2 d
d 3 d
(mean velocity)
2 3 d
3 3 6
12 24
1 1
2 2 R
2 2
h
h
m
m m
m m
m m
h p h
y
x
h p
x
h p
Q h p x
u
A h x
u p u
p
h u h h u h
u u h

| ||
=
|
\ .\
| |
=
|
\ .
| |

|
| |
\ .
= = =
|
\ .
A
A = = = = =
}
b. Dimensionless pressure drop
1
e h
|
|
.

2. Working in a similar fashion as for the case of a horizontal cylinder, obtain
the velocity profile of Poiseuilles law in an inclined pipe using the control
volume suggested in the figure.

2 2
Consider -momentum conservation
0 (steady-state so net momentum flux is zero)
The force balance can be written as:
( ) 2 sin
out in x
x
M M F
p p r p r r mg t t t t
= =
+ A
Conservation of Momentum of the control volume

2
2
2
0
sin 2
d sin
d d 2
d
sin sin
d cons
2 2 2
Evaluate the constant using the boundary conditions:
sin
( ) 0 0 consta
4
m r
p g
u p g
r
r
u r
r
p g p g r
u r r
p g
u r R R
u
t
u t
u

t
u u

u

=


`
=

)
A
=

A
=
`

=

)
A A
= = +
A
= = = +
}

tant
2
nt
sin
constant=
4
p g
R
u

2
2
2
2
0 0
2 2 4
( sin )
1
4
( sin )
d 2 d 1
2
( sin ) ( sin )
2 4 8
R R
p g R r
u
R
p g R r
Q u A u r r r r
R
p g R R p g R
u

u t
t

u t t u

| |
A
| |
=
|
|
|
\ .
\ .
| |
A
| |
= = =
|
|
|
\ .
\ .
A A
= =
} } }

d

3. An oil with a viscosity of
2
and density
3
flows in a
pipe of diameter 0.2 m. (a) What pressure drop
1 2
0.4 N s/m = 900 kg/m =
D = p p , is needed to
produce a flowrate of
5 3
if the pipe is horizontal with 2.0 10 m /s = Q
1
0 x =
and
2
10 m? (b) How steep a hill, x = u , must the pipe be on if the oil is to
flow through the pipe at the same rate as in part (a), but with
1 2
p p = ? (c) For
the conditions of part (b), if a
1
200 kP p = , what is the pressure at section
3
5 m x = where x is measured along the pipe?




4. Consider steady, laminar flow in a circular pipe due to a pressure gradient.
Using a control volume of length and radius r obtain an expression for
the velocity profile. Follow the steps below:
a. Consider the control volume below (Figure 1) and indicate the forces
exerted on the control volume. Give a physical explanation.


Control Volume
Figure 1: Laminar flow in a circular pipe.


a. Doing a force balance show that the momentum equation can be
simplified to:
2 p
r
t A
=

.

c. Assuming laminar flow of a Newtonian fluid and applying an appropriate
boundary condition obtain that the velocity profile is:
2
2
2
1
16
p D r
u
D
(
A | |
( =
|
\ . (

.
d. Integrate above expression to find the volumetric flow rate.





2 2
The forces acting on the control volume are the shear forces acting on the perimetric area 2 ,
and pressure forces acting on the fore and aft cross-sectional areas and ( ) , respectively.
B
r
p r p p r
t t
t o t

2 2
2
y doing a force balance 2 ( )
p
p r r p p r
r
o t
t t t o t = + =

5. Determine the head loss for a sudden expansion. Consider the control
volume shown on the figure below and use conservation of mass and
conservation of momentum.


1 1 1 2 3 3
3 3
3 1 3 3 3 1
1 3 3 3 3 3
density is constant
( )
( ) ( )
Assume that
(
a a b b c c out in
out in out out in in
a b c
V A V A m
p A p A p A p A M M
M M m V m V m V V V A V V
p p p
p A p A V A

= =
+ + =

`
= = =

= =
)
=
Mass Conservation
Momentum Conservation

3 1
) V V



2 2
1 1 3 3
1 3 3 3 1
2 2
1 3
3 3 1
2
3 3 1
2 2
From momentum equation: ( )
Substitute above in energy equation
( )
2 2
Solve above for
L
L
L
p V p V
h
g g g g
p p V V V
V V
V V V gh
V
gh V V V

+ = + +
=

/ /
+ = +
/ /
= +
Energy Equation (Bernoulli's equation)
2 2
1 3
3
1 1
3
3
2
2 2
1 1 1 1 1
3 3
2 2 2
1 1 1 1 1
2
1 3 3 3 3 3
2 2
Substitute
From mass conservation:
1

2 2
1 1 1 1
2 1 1
2 2 2 2
The loss coe
L
L
V
V
V A
V
A
V A V V A
gh
A A
gh A A A A A
V A A A A A

)
| |
= +
|
\ .
(
(
| | | | | | | | | |
= + = + = (
( | | | | |
( \ . \ . \ . \ . \ .


2
1
2 2
1 3 1
2
fficient 1
2
L L
L
h gh A
K
V A V
g
(
| |
= = =
( |
| |
\ .
|
\ .


6. Calculate the power supplied to the pump shown in Figure 3 if its efficiency
is 76%. Methyl alcohol (
3 -4
790 kg/m, 5.6 10 Pa s = = ) is flowing at the rate
of
3
. The suction line is a standard 4 in 54 m/hr steel pipe, 15 m long. The
total length of 2 in steel pipe in the discharge line is 200 m. Assume that
the entrance from reservoir 1 is through a squared-edged inlet and that the
elbows are standard. The valve is a fully open globe valve. The roughness
of the pipe is = m. 0.045 m





Figure 3: Pump/pipeline configuration
2 2
1 1 1 2 2 2
1 2 1 2
Consider a streamline joining the points 1 and 2. Applying the energy equation we obtain
1 1
.
2 2
= = . If we take as the datum the point 1 then 0 and 10 m
pump
L
atm
W
p u gz p u gz gh
Q
p p p z z
+ + + = + + +
= =

( )
1 2
2
.
If we further assume that 0 and 0 the energy equation simpilfies to
.
pump L
u u
W Q gz gh
~ ~
= +

3 3 3
suction
suction
discharge
discharge
3
-4
2
2
Given:
54
54 m/hr m/s=0.015 m/s
3600
4 in=0.1016 m
15 m
2 in=0.0508 m
200 m
=790 kg/m
5.6 10 Pa s
g=9.81 m/s
10 m
The only uknown in the equation for
p
Q
D
D
z
W

= =
=
=
=
=
=
=

2 2 2 2 2
major losses major losses minor losses minor losses fully minor losses
suction discharge pipe entrance open globe valve
0.5 10
is
+ + + 2
2 2 2 2 2
L L
ump
L L L L
K K
V V V V V
h f f K K K
D g D g g g g
= =
= +


2
of minor losses
the 2 standard elbows pipe exit
0.3 1
2 2
suction suction
+
2
The loss coefficients can be obtained from a table, and the velocities from
= /( /4) 4 0.015/3.14/0.1016 1.8
L L
L
K K
V
K
g
V Q D t
= =
= =

2 2
discharge discharge
suction suction
suction
5 m/s
= /( /4) 4 0.015/3.14/0.0508 7.4 m/s
To find the major losses we need to find the Reynolds number and the relative roughness
790 1.85 0.1016
5.6
V Q D
V D
Re
t

= =

= =
( )
-4
-3
suction
suction
discharge discharge
discharge
-4
-3
discharge
discharge
265000
10
0.045 10
0.00044
0.1016
0.019 from Moody chart
790 7.4 0.0508
530000
5.6 10
0.045 10
0.000089
0.0508
0.014
D
f
V D
Re
D
f
c

c
=

= =
=

= = =

= =
= ( ) from Moody chart
Substitute all above information in the equation for ,calculate and finally substitue
in equation for
L L
pump
h h
W

7. For the system shown in Figure 4, compute the power delivered by the
pump to the water to pump
3
0.0031545 m/s of water at 15 C
o
to the tank. The
air in the tank is at 276 kPa gauge pressure. Consider the friction loss in the
225-ft-long discharge pipe, but neglect other losses. Then, redesign the
system by using a larger pipe size to reduce the energy loss and reduce the
power required to no more than 3729 W. The roughness of the pipe is
=
-4
1.5 10 and 1 . in=0.0254 m



Figure 4: Pump/pipeline configuration

8. In the turbulent region the friction factor associated with pipe flow is
approximated by the formula:
10 0.9
0.5
5.74
log
3.7 Re
f
D
c
=
(
+
(


Find an expression for the friction factor f for large number. Re

0.9
Re
10
For large Reynolds number (Re) above expression simplifies to
0.5 5.74
because lim 0.
Re
log
3.7
f
D
c

= =
(
(



Liquid with specific gravity
is flowing in a
vertical pipe. If the diameter of the
pipe is and the viscosity of
the fluid is
determine the direction of the flow
and the mean velocity if the pipe
relative roughness is
3
10 kN/m g = =
15 cm D =
3 2
3 10 N m/s

=
/ 0.008 D c = .
The pressures shown are static
pressures. Hint: Assume a high
Reynolds number and verify.



2 2
1 1 2 2
1 2
2
2 2
where the losses are estimated using
2
and we have assumed that the flow is directed upwards.
L
m
L
p V p V
z z h
g g g g
u
h f
D g

+ + = + + +
=
Energy Equation (Bernoulli's equation)

2 2 2
1 2
2 2
Using mass conservation and assuming uniform flow
.
So Bernoulli's equation simplies to
200000 110000
0 10
10000 2 10000 2
20 11 10 1
Hence, our original assumption was wrong a
m
m m
L
L L
V V u
u u
h
g g
h h
= =
+ + = + + +
= =
2 2
1 1 2 2
1 2
2 2
10 10
nd the
flow is directed downwards, i.e.
2 2
1
If we assume that the flow has a high Reynolds number
0.25 0.25
then 0.0352
0.008
log log
3.7 3.7
L
L
L
p V p V
z h z
g g g g
h
f
D
h

c
+ + + = + +
=
= = =
| | | |
( (
| |
( (

\ . \ .
2
2
3
10
1 0.0352 0.12 1 2.89 m/s
0.152
1019 2.89 0.15
Verify Reynolds number Re= 144500
3 10
m
m m
u
u u
g
uD

= = = =

= =

9. Estimate the elevation required in the upper reservoir to produce a water discharge of in the system. What is the
minimum pressure in the pipeline and what is the pressure there?
10 cfs







10. Water flows from a reservoir through a pipe 150mm diameter and 180m long
to a point below the surface of the reservoir where it branches into two
pipes, each 100mm in diameter (see Figure 2). One of the pipes is 48m long
discharging to atmosphere at a point below reservoir level and the other
60m long discharging to atmosphere 24m below reservoir level. Assuming
that 0.032 calculate the discharge from each pipe, neglecting all loses
other than friction.
f =

















60m
48m
180m
18m
24m
Figure 2: Reservoir pipeline configuration

11. The three water-filled tanks shown in the figure (Figure P8.102 in textbook)
are connected by pipes as indicated in the figure. If minor losses are
neglected determine the flowrate in each pipe.

12. Water is to be pumped from one large, open tank to a second large, open
tank as shown in the figure. The pipe diameter throughout is 15 cm and
the total length of the pipe between the pipe entrance and exit is 61 m.
Minor loss coefficients for the entrance, exit, and the elbow are shown on
the figure, and the friction factor for the pipe can be assumed constant
and equal to 0.02. A certain centrifugal pump having the performance
characteristics shown in the figure is suggested as a good pump for this
flow system. With this pump, what would be the flowrate between the
tanks? Do you think this pump would be a good choice?