Selected Problems of Real

F lu i ds

Advanced Fluid
M ech anics

U n steady B ern ou lli E q u ati on

UNSTEADY BERNOULLI
EQUATION
2.1. UNSTEADY LIQUID FLOWS IN PIPES
Assumptions: rigid pipe boundaries, incompressible fluid and
flow along a streamline
frictionless Euler equation
DU
1
= F p
Dt

( 2. 1 )

Let us convert the above vector equation into the scalar form by
taking the dot product with d s - the element of distance along a
streamline
DU
1
o d s = F o d s p o d s
( 2.2 )
Dt

I
II
III
Term I
DU
DU
U U ds
o ds =
ds =
+
ds =
Dt
Dt

s
dt

U
U
U
=
ds + U
ds =
ds + UdU
( 2. 3 )
t
s
t

Advanced Fluid
M ech anics

Selected Problems of Real

F lu i ds

U n steady B ern ou lli E q u ati on

Term II
Assuming the potential character of the mass forces field

F = =
i+
j+
k

( 2. 4 )

Thus

F o ds =
i+
j+
k o (dx i + dy j + dz k ) =

=
dx +
dy +
dz = d
( 2.5 )
x
y
z

For gravitational mass forces field

= Fx = 0 ;
= Fy = 0 ;
= Fz = g
x
y
z

So finally
F o d s = d =

dz = g dz
z

( 2.6 )

( 2. 7 )

Term III
p
p
p
p o d s = i +
j + k o (dx i + dy j + dz k ) =
y
z
x
p
p
p
= dx + dy + dz = dp
x
y
z

( 2. 8 )

Advanced Fluid
M ech anics

Selected Problems of Real

F lu i ds

U n steady B ern ou lli E q u ati on

Utilising expressions (2.3), (2.7) and (2.8) leads to the following

form of Euler equation

U 2
U
dp
ds + d
= g dz
t

( 2. 9 )

Integration along a streamline from point 1 to point 2 leads to

Bernoulli equation for unsteady flows

2 dp
U 22 U 12
U
ds +
+ g ( z 2 z1 ) + 1
=0
t
2

( 2.10 )

For incompressible fluid =const

2 U
U 12 p1
U 22 p2
+
+ g z1 =
+
+ g z 2 + 1
ds
2

( 2.11 )

example
A long pipe is connected to a large open reservoir that is initially
filled with water to a depth of H. The pipe is D in diameter and L
long. As a first approximation, friction may be neglected.
Determine the flow velocity leaving the pipe as a function of time
after a cap is removed from its free end. The reservoir is large
enough so that the change in its level may be neglected.
cross section A
cross section B
zA = H
pA = pa
UA = 0

zB = 0
pB = pa
UB = ?

Advanced Fluid
M ech anics

Selected Problems of Real

F lu i ds

U n steady B ern ou lli E q u ati on

Bernoulli equation along a streamline from A to B

B U
U B2
gH =
+ A
ds
2
t

( 2.12 )

assumption: velocity in reservoir may be neglected except for a

small region near the inlet to the tube

B U
U
ds 0
ds
t
t

( 2.13 )

from continuity equation implies that in the tube U=UB

everywhere, so that

B dU
dU B
U
B
ds = 0
ds = L
t
dt
dt

( 2.14 )

Advanced Fluid
M ech anics

Selected Problems of Real

F lu i ds

U n steady B ern ou lli E q u ati on

Substitution gives
U B2
dU B
gH =
+L
2
dt

( 2.15 )

dU B
dt
=
2 gH U B2 2 L

( 2.16 )

Separating variables

and integrating

UB

=
we have

dU B
U1
1
-1

=
tgh
2 gH
2 gH U B2
2 gH

UB
1
tgh -1
2 gH
2 gH
UB
tgh 1
2 gH

t dt
=
0
2L

UB

=
0

( 2.17 )

2 gH t
=
2L

( 2.18 )

and finally
2gH t
U B = 2 gH tgh
2L

( 2.19 )

Selected Problems of Real

F lu i ds

Advanced Fluid
M ech anics

dU B
dt

=
t =0

U n steady B ern ou lli E q u ati on

gH

cosh

1
2gH t

2L

gH
L

( 2.20 )

t =0

the equation of the tangent to the UB distribution for t0

UB(t ) =

gH
t
L

( 2.21 )

the time constant of the dynamic system

T=

2L
2 gH

( 2.22 )

applying T the expression describing the time evolution of the

velocity UB may be written in simplified form

U B = 2 gH tgh(t / T )

( 2.23 )

Advanced Fluid
M ech anics

Selected Problems of Real

F lu i ds

U n steady B ern ou lli E q u ati on

2.2. FLOW OF COMPRESSIBLE LIQUID THROUGH

THE ELASTIC PIPE "WATER HAMMER"
Continuity equation for the pipe with varying cross sectional area A
( A )
+ ( UA ) = 0
t
s

for compressible liquid

dp = k

dv
d
=k
v

( 2.24 )

( 2.25 )

where k is the modulus of volume elasticity of liquid

assuming linearity
p p0 = k

0
0

p p0

= 0 1 +

( 2.26 )

cross sectional area of the elastic pipe

p p0 D

A = A0 1 +

E

( 2.27 )

where:
A0 - cross sectional area under reference pressure p0
E - modulus of volume elasticity of pipe wall
D - pipe diameter
- pipe wall thickness

let us rewrite continuity equation into the form

( A ) p ( UA ) p
+
=0
p
t
p
s

( 2.28 )

Selected Problems of Real

F lu i ds

Advanced Fluid
M ech anics

U n steady B ern ou lli E q u ati on

substituting (2.26) and (2.27) into the above and neglecting the
terms of the second order we obtain

0 A0 +
1
k

1 D p
1 1 D p
+ 0 A0U + +
E t
k E s
U
+ 0 A0
=0
s

( 2.29 )

and finally
p
p
+U
+ 0
t
s

U
=0
1
1
D
s
0 +
k E
1

( 2.30 )

let us introduce the speed of small disturbance propagating in

elastic pipe and compressible liquid
c2 =

0 +
1
k

1 D

E

( 2.31 )

the system of equations governing the flow (continuity and Euler

equations)

p
p
U

+ U
+ c
=0
t 0 c
s 0 c
s
U
U
1 p
+U
+
=0
t
s 0 s

( 2.32 )

Advanced Fluid
M ech anics

Selected Problems of Real

F lu i ds

U n steady B ern ou lli E q u ati on

let us calculate the sum of the equations (2.32)

p
p
p

+ U + U
+ U + c
+ U = 0 ( 2.33 )
t 0 c
s 0 c
s 0 c

receiving

p
p

+ U + ( U + c )
+ U = 0
t 0 c
s 0 c

( 2.34 )

and their difference

p
p

U + ( U c )
U = 0
t 0 c
s 0 c

( 2.35 )

the equations (2.34) and (2.35) may be expressed in the common

form
D

=0
+a
= 0 where = ( s ,t )
Dt
t
s

( 2.36 )

as the so-called wave equation

Solution
it may be easily shown that any function of the form

( s ,t ) = f ( s a t ) = f ( z ) where z = s a t
satisfies the equation (2.36)

( 2.37 )

Selected Problems of Real

F lu i ds

Advanced Fluid
M ech anics

10

U n steady B ern ou lli E q u ati on

proof
let us calculate the derivatives
z

=
=a
t
z t
z
z
=
=
s
z s z

and put them into (2.36)

+a
=a
+a
=0
t
s
z
z

interpretation
The quantity is propagated in the flow with velocity a. In
other words is kept constant along the line meeting the
relation
ds/dt = a
(2.38)

( s0 ,t0 ) = ( s1 ,t1 )

Advanced Fluid
M ech anics

Selected Problems of Real

F lu i ds

11

U n steady B ern ou lli E q u ati on

example:
Let us consider the flow through a pipe which is connected to a
large reservoir. Pressure over a free surface as well as this one
at the outlet from the pipe are both equal to p0. Suddenly flow
is stopped by the valve. What will happen with the pressures pus
and pds propagated up- and downstream the valve ?

data:
=
=
E =
k =
0 =
H =
d

40 mm
5 mm
21 MN/cm2
210 kN/cm2
1000 kg/ m3
0.5 m

velocity inside the pipe before shutdown

U bs = 2 gH

Advanced Fluid
M ech anics

Selected Problems of Real

F lu i ds

12

U n steady B ern ou lli E q u ati on

At time t0 (just after the valve was shut down) in the

neighbourhood of the valve velocity of liquid elements fell
down to zero (U = U0 = 0), but the pressure was still p0. In the
same time liquid elements located further from the valve were
not yet retarded so their velocities became unchanged (U = Ubs)
p
2 gH = const
0 c
upstream the valve
pus
p
2 gH = 0
0 c
0 c

pus = p0 + 0 c 2 gH
pressure pus propagated upstream is called pressure wave or
water hammer due to its high values it may cause damage of
the pipe (the problem of firemen)
downstream the valve
pds
p
+ 2 gH = 0
0 c
0 c

pds = p0 0 c 2 gH
due to great absolute values of the term 0 c 2 gH in
comparison to atmospheric pressure one may expect unrealistic
(negative) values of pds
pressure pds approaching vacuum may lead to undesired
phenomenon - cavitation

Advanced Fluid
M ech anics

Selected Problems of Real

F lu i ds

13

U n steady B ern ou lli E q u ati on

velocity of small disturbances

c=

0 +
1
k

1 d

E

= 1395 m / s

pressure change (maximal value)

p = pus p0 = p0 pds = 0 c 2 gH = 4.37 MPa

note:
The solution is independent of the lengths L1 and L2.
The approach presented here was derived for inviscid liquids.
Viscosity affects the phenomenon pressure variations in
practical cases are smaller (water hammer becomes weaker)
due to dissipation processes