FUNDAMENTALS OF FLUID FLOW

DISCHARGE or FLOWRATE, Q amount of fluid passing through a section per unit of time
o Volume Flow Rate

o Mass Flow Rate

o Weight Flow Rate

Q = discharge in m3/s or ft3/s

A = cross sectional area in m2 or ft2
v = mean velocity of flow in m/s or ft/s
= mass density
= Weight density

Problem 1: Water flows through a 75 mm diameter pipe at a velocity of 3 m/s. Find (a) the volume flow rate in m3/s and
L/s, (b) the mass flow rate in kg/s and, (c) the weight flow rate in N/s.

Problem 2: Gas is flowing through a square conduit whose section gradually changes from 150 mm (Section 1) to 300
mm (Section 2). At section 1, the velocity of flow is 7 m/s and the density of gas is 1 kg/ m3 while at section 2, the
velocity of flow is 2 m/s. Calculate mass flow rate and density of gas at Section 2.

STEADY FLOW discharge Q passing a given cross section is constant with time

UNSTEADY FLOW discharge Q at cross section varies with time

UNIFORM FLOW average velocity of flow is the same at every cross section; occurs when an incompressible fluid flows
through a stream with uniform cross section

NON-UNIFORM FLOW stream where cross section and velocity changes

CONTINUOUS FLOW at any given time, discharge Q at every section of stream is same

LAMINAR FLOW path of individual fluid particles do not cross or intersect (Re < 2000)

TURBULENT FLOW path of individual particles are irregular and continuously cross each other (Re > 2000)
ENERGY AND HEAD
The energy possessed by a flowing fluid consists of kinetic and potential energy. Potential energy is subdivided
into energy due to elevation above given datum, and energy due to pressure in the liquid. The amount of energy per
pound or Newton of fluid is called head.

TOTAL FLOW ENERGY, E

The total energy or head in flow is summarized as:

POWER AND EFFICIENCY

Power is the rate at which work is done.

BERNOULLIS THEOREM
Bernoullis Principle is originally formulated by Swiss mathematician and physicist Daniel Bernoulli in 1738. It
states that total energy in a steadily flowing fluid system is a constant along a path.

ENERGY EQUATION WITHOUT HEAD LOSS:

ENERGY EQUATION WITH HEAD LOSS:

ENERGY EQUATION WITHOUT HEAD LOSS:

ENERGY EQUATION WITH PUMP:

Pump is used basically to increase the head or raise a water from lower to higher elevation. The input power
(Pinput) of pump is electrical energy and its output power (or rated power, Poutput) is flow energy.

ENERGY EQUATION WITH TURBINE OR MOTOR:

Turbines or motors extract flow energy to do mechanical work which in turn converted into electrical energy for
turbines.
Problem 1: A pipe carrying oil of specific gravity 0.877 changes in size from 150 mm at section 1 and 450 mm at section
2. Section 1 is 3.6 m below section 2 and the pressures are 90 kPa and 60 kPa respectively. If the discharge is 150 L/s,
determine head loss and direction of flow.

Problem 2: The pump shown draws water from reservoir A at elevation 10 and lifts it to reservoir B at elevation 60 m.
The head loss from A to 1 is twice the velocity head in the 200 mm pipe and the head loss from 2 to B is ten times the
velocity head in the 150 mm pipe. Determine the rated horsepower of pump and pressure heads at 1 and 2 in meters
when discharge is 0.03 m3/s.

FLUID FLOW MEASUREMENTS

There are numerous number of devices used to measure flow f fluids. In any of these devices, the Bernoullis
theorem is utilized.

DEVICE COEFFICIENTS
o Coefficient of Discharge, C or Cd
The coefficient of meter or discharge is the ratio of actual discharge through the device to the ideal or
theoretical discharge with would occur without losses. The actual discharge maybe accomplished by observation
by measuring discharge of fluid through a device while theoretical values can be accomplished using Bernoullis
theorem.
 o Coefficient of Velocity, Cv
The coefficient of velocity is the ratio of actual mean velocity to the ideal or theoretical velocity which
would occur without any losses.

o Coefficient of Contraction, Cc
The coefficient of contraction is the ratio of actual area of contracted section of the stream or jet to the
area of opening through which fluid flows.

VENTURI METER
The Venturi Meter uses a rapidly converging section (gradually increases the velocity of flow to reduce
pressure), thus measuring fluid flow. Thus the difference in pressure between the inlet and throat is commonly
measured by means of differential manometer connecting inlet and throat.

Problem 1: An oil of SG = 0.9 is flowing through a Venturi meter having inlet diameter 20 cm and throat diameter 10
cm. The oil-mercury differential manometer shows a reading of 20 cm. Calculate discharge of oil through the horizontal
Venturi meter if Cd = 0.98.

PITOT TUBE
Pitot Tube is named after the French physicist and engineer Henri Pitot. It is a bent L or U shaped tube with both
ends open and is used to measure the velocity of fluid flow.

Problem 1: A mercury-kerosene manometer is connected to a Pitot Tube. The deflection of manometer is 180 mm.
Determine flow rate down the pipe if pipe is 150 mm in diameter. Assume SGkerosene = 0.81.