FALL 2014

MHA/KA/ME/MMY

MIDDLE EAST TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY

DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
ME 305 FLUID MECHANICS I
HOMEWORK 2 - SOLUTIONS
1. A closed cylindrical tank filled with
water has a hemispherical dome and is
connected to an inverted piping system
as shown in figure below. The liquid in
the top part of the piping system has a
specific gravity of 0.8, and the
remaining parts of the system are filled
with water. If the pressure gage reading
at A is 60 kPa, determine:
(a) the pressure in pipe B, and (b) the
pressure head, in millimeters of
mercury, at the top of the dome (point C). (Answer: (a) 103kPa, (b) 230mm)

Solution:

Apply the hydrostatic formula from A to B:

+ ()(2 )(3) + 2 (2) =

= 60 + (0,8) (9,81103 3
) (3) + (9,81103 3 )(2)

=
(a)

Apply the hydrostatic formula from A to C:

= 2 (3)

= 60 (9,81103 ) (3)
3

= 30,6103
2

=


30,61032
=

133103 3

= , =
(b)

2. The cyclindrical tank with hemispherical

ends shown in figure below contains a volatile
liquid and its vapor. The liquid density is 800
kg/m3 and its vapor density is negligible. The
pressure in the vapor is 120 kPa (abs), and the
atmospheric pressure is 101 kPa (abs).
Determine: (a) the gage pressure reading on the
pressure gage; and (b) the height, h, of the
mercury manometer. (Answer: (a) 26,9 kPa,
(b) 0,202 m)

Solution:
Let : ,

= (800 3
) (9,81 2 ) = 7850 3

And
() = 120() 101 () = 19

Thus,
= + (1)

= 19103 2
+ (7850 3 ) (1)

= ,

(a)
() + (1) () = 0

19103 2
+ (7850 3 ) (1) (133103 3 ) () = 0

= ,
(b)
3. Determine the new differential reading along
the inclined leg of the mercury manometer of
figure, if the pressure in pipe A is decreased 10
kPa and the pressure in pipe B remains
unchanged. The fluid in A has a specific gravity
of 0.9 and the fluid in B is water.
(Answer: 0,212m)

Solution:

For initial configuration, apply the hydrostatic formula from A to B:

+ (0,1) + (0,0530) 2 (0,08) =

(1)

Where all lengths are in m. When decreases left column moves up a distance,a, and right
column moves down a distance,a, as shown in figure above. For the final configuration:

+ (0,1 30) + (30 + 0,0530 + ) 2 (0,08 + ) =

(2)
Where is the new pressure in pipe A.

Subtract equation (2) from equation (1) to obtain:

+ (30) (30 + 1) + 2 () = 0
Thus,

( )
=
30 (30 + 1) + 2
For = 10

10
= 2

(0,9) (9,81 3 ) (0,5) (133 3 ) (0,5 + 1)+)9,81 3 )

= 0,0540

New differential reading, , measured alond inclined tube is equal to:

= + 0,05 +
30
0,0540
= + 0,05 + 0,0540 = ,
0,5
4. Intravenous infusions are usually driven by
gravity by hanging the fluid bottle at sufficient
height to counteract the blood pressure in the
vein and to force the fluid into the body. The
higher the bottle is raised, the higher the flow
rate of the fluid will be.
(a) If it is observed that the fluid and the blood
pressures balance each other when the bottle is
1.2 m above the arm level, determine the gage
pressure of the blood.
(b) If the gage pressure of the fluid at the arm level needs to be 20 kPa for sufficient flow rate,
determine how high the bottle must be placed. Take the density of the fluid to be 1020 kg/m 3.
(Answer: (a) 12kPa, (b) 2,0m)

Solution:
Noting that the IV fluid and the blood pressures balance each other when the bottle is 1.2 m
above the arm level, the gage pressure of the blood in the arm is simply equal to the gage
pressure of the IV fluid at a depth of 1.2 m;

, = =

, = (1020 3
)(9,81 2 )(1,20)

, =
(a)

To provide a gage pressure of 20 kPa at the arm level, the height of the bottle from the arm
level is again determined from , = to be;

,
=

20103
=

(1020 3 )(9,81 2 )

= ,
(b)
5. A 4-m-high, 5-m-wide rectangular plate blocks the
end of a 4-m-deep freshwater channel, as shown in
figure on the right. The plate is hinged about a
horizontal axis along its upper edge through a point A
and is restrained from opening by a fixed ridge at point
B. Determine the force exerted on the plate by the
ridge. (Answer: 288 kN)

Solution:
Take the density of water to be 1000 kg/m3
The average pressure on a surface is the pressure at the centroid (midpoint) of the surface,

= = (2)

= (1000 ) (9,81 ) (2 )
3 2

= 19,62
2
Then the resultant hydrostatic force on each wall;

= = (19,62 ) (45) = 392
2
The line of action of the force passes through the pressure center, which is 2/3 from the free
surface,
2 24
= = = 2,667
3 3
Taking the moment about point A and setting it equal to zero gives;

= 0

( + ) =

Solving for and subsituting,

+ (1 + 2,667 )
= = (392 ) =

5
6. A 4-m-long quarter-circular gate of radius 3 m and
of negligible weight is hinged about its upper edge A,
as shown in figure below. The gate controls the flow
of water over the ledge at B, where the gate is pressed
by a spring. Determine the minimum spring force
required to keep the gate closed when the water level
rises to A at the upper edge of the gate.
(Answer: 177 kN)

Solution:

Consider the free body diagram of the liquid block enclosed by

the circular surface of the gate and its vertical and horizontal
projections. The hydrostatic forces acting on the vertical and
horizontal plane surfaces as well as the weight of the liquid
block are determined as follows:

Horizontal force on vertical surface:

= = = = ( )
2

3
= (1000 ) (9,81 ) ( )(43)
3 2 2
= 176,6
Vertical force on horizonral surface (upward):
= = =

= (1000 ) (9,81 ) (3)(43)
3 2
= 353,2

The weight of fluid block per 4-m length (downwards):

2
= = ( )
4
4(3)2
= (1000 ) (9,81 )( )
3 2 4
= 277,4
Therefore, the net upward vertical force is:
= = 353,2 277,4 = 75,8
Then the magnitude and direction of the hydrostatic force acting on the surface of the 4-m
long quarter-circular section of the gate become:

= 2 + 2 = 176,62 + 75,82 = 192,2

75,8
tan = = = 0,429 = 23,2
176,6
Therefore, the magnitude of the hydrostatic force acting on the gate is 192.2 kN, and its line
of action passes through the center of the quarter-circular gate making an angle 23.2 upwards
from the horizontal.

The minimum spring force needed is determined by taking a moment about the point A where
the hinge is, and setting it equal to zero,

= 0

(90 ) = 0

Solving for and subsituting;

(192,2 )(3) sin(90 23,2) = (3)

The spring force is determined to be;

= 177
7. The cross-sectional shape of a canoe is modeled by
the curve y = ax2, where a = 3.89 m-1 and the coordinates
are in meters. Assume the width of the canoe is constant
at w = 0.6 m over its entire length L = 5.25 m. Set up a
general algebraic expression relating the total mass of
the canoe and its contents to distance d between the
water surface and the gunwale of the floating canoe.
Calculate the maximum total mass allowable without
swamping the canoe.
(Answer: 735 kg)

Solution:

=
=

At surface: =

= 2

=

=

= 2 ( 2 )
0

4 3
= ( )2
3
=
4 3
= ( )2
3

= 0, = = 0,35 =
2
=
8. A hydrometer has a bulb diameter of 0.02 m, a bulb length
of 0.08 m, a stem diameter of 0.01 m, a stem length of 0.08
m and a mass of 0.035 kg. Determine the range of specific
gravities that can be measured with this hydrometer if the
liquid levels range between the bottom and top of the stem.
(Answer: 1.114 1.392)

Solution:

For level 1:

=
=
= 1000
0,02 2
0,035 = 1000 ( ) 0,08
2
= 1,392

For level 2:

= 1000
0,02 2 0,01 2
0,035 = 1000 ( ( ) 0,08 + ( ) 0,08)
2 2
= 1,114
9. Scientific balloons operating at pressure equilibrium with the surroundings can be used to
lift instrument to extremely high altitudes. In such an experiment, a balloon, constructed of
polyester skin of thickness 0.013 mm, lifted a payload of 230 kg to an altitude of 49 km,
where atmospheric conditions are 0.95 mbar and -20 oC. The helium gas in the balloon is at a
temperature of -10 oC. Specific gravity of the skin material is 1.28. Assuming that the balloon
is spherical, determine its diameter and mass. (Answer: , )

Solution:

D

= = 1,736. 104 3 ( = 2077 /)

= 0

m =

=
=
4 3
0= (1,308. 103 1,736. 104 ) 1,28.4 2 . 0,013. 103 230
3
( = 0,013. 103 )
= 36,42 = 72,84
=
=
= ,
10. A retaining wall against a mud slide is to be constructed by placing 0.8-m-high and 0.2-m-
wide rectangular concrete blocks ( = 2700 /3)
side by side, as shown in figure on the right. The
friction coefficient between the ground and the
concrete blocks is = 0.3, and the density of the mud
is about 1800 /3 . There is concern that the
concrete blocks may slide or tip over the lower left
edge as the mud level rises. Determine the mud height
at which (a) the blocks will overcome friction and start
sliding and (b) the blocks will tip over.
(Answer: (a) h=0,38m (b) h=0,52m)

Solution:

The weight of the concrete wall per unit length (L = 1 m) and the
friction force between the wall and the ground are;

= = (2700 3
) (9,81 2 ) (0,20,81 3 )

= 4238

= = 0,3(4328 ) = 1271

The hydrostatic force exerted by the mud to the walla is;

= = ( )
2

= (1800 3 ) (9,81 2 ) ( ) (1)
2

= 88292

Set the hydrostatic and friction forces equal to each other;

= 88292 = 2171 = ,

The line of action of the hydrostatic force passes through the pressure center, which is 2h/3
from the free surface. The line of action of the weight of the wall passes through the midplane
of the wall. Taking the moment about point A and setting it equal to zero gives

88293
= 0 ( ) = ( ) ( ) =
2 3 2 3
1
3 3
=( ) = ,
28829
References:
Fundamentals of Fluid Mechanics, 6th Ed. by Munson
Fluid Mechanics, 7th Ed. by White
Fluid Mechanics Fundamentals and Applications, 3rd Ed. by Cengel and Cimbala