The Reynolds Number

​ ​ J. G. Rincón, 2nd
1st ​ ​ O. S. Clavijo, 3​th A.
​
Tovar
Group: 6A
Delivered To: Engineer Preziosi Antonio
Pipelines and Channels, Universidad Santo Tomás, Bogotá D.C, Colombia

General Introduction

This report will show the aspects to be performed in the laboratory where the Reynolds
number will be determined, in this case by means of an assembly which will allow to study
the behavior of the water particles, where depending on its flow will be observed when it is
laminar, transitional or turbulent, in such a way that the aim of the practice will be to find the
number characterising such behaviour for each of the cases that will found.

The Reynolds number is a dimensionless parameter that was found by Osborne Reynolds,
where thanks to this it can be identified when a fluid presents, a laminar model, where the
particles are located in parallel between each other, a transition model which as its name
indicates that its particles present a dispersion as their flow or a turbulent model where their
particles disperse exhibiting a disorderly trajectory.

Image 1 (Flow Types)

Taken from: Civil Engineer’s Cave, fundamental fluid flow concepts, flow types.

The characteristics that condition the flow of a liquid depend on its properties, while its mass
flow increases likewise will the inertial forces, and the friction or viscous forces are those that
will present an opposition to these generating changes in the fluid, based on the experiments
carried out by Reynolds it was determined that the inertial forces are in function of the
diameter of the pipe, density and average speed, and viscous forces depend on the liquid to
be studied, because the number of Reynolds is in relation to these two forces, we will find the
following formula.
Methodology

As a first instance of practice it is necessary to verify that the materials are present and must
be correctly connected in order to perform the experiment, as they are:

1) Ink tank or pipette.

2) Control valve for the passage of ink.
3) Ink injector needle.
4) Water supply pipe from hydraulic bench.
5) Glass retention tank.
6) glass microspheres acting as a turbulence buffer at the entrance of the tube as a
conductive element of the fluid.
7) Pipe discharge to the recirculation tank of the hydraulic bank.
8) System overflow pipe.
9) Flow control valve to regulate flow.
10)Color ink (gentian violet).
11)Chronometer.
12)Thermometer.
13)Hydraulic bench.

Subsequently it is required to know the diameter of the pipe where from this will be obtained
the value of the area of the pipe in which the fluid will be found, and the value of the
temperature of the fluid will be taken as it will be used later.

Then, by varying the flow in the pipe through the valve in order to calculate the flow, the data
shall be taken ten times with different flows, where several measurements shall be fixed in a
container in order to obtain the volumes, and the times are recorded every three times to
keep an average and to be able to obtain more accuracy in the calculations, also with the ink
tank will be able to observe how the particles behave depending on the flow, taking a
photographic record in order to identify the fluid behavior and the corresponding Reynolds
number.

Results y Discussion

​ ​Table 1 (Constant data in for calculation)

With the measurements previously taken from the pipe as is the diameter and temperature of
the fluid, the area will be calculated, its density and dynamic viscosity will be obtained as
shown in Table 1, in order to calculate kinematic viscosity.

u
V = p
 V = 0.001003
998.29 = 1.0047x10 −3 kg/m * sg

​Table 2 (Calculation of Reynolds number)

In Table 2 it is possible to observe the volumes, together with the average time recorded
previously, where from the flow obtained in each of the cases, it is possible to determine the
speed through which the flow passes, to use the Reynolds number formula where each of
these aspects are involved and determine the flow model.

Q: Flow
A: Área
D: Diameter

Measurement #1 Measurement #2 Measurement #3 Measurement #4

NR:673,82 NR:3169,25 NR:2419,82 NR:4215,77
Laminar flow Transitional flow Transitional flow Turbulent flow
Measurement #5 Measurement #6 Measurement #7 Measurement #8
NR:4439,26 NR:1144,56 NR :686,12 NR :845,40
Turbulent flow Laminar flow Laminar flow Laminar flow

Measurement #9 Measurement #10

NR:2103,22 NR:3310,50
Transitional flow Transitional flow

Reflections

1. ¿What fluids have a relatively low viscosity?

The fluids that have a relatively low viscosity are: gasoline, ethanol, ink, water and
gases, etc.

2. ¿What fluids have a relatively high viscosity?

The fluids that have a relatively high viscosity are: glue, shampoo, oil, honey, etc.

3. ¿What happens when the temperature increases in relation to the ease with which a
fluid moves with high viscosity?
As the temperature increases to a liquid, adhesion decreases and so does its
viscosity. This states that viscosity is inversely proportional to temperature.
In the gases the molecules are more separate, so the viscosity depends more on the
speed of transfer of the amount of movement, This indicates that increasing
temperature also increases viscosity.
 4. ¿What happens when the temperature of a fluid with high viscosity decreases?

When the temperature of a fluid with high viscosity is decreased, this fluid increases
its density, therefore it will be less viscous, because there is an inversely proportional
relationship between kinematic viscosity and density

Conclusions

1. The values obtained in practice of the Reynolds number are within the range
complying with the specifications of laminar, transitional and turbulent flow, because
in cases where low speed was used is laminar finding the Reynolds number between
(673,82-686,12), in the same way when an increase in speed was made the
transitional-turbulent flow was in the range of (2103,22-3160,25).

2. In particular it was found that the number of Reynolds is directly proportional to the
speed and flow, since when these values increase the number will increase
considerably.

3. Finally the Reynolds number is essential to characterize the nature of the flow and
thus be able to calculate the amount of energy lost due to friction in the system, also
has great application in the field of civil engineering since from this allows to establish
the type of pipe that can be employed taking into account all the factors.
Annexes

Tabla 3 (Tabla de datos preliminar)

Tomado de: Fuente propia
References

1. Gaviria J., (2015), Mecánica de fluidos, Número de Reynolds, Recovered of:

http://mecanicadefluidoscod5131587.blogspot.com/2015/11/numero-de-reynolds.html
2. Pérez, I. (2013). Determinación en laboratorio del número de Reynolds. Bogotá. Available at:
https://campusvirtual20192.usantotomas.edu.co/pregrado/pluginfile.php/234760/mod_resource/content/1
/Practicas%2013%20Numero%20de%20Reynold%20%282%29.pdf [Accessed 26 Aug. 2019].