BPH – FluidMechanics

Fluid Mechanics – University of Technology, Sydney – Engineering & IT

Tutorial # 6 – Questions and Solutions

Question 1

Water at 20°C flows in a rectangular open channel, as shown. At station 1, the channel width is 1.9 m
and the depth of water is 1.2 m. At station 2, the channel bottom has been raised by 0.3 m as shown,
and its width is also reduced to 1.6 m. The water depth at this station is 0.8 m. Assuming ideal flow,
determine the water flow rate.

Question 2

Water at 20 °C is pumped from a reservoir at a rate of 120 l/s, as shown. Assume ideal flow.
Determine the maximum distance x when cavitation is about to appear at the pump inlet. Calculate the
corresponding pump power. Barometric pressure is 101.3 kPa. Other data are: h = 10 m, pipe diameter
D = 160 mm, nozzle exit’s diameter d = 80 mm, s = 30 m, and θ = 30°.

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Question 3 (adapted from F M White, 2003)

The air-cushion vehicle shown brings in sea-level standard air through a fan, and discharges it at high
velocity V through an annular skirt of clearance h = 3 cm. If the vehicle’s weight is W = 40 kN and it
has a circular base with diameter D = 5 m, estimate (a) the required air flow rate Q in m3/s, and (b) the
fan power in kW. Make reasonable assumptions.

air W

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Question 4 (from Street, Watters and Vennard, 1996)

Calculate the pump power. Assume ideal (inviscid) flow (no losses).

Question 5 (from Street, Watters, and Vennard, 1996)

Assuming an ideal fluid, the shown flow field would occur when deep open flow of water passes over
a submerged semi-cylindrical weir. If the local velocities through section 2 may be expressed by

v = V1 [1 + (R/y) n]

(a) Determine the two-dimensional flow rate (i.e. flow rate per metre of length in the direction into the
page, in m3/s-m).

(b) Determine also the pressure at the top of the cylinder.

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Question 6

A circular cylinder is stood in an upright position in a water tunnel, as shown. A U-tube manometer is
connected to two small openings at A and B on the cylinder surface, as shown. Note that A and B are
at the same elevation. The hole at A faces directly into the approaching flow which has a free-stream
velocity U, whereas the hole at B is at 90° from point A. If it is known that the water velocity V along
the cylinder’s surface at a point located at an angle θ from A is given by

V = 2Usinθ

determine U for a manometer reading of h = 300 mm.

END.

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Solutions

Question 1

Water at 20°C flows in a rectangular open channel, as shown. At station 1, the channel width is 1.9 m
and the depth of water is 1.2 m. At station 2, the channel bottom has been raised by 0.3 m as shown,
and its width is also reduced to 1.6 m. The water depth at this station is 0.8 m. Assuming ideal flow,
determine the water flow rate.

Solution

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Question 2

Water at 20 °C is pumped from a reservoir at a rate of 120 l/s, as shown. Assume ideal flow.
Determine the maximum distance x when cavitation is about to appear at the pump inlet. Calculate the
corresponding pump power. Barometric pressure is 101.3 kPa. Other data are: h = 10 m, pipe diameter
D = 160 mm, nozzle exit’s diameter d = 80 mm, s = 30 m, and θ = 30°.

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Solution

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=> hpump = [23.882/(2×9.81)] + 20 = 49.1 m

=> Pump power Ppump = hpump (ρgQ) = 49.1×1000×9.81×0.12 = 57760 W
= 57.8 kW (Ans.)

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Question 3

The air-cushion vehicle shown brings in sea-level standard air through a fan, and discharges it at high
velocity V through an annular skirt of clearance h = 3 cm. If the vehicle’s weight is W = 40 kN and it
has a circular base with diameter D = 5 m, estimate (a) the required air flow rate Q in m3/s, and (b) the
fan power in kW. Make reasonable assumptions.

air W

Solution

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air W

(adapted from F M White, 2003)

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2

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Question 4 (from Street, Watters and Vennard, 1996)

Calculate the pump power. Assume ideal (inviscid) flow (no losses).

Solution

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Question 5 (from Street, Watters, and Vennard, 1996)

Assuming an ideal fluid, the shown flow field would occur when deep open flow of water passes over
a submerged semi-cylindrical weir. If the local velocities through section 2 may be expressed by

v = V1 [1 + (R/y) n]

(a) Determine the two-dimensional flow rate (i.e. flow rate per metre of length in the direction into the
page, in m3/s-m).

(b) Determine also the pressure at the top of the cylinder.

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Solution

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(b) At cylinder’s top, y = R => vcyl.top = V1(1 + 11.42) = 2V1 = 3.94 m/s
Let the position on the free surface at section 1 be “1-free”
Assuming ideal flow, applying Bernoulli equation between “1-free” and “cyl.top” (for cylinder’s
top) yields

P1-free /(ρg) + V12/(2g) + z1-free = Pcyl.top /(ρg) + (vcyl.top)2/(2g) + z cyl.top

With P1-free = 0 (gauge), V1 = 1.97 m/s, vcyl.top = 3.94 m/s, z1-free – z cyl.top = 4.8 – 1.2 = 3.6 m, ρ = 1000
kg/m3, substituting gives Pcyl.top = 29500 Pa = 29.5 kPa (Answer)

Alternatively, the same result is obtained by applying Bernoulli equation between the point on the
floor at section 1 (where pressure is ρg×4.8 and velocity V1) and the cylinder top.

BPH

Question 6

A circular cylinder is stood in an upright position in a water tunnel, as shown. A U-tube manometer is
connected to two small openings at A and B on the cylinder surface, as shown. Note that A and B are
at the same elevation. The hole at A faces directly into the approaching flow which has a free-stream
velocity U, whereas the hole at B is at 90° from point A. If it is known that the water velocity V along
the cylinder’s surface at a point located at an angle θ from A is given by

V = 2Usinθ

determine U for a manometer reading of h = 300 mm.

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Solution

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