Lab-02

Experiment FM-202 : Nature of Flow

ASHFAQ AHMAD
Objectives

To visually observe laminar and turbulent flow patterns

To determine the upper and lower critical Reynolds number

Experimentally determine the friction factor and compare
with model prediction









Schematic diagram


Theory
Fluid flow in a pipe may be laminar or turbulent depending
upon the conditions of flow.


At low fluid velocities, the fluid moves without lateral mixing
and without any eddies formation. The streamlines remain
distinct from one another over the entire length (Laminar
flow).


At high fluid velocities, eddies form in the fluid under motion
causing lateral mixing and formation of eddies. The flow is
chaotic (Turbulent flow).


Reynolds no.
Reynolds no. is used to characterize the flow:
N
Re
= D v /

Where D = dia of the pipe;
v = avg. velocity of fluid;
= dynamic viscosity



For a pipe flow: N
Re
< 2100 (Laminar regime)
2100 < N
Re
< 4000 (Transition regime)
N
Re
> 4000 (Turbulent regime)


N
Re
, upper critical: flow behavior change Laminar to Turbulent
N
Re
, lower critical: flow behavior change Turbulent to Laminar
Friction factor
Friction factor (f) is defined as the ratio of wall shear stress
to the product of the density and velocity head. It is given by
the following relation:

f = P g
c
D/ 2 L V
2

Where
P = pressure drop across pipe; L = length of pipe;
D = dia of pipe; V = average velocity of fluid; = fluid density

Model (Theoretical) predictions of friction factor:

f = 16/ N
Re
(Laminar flow)
f = 0.046 N
Re
-0.2
( 50000 < N
Re
< 10
6
)
f = 0.0014 + (0.125 / N
Re
0.32
) (3000 < N
Re
< 310
6
)

Observations
Measure h1 (pressure head in Tank-1) and h2 (pressure head in
Tank-2) for laminar flow.

Start increasing the flow rate through discharge valve and take h1
and h2 again and measure the flow rate.

Take atleast 10 such readings and one extra reading at maximum
flow rate.

Now start decreasing the flow and repeat the above step again. The
flow will shift from turbulent to laminar once again.

Calculate the Reynolds no. for every reading and characterize the
flow.

Report N
Re
,
upper critical
and N
Re
,
lower critical
values.

Calculate the friction factor experimentally and compare it with the
model predictions on a log-log plot.