VVR 120 Fluid Mechanics

6. Basic basic equations I (4.2-4.4)

• Steady and uniform flows, streamline, streamtube

• One-, two-, and three-dimensional flow
• Laminar and turbulent flow
• Reynolds number
• System and control volume
• Continuity equation
Exercises: C1, C2, C4, and C7
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CLASSIFICATION OF FLOWS

Flow characterized by two parameters – time and distance.

Division of flows with respect to time:

• Steady flow – time independent
• Unsteady flow – time dependent
• Quasi-steady flow – slow changes with time

Division of flows with respect to distance:

• Uniform flow – constant section area along flow path
• Non-uniform flow – variable section area
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Examples of flow types:

Steady uniform flow: Steady non-uniform flow:

flowrate (Q) and section area (A) Q = constant, A = A(x).
are constant

Steady = time independent

Uniform = constant section
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Unsteady uniform flow: Unsteady non-uniform flow:

Q = Q(t), A = constant Q = Q(t), A = A(x).

Steady = time independent

Uniform = constant section
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VISUALIZATION OF FLOW PATTERNS

Streamline: a curve that is drawn in such a way that it is tangential

to the velocity vector at any point along the curve. A
curve that is representing the direction of flow at a
given time. No flow across a stream line.
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Streamtube: A set of streamlines arranged to form an imaginary

tube. Ex: The internal surface of a pipeline
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Potential flow: Flow that can be represented by streamlines.

Streakline = path made by injected colour in a flow field

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Example streamline and streakline

A flowfield is periodic in such a way that the streamline pattern is

repeated at fixed intervals. During the first second the fluid is
moving upwards to the right at a 45o angle and during the next
second the fluid is moving downwards to the right at a 45o angle etc
according to Fig. a). The flow velocity is constant = 10 m/s. After 2.5
s the particle track for a particle that is released at point A at time
zero is shown in Fig. b). If colour is injected continuously at point A
from time 0 how will the resulting streakline look like after 2.5 s?

A•
Fig. a) Streamlines Fig. b) Particle track
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TWO WAYS OF DESCRIBING FLUID MOTION

• Lagrangian view: the path, density, velocity and other

characteristics of each fluid particle in a flow is traced.

• Eulerian view: study the flow characteristics (velocity,

pressure, density, etc.) and their variation with time at
fixed points in space.

LAMINAR AND TURBULENT FLOW
Laminar flow
• Flow along parallel paths
• Shear stress proportional to
velocity gradient ( = du/dy)
• Disturbances in the flow are
rapidly damped by viscous
action
VVR 120 Fluid Mechanics
Turbulent flow
• Fluid particles moves in a
random manner and not in
layers
• Length scales >> molecular
scales in laminar flow
• Rapid continuous mixing
• Inertia forces and viscous
forces of importance
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Reynolds experiment
Q and P variables
• Small velocities  line of
dye intact, movement in
parallel layers  laminar
flow
• High velocities  rapid
diffusion of dye, mixing 
turbulent flow
• Critical velocity  line of
dye begin to break-up,
transition between laminar
and turbulent flow
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Reynolds´ number

• Reynolds generalized his results by introduction of a

dimensionless number (Reynolds number):
VD VD
Re   = /, V=Q/A
 
 = kinematic viscosity
 = dynamic viscosity
D = diameter (for pipes)
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Reynolds numbers for pipe flow

• Laminar flow Re < 2000

• Transitional flow Re = 2000 to 4000
• Turbulent flow Re > 4000

Two thresholds:
Upper critical velocity – transition of laminar flow to
turbulent flow
Lower critical velocity – transition of turbulent flow to
laminar flow
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The critical Reynolds number, Rc, defining the division

between laminar and turbulent flow, is very dependent on
the geometry for the flow.

• Parallel walls: Rc  1000 (using mean velocity V and

spacing D)
• Wide open channel: Rc  500 (using mean velocity V
and depth D)
• Flow about sphere: Rc  1 (using approach velocity V
and sphere diameter D)
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C1 When 0.0019 m3/s of water flow in a 76

mm pipeline at 20C, is the flow laminar or
turbulent?
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C2 What is the maximum speed at which a

spherical sand grain of diameter 0.254 mm
may move through water (20C) and the flow
regime be laminar?
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FLUID SYSTEM AND CONTROL VOLUME

• Fluid system: Specified mass of fluid within a closed

surface

• Control volume: Fix region in space that can’t be moved

or change shape. Its surface is called control surface.
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CONTINUITY EQUATION
m1 m2
• Steady flow
1V1A1 = 2V2A2 (m1 = m2)
Control volume
• Incompressible flow Fluid system
volume
V1A1 = V2A2 or Q1 = Q2 (Q = VA)

V: Average velocity at a section (m/s)

A: Cross-section area (m2)
Q: Flow rate (m3/s)
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Continuity equation applied to changing

pipe diameter

V1A1 = V2A2 or Q1 = Q2 Q = constant, A =(x)

(Q = VA)

Q1 Q2

Q1=V1  A1
Q2=V2  A2

Control volume
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• Flow in a pipe junction • Channel flow (unsteady)

d(Vol)/dt = Q1– Q2
(Q12 = 0)

Vol: Volume of water in

channel between section 1 and
Q1 + Q2 = Q3 or 2
V1A1 + V2A2 = V3A3
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C4 Water flows in a pipeline composed of

75 mm and 150 mm pipe. Calculate the
mean velocity in the 75 mm pipe when that
in the 150 mm pipe is 2.5 m/s. What is its
ratio to the mean velocity in the 150 mm
pipe?
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C7 Using the Y and the control volume in the fig. find

the mixture flowrate and density if freshwater (1 =
1000 kg/m3) enters section 1 at 50 l/s, while
saltwater (2 = 1030 kg/m3) enters section 2 at 25
l/s.