FLUID MECHANICS I

Solution 4

Question 1: Problem P2.139

Figure 1: Free surface for fluid in solid body acceleration.

Since there is no acceleration in the y direction:

pA = pB + ρghB
pC = pD + ρghD

where pB = pD = patm = 0[P a gage]. From Table A.3 for glycerin ρ =

1260[kg/m3 ], so pA = 3460[P a gage].

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 For the solid body motion in the x direction:
∂p
ρax = −
∂x
which can be integrated from point A to point C:
Z x=L Z x=L
∂p
ρax dx = − dx
x=0 x=0 ∂x
ρax L = −(pC − pA )
ρax L = −ρg(hD − hB )
Rearranging for ax gives:
hB − hD
ax = g = 1.27[m/s2 ]
L
Notice that the value of the acceleration because the density of the fluid
affects both the fluid inertia and the variation of pressure with depth.

Question 2: Problem P2.156

Since pressure increases with increasing depth and pressure increases with in-
creasing radius for fluid in solid body rotation, the minimum pressure in the U
tube is at point D. Notice also that pB − pC = pA − pD since the heights of each
leg of the U tube are identical.
The equation of motion in the radial direction is:
∂p
ρar = −ρΩ2 r = −
∂r
which can be integrated from point C to point B:
Z r=R Z r=R
∂p
− ρΩ2 rdr = − dr
r=0 r=0 ∂r
R2
−ρΩ2 = −(pB − pC )
2
Rearranging for Ω gives:
s
2(pB − pC )
Ω =
ρR2
s
2(pA − pD )
=
ρR2

From Table A.5 for water at 50◦ C the vapour pressure is pvp = 12340[P a].
Atmospheric pressure is patm = 2116[psf a] = 101340[P a]. Using the correlation
supplied in Table A.1 the density of water at 50◦ C is ρ = 988[kg/m3 ].
Final Answer: Ω = 44[rad/s].

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 Figure 2: U tube rotating about the DC axis.

Question 3
Figure 8.14b page 546 in the textbook shows the streamlines for the flow of air
at 20[◦ C] in a corner. The velocity field for this flow is approximately:

V0
u(x, y) = x
L
V0
v(x, y) = − y
L
where V0 = 10[m/s] is a velocity scale, L = 2[m] is a length scale, x is positive
to the right, and y is positive upwards. Gravity acts in the z direction. Friction
plays a negligible role in establishing the pressure field of this flow.

1. Show that the pressure field for this approximately:

ρV02 ¡ 2 ¢
p(x, y) = p0 − 2
x + y2
2L
where p0 is the pressure at (0[m], 0[m]).

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 If this is a valid pressure field the x and y components of the equations of
motion must balance. For the x equation of motion:

Du ∂u ∂u ∂u ∂u V2
≡ +u +v +w = 02 x
Dt ∂t ∂x ∂y ∂z L
∂p V02
= −ρ 2 x
∂x L
?
Du z}|{ ∂p
ρ = − x Equation
Dt ∂x
V2 V2
Therefore ρ 02 x = ρ 02 x
L L
Similarly for the y equation of motion:

Dv ∂v ∂v ∂v ∂v V2
≡ +u +v +w = 02 y
Dt ∂t ∂x ∂y ∂z L
∂p V02
= −ρ 2 y
∂y L
?
Dv z}|{ ∂p
ρ = − y Equation
Dt ∂y
V2 V2
Therefore ρ 02 y = ρ 02 y
L L

2. If the pressure at (2[m], 0[m]) is atmospheric pressure (105 [P a]), what is

p0 .

ρV02 ¡ ¢
p(2[m], 0[m]) = patm = p0 − 2
(2[m])2 + (0[m])2
2(L = 2[m])
ρV02
patm = p0 −
2
ρV02
Final Answer: p0 = patm + 2 = pa tm + 60[P a].

3. Estimate the net force due to pressure acting on the wall 0[m] < x < 2[m].
The wall has a unit depth in the z direction and atmospheric pressure acts
on the lower face of the wall.

δfy = −[p(x, 0) − patm ]dx · 1

Z 2[m]
Fy = − [p(x, 0) − patm ]dx · 1
0[m]
Z 2[m]
ρV02 ¡ 2 ¢
= − [p0 − patm − 2
x + (0[m])2 ]dx
0[m] 2L

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 Figure 3: Freebody diagram of pressure forces on the wall.

¯2[m]
2[m] ρV02 3 ¯¯
= − [p0 − patm ]x|0[m] + x
6L2 ¯0[m]
ρV02 4 ρV02
= −4 +
L2 3 L2

ρV02
Final answer: The net force due to pressure on the wall is Fy = − 83 L2 =
−80[N/m] which acts downwards.

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 Figure 4: Geometry of tank and coordinate system.

Question 4: Problem P2.141a,b

To calculate the acceleration consider the equations of motion, beginning with
the x equation of motion:
∂p
ρax = − − ρ|gx |
∂x
⇒ pA = pC + ρ(ax + |gx |)L
pA − pC
or ax = − |gx |
ρL
To estimate the pressure difference (pA − pC ) use the y equation of motion:
∂p
0 = − − ρ|gy | since v = 0
∂y

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 ⇒ pA = patm + ρ|gy |hA
and pC = patm + ρ|gy |hC
⇒ pA − pC = ρ|gy |(hA − hC )

Substituting gives:
pA − pC
ax = − |gx |
ρL
hA − hC
= |gy | − |gx |
L
hA − hC
= g cos θ − g sin θ
L
Final answer: ax = −3.80[m/s2 ]. The tank is deaccelerating as it moves
up the ramp.
The tank contains water and is 50[cm] wide. What is the net force due to
pressure acting on the rear wall of the tank (the wall running from point A to
the free surface of the water). You may assume that water has stopped sloshing.
See the above figure for the freebody diagram of the rear wall.

δfx = [patm − p(y)]w · dy

p(y) = patm + ρ|gy |(hA − y)
Z hA
Fx = [patm − p(y)]w · dy
0[m]
Z hA
= −ρ|gy |w (hA − y)dy
0[m]
h2A
= −ρ|gy |w
2
h2A
Final answer: Fx = −ρg cos θw 2 = −166N . The force due to pressure
acts to push the rear wall of the tank outwards.

Question 5

Figure 5: Schematic of laminar boundary layer on a flat plate.

The sketch shows the laminar boundary layer region very close to a flat plate
with flow of air over the plate. The laminar velocity field is approximately:
µ ¶
y y2
u(x, y) = u0 2 − 2
δ δ

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 µ ¶
δ y2 y3
v(x, y) = u0 2
− 3
x 2δ 3δ
where δ is the thickness of the region above the plate in which the flow is influ-
enced by the plate and u0 is the fluid speed far above the plate (also referred to as
the freestream speed). For laminar flow, the thickness is a function of position
along the plate: r
x
δ(x) = 5 ν
u0
where ν is the kinematic viscosity of the air.

1. Derive an expression for the drag force that acts on the top side of the
plate. The plate has a length L and a width (into the page) of b.

¯
∂u ¯¯
τw (x) ≡ µ
∂y ¯y=0
u0
≈ µ2
δ(x)
1 µu0 3/2
=
2.5 ν 1/2 x1/2
dFx = τw (x)bdx Elemental force due to air acting on plate
b µu0 3/2
= dx
2.5 ν 1/2 x1/2
Z L
b µu0 3/2
D = 1/2 x1/2
dx
0 2.5 ν
2b µu0 3/2 1/2
⇒D = L Final Answer
2.5 ν 1/2

2. Estimate the drag force when air at 20[◦ C] flows over a plate 0.5[m] long
and 2.0[m] wide. The freestream speed is 3[m/s].
From Table A.2 for air at 20 [◦ C] ρ = 1.20[kg/m3 ], µ = 1.80×10−5 [N s/m2 ],
and ν = 1.50 × 10−5 [N s/m2 ].
Final Answer: D = 0.031[N ].
3. When the plate is flipped so it is perpendicular to the flow, the drag force
is due to pressure. In this case, a reasonable estimate of the drag force is

D = 0.6ρu20 Lb

where ρ is the air density. Compare the size of the drag force in this case
to that which exists when the flow is parallel to the plate.
4. Final Answer: D = 6.5[N ] which is considerably greater than the drag
force on the plate when the flow is parallel to the plate.