Criterion of distinction between laminar and turbulent flow is
Reynolds Number (Re) or (NR).
Inertia force m a
Reynold’s Number, Re = =
Viscous force τ A
ma ( ρ L ) ( L T ) ( ρ L ) ( LT ) ( LT ) Lρ
3 −2 3 −2 −1
= = =
Re =
( ) ( )
τA du ( 2) LT
−1 μ
μ
dy
L μ ( L)
2
L
VLρ VL VL
Re = = =
μ μ ϑ
ρ
Where L = characteristic length
= absolute or dynamic viscosity (N.s/m2)
= kinematic viscosity (m2/s)
VDρ
For practical purposes Re =
μ (D = diameter of the pipe)
Turbulent
Re = 4000 Upper critical limit
Transition Zone
Re = 2000 Lower critical limit
Laminar
Critical Reynold’s number = 2000
Example 1
Water of kinematic viscosity 1.15 x 10-6 m2/s flows in a circular pipe
of 30 mm in diameter. Calculate the largest flow rate for which
laminar flow can be expected.
What is the equivalent flow rate of air? (air = 1.37x 10-5 m2/s)
Example 2
Oil with = 9.6 X 10-3 N.s/m2, s = 0.90 flows at 4.2 l/s through a
pipeline of 5cm diameter. Calculate NR and classify flow.
Example 3
Given = 0.057 N.s/m2 , s = 0.90, D = 75 mm
Q = 350 l/min.
Is the flow laminar or turbulent?
Steady Flow: occurs when condition at any point in the fluid do not
change with time.
∂V ∂ρ ∂T ∂P
=0 , =0 , =0 , =0
∂t ∂t ∂t ∂t
Unsteady flow: condition at any point in the fluid changes with
time.
∂V
≠0
∂t
Uniform flow: velocity is same at every section at any instant of
time.
∂V
=0
∂s
Where s = distance
Non-uniform flow: velocity vector varies from place to place at any
instant of time.
∂V
≠0
∂s
Illustration
Steady uniform flow: flow through a long pipe at a constant rate.
Unsteady uniform flow: flow through a long pipe at a changing rate.
Steady non-uniform flow: flow through a conical pipe at a constant
rate.
Unsteady non-uniform flow: flow through a conical pipe at a
changing rate.
1 – Dimensional Flow: F = F(x.t)
2 – Dimensional Flow: F = F(x,y,t)
3 - Dimensional Flow: F = F(x,y,z,t)
Where F =flow or fluid property (velocity, mass, density, pressure)
In Cartesian co-ordinate system
V =u i+ v j + wk
Illustration:
1 – D flow: flow through a straight pipe
2 – D flow: flow over a weir or flow around an island
3 – D flow: flow of cool air from outlet of an air conditioner into a
room.
Flow Patterns
Can be visualized in many ways such as dye, smoke, flakes or
surface powder on liquids, photographs etc.
Example: Streamline, Streamtube and Pathline
Streamline
- The imaginary line drawn in the fluid such that the tangent at
any point on the line indicates the direction of velocity of the
fluid particles at that point.
- Since at any point the velocity is tangential to the streamline,
so the component of velocity at right angles to the streamline
is always zero. Thus there can be no flow occurring across a
streamline.
Streamtube
- An element of fluid bounded by a number of streamlines
which confine the flow is called a streamtube.
- Since the velocity normal to a streamline is zero, so no flow
can enter or leave the streamtube except at the ends.
Therefore, streamtube behaves like a solid tube.
Pathline
- Is the trace made by a single particle over a period of time.
- Thus the pathline shows the direction of the velocity of a
particle at successive instant of time.
Equation of Streamline and Pathline
u, v, w = components of velocity vector V .
dx, dy, dz = components of displacement d r of a particle in the
direction of V .
Streamlines can be calculated from the velocity field by geometric
relationship as shown in the figure.
Since every vector arc length d r along a streamline must be tangent
to V , respective components of are proportional
dx dy dz dr
= = =
u v w V
………(1)
Introduce a parameter ds equal to the ratio’s in equation (1), we get
dx dy dz
=u , =v , =w
ds ds ds
……..(2) Equation of streamline.
Equation of pathline is given by
dx dy dz
=u , =v , =w
dt dt dt
Example 1
An idealized velocity distribution is given by the equation
x y
u= ,v= , w=0
1+t 1+2 t
Calculate and plot the streamline and pathline which pass through
the point (x0, y0, 0) at time t = 0.
