07/12/2015

FluidseBook:Similitude

Ch6.ModelingandSimilitude
Dimensional
Analysis
Fluids
Chapter
1.Basics
2.FluidStatics
3.Kinematics
4.Laws(Integral)
5.Laws(Diff.)
6.Modeling/Similitude
7.Inviscid
8.Viscous
9.ExternalFlow
10.OpenChannel

Similitude

Similitude

Theory

CaseSolution

Simulation

IntheDimensionalAnalysissection,methodsto
identifydimensionlessparametersgoverninga
particularmodelwerepresented.Thediscussioninthis
sectionisfocusedonhowtorelateamodeltoan

actualprototype(i.e.,therealfullscalestructure).In
otherwords,itisdesiredtofindoutunderwhat
conditionswilltestingorexperimentsdoneonamodel
accuratelyrepresentorpredicttheactualphenomena.

Similitude

Inthestudyoffluidmechanics,modelsarefrequently
usedfortestinganddevelopmentpurposesin
laboratoriesbeforeafullscaleprototypeisbuilt.The
modelcanbeeithersmallerthantheprototype(e.g.,
designofdam,airplaneandautomobiles)orlargerthan
theprototype(e.g.,studyofinteractionbetweenred
bloodcellsandthevesselwall).

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Dimensionless

Groups

WindTunnelTesting

Taketheaircraftindustryforexample.Itisacommon
practicetodesignanddevelopanaircraftbytesting
themodelinawindtunnel.Thisway,theexpensesof
productdevelopmentwillbereducedconsiderably
comparedtoconductingthedesignanddevelopment
processonafullscaleaircraft.

Author(s):
CheanChinNgo
KurtGramoll

KurtGramoll

Thenextquestionwouldbeunderwhatconditionswill
themodelaccuratelyportraytheactualfullscale
prototype.Inordertoyieldusefulinformationfromthe
modelbeingtested,themodelandprototypeshould
fulfilltherequirementofgeometric,kinematicand
dynamicsimilitude,asdiscussedinthesubsequent
paragraphs.
GeometricSimilitude
Thefirstrequirementisforthemodelandprototypeto
begeometricallysimilar.Themodelandprototype
shouldhavethesameshape,andtheirdimensions
shouldbescaledproportionally.Inaddition,their
orientationandsurfaceroughnessshouldalsohavethe
samescale.
KinematicSimilitude
Toobtainusefulinformationfromthemodeltesting,
thesecondrequirementisforthemodelandprototype
tobekinematicallysimilar.Inordertosatisfythis
condition,theflowconditionsshouldbethesame.In
otherwords,thevelocitiesandaccelerationsat
correspondingpointsshouldhavethesamedirections
andscaledmagnitudes.Modelandprototypethatare
kinematicsimilararealsogeometricallysimilar.
DynamicSimilitude
Inordertoachievedynamicsimilitude,allforces(e.g.,
pressure,shear,viscous,andsurfacetensionforces)
atcorrespondingpointsofthemodelandprototype
shouldhavethesamedirectionsandscaled
magnitudes.Modelandprototypethataredynamically
similararebothgeometricallyandkinematically
similar.
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07/12/2015

FluidseBook:Similitude

AnExample:FlowPastaSphere
Takeflowpastasphereforexample.Aprototypeand
modelsatisfyinggeometricsimilitudeareshowninthe
figure.Thediametersofthespheresareproportional.
Basedondimensionalanalysis,itcanbedetermined
thatthedragforce(D)canbemodeledas,
D/(d2V2)=function(Re)

FlowPastaSphere:Geometricand
KinematicSimilitude
Clicktoviewmovie(29k)

whereReistheReynoldsnumber,andisgivenby
Re=Vd/
Boththemodelandprototypeshouldfollowthesame
relationship.Inordertosatisfythedynamicsimilitude
requirement,theReynoldsnumberanddimensionless
dragforthemodelandprototypeshouldbethesame:

FlowPastaSphere:DynamicSimilitude
Clicktoviewmovie(16k)
Rem=Repand

Dm/(dm2mVm2)=Dp/(dp2pVp2)
wherethesubscriptsmandprefertothemodeland
prototype,respectively.

Fromthisexample,itisshownthatforthemodeland
prototypetofulfilltherequirementofsimilitude,allthe
correspondingpitermsshouldbeequal.Inother
applications,theFroudenumberwillbethesamefor
boththemodelandprototypewhenfreesurfaceflowis
involved.TheWebernumberwillbethesamefor
modelandprototypewhensurfacetensionforceis
important.

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