INDIAN INSTITUTE OF SPACE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM
DEPARTMENT OF AEROSPACE ENGINEERING

AE463 ADVANCED FLUID MECHANICS : ASSIGNMENT – 1

Last date of submission : 22 September 2017

1. Consider the steady-state flow through a horizontal circular tube of radius R. By what fraction
is the volumetric flowrate for a given pressure drop reduced if we place a wire of radius εR at
the centerline? Solve the problem for all ε, but calculate the actual fraction for ε = 0.1.

2. Consider the laminar flow of a fluid layer falling down a plane inclined at an angle θ with
respect to the horizontal. If h is the thickness of the layer in the fully developed stage, show
that the velocity distribution is u(y) = (g/2ν)(h2 − y2 ) sin θ , where the x-axis points in the
direction of flow along the free surface, and the y-axis points toward the plane. Show that the
volume flow rate per unit width is Q = (gh3 /3ν) sin θ , and that the frictional stress on the wall
is τ0 = ρg sin θ .

3. A long vertical cylinder of radius b rotates with angular velocity Ω concentrically outside a
smaller stationary cylinder of radius a. The annular space is filled with fluid of viscosity µ.
Obtain an expression for the steady velocity distribution and hence show that the torque exerted
on either cylinder, per unit length,

a2 b2
T = 4π µΩ
b2 − a2
Also, determine an expression for the radial pressure distribution.

4. Consider fully developed, steady, incompressible flow of a Non-Newtonian fluid through a

straight circular tube of constant cross section. The driving force of the fully developed flow
is the axial pressure gradient. For non-Newtonian fluids the stress - strain rate relation may be
expressed by the relation
 n  n−1
∂u ∂u ∂u
τrz == k = −k
∂r ∂r ∂r

where k (consistency index) and n (flow behavior index) are material constants. For n < 1
we have the pseudoplastic fluid, n = 1 with k = µ is the Newtonian fluid, and n > 1 is the
dilatant fluid. Develop the governing equations of the flow and hence (a) obtain the equation
for velocity profile and (b) the average velocity of flow.