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Fluid Mechanics White 7th SOL Part1 Part3
Fluid Mechanics White 7th SOL Part1 Part3
Fluid Mechanics White 7th SOL Part1 Part3
What are the dimensions of the constant “61.9”? Can this equation be used with confidence
for a variety of liquids and gases?
*1.20 (“*” means “difficult”—not just a plug-and-chug, that is) For small particles at low
velocities, the first (linear) term in Stokes’ drag law, Prob. 1.11, is dominant, hence
F = KV, where K is a constant.
Suppose a particle of mass m is constrained to move horizontally from the initial position x =
0 with initial velocity V = Vo. Show (a) that its velocity will decrease exponentially with
time; and (b) that it will stop after travelling a distance x = mVo/K.
Solution: Set up and solve the differential equation for forces in the x-direction:
P1.21 In his study of the circular hydraulic jump formed by a faucet flowing into a
sink, Watson [53] proposes a parameter combining volume flow rate Q, density ρ and
viscosity µ of the fluid, and depth h of the water in the sink. He claims that the grouping is
dimensionless, with Q in the numerator. Can you verify this?
Solution: Check the dimensions of these four variables, from Table 1.2:
ρQ {M / L3}{L3 / T}
{ }= = {1} = dimensionless Ans. Watson is correct.
µh {M / LT}{L}
P1.22 Books on porous media and atomization claim that the viscosity µ and surface
tension of a fluid can be combined with a characteristic velocity U to form an important
dimensionless parameter. (a) Verify that this is so. (b) Evaluate this parameter for water at
20°C and a velocity of 3.5 cm/s. NOTE: Extra credit if you know the name of this parameter.
Solution: We know from Table 1.2 that {µ}= {ML-1T-1}, {U} = {LT-1}, and { }= {FL-1} =
{MT-2}. To eliminate mass {M}, we must divide µ by , giving {µ/ } = {TL-1}. Multiplying
by the velocity will thus cancel all dimensions:
µU ϒ
is dimensionless, as is its inverse, Ans.(a)
ϒ µU
The grouping is called the Capillary Number. (b) For water at 20°C and a velocity of 3.5
cm/s, use Table A.3 to find µ = 0.001 kg/m-s and = 0.0728 N/m. Evaluate
µU (0.001kg / m − s)(0.035m / s) ϒ
= = 0.00048 , = 2080 Ans.(b)
ϒ (0.0728 kg / s2 ) µU
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1.23 The rise in height of a plume of polluted gas emitting from a smokestack can be
evaluated by the formula
H = 1.6Fb1/3x 2/3 /w
where Fb is the buoyancy flux, x is the distance downstream from the smokestack, and w is
the wind speed. (a) What are the dimensions of Fb? It is proposed that
Fb g a d bV c (ΔT / T )
where g is the acceleration due to gravity, d is the diameter of the stack, V is the stack gas
velocity, T is the gas temperature, and ΔT is the temperature difference between the gas and
the ambient air. (b) Determine a, b, and c if they can only be positive integers.
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If Fb g a d bV c (ΔT / T )
[L4T –3 ] = [LT –2 ]a [L]b [LT –1 ]c
⇒ a+b+c = 4
−2a − c = −3
The only possible positive integers satisfying these equations:
a = 1, b = 2, c=1
Hence, Fb gd 2V (ΔT / T )
P1.24 In 1908, Prandtl’s student Heinrich Blasius proposed the following formula for the wall
shear stress τw at a position x in viscous flow at velocity V past a flat surface:
P1.25 The Ekman number, Ek, arises in geophysical fluid dynamics. It is a dimensionless
parameter combining seawater density ρ, a characteristic length L, seawater viscosity µ, and the
Coriolis frequency Ω sinφ , where Ω is the rotation rate of the earth and φ is the latitude angle.
Determine the correct form of Ek if the viscosity is in the numerator.
Note that sinφ is itself dimensionless, so the Coriolis frequency has the dimensions of
Ω. Only ρ and µ contain mass {M}, so if µ is in the numerator, ρ must be in the
denominator. That combination µ/ρ we know to be the kinematic viscosity, with units
{L2T-1}. Of the two remaining variables, only Ω sinφ contains time {T-1}, so it must
be in the denominator. So far, we have the grouping µ/(ρ Ω sinφ), which has the
dimensions {L2}. So we put the length-squared into the denominator and we are
finished:
µ
Dimensionless Ekman number: Ek = Ans.
2
ρ L Ωsin φ
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P1.26 During World War II, Sir Geoffrey Taylor, a British fluid dynamicist, used
dimensional analysis to estimate the energy released by an atomic bomb explosion. He
assumed that the energy released, E, was a function of blast wave radius R, air density ρ,
and time t. Arrange these variables into a single dimensionless group, which we may
term the blast wave number.
Solution: These variables have the dimensions {E} = {ML2/T2}, {R} = {L}, {ρ} =
{M/L3}, and {t} = {T}. Multiplying E by t2 eliminates time, then dividing by ρ
eliminates mass, leaving {L5} in the numerator. It becomes dimensionless when we
divide by R5. Thus
E t2
Blast wave number =
ρ R5
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P1.27 Air, assumed to be an ideal gas with k = 1.40, flows isentropically through a nozzle.
At section 1, conditions are sea level standard (see Table A.6). At section 2, the temperature is
–50°C. Estimate (a) the pressure, and (b) the density of the air at section 2.
Solution: From Table A.6, p1 = 101350 Pa, T1 = 288.16 K, and ρ1 = 1.2255 kg/m3. Convert to
absolute temperature, T2 = -50°C = 223.26 K. Then, for a perfect gas with constant k,
p2 T 223.16 1.4/(1.4−1)
= ( 2 )k /(k −1) = ( ) = (0.7744)3.5 = 0.4087
p1 T1 288.16
Thus p2 = (0.4087)(101350 Pa) = 41, 400 Pa Ans.(a)
ρ2 T 223.16 1/(1.4−1)
= ( 2 )1/(k −1) = ( ) = (0.7744)2.5 = 0.5278
ρ1 T1 288.16
Thus ρ 2 = (0.5278)(1.2255kg / m3 ) = 0.647 kg / m3 Ans.(b)
Alternately, once p2 was known, we could have simply computed ρ2 from the ideal-gas law.
ρ2 = p2/RT2 = (41400)/[287(223.16)] = 0.647 kg/m3
P1.28 Show that the perfect-gas law given in Eq. (1.10) can alternatively be written as
pV = nΛT
where p is pressure, V is volume, n is the number of moles, Λ is the universal gas constant,
and T is the absolute temperature
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1.29 A tank contains 0.9 m3 of helium at 200 kPa and 20°C. Estimate the total mass of this
gas, in kg, (a) on earth; and (b) on the moon. Also, (c) how much heat transfer, in MJ, is
required to expand this gas at constant temperature to a new volume of 1.5 m3?
Solution: First find the density of helium for this condition, given R = 2077 m2/(s2⋅K) from
Table A-4. Change 20°C to 293 K:
Now mass is mass, no matter where you are. Therefore, on the moon or wherever,
For part (c), we expand a constant mass isothermally from 0.9 to 1.5 m3. The first law of
thermodynamics gives
Then the heat added equals the work of expansion. Estimate the work done:
1.30 Estimate the number of moles of methane (CH4) contained in a tank of 1 cubic meter
under an absolute pressure of 200 kPa and a temperature of 20°C. What is the methane
concentration in mol/m3, and in kg/m3? What is the pressure if the temperature is increased to
60°C?
Solution:
Recall pV = nΛT
p = 200 kPa
V = 1 m3
T = 20 + 273 = 293 K
Λ = 8.314 J/(mol ⋅ k)
200 × 10 3 × 1
∴ n= ≈ 82 moles
8.314 × 293