MFSM 350

FLUIDS IN RIGID BODY MOTION

Consider a condition where every particle of liquid is at rest with to every other particle and to the containing
vessel, but the whole mass, including the vessel, has a uniformly accelerated motion with respect to the earth. The liquid is
said to be in equilibrium and at rest with respect to the vessel, but it is neither in equilibrium nor at rest with respect to the
earth. This condition of liquid is called relative equilibrium. Since there is no motion of the liquid with respect to the
vessel and no movement between the water particles, then there can be no friction or shear stress between layers of water.

I. Vessel moving with constant acceleration

If a vessel partly filled with any liquid moves horizontally along a straight line with a constant acceleration a, the
surface of the liquid will assume an angle 𝜽 with the horizontal as shown in the Figure. Consider the forces acting on a
small mass of liquid m and any point O on the surface.
This mass is moving with a constant horizontal acceleration a, and the force producing the acceleration is the
resultant of all the other forces acting upon the mass. These forces are the forces of gravity W acting vertically downward
and the pressure of all the adjacent particles of the liquid. The resultant F of these forces must be normal to the free
surface AB. Since force equals mass times acceleration

𝑊𝑎
𝐹 = 𝑚𝑎 = 𝑒𝑞. 1
𝑔

From the figure,

𝑃 = 𝑊𝑡𝑎𝑛 𝜃 𝑒𝑞. 2

Solving the equations simultaneously gives us,

𝒂
𝐭𝐚𝐧 𝜽 = 𝒆𝒒. 𝟑
𝒈

𝐭𝐚𝐧 𝜽 = 𝒔𝒍𝒐𝒑𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒇𝒂𝒄𝒆 𝑨𝑩 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒂𝒔𝒔𝒖𝒎𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒂𝒏𝒚 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒂𝒄𝒄𝒆𝒍𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒗𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒆𝒍

II. Intensity of pressure at any given point b, at a depth h below the free surface
Consider the vertical forces acting on a vertical prism ab on the figure. Since there is no acceleration vertically,
the only forces acting are the atmospheric pressure at a, gravity, and the upward pressure on the base of the prism at b. If
the cross sectional area is dA,

𝑝𝑏 𝑑𝐴 = 𝛾ℎ 𝑑𝐴 + 𝑝𝑎 𝑑𝐴 𝑒𝑞. 4
𝑝𝑏 = 𝛾ℎ + 𝑝𝑎 𝑒𝑞. 5

If atmospheric pressure pa = zero gage pressure

𝒑𝒃 = 𝜸𝒉 𝒆𝒒. 𝟔

Just similar to hydrostatics, but the points with equal pressure lie in an inclined plane parallel with the surface of the
liquid.
III. Vessel Rotating about an Axis

When the vessel is at rest, the surface of the liquid is horizontal and at mn. The m’b’n’ represents the form of
surface resulting from rotating the vessel with constant angular velocity 𝜔 in radians per second about its
vertical axies OY.

Consider the force acting on a small mass of liquid m, at a, distant r from the axis OY. Since the mass
has a uniform circular motion it is subjected to a centripetal force,

𝐶 = 𝑚𝜔2 𝑟

This force produces an acceleration directed toward the center of the rotaton and is the resultant of all the other
forces acting on the mas. These other forces are ther force of gravity, W = mg, acting vertically downward, and
the pressur exerted by the adjacent particles of the liquid. The resultatn F of this liquid pressure must be normal
to the free suerface of the liquid at a. Solving for angle 𝜃,

𝑑ℎ 𝐶 𝑚𝜔2 𝑟
tan 𝜃 = = = = 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑙𝑒 𝑏𝑒𝑡𝑤𝑒𝑒𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑎𝑡 𝑎 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑒 ℎ𝑜𝑟𝑖𝑧𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑎𝑙
𝑑𝑟 𝑊 𝑚𝑔

𝝎𝟐 𝒓
𝐭𝐚𝐧 𝜽 =
𝒈

Solving for h,

𝜔2 𝑟
𝑑ℎ = 𝑑𝑟
𝑔

𝝎𝟐 𝒓𝟐
𝒉=
𝟐𝒈

The linear velocity at a is 𝑣 = 𝜔𝑟

By substitution,

𝒗𝟐
𝒉=
𝟐𝒈

We can say that, any point on the surface of the liquid will rise above the elevation of greatest depression a height equal to
the velocity head at that point.
To determine the relative pressure at any point c at a depth h’ vertically below the surface at c’, considet the vertical
forces acting on the prism cc’, having a cross sectional area dA. As this prism has no vertical acceleration, ∑ 𝐹𝑦 = 0

𝑝𝑐 𝑑𝐴 = 𝛾ℎ′ 𝑑𝐴

𝒑𝒄 = 𝜸𝒉′

The relative pressure at any point is that due to the head of liquid directly over the point, as in hydrostatics.
It follows that the total pressure on the sides of the vessel is the same as though the vessel were filled to the
level m’n’ and were not rotating.

Problems:

1. A vessel containing water moves horizontally along a straight line with a constant velocity of 3 m/s. What is the form
of its water surface?

2. A vessel partly filled with water moves horizontally with a constant linear acceleration 0f 3 m/s2. What is the form of
its water surface?

3. An open cylindrical vessel 2 ft in diameter, 3 ft high and two-thirds filled with water, rotates about its vertical axis
with a constant speed of 90 rpm. Determine
a) the depth of water at the center of the vessel
b) the total pressure on the cylindrical walls
c) the total pressure on the bottom of the vessel.