CL 305: TRANSPORT PHENOMENA

Shell Momentum Balance - 4

AMIT KUMAR
09 February 2021
Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati
EXAMPLE-3: FLOW THROUGH AN ANNULUS

• Flow is in the annular region between two coaxial cylinders of radii

κR and R
• Flow is vertically upwards (i.e., against gravity)

• Flow is steady, laminar, fully developed.

• The fluid has constant density and viscosity
• The length, L, is much larger than the radii κR and R

We postulate:

• vz = vz (r)
• vr = 0, vθ = 0
• p = p(z)

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FLOW THROUGH AN ANNULUS

Let us choose the z axis to be directed vertically upward.

Momentum balance over a thin cylindrical shell of fluid in the annular
region results in the following:

   
d (p0 + ρg(0)) − (pL + ρgL) P0 − P L
(rτrz ) = r= r
dr L L
where the modified pressure P = p + ρgh = p + ρgz

 
P0 − P L C1
⇒ τrz = r+
2L r
Newton’s law of viscosity:

     
∂vz ∂vr ∂vz dvz
τrz = −µ + = −µ = −µ
∂r ∂z ∂r dr

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FLOW THROUGH AN ANNULUS

So,
 
dvz P0 − PL C1
=− r−
dr 2µL µr
 
P0 − PL C1
⇒ vz = − r2 − ln r + C2
4µL µ

Boundary conditions:
• At r = κR, vz = 0
• At r = R, vz = 0
Applying the two boundary conditions, we get
 
P0 − P L C1
0=− κ2 R2 − ln(κR) + C2 ...(A)
4µL µ
 
P0 − P L C1
0=− R2 − ln R + C2 ...(B)
4µL µ

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FLOW THROUGH AN ANNULUS

Subtracting (A) from (B),

 
P0 − P L C1
0=− R2 (1 − κ2 ) − ln(1/κ)
4µL µ

(P0 − PL ) R2 (1 − κ2 )
⇒ C1 = −
4L ln(1/κ)

(P0 − PL ) R2 (1 − κ2 )
 
C2 = 1− ln R
4µL ln(1/κ)

Substituting C1 and C2 in the expression for vz , we get

(P0 − PL ) R2 (1 − κ2 )
 
P0 − P L
vz = − r2 + ln r
4µL 4µL ln(1/κ)

(P0 − PL ) R2 (1 − κ2 )
 
+ 1− ln R
4µL ln(1/κ)
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FLOW THROUGH AN ANNULUS

(P0 − PL ) R2 (1 − κ2 )
 
P0 − P L
vz = − r2 + ln r
4µL 4µL ln(1/κ)

(P0 − PL ) R2 (1 − κ2 )
 
+ 1− ln R
4µL ln(1/κ)

2
(1 − κ2 )
  
(P0 − PL ) 2 2 (1 − κ ) 2
⇒ vz = −r + R ln r + R 1 − ln R
4µL ln(1/κ) ln(1/κ)

(1 − κ2 ) (1 − κ2 )
 
(P0 − PL )
⇒ vz = R2 − r 2 + R2 ln r − R2 ln R
4µL ln(1/κ) ln(1/κ)

(P0 − PL ) 2
  r 2 (1 − κ2 )  R 
⇒ vz = R 1− − ln
4µL R ln(1/κ) r

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FLOW THROUGH AN ANNULUS

(P0 − PL ) 2
  r 2 (1 − κ2 )  R 
vz = R 1− − ln
4µL R ln(1/κ) r

(P0 − PL ) R2 (1 − κ2 )
   
P0 − PL C1 P0 − PL
τrz = r+ = r−
2L r 2L 4rL ln(1/κ)

(1 − κ2 ) R
 
(P0 − PL ) R r
⇒ τrz = −
2L R 2 ln(1/κ) r

The radial position corresponding to zero shear stress (and maximum

velocity) is given by setting τrz = 0. So,
(1 − κ2 ) R
 
(P0 − PL ) R rmax
− =0
2L R 2 ln(1/κ) rmax
1/2
(1 − κ2 ) R (1 − κ2 )

rmax
⇒ = ⇒ rmax = R
R 2 ln(1/κ) rmax 2 ln(1/κ)
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FLOW THROUGH AN ANNULUS: Maximum Velocity

1/2
(1 − κ2 )

rmax = R
2 ln(1/κ)
h i1/2
(1−κ2 )
Let λ = 2 ln(1/κ) .

So, rmax = λR and the maximum velocity, obtained by substituting

rmax = λR in the expression for vz , is

(1 − κ2 )
  
(P0 − PL ) 2 1
vz,max = R 1 − λ2 − ln
4µL ln(1/κ) λ
  
(P0 − PL ) 2 1
⇒ vz,max = R 1 − λ2 − 2λ2 ln
4µL λ
(P0 − PL ) 2 
R 1 − λ2 + λ2 ln λ2

⇒ vz,max =
4µL
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FLOW THROUGH AN ANNULUS: Velocity and Stress Profile

• Shear stress in negative for r < λR

• For r < λR, z momentum is
transported from region of higher r
to region of lower r

• Shear stress in positive for r > λR

• For r > λR, z momentum is
transported from region of lower r
to region of higher r

Image taken from Transport

Phenomena by Bird, Stewart, Lightfoot
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