Technische Universiteit Delft

Faculty of Mechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineering

ME45042/ME45043 - Advanced Fluid Mechanics

Fall, 2021

Problem Set 1

Distributed: Thursday, September 9, 2021

Due: Friday, September 17, 2021 , not Graded

Reading Assignment:
Chapter 1.1,4.1, Fluid Mechanics, Kundu & Cohen

Hint:
Surface tension forces arise at an interface between two fluids (e.g. air/water interface). Surface
tension (interfacial tension) is responsible for the “elastic”-like tendency of the interface to deform
and acquire a minimum surface. Surface tension has units of Newton per meter N.m−1 . Problems
related to surface tension can be looked at with dimensional analysis now. We will discuss surface
tension in more detail in a few weeks, after which you will be able to do the same problems with
more physical insight by doing a “scaling” analysis

Question 1: Hydroplaning
Problem 1.9 in Kundu

Question 2: Meniscus
1./ Find a scaling for the total height h of a meniscus (a meniscus is the curve in the upper surface
of a liquid close to the surface of the solid container).
2./ Give an estimate for the height of the meniscus formed in a glass of water.

Question 3: Scaling of Rowing competitions

All olympic rowing competitions are raced over 2000m.
1./ Find a scaling for the racing time in an (olympic) rowing competition as a function of the
number of rowers in the boat.
2./ Compare your scaling with the results from the six rowing competitions for men or women in
the last 5 olympic games.
3./ What world record would you expect for a hypothetical 16 competition?

Question 4: Pending droplet

1./ Find a scaling for the maximum size of a liquid droplet hanging from a ceiling.

Question 5: Lubrication Theory

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Lubrication theory corresponds to a simplification of Navier Stokes Equation for thin film geome-
tries. One classic example occurs when painting a wall an leaving a very thin layer of paint on
a wall. In this case, the length scale for the paint thickness H is much smaller than the length
scale of the wall surface L (L >> H). In this case, the characteristic velocity scale in the direction
parallel to the wall U and normal to the wall V are different. One can use lubrication theory when
the viscous terms dominate all inertial terms.
1./ Non-dimensionalise the continuity equation, and find a scale for V depending on U . 2./ Care-
fully non-dimensionalise the momentum equation and derive a condition for lubrication theory to
be valid.

Question 6: Scaling for the blast of an Atomic Bomb

An atomic bomb releases an amount of energy E. Following the detonation, the energy released E
generates a blast cloud, which can be assumed spherical at first. The figure below corresponds to
pictures of the first atomic detonation, which occured during a test on july 16, 1945.
1./ Find a scaling for the time dependent radius of the blast R(t).
2./ How does your scaling compare with the figure below?
3./ From the pictures, provide an estimate of the energy released during the detonation.

Question 7: Air Flow in Lungs

As you breath, airflows through your bronchioli of your lungs. Assume that each of these can
be approximated as a circular pipe with a diameter of d and length L. At rest, a certain person
in/exhales at a rate of 10 times per minute; this is caused by a sinusoidal pressure difference ∆P0
generated by the lung contraction/relaxation.
1./ What are the relevant non-dimensional group governing the flow field? What do they represent?

Question 8: Oscillations of an inviscid droplet

1./ Find a scaling for the frequency of oscillations of an inviscid drop in zero gravity enivronment.
2./ How does your scaling compare with an estimate which you can find from a youtube video of

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your choice.

Question 9: Settling velocity

Consider a sphere of steal settling in honey under the influence of gravity
1./ Find a scaling for the velocity at which the sphere falls.
2./ Perform your own experiment and verify the validity of this scaling.

Question 10: Particle suspended in a fluid flow

The behaviour of a particle suspended in a fluid flow is crucial to flow measurement techniques
such as Particle Image Velocimetry. The Stokes number Stk measures how closely a particle follow
streamlines. Consider a uniform flow of velocity U around an obstacle (for example a cylinder) of
characteristic length scale L. The fluid has a viscosity µ, density ρ. The flow is seeded with small
particles of diameter a and density ρp .
1./ Derive a timescale τf , that characterizes the flow and how fast it changes.
2./ Derive a timescale τp that characterizes how quickly the velocity of the particle adapts to
changes in the velocity of the surrounding flow. 3./ The Stokes number is defined as Stk = τp /τf .
What happens when Stk << 1 and Stk >> 1?
4./ Find a non dimensional number that characterizes whether effects of gravity (particle weight)
should be taken into account.