SEPARATION PROCESS FUNDAMENTALS

LABORATORY GROUP REPORT

EXPERIMENT 5

Drag coefficient measurement

SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING

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TABLE OF CONTENT

1.0 Objective and Introduction

2.0 Material & Methodology

3.0 Procedure

4.0 Results & Discussion

5.0 Calculation

6.0 Limitations

7.0 Conclusion and safety measures

8.0 Reference

Objective:

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• To analyze the phenomena of free-falling body in any fluid.

• To Determine the following parameters:

1) Terminal velocity

2) Drag coefficient vs Reynolds number

3) Fluid viscosity

4) Sphere diameter

Introduction.
Any solid object moving through a viscous fluid will experience a resistance or ‘drag force’. This
is one of the most important aspects of fluid mechanics and it must be remembered that common
fluids like air and water must be considered viscous in this context. An understanding of fluid
drag forces is therefore essential to the proper design of aircraft, trains, automobiles, ships,
submarines, tall structures, jetties and off-shore structures of all kinds. It is equally relevant to
the mechanics of particles falling under gravity; raindrops and parachutes in air, sand grain in air
or water and the settlement of kinds of all suspended solid particles in water. The drag force
depends on a number of variables and one of the more important is the shape of the moving
body. In this experiment only spherical objects are used. This enables the relationships between
more easily described parameters such as velocity, fluid viscosity and body density to be
explored experimentally. For spherical objects the radius is a sufficient description of the object
although the specific weight of each material used must be determined as well.

EQUIPMENTS & MATERIALS :

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  Stopwatch

• Araeometer

• Letter-scales

PROCEDURE:
1) Two 1.5L of water bottles were prepared. The top section was completely cut off and the
weight of each empty bottle was measured.

2) The first bottle was filled up with 100 ml of water and the second bottle was filled up
with 100ml of dishwashing liquid soap.

3) The height of both liquids was measured and the liquid level was ensured to be the same.

4) Two different sizes of marble balls were prepared. Each marble balls was weighed using
an electronic weighing scale.

5) The smaller marble ball was first dropped into the bottle filled with water. Once the ball
was dropped, the time was taken immediately and when the ball had reached to the
bottom, the time was stopped.

6) Step 5 was repeated 3 times using the same marble ball.

7) Step 5 and 6 was repeated using the larger marble ball.

8) For the second part, the smaller marble ball was dropped into the bottle filled with
dishwashing liquid soap. The time for the ball to reach the bottom was taken using a
stopwatch. The same marble ball was dropped 3 times into the liquid to ensure the time
was taken correctly.

9) Step 8 was repeated using the larger marble ball.

RESULT:

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 Sphere Cross-
Volume Density of
diameter sectional Area Mass (g) Force (N)
(m3 x 10-6) sphere (kg/m3)
(mm) (m2 x 10-4)

15.35 1.85 1.89 3416 6.457 0.06334

22.40 3.94 5.88 3065 18.021 0.17679

Time (s)
Sphere
Type of Velocity
diameter
liquid (ms-1)
(mm) T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 TAverage

15.35 0.9 1.0 0.93 0.6 0.7 0.60 0.148

Dishwash
liquid
22.40 1.4 1.6 1.37 0.9 1.0 0.93 0.217

15.35 1.5 1.9 1.57 1.4 1.6 1.37 0.415

Tap water
22.40 1.3 1.5 1.5 1.5 1.9 1.57 0.702

Sphere Reynolds Drag

Type of Drag force
diameter number, coefficient, Log10 Re Log10 CD
liquid (N)
(mm) Re CD

15.35 1265 0.04476 22.05 3.102 1.343

Dishwash
liquid
22.40 2706 0.11900 12.80 3.432 1.107

15.35 7158 0.04480 2.75 3.855 0.439

Tap water
22.40 17668 0.11910 1.23 4.247 0.089

Sample Calculation

For sphere diameter = 15.35mm,

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To find cross-sectional area of sphere:

A = πD2 / 4
= π(15.35x10-3)2 / 4
= 1.85 x 10-4 m2

To find volume of sphere:

V = πD3 / 6
= π(15.35x10-3)3 / 6
= 1.89 x 10-6 m3

To find density of sphere:

ρp = mass / volume
= 6.457 x 10-3 / 1.89 x 10-6
= 3416 kg/m3

To find force of sphere:

F = mg
= 6.457 x 10-3 x 9.81
= 0.06334 N

To find density of liquid:

ρf, dishwash liquid = mass / volume

= 902.034 / 900
= 1.002 g/cm3
= 1002 kg/m3
ρf, water = mass / volume
= 900.115 / 900
= 1.000 g/cm3
= 1000 kg/m3

Based on dishwash liquid using sphere diameter = 15.35mm,

To find average time taken:

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 1.06+1.06+1.03+1.20+1.05
TAverage =
5
= 1.08 s

To find terminal velocity:

UT = distance / time
= 0.16 / 1.08
= 0.148 m/s

Viscosity of water, μ = 8.9 x 10-4 N s m-2

Viscosity of dishwash liquid, μ = 1.8 x 10-3 N s m-2

To find Reynolds number:

Re = ρfDv / μ
= (1002)(15.35x10-3)(0.148) / 1.8 x 10-3
= 1265

Newton’s second law requires that the three forces acting on the sphere, gravity (FG), buoyancy
(FB), and fluid drag (FD) balance.

To find drag force:

FD = FG – FB
= ρpVg - ρfVg
= (3416 x 1.89 x 10-6 x 9.81) – (1002 x 1.89 x 10-6 x 9.81)
= 0.04476 N

To find drag coefficient:

CD = FD / 0.5ρfv2A
= (0.04476) / (0.5 x 1002 x 0.1482 x 1.85 x 10-4)
= 22.05

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 Graph of CD against Re

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15 Dishwash liquid
Tap water
Re

10

0
0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000 12000 14000 16000 18000 20000
CD

Graph of Log10 CD against Log10 Re

1.6

1.4

1.2

1 Dishwash liquid
Log10 Re

0.8 Tap water

0.6

0.4

0.2

0
3 3.2 3.4 3.6 3.8 4 4.2 4.4
Log10 CD

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Discussion:

The experiments carried out in the water tank show that the local drag coefficients of the rising
spheres, for the densities considered, are indeed those given by the values of CDE, within the
usual scatter observed for sphere drag coefficients. This is true indepedently of the oscillatory
motion with which the sphere rises. A distinct wavelength of the sphere motion is observed,
which is constant along the sphePe path. The two-dimensionality of the photographs has here no
effect on the measurement. The evaluation of the lateral amplitudes of the sphere motion has
been carried out, but it could not be done very accurately . sometimes experiences sudden
displacements Prom its general axis of motion, for which no obvious reason could be observed.

Conclution:

Prom the results of these measurements it was concluded thatthe timing device works
satisfactorily. Furthermore it showed that the drag coefficient for spheres with density ratios
down to pslpw = l. 1 is given by the value of C DH' Therefore, if there occur any changes in
sphere drag coefficients they must do so only when the density of the spheres is less than that of
the medium, i. e. , for rising spheres.

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SAFETY MEASURES

1. Avoid breathing any fumes from the hot liquid.

2. Use hot hands to hold the beaker

3. Safety goggles must be worn at all times while in the laboratory

4. Closed toe shoes and long pants must be worn in the laboratory

5. Long hair must be tied back when using open flames.

6. No foods and drinks allowed in the laboratory

7. No unauthorized experiments are to be performed

8. Notify the tutor immediately in case of an accident.

REFERENCE

1. http://www.yenka.com/activities/Separation_of_solids_from_liquids_-_Activity/
2. http://www.propertiesofmatter.si.edu/separatingsolsandliqs.html
3. http://amrita.olabs.co.in/?sub=73&brch=2&sim=96&cnt=1

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