SCHEMATIC DIAGRAM OF REYNOLD’S APPARATUS

EXPERIMENT NO: 2

REYNOLD’S EXPERIMENT OF VISCOUS FLOW

AIM: To determine the Reynold’s number and hence the type of flow either
laminar or turbulent.

APPARATUS: Reynold’s Apparatus.

DESCRIPTION:

The apparatus consists of a glass tube with one end having bell mouth
entrance kept in water tank. The tank is of sufficient capacity to store
water. At the other end of the glass tube a cock is provided to vary the
rate of flow. A capillary tube is introduced centrally in the bell mouth,
to this tube; dye is fed from small container placed at the top of tank
through polythene tubing.

PROCEDURE:

Open the cock so that flow will start. Then adjust the flow of dye
through capillary tube so that a fine colour thread is observed indicating
laminar flow. Increase the flow through glass tube and observe the
colour thread, if it is still straight the flow still remains to be in laminar
region and if waviness starts, it is the indication of transition zone. Note
down the discharge at which colour thread starts moving in wavy form,
which corresponds to lower critical Reynold’s number. Increase the
discharge still further, until the dye filament starts breaking up which
corresponds to upper critical Reynold’s number. Repeat the experiment
number of times and take the average critical numbers. Further increase
in the discharge, will change the flow into the turbulent region and will
be observed by mixing of the dye with the flowing water.

OBSERVATION DATA:

(1) Diameter of pipe = d = ______

(2) Area of pipe = a =  x d2 = _______

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(3) Length of the measuring tank = L = _______

(4) Breadth of the measuring tank = b = _______

(5) Area of the measuring tank = A = _______

 cm
Mean Velocity of water = v = Q sec
a
vd
Reynold’s Number = R=

Where, kinematic Viscosity of water
 2
= =10–6
m
. (At 20oC) Where,
 sec
 = density of water
 1 =  = 106 sec V = velocity of water through pipe.
 m
2 d = diameter of pipe.
µ = co-efficient of kinetic viscosity.
v m  25
 x (m ) µ/p = v, kinetic viscosity of water v
100  sec  1000 = 10-6, m2/s (at 20oc)
R= m 2 
10−6  
 

 sec 

v 25
R =106 X
100
X 1000

R=250V

OBSERVATION TABLE

DEPTH REYNOLD’S OBSERVATION

DISCHARGE
OF NUMBER OF
PER VELOCITY
SR. WATER VOLUME TIME UNIT TIME vd THE DYE
(D) R=
NO. (V) (T) v=
Q  (TYPE OF
V a
Q= = 250V FLOW)
INS FINAL DIFF T

Cm Cm3 Sec Cm3/Sec Cm/Sec

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SPECIMEN CALCULATIONS:

CONCLUSION:

From the above experiment it is concluded that if the Reynold’s number

for a particular flow is less than 2000, the flow is a laminar flow. But if
the Reynold’s number is between 2000 and 2800, it is neither laminar
flow nor, turbulent flow (Transition flow). If the Reynold’s number exceeds
2800, the flow is a turbulent flow.