UNIVERSITY OF ZIMBABWE

2018 JUNE/JULY EXAMINATIONS

Faculty: ENGINEERING

Department: MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

Paper Code and Title: ME304 – FLUID MECHANICS

Duration: 3 hrs

Examiner: Mr. E. Mungofa

Authorized Materials: Non Programmable Calculator

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. This paper contains Six Questions in Section A, B and C all in 7 pages.
2. Answer FOUR questions, Answer at least ONE Question from each section.
3. Start each question on a new page
4. All questions carry 25 marks
5. State all assumptions made.

N/B: DO NOT TURN OVER THE QUESTION PAPER OR COMMENCE

WRITING UNTIL INSTRUCTED TO DO SO.
Page 1 of 7
 SECTION A: FLUID STATICS AND APPLICATIONS

QUESTION 1

a) Define the following terms with sketches were necessary as applied in fluid mechanics
(i) Knudsen Number [3 marks]
(ii) Visco-elastic fluid. [3 marks]

b) Starting with a 3-D frame of reference, use the first principle and basic laws of fluid mechanics
to show the following equations of fluid statics;
(i) Basic equation of fluid mechanics for incompressible flow. [5 marks]
(ii) State of force in a fluid at rest [5 marks]

c) A spherical liquid drop of diameter, d1, coalesces with another drop of diameter, d2, to form
a single drop of diameter, d3, of the same amount of liquid. Assuming that the drop behaves
as a gas in an isothermal process, derive an expression for d3 as a function of p0, surface
tension of the mixture in air. [5 marks]

d) The G5 contractor during their work on a 5-m wide new complex swimming pool ran out of
gunite mixture and had to finish the deep corner with a quarter circle piece of PVC pipe
labelled AB in fig 1below. For this arrangement, compute the vertical and horizontal water
forces experienced on curved panel XY. [4 marks]

4m

2m

Fig 1.1
Y

e)

Page 2 of 7
 QUESTION 2

a) With the aid of sketches and equations draw on a Shear Stress Velocity gradient the
following fluids.
(i) Newtonian fluid with viscosity, u2 > u1 [4 marks]
(ii) Newtonian fluid with viscosity u1 [4 marks]
(iii) Thinning fluids [4 marks]

b) A uniform wooden cylinder has a specific gravity of 0.8. Find the ratio of cylinder diameter,
D, to length of cylinder, L, so that it will just float upright in a state of neutral equilibrium in
water. [3 marks]

c) Show that the hydrostatic force on an inclined plane for surface S is equal to the hydrostatic
force of the same surface placed horizontal at the centroid. [5 marks]
d) With reference to Fig Q2, Determine the velocity, v, at the centre given that the ratio of
viscosity for bottom layer to top layer is 1:2 and assuming a steady flow. [5 marks]

Solid plate moving horizontally all the time, determine the value of v(m/s)

U
𝜇2 = 2𝜇1

V=?
b
𝜇1 cb

Page 3 of 7
 SECTION B: FLUID FLOW CONCEPTS AND APPLICATION

QUESTION 3

a) Describe with the aid of sketches where necessary the following concepts of in fluid flow
i) Mach number, [2 marks]
ii) Displacement thickness and [2 marks]
iii) Turbulent Boundary Layer. [2 marks]

b) Compare and Contrast the following as used in fluid kinematics giving equations and
sketches in space coordinates were necessary.
(i) Eulerian and Lagrangian Approaches for fluid flow, [2 marks]
(ii) Control Mass and control Volume. [2 marks]
(iii) Path-line and Streak-line [2 marks]

𝑦 2
c) Assume the velocity distribution in the boundary layer is given by: 𝑢(𝑈) = 𝑢∞ (𝛿 ) where
each term has its usual meaning, Calculate the ratio of:
𝜹∗
(i) , [2 marks]
𝜹
𝜽
(ii) and [2 marks]
𝜹
𝜹𝒆
(iii) . [2 marks]
𝜹

d) The Given the following velocity field for an incompressible fluid:

V1 = k(x2 − 2)2 x3
V2 = −x1 .x2
V3 = k x1 x3

Determine k such that the equation of mass conservation is satisfied [3 marks]

e) A particle moving with a velocity V defined by the velocity field given by 𝑉 = 4𝑥𝑦𝑖 + 8𝑡𝑧 2 −
2𝑦𝑧𝑘, at point P(3, -2, 2) at t =3. Find:
(i) the acceleration of the particle and [2 marks]
(ii) angular velocity about the z -axis. [2 marks]

Page 4 of 7
 QUESTION 4

a) With aid of labelled sketches, write down the expression of wetted perimeter and
hydraulic radius for channels of the following geometries:
(i) Trapezoidal channel and [2 marks]
(ii) Circular channel. [2 marks]

b) The Fig. Q4 shows a restriction in a horizontal channel at a point B created by a smooth

reduction in the channel width. The width at section A is 3.7 m and the width at section B is
2.4 m. If the depth of flow at section A is 2.5 m and the flow rate is 5m3 /s. Find
(i) The depth of flow at section B and [3 marks]
(ii) The width at section B will choke the flow. [4 marks]

3.7 m 2.4 m

A B
Fig. Q.4

c) Write down the expression for the resultant force for the following cases applicable to the
“momentum equation”.

(i) Force due to flow around a pipe bend, [2 marks]

(ii) Force on a pipe nozzle, [2 marks]
(iii) Force on curved vane and [2 marks]
(iv) Force of a jet hitting the inclined plane. [2 marks]

d) Construct elaborately labelled sketches of:

(i) Specific energy versus flow depth at constant specific discharge, [3 marks]

(ii) Specific discharge versus flow depth at constant specific energy [3 marks]

Page 5 of 7
 SECTION C: FLUID MACHINERY AND APPLICATIONS

QUESTION 5

a) Define the following terms with the aid of well labelled sketches where necessary as applied
in Turbo-machinery
(i) Total Dynamic head, TDH, [3 marks]
(ii) Brake Horse power and [3 marks]
(iii) Diagram power. [3 marks]

b) Explain with the aid of neat labelled sketch diagram how the operating flow-rate and head
are determined in a pump-piping system. [4 marks]

c) The table Q5 below shows the specifications of a Grundfos SQFlex 2.5-2 surface solar water
pumping system delivering 50L per min of water at 20ºC. It is given that an 80 mm diameter,
45 m long PVC suction line draws water from the reservoir located H meters from the pump
centre line. Again, the atmospheric pressure existing over the reservoir is 101 kPa with a 2
m NPSH required. PV at 12 o C is taken as 1.38 m of H2O column.

Table Q5: Grundfos SQFlex2.5-2 data

Parameter Value
Maximum Discharge 3 m3/s
NPSH required 200 mm
Static Head, Hs ±10 m
Atmospheric pressure 101 kP
Ca, 1 exit + 1 bent
Kinematic viscosity, v 1.14 x10-6m2/s
Temperature of fluid 12 O C
Pipe diameter of suction line 80 mm
Length of pipe 45 m
Determine in each case whether the system will have cavitation problems or not

(i) For a suction inlet of 10 m above reservoir level [5 marks]

(ii) For a suction inlet of 10 m below reservoir level. [5 marks]

(iii) Comment on answers obtained in Q5c (i) and (ii) above. [2 marks]

Page 6 of 7
QUESTION 6

a) For a pump with flow rate Q, head H, diameter D, rotational speed ω, and pumping a fluid of
density . Derive the dimensionless expression for;
(i) Power coefficient, [3 marks]
(ii) Flow rate coefficient and [3 marks]
(iii) Head coefficient. [3 marks]

b) Water (density of 1000kg/m3, u = 0.89*10^-3kg/m. s) is to be pumped at a flow rate of

0.3155m3/s through a pipe network of 33 cm diameter pipe that is 670m long, having six fully
open gate valves (k = 0.3 each) and 10 elbows (k =0.3 each). The piping system provides water
to a two-heat exchanger (k =20 each) in a loop. The pipe has a roughness of 0.25 mm.

(i) determine the head loss in the system for each flow rate, [6 marks]
(ii) plot the H vs Q and [3 marks]
(iii) Find the duty-point of the pump. [3 marks]

Table Q6: Flow Variation with Head Loss

Flow rate(m3/s) Head loss(m)

0.13
0.23
0.28
0.3
0.31
0.32

c) Show by means of sketches (H vs Q) the static lift in each of the following situations for
centrifugal pumps.
(i) 2 pumps delivering water below centre line, [2 marks]
(ii) 1 pump delivering water above centre line and [2 marks]

****************end of main exam**************

Page 7 of 7