1

Investigating Fluid Pressure Variation in Tapered Pipes: Impact

of Slope Changes on Ideal Flow

Fluid Mechanics-II
Submitted to:

Reyan (23-ME-77)

Ahmad Zahab (23-ME-65)

Sudais Khan (23-ME-93)

M. Saad Arshad (23-ME-89)

Haseeb (23-ME-209)

Submitted to:

Engr. Muhammad Sumair

Department of Mechanical Engineering

University of Engineering & Technology Taxila, Pakistan

 2

Objectives
• to predict geometry of a pipe having different characteristics such as tapering and
slope change.
• to study and examine the effects of slope and change of cross-sectional area of the
pipe on various aspects of fluid. • to study the different concepts such as
Continuity and Bernoulli’s equation.
• to identify the pressure and velocity changes that occur and find out the correct values
of them.

Introduction
Background
Studying and Understanding fluid flow through various objects such as pipes tanks containers
is key component in every engineering field let it be Civil Engineering Mechanical
Engineering Chemical Engineering Petroleum Engineering and many other fields. The main
reason for studying fluid flow is to predict, identify, counter and solve every problem that
may arise while working on fluids, let it be petroleum, gas, lubricants, oils, etc. In this
particular scenario, we are given a problem that contains a fluid that flows through a pipe
having different set of characteristics and we ought to find out how fluid behaves in it
The Problem that we are given to investigate involves pipe that has been tapered and has a
slope change Such pipes are in use in different fields and industry that involve Mechanical
and Petroleum Engineering. Fuel Transportation and Engine Carburetor are the most
prominent things that involve such characteristics.
Another Important Aspect in studying fluid flow is identifying what type of fluid it actually
is. In our problem it is mentioned that we are dealing with a non-viscous ideal fluid. In ideal
fluid. Energy loss factors such as friction ignored. This makes the identification of actual
problems an easy task and complex calculations can be made easy.

Problem Statement
Investigate the effect of slope of taper pipe on the fluid pressure (at lower end of pipe) for a
frictionless (ideal, non-viscous) flow for the following scenario:

Assume that the water is flowing through a taper pipe of length 200 m having diameters 800
mm and 300 mm at the upper and lower end respectively, at the rate of 50 liters/s. Find the
pressure at the lower end if the pressure at the higher level is 196.2 k Pa. It is required to
change the slope of pipe from 1 in 10 to 1 in 55 (with successive interval of 1 in 5 each time)
Problem Significance
 3

Tapering is a function of a lathe machine. A tapered pipe is such a pipe where the radius of
one side of the pipe is different than the other side of the pipe as shown in the figure.

Figure
1 shows a tapered pipe with different diameter at left and right.

In our case. We are given a problem that contains a similar type of pipe that is tapered to
800mm at one end and 300mm at the other. The total length of the pipe is 200m.
Inside this pipe there’s a fluid(water) that that has a certain set of properties. The properties
as mentioned are that. The fluid is an ideal Fluid. What ideal fluid means is that it’s a
frictionless non-viscous fluid. A non-viscous fluid means that there’s no internal resistance to
the flow of fluid while it’s moving. So, there’s no energy loss in the fluid. Dealing with ideal
fluids becomes easy. That’s because ideal fluids contain no such complex energy loss factors
and it’s easy to identify and solve different sets of problems that arrive. However, in real life.
No ideal fluids Exist. Every fluid is somewhat viscous and contains different energy loss
factors.
In this problem we are asked to find the pressure at the lower end of the pipe while we are
given the pressure of the upper end that is 196.2kpa. Another Characteristic that this pipe
contains is that it has slope change. A slope of a taper pipe refers to how much the pipe rises
or falls over a certain distance. Its usually expressed as ratio such as 1 in 10 which means that
for every 10 units of horizontal distance, the pipe rises or falls by 1 unit vertically.

Figure 2 shows a tapered pipe with a slope change

In industry. Pipes with different slope changes are commonly used to improve the mobility of
them and also help save space. For example, in a sewerage system there may be cases where
 4

a pipe needs to be at a certain angle of slope so that it fits easily and the sewage flow
becomes better. The slope of a pipe affects the velocity of the fluid that flows through the
pipe.

Velocity Relationships were studied and explained in detail by a Swiss Mathematician and
Physicist Leonard Euler in the 18th Century. The concept is called Equation of Continuity And

it states that

“Within a closed system, the mass flow rate of a fluid remains constant,implying that the
product of the fluid’s velocity and cross-sectional areas remains unchanged”

Equation of Continuity
Continuity equation represents that the product of cross-sectional area of the pipe and the fluid
speed at any point along the pipe is always constant. This product is equal to the volume flow
per second or simply the flow rate. The continuity equation is given as:
R = A*V = CONSTANT
rate A is the flow area v
is the flow velocity

Assumption of Continuity Equation

Following are the assumptions of continuity equation:

The tube is having a single entry and single exit

The fluid flowing in the tube is non-viscous

The flow is incompressible
The fluid flow is steady

Now, consider the fluid flows for a short interval of time in the tube. So, assume that short
interval of time as Δt. In this time, the fluid will cover a distance of Δx1 with a velocity v1 at
the lower end of the pipe.

At this time, the distance covered by the fluid will be:

Δx1 = v1Δt

Now, at the lower end of the pipe, the volume of the fluid that will flow into the pipe will be:
 5

V = A1 Δx1 = A1 v1 Δt

It is known that mass (m) = Density (ρ) × Volume (V). So, the mass of the fluid in Δx1 region
will be:

Δm1= Density × Volume

=> Δm1 = ρ1A1v1Δt ——–(Equation I)

Now, the mass flux has to be calculated at the lower end. Mass flux is simply defined as the
mass of the fluid per unit time passing through any cross-sectional area. For the lower end
with cross-sectional area A1, mass flux will be:

Δm1/Δt = ρ1A1v1 ——–(Equation II)

Similarly, the mass flux at the upper end will be:

Δm2/Δt = ρ2A2v2 ——–(Equation III)

ρ A v = constant

The equation proves the law of conservation of mass in fluid dynamics. Also, if the fluid is

incompressible, the density will remain constant for steady flow. So, ρ1 =ρ2.

Thus, Equation 4 can be now written as:

A1 v1 = A2 v2

This equation can be written in general form as:

A v = constant

Now, if R is the volume flow rate, the above equation can be expressed as:

R = A v = constant——–(Equation V)

This equation gives equation of continuity, which can be interpreted as the peed of the fluid is
inversely proportional to cross-sectional area. Thus, increasing the speed decreases
crosssectional area and vice versa.
 6

Pressure Change
When investigating fluid flow through the tapered pipe with a slope change. Its also important
to mention the pressure change that occurs inside the pipe. Pressure changed and other
different characteristics of fluid were studied in great detail by Swiss Scientist Daniel
Bernoulli in the 18th Century. Bernoulli’s Concept goes through in great detail about fluid
pressure speed and height for flow of an ideal fluid. Since we are dealing with ideal fluid in
this case. Bernoulli’s equation is extremely helpful in determining the change of pressure of
an ideal fluid flow in a tapered pipe

Bernoulli's equation

Bernoulli’s principle states that

The total mechanical energy of the moving fluid comprising the gravitational potential energy
of elevation, the energy associated with the fluid pressure and the kinetic energy of the fluid
motion, remains constant.

Bernoulli’s principle can be derived from the principle of conservation of energy

. P+21 ρv2+ρgh=constant——–(Equation VI)

P is the fluid pressure,

ρ is the fluid density, v
is the fluid velocity,
g is the acceleration due to gravity, h

is the height above a reference point.

 7

Methodology

This section involves the complete detailed procedure of understanding and finding the
optimal solution to the problem as was discussed in the Introduction section.
As given in the statement The Pipe’s geometry is as such that the diameter of the upper end
of the pipe is 800mm while the lower end is 300mm. The complete length of the pipe is
200m. Meanwhile, a slope change has been made to occur in the pipe meaning that the
inclination changes with different intervals. In our given Case. The slope of of pipe changes
from 1 to 10 to 1 to 55 with successive changes of 1 in 5. This means that we will solve for
every 1 in 5 successive changes from 1 in 10 until it reaches 1 in 55. Slope changes can be
manipulated to get the height h which we can put in the equations to get the desired solution
Now that the geometry of Pipe is discussed. The next section contains the explanation of
fluid.
The Fluid that flows inside the pipe is water and is flowing with the rate of 50 liters per
second. This unit can be converted to Si unit and will provide ease in calculation.
We are given the Pressure of water in the Upper end of pipe which is 196.2kpa. We are asked
to find the pressure at the lower end of pipe. In this Case we use Bernoulli’s equation which
related pressure density and velocity of a fluid and states that all these factors remain constant
throughout the media in which its flowing given that it’s an ideal fluid.
Hence it can be said that.
Pressure At the Lower End = Pressure at the Upper End
Another Factor that needs to be discussed is the rate at which the fluid flows. Using Equation
of Continuity. We get to understand that reducing Area increases the flow rate of fluid and
vice versa. Since we are dealing with a tapered pipe. It’s understandable that theres a change
in area throughout the Pipe. So, to find the velocity in the pipe so that we can plug it in the
Bernoulli’s equation, we can use the following factor deducted from Equation of Continuity
Area*Velocity at the upper End=Area*Velocity at the lower End
Using these factors as discussed. The Mathematical Solution of this problem is pinned as
follows.
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15