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Chapter - 8 - Fluid Flow in Pipes
Chapter - 8 - Fluid Flow in Pipes
Chapter 8:
MEFM_323 (FLUID MECHANICS)
REYNOLDS NUMBER, Re a dimensionless number which is the ration of the inertia force to the viscous
force.
As mentioned in the previous chapter, fluid flow possesses different forms of energy like
kinetic energy (due to speed of fluid flow) and potential energies (due to elevation of fluid flow about a
reference point and pressure exerted upon the fluid causing it to flow). Eventually as the fluid flows in
encounters losses (due to friction, etc..) thus, the initial energy possessed by the moving fluid is no longer as it
is as it exits (Ein ≠ Eout; Ein > Eout).
Head losses in pipes maybe classified into two (2) the “major head loss”, which is caused
by pipe friction along straight sections of pipe of uniform diameter and uniform roughness, and
the “minor head loss”, which are caused by changes in velocity or direction of flow, and are
commonly expressed in terms of kinetic energy.
where:
hl minor head loss , m
k head loss coefficient for diverging sides,
dimensionless
ʋ1 initial velocity, m/ s
ʋ2 final velocity, m/ s
go acceleration due to gravity, m/ s2
Ṽ1 = Ṽ2 = Ṽ3 = Ṽ
Hl = hf1 + hf2 + hf3 + hminor
Ṽ = Ṽ1 + Ṽ2 + Ṽ3
Hl = hl1 = hl2 = hl3
Ṽ1 = Ṽ4 Ṽ1 = Ṽ4
Ṽ1 = Ṽ2 + Ṽ3 Note: The number of equations
needed to solve the
hf2 = hf3 problem must be equal to
the number of pipes.
Hl A-B = hf1 + hf2 + hf4
Hl =
SAMPLE PROBLEMS: hl1 = hl2 = hl3
1. Oil of 0.80 specific gravity is set to flow in a 200mm diameter pipe. Find the mean velocity.
Use μ = 8.1 x10-2 Pa-s.
2. For laminar flow conditions, what size of pipe will deliver 6 liters per seconds of oil having a
kinematic viscosity of 6.1 x10-6 m2/ s?
3. Oil having a relative density of 0.869 and dynamic viscosity of 0.0814 Pa-s flows through a 150mm
diameter and 50m long pipe at a velocity of 1 m/s. Find the head lost due to friction.
4. A fluid flows at 0.001 m3/s through a 100mm diameter pipe. Determine whether the flow is
laminar if the fluid is:
(a) Hydrogen, ƞ = 1.08 x10-4 m2/s (d) Water, ƞ = 1.02 x10-6 m2/s
-5 2
(b) Air, ƞ = 1.51 x10 m /s (e) Mercury, ƞ = 1.15 x10-7 m2/s
-7 2
(c) Gasoline, ƞ = 4.06 x10 m /s (f) Glycerin, ƞ = 1.18 x10-3 m2/s
5. What commercial size of new cast-iron pipe shall be used to carry 4,490 gpm of fluid with a lost
head of 10.56 ft? Assume f = 0.019
6. Two pipes each 300m long are connected in series. The flow of water through the two pipes is
150 Li/s with a total frictional loss of 15m. If one pipe has a diameter of 300mm, what is the
diameter of the other pipe? Neglect minor losses and assume f = 0.02 for both pipes.
7. Two pipes 1 and 2 having the same length and diameter are in parallel connection. If the flow in
pipe 1 is 750 Li/s, what is the flow in pipe 2 if the friction factor, f of the second pipe is twice than
that of the first pipe?