CONSERVATION OF MASS

Control Volumes

By: Bashir Momodu

 INTRODUCTION

The concept of defining a volume of fluid in a

flow field surrounded by an imaginary enclosing

surface is extremely useful in fluid mechanics.

Such a volume is called a control volume and its

surrounding, a controlled surface.

 Mass Conservation

Control volumes and surfaces can be useful in the

application of the laws of conservation of mass,

momentum, and energy to the fluid flow.

 DEFINITION

The conservation of mass in a fluid flow requires the

accumulation of mass inside a control volume is

accounted for by the net flow of mass across the

control surface because mass can neither be destroyed

or created within the control volume.

 Real Life Comparison
“Mass conservation can be compared to a bank

account. The increase in value of the principal is

equal to the deposit plus interest payments minus the

withdrawals plus service charges. Flow into the

control volume is equivalent to a credit, while

outflow is a debit to the account.”

Fluid System and Control Volume
The concept of a free body diagram as used in statics
of rigid bodies and in fluid statics is usually
inadequate for the analysis of moving fluid. The
concept of fluid system and a control volume is
preferred for these type of analyses.
A fluid system refers to specific mass of fluid within
the boundaries defined by the closed surface. The
shape of such systems and boundaries may change
with time. As a fluid moves and deforms, so does the
system containing the fluid. However, in contrast
control volume refers to a fixed position in space
which does not change shape or move.
Control Volume for Steady Flow
Diagrams
 Diagram Discussion
Considering the linear momentum of the fluid system and
control volume defined within the stream tubes of figure 6.1,
the fixed control volume lies between sections 1 & 2. The
moving fluid system consists of the fluid mass contained at
time (t) in the control volume. At a short time interval, Δt, we
assumes that the fluid moves a short distance Δs1in section 1 and Δs2 at
section 2.

d(mV)s = d(mV)cv + d(mV)out cv - d(mV)in cv

dt dt dt dt

-subscript s denotes the moving fluid system

-subscript cv denotes the fixed control volume
 Unsteady Flow
The following equation is the momentum equation for unsteady flow:

Σ F = d(mV)cv + d(mV)out cv - d(mV)in cv

dt dt dt

On the right side of this equation, the force time represents the
rate of change or the accumulation of momentum within the
control volume. The second and third terms respectively
represent the rate at which momentum enters and leaves the
control volume. The above equation states that the result of a
force acting on a fluid mass is equal to the rate of change of
momentum of the fluid mass.
 Steady Flow
In steady flow cases, the condition between the control volume
does not change, so d(mV)cv/dt = 0 and the momentum equation
reduces to ΣF = d(mV)out cv - d(mV)in cv
dt dt
For steady flow, the net force on the fluid mass is equal to the
net rate of outflow of momentum across the control surface.
If it is specified that the velocity is constant where it cuts across
the control surface, and assuming there is steady flow:
d(mV)1 = dm1*V1=m1V1=ρ1Q1V1
dt dt
and the same relationships hold for section 2. Therefore for
steady flow: ΣF = m2V2 -m1V1= ρ2Q2V2 - ρ1Q1V1
The direction of the sum of F must be the same as that of the
velocity change, delta V. Note that the ΣF represents the sum of
all forces acting on the fluid mass and the control volume,
including gravity forces, shared forces, and the pressure forces.
 Discussion
Momentum principle is particularly important in flow
problems when forces need to be determined. Such forces
are encountered whenever the velocity of a stream changes in
magnitude or direction. By the law of action and reaction, the
fluid exerts an equal and opposite force on the body producing
the change. Momentum principle is derived from Newton’s
Second Law of Motion. It does not matter if the flow is
compressible or incompressible, real (friction) or ideal
(frictionless), steady or unsteady and the equation is not limited
to flow along a stream line.
 Discussion, con’t.
In applying the energy equation to real fluid, the energy loss
must be computed. This is not a problem with momentum
analysis, since it can be expressed from Newton’s Second Law.
This law states the sum of the forces (F) on a body of fluid or
system(S) is equal to the rate of change of linear momentum
(mV) of that body or system. All the previously developed
momentum equations in this write-up were all derived from
Newton’s Second Law: