Flow through a Circular Pipe

Steady Laminar flow in a pipe

Since τ was determined simply from a balance of forces, this distribution
is valid for both laminar and turbulent flow.
The volumetric flow
Realize that the pressure will decrease along the pipe in the direction of flow
because of fluid friction (viscosity), and so the pressure gradient dp/dx will be
negative (Δp/L < 0) according to the sign convention.
This type of flow is sometimes called Poiseuille flow, and the last equation is known as
the Hagen–Poiseuille equation, since it was originally developedfrom experiments in
the mid-1800s by the German engineer Gotthilf Hagen, and independently by a
French physician, Jean Louis Poiseuille.* Shortly thereafter the analytical formulation,
as developed here, was presented by Gustav Wiedemann.

If we know the flow Q, we can solve the Hagen–Poiseuille equation for the pressure
drop that occurs over the length L of the pipe. It is

Notice that the greatest influence on pressure drop comes from the pipe’s diameter.
For example, a pipe having half the diameter will experience sixteen times the
pressure drop due to viscous fluid friction! This effect can have serious consequences
on the ability of pumps to provide adequate water flow through pipes that may have
narrowed due to the accumulation of corrosion or scale.
 The Reynolds Number

For most engineering applications, however, laminar flow for a

Newtonian fluid begins to change to transitional flow at about Re =
2300.* This value is called the critical Reynolds number, and in this
book, unless otherwise stated, we will assume it to be the limiting
value for laminar flow in uniform straight pipes. Therefore,
Notes
• Steady flow through a pipe is a balance of pressure, gravitational, and viscous
forces. For this case, the viscous shear stress varies linearly from zero at the
center and has its greatest value at the wall of the pipe. It does not depend upon
the type of flow, whether it is laminar, transitional, or turbulent.
• The velocity profile for steady laminar flow of a Newtonian incompressible
fluid within a pipe is in the shape of a paraboloid. The maximum velocity is umax
= 2V, and it occurs along the centerline of the pipe. The velocity at the wall is
zero since it is a fixed boundary—the “no-slip” condition.
• Flow within a horizontal pipe is dependent upon both pressure and viscous
forces. Reynolds recognized this and formulated the Reynolds number Re =
ρVD/µ as a criterion for dynamic similitude between two different sets of flow
conditions.
• Experiments have indicated that laminar flow in any pipe will occur provided
Re<2300. This general estimate of an upper limit will be used in this book.
 Fully Developed flow from an entrance
The transition or entrance length L’ is actually a function of the pipe diameter D and
the Reynolds number.

Using our criterion for laminar flow in pipes, that is, Re = 2300, then as an upper limit to
the entrance length, L = 0.06(2300)D = 138D. This is a relatively long distance, for example,
for a 150-mm-diameter pipe L = 20.7 m, and so fully developed laminar flow rarely occurs
in pipes, either because the velocity will be high so that Re is close to its upper limit of
2300, or the flow will get disrupted by a valve, transition, or bend in the pipe.
Turbulent Flow. Experiments have shown that the
entrance length to fully developed turbulent flow is
not very dependent upon the Reynolds number;
rather, it depends more upon the shape or type of
inlet and upon the actual roughness of the wall of
the pipe. For example, a rounded inlet, as shown in
Fig. 9–16b, produces a shorter transition length to
full turbulence than a sharp or 90 inlet. Also, pipes
with rough walls produce turbulence at a shorter
distance than those with smooth walls.
Through experiments, along with a computer analysis, it has been found that fully
developed turbulent flow can occur within a relatively short distance. For example, it is on
the order of 12D for a low Reynolds number, Re = 3000. Although longer transition
distances occur at larger Reynolds numbers, for most engineering analysis it is reasonable to
assume this transition from unsteady to mean steady turbulent flow is localized near the
entrance. And as a result, engineers account for the friction or energy loss that occurs at a
turbulent entrance length by using a loss coefficient, something we will discuss in the next