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REYNOLDS NUMBER

ALLAN PAOLO S. ABALLE


Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering

Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering and Architecture

Cebu Institute of Technology – University, N. Bacalso Ave. Cebu City, 6000 Philippines

The Osbourne Reynolds Apparatus was used to investigate the characteristic of the flow of
the liquid in the pipe which is also used to determine the Reynolds number for each state of
flow. The design of the apparatus allowed studying the characteristic of the flow of the fluid
in the pipe, the behaviour of the flow, and also to calculate the range for the laminar and
turbulent flow where the calculation is used to prove the Reynolds number is dimensionless
by using the Reynolds number formula.
The types of flow observed were: a) laminar (NRe < 2100), b) transient (2100 < NRe < 4000),
and c) turbulent (NRe > 4000). The Reynolds Number was calculated using the appropriate
units of each of the term, and dimensional analysis showed that Reynolds number is
dimensionless.
1. Introduction

Osbourne Reynolds in 1883 conducted a number of experiments to determine the Laws of


Resistance in pipes to classify types of flow. Reynolds number, NRe, is the ratio of inertia force
to the viscous force where viscous force is shear stress multiplied area and inertia force is mass
multiplied acceleration. Reynolds determined that the transition from laminar to turbulent flow
occurs at a definite value of the dimensionally property, called Reynolds number:
𝜌𝑣𝐷
NRe= 𝜇

Where: v = flow velocity (m/s)


ρ = density (kg/m3)
D = inside diameter of pipe section (m)
μ = dynamic viscosity of the fluid (kg/ms)

Reynolds carried experiments to determine the different types of flow: laminar,


transient, and turbulent. Each flow was assigned limiting values which quantitatively decides
the type of flow. Figure 1 shows an illustration of the types of flow and its corresponding
Reynolds number.

Figure 1. Types of Flow: a) Laminar (NRe < 2100), b) Transient (2100 < NRe <4000,
and c) Turbulent (NRe > 4000)

2. Materials and Methods

2.1 Equipment and Materials


Osbourne Reynolds number Apparatus Stopwatch
Dye 1L Graduated Cylinder
Thermometer Digital Camera
2.2 Procedure
The diameter of the pipe was determined for the calculation of the cross-sectional
area. Then the water temperature was determine for the calculation of viscosity and
density. The dye reservoir was mounted on top of the head tank. The control valve was
opened and the head tank was continuously supplied with water from the faucet.
Stabilization of the flow was done for best results. Slowly, the dye was introduced and
its flow behavior was observed. Water was collected at a specific time for every
adjustment done in the dye valve. The water collected was measured with its
corresponding collection time. Several runs was made making sure both laminar flow and
turbulent flow was acquired.

3. Results
Table 1. Raw Data and Calculations
Vwater Time Volumetric Flow Velocity
Type of
Trial Collected (t) rate (Q) (v) NRe
(mL) (s) (m3/s) (m/s) Flow
1 87.4 60 1.46E-06 0.02898 282.14 Laminar
2 91.6 60 1.53E-06 0.030372 295.69 Laminar
3 89.5 60 1.49E-06 0.029676 288.916 Laminar
4 577 10 5.77E-05 1.1479 11175.586 Turbulent
5 530 10 5.30E-05 1.0544 10265.31 Turbulent
6 560 10 5.60E-05 1.11408 10846.37 Turbulent

Diameter of pipe used: 0.008 m


Temperature of Water: 29 ºC Area of pipe, A = 5.03x10-5 m2
ρ @ 29 ºC = 995.96 kg/m3
μ @ 29 ºC = 0.8184x10-3 Pa·s
3.1 Calculations
𝑉𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟
Volumetric Flowrate 𝑄= 𝑡

Trial 1: (1)
1𝐿 1 𝑚3
87.4 𝑚𝐿 (1000 𝑚𝐿) (1000 𝐿) 𝑚3
−6
𝑄= = 1.46𝑥10
60 𝑠 𝑠
𝑄
Velocity 𝑣=𝐴

Trial 1: (2)
𝑚3
1.46𝑥10−3 𝑠 𝑚
𝑣= −5 2
= 0.02898
5.03𝑥10 𝑚 𝑠

𝐷𝑣𝜌
Reynolds number, NRe 𝑁𝑅𝑒 = 𝜇

Trial 1:
𝑚 𝑘𝑔
(0.008 𝑚)(0.02898 𝑠 )(995.96 3 )
𝑁𝑅𝑒 = 𝑚 = 282.14
𝑘𝑔
0.8184𝑥10−3 𝑚 ∙ 𝑠

4. Discussion

The values of NRe depends on the volumetric flow rate. It can be observed from Table 1
that the value of NRe is large when the flow rate is large. This implies that NRe increases when
the flow rate increases. In this experiment, the diameter of the pipe, density of the fluid, and
viscosity of the fluid is constant. From the Reynolds number equation, NRe is directly
proportional to velocity, which is calculated by dividing the flow rate by the cross-sectional
area of the pipe.

5. Conclusions
In fluid mechanics, the type of flow can be determined by calculating the Reynolds
number. The Reynolds number is a function of the pipe diameter, the fluid velocity, the fluid
density, and the fluid viscosity. Increasing the pipe diameter or the fluid velocity or fluid
density will increase NRe, which means NRe is directly proportional to D, v, and ρ. If the fluid
is very viscous, the NRe value will be small; NRe is inversely proportional to μ.

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