Fluid Mechanics Terminologies

1. Reynolds Number(Re) Inertia force

ULρ
Re = Viscous force
µ
U=velocity; L=tube width; ρ=density;µ=viscosity

2. Laminar Vs Turbulent Flow

• Laminar: viscous force dominate; Re<2100 in tube
• Turbulent: inertia force dominate but competes
with viscous force; Re>2100 in tube
• Inviscid: viscous force negligible; Re >> 2100
 Fluid Mechanics Terminologies
3. Steady Flow
• Velocity of fluid in space is:
– u = u (x,y,z,t) at position (x,y,z) at time t
– Steady flow: ∂u
=0
∂t
• The velocity field of fluid, u , at each point
in space is constant in time.
• Not the same as mean velocity!
 Fluid Mechanics Terminologies
4. Streamline
• A streamline is a curve that describes
directions tangent to the velocity vector u in
space in a steady flow at any time t.
• In other words, it traces the path of fluid
elements in a steady velocity field
• Velocity perpendicular to streamline is zero
 Fluid Mechanics Terminologies
5. Rotational Vs Irrotational Flow
• Irrotational: Fluid elements experience ZERO
net angular momentum at any point.
∇×u = 0
• Rotational: Fluid elements experience finite
angular momentum
6. Compressible and Incompressible Flow
• Incompressible: ∇ • u = 0
• Compressible: e.g. supersonic flow
 Fluid Mechanics Terminologies
• Shear stress
– Stress is an internal distribution of forces within a body that
balances and reacts to the loads applied to it.
– Shear stress is the stress that a fluid element experiences when it is
deformed by a force at constant volume.
– The deformation of fluid element can be expressed as rate of
deformation or rate of shear: du
dz

Moving at F
F A τ=
velocity u A
du du
τ∝ ⇒τ = µ
stationary dz dz
z
 Fluid Mechanics Terminologies

7. Coefficient of Viscosity
• Shear (shear stress)
For a deformable solid:
F/S = G θ; where G = shear modulus
S S
F
Deformation

In a fluid: du
τ =µ
dy
In other words, viscosity is the resistance of a fluid from
shear (flow) and is a measure of adhesive/cohesive or
frictional properties
 Fluid Mechanics Terminology
8. Kinematic Viscosity Dynamic viscosity
(“stickiness”)
µ
υ=
ρ Inertia of fluid element
9. Newtonian Fluid
A fluid for which the coefficient of viscosity is constant when
the shear stress and the rate of shear vary.
du
τ =µ
dy
e.g. Water - Newtonian fluid
Polymer - Non-Newtonian fluid (viscoelastic fluid is one type
of non-Newtonian fluid, i.e. viscosity changes with the rate of
shear.)
 Fluid Mechanics Terminology
10. No Slip Condition
• Net velocity is ZERO at solid wall boundary
U=0 at bounding walls.
du
• Nature of solid wall does not matter ≠0
dz
• Boundary Layer
11. Continuity
• Conservation of fluid elements in a control volume
• i.e. what comes in must also goes out!

IN OUT
control volume
Fluid Mechanics: Poiseuille Flow
• Pressure-driven flow in tube/pipe
P1 Flow
P2
R
velocity
u=u(r)

• Force balance:
– Pressure force: Fp = −∆PAtube = ( P1 − P2 )πr 2
– Shear force=(shear stress) (surface area of cylinder)
Fv = τ (2π rL)
du
=µ (2π rL)
dr
Equate pressure and shear forces: Fp=Fv
du − ∆P rdr
∴ − ∆Pπr = µ
2
(2π rL) ⇒ du =
dr 2 µL
Fluid Mechanics: Poiseuille Flow
Integrate using no-slip boundary conditions,
u=0 at r=R:
u r
− ∆P r
∫0 du = ∫R 2µL dr
r
− ∆P  r 
[
− ∆P 2 2
]
2
u=   = R −r
2 µL  2  R 4 µ L

− ∆P 2 2
∴u =
4 µL
R −r( )
 Fluid Mechanics: Poiseuille Flow
Volumetric flow rate, Q d
Q = V = Au
dt
dA = 2π rdr
dQ = Adu + udA = udA
0

dQ = udA = u 2π rdr
R
R
− ∆P  r R
2
r 
2 4

Q = ∫ dQ = ∫ u 2π rdr ⇒Q=  − 
4 µL  2 4 0
0
R
− ∆P 2 2 πR 4 ∆P
⇒Q=∫ (
R − r 2π rdr ) Q=
0
4 µL 8 µL
R
− ∆P 2 2
=∫
4 µL
( )
R − r 2π rdr
Q is proportional to R4