CE 402

FLUID MECHANICS

EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH(DESIGNED EXPERIMENT)

THE ROLE OF FLUID PROPERTIES IN DETERMINATION OF LAMINAR,

TRANSITIONAL AND TURBULENT FLOW USING OSBORNE REYNOLDS
APPARATUS

CE41FA1-1

FERNANDO, JOSEPH MATTHEW L.

ALFARO, MARIE JOY
EUSEBIO, JASON D.
VENCER, KARL DANIEL C.
VILLAMIN, MARION
 OBJECTIVES OF THE EXPERIMENT
To determine each type of flow the liquid is
subjected to using Osborne Reynolds
Apparatus
To know the difference between laminar,
transitional, and turbulent flows
To know what properties of the liquid that
affect the flow of the liquid
 INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES
(ILOs)
At the end of the study, the students shall be
able to:
Have a knowledge about the relevance and
use of Osborne Reynolds Apparatus
To distinguish whether the liquid is subjected
to: laminar, transitional or turbulent flow
To know the principle of Reynolds number in
fluid mechanics and hydraulics
 DISCUSSION

Fluid mechanics is a branch of physical

sciences that deals with the study of properties
and behavior of liquids and gases and in it, there
is a branch called hydrodynamics or hydraulics,
which is the study of liquids in motion.
 DISCUSSION
In hydraulics, internal flow is defined as a
flow for which the fluid is confined by a surface.
There are three types of flow which are:

Laminar Flow is the type of flow in which

the particles move in a straight line in the form
of thin parallel sheets. Laminar flow denotes a
steady condition where all stream lines follow
parallel paths.
 DISCUSSION
Transitional Flow is when the flow changes
from laminar to turbulent or vice versa.

Turbulent Flow is the type of flow in which

the particles move in a zigzag pattern. Turbulent
flow denotes as unsteady condition where
stream lines interacts causing shear plan
collapse and mixing occurs.
 DISCUSSION
In this experiment, the medium used is
liquid, specifically water as the widely known
experiment for determining the flow of liquid is
the Osborne Reynolds Demonstrator. The
Osborne Reynolds Experiment/Demonstrator is
the experiment that is conducted mainly to
study the criterion of laminar, transitional and
turbulent flow.
 DISCUSSION
Osborne Reynolds (23 August 1832 - 21
February 1912) was a prominent innovator in
the understanding of fluid dynamics and
mechanics. Osborne Reynolds Apparatus
consists of water resource for the system supply,
fix-head water input to big and small
transparent pipes, dye input by injection unit,
and water output unit to determine water flow
rate.
DISCUSSION
 DISCUSSION
The first step to determine the type of flow
the water is subjected to is by visualization. The
laminar, transition and turbulent flows can be
obtained by varying the water flow rate using
the water outlet control valve. The supply tank
consists of glass beads to reduce flow
disturbances. Flow patterns are visualized using
dye injection through a needle valve.
 DISCUSSION

The dye injection rate can be controlled

and adjusted to improve the quality of flow
patterns. According to the laboratory manual of
Osborne Reynolds Demonstrator (HM 150.18),
the diagram of three states are as follows:
DISCUSSION
 DISCUSSION
The second step is by computation of
Reynolds number. Reynolds number is an
important dimensionless quantity in fluid
mechanics used to help predict flow patterns in
different flow situations. It is the ratio of inertial
forces to viscous forces within a fluid which is
subjected to relative internal movement due to
different fluid velocities. The Reynolds number is
defined as:
 DISCUSSION

= =

Where
is the density of the fluid (SI units: kg/m3)
v is a characteristic velocity of the fluid with
respect to the object or flow rate (m/s)
L is a characteristic linear dimension or the inside
diameter of the pipe section (m)
is the dynamic viscosity of the fluid (Pas or
Ns/m2 or kg/(ms))
is the kinematic viscosity of the fluid (m2/s).
 DISCUSSION
The flow rate can be calculated from the volume flow,
which is determine with a measuring vessel and a stopwatch

=

Where
V is the volume of the liquid collected (m3)
A is the cross-sectional area of the pipe which is a
circle (m2)
t is the corresponding time when the certain volume is
collected (s)
 DISCUSSION
The three flow states as equivalent in
Reynolds number are:

Laminar : Re < 2000

Transitional : 2000 < Re < 2300
Turbulent : 2300 < Re
 DISCUSSION
Thus the properties of the water involved
in the experiment to be inspected are:
Density is the mass per unit volume of a
fluid. In other words, it is the ratio between
mass (m) and volume (V) of a fluid. It is denoted
by the symbol . Its unit is kg/m, where m is
mass and v is volume.
 DISCUSSION
Viscosity or the dynamic viscosity is the fluid
property that determines the amount of resistance
of the fluid to shear stress. It is the property of the
fluid due to which the fluid offers resistance to flow
of one layer of the fluid over another adjacent layer.

=



where is viscosity, is shearing stress, is rate of

change in velocity.
 DISCUSSION
Kinematic Viscosity (also called "momentum
diffusivity") - is the ratio of the dynamic viscosity
to the density of the fluid . It is usually
denoted by the Greek letter nu (). The
kinematic viscosity for water is equal to 1 x 10-6
m2/s.

=

 DISCUSSION

Velocity is the ratio of the displacement

over a certain time frame. It refers to the speed
of the liquid or flow rate of a liquid.
RESOURCES/INSTRUMENTS REQUIRED
HM 150.18 Osborne Reynolds Apparatus
Water Supply
Graduated Cylinder
2 or more pcs of Basin
Stopwatch
PROCEDURE
 DATA AND RESULTS

Type of Flow Volume Flow rate (m/s) Reynolds Number

Collected () Re = L/
(m3) (V)

Laminar Flow 420 mL 0.08912676813 891.2676813

(Re<2000) m/s

Transitional 970 mL 0.2058403931 2058.403931

Flow m/s
(2000<Re<2300)
Turbulent Flow 1340 mL 0.2843568317 2843.568317
(2300<Re) m/s
 DATA AND RESULTS
Laminar Flow Transitional Flow Turbulent Flow
 OBSERVATIONS
In the experiment, the setup of the
Osborne Reynolds apparatus are very complex
so that a laboratory technician is needed for the
demonstration of the experiment, the setup of
water supply pipe and discharge pipes and the
controls of inlet valve and outlet valve.
After the familiarity of doing the
experiment, the flow of experiment goes well.
The desired results are being collected. The
objectives of the experiment and the intended
learning outcomes are attained.
 OBSERVATIONS
However, these are the points observed in the experiment that
are important to discuss:
It is observed that the water coming from the supply is sometimes
not enough for the discharge on the outlet valve, thus making the
dye injection not submerged.
It is observed that when the apparatus is slightly disturbed, the flow
that is visualized by the dye is easily disturbed.
It is observed that there are times that even when the outlet valve
is being opened continually and/or vice versa, the diagram for
transitional flow is hard to capture.
It is observed true that as the outlet valve is being opened, the
water flow changes from laminar to transitional to turbulent, and
on the other hand, when the outlet valve is closed, the water flow
changes vice versa.
 OBSERVATIONS
It is observed that as the flow goes from laminar
to turbulent; the volume of the water collected is
getting more.
It is observed that it can hold other liquid other
than water provided that is clear or do not
contain color and substance that can stain the
tank of the apparatus, and also the supply is
enough for the success of the experiment
It is observed that the second formula for
Reynolds number because the kinematic viscosity
for water is given.
 CONCLUSION
It is tantamount to conclude that this
experiment varies depending upon the
construction of the individual components,
experimental skills, and environmental
conditions. Nevertheless, the laws can be clearly
demonstrated. Furthermore, the role of fluid
properties involved in the experiment is that
they provide a relationship in the changes of
states of flow.
 CONCLUSION
The relationship is that: the lesser the ratio
of the density of the liquid and its dynamic
viscosity or in short, its kinematic viscosity, and
the greater the velocity the liquid would likely to
go turbulent because the movement of the
particles of the liquid becomes more unsteady
or erratic for there is lesser shearing force
between the particles thus more space to move,
and provided that there is greater movement of
the particles because of the velocity.