Assignment 1 Solution
Assignment 1 Solution
MECH448
Introduction to Compressible Fluid Flow
QUESTION 1.
An air stream enters a variable area channel at a velocity of 25m/s with a pressure of 135kPa and a
temperature of 10oC. At a certain point in the channel, the velocity is found to 260m/s. Using
Bernoulli's equation (i.e., p + V2/2 = constant), which assumes incompressible flow, find the
pressure at this point in the channel. In this calculation use the density evaluated at the inlet
conditions. If the temperature of the air is assumed to remain constant, evaluate the air density at
the point in the flow where the velocity is 260m/s. Compare this density with the density at the inlet
to the channel. On the basis of this comparison, do you think that the use of Bernoulli's equation is
justified?
SOLUTION.
If the subscripts 1 and 2 are used to denote conditions at the two sections of the channel
considered, Bernoulli's equation gives:
V12 V2
p1 + p2 2
2 2
where point 1 is at the inlet and point 2 is the downstream point considered.
This equation can be rearranged to give:
V12 V22
p2 p1
2 2
The density, , is evaluated using the inlet conditions usng the perfect gas law. Since air flow is
being considered, this gives:
p p 135x103
RT , i.e.,: 1.66kg/m3
RT 287x283
Substituting this together with the initial conditions into the rearranged Bernoulli equation then
gives:
252 2602
p2 1.66 135000 79340Pa 79.34kPa
2 2
If it is assumed that temperature changes in the flow can be neglected, the equation of state gives
using conditions at the second point:
p2 79.34x103
2 0.98kg/m 3
RT2 287x283
This indicates that the density changes by about 40% through the flow which strongly suggests that
the assumption of incompressible flow is not justified.
QUESTION 2.
Two air streams are mixed in a chamber. One stream enters the chamber through a 7cm diameter
pipe at a velocity of 90m/s, a pressure of 160kPa, and a temperature of 30oC. The other stream
enters the chamber through a 1.6cm diameter pipe at a velocity of 160m/s with a pressure of 75kPa
and a temperature of 30oC. The air leaves the chamber through a 9cm diameter pipe at a pressure of
90kPa and a temperature of 30oC. Assuming that the flow is steady, find the velocity in the exit
pipe.
SOLUTION.
If subscripts 1 and 2 refer to the 7cm diameter inlet pipe and the 1.6cm diameter inlet pipe
respectively and if subscript 3 refers to the outlet pipe then, since the flow is steady,:
m 1 m 2 m 3
i.e., since
m V A
i.e.,:
1V1 d12 2V2 d 22 3V3 d32
4 4 4
i.e.,:
p1 p p
V1d12 2 V2 d 22 3 V3 d32
T1 T2 T3
i.e.,:
160 75 90
x90x7 2 x160x1.6 2 xV3 x92
303 303 303
From this equation it follows that:
160x90x49 75x160x256
V3 101.5m/s
90x81
SOLUTION.
Consider the flow relative to the aircraft. The momentum equation then gives by considering a
control volume surrounding the aircraft and by noting that the pressure is assumed to be the same
everywhere on the surface of this control volume:
Thrust Rate momentum leaves control volume Rate momentum enters control volume
i.e.,
Since the effects of the fuel mass are being ignored, this equation gives:
760
T m Vout Vin 38x 580 14020N 14.02kN
3.6
SOLUTION.
Consider a control volume surrounding the rocket. Because the pressure on the surface of this
control volume is equal to the ambient pressure everywher except on the nozzle exhaust plane, the
momentum equation gives:
i.e.,:
i.e.,:
T 125x2400 85000 101300 Aexit (300000 12570 Aexit )N (300 12.57 Aexit )kN
SOLUTION.
V22 V2
c p T2 c p T1 1
2 2
But the velocity in the tire can be assumed to be zero so if subscript 1 refers to conditions in the tire
and subscpt 2 refers to conditions at the exit of the valve, the energy equation gives:
V22
c p T2 c p T1
2
i.e.,:
V22
1007x285 1007x300
2
cp for air having been taken to have a value of 1007J/kg K. From the above equation it follows that:
V2 173.8m/s