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Principles of Fluid Pressure

This document discusses fluid pressure and hydrostatic pressure. It defines concepts like unit pressure, Pascal's law, and absolute and gauge pressure. It explains that pressure is the same in all directions at a point in a fluid at rest, and how pressure varies with depth and distance from the free surface due to gravitational forces.

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Juan Hero
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35 views4 pages

Principles of Fluid Pressure

This document discusses fluid pressure and hydrostatic pressure. It defines concepts like unit pressure, Pascal's law, and absolute and gauge pressure. It explains that pressure is the same in all directions at a point in a fluid at rest, and how pressure varies with depth and distance from the free surface due to gravitational forces.

Uploaded by

Juan Hero
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Unit III Principle of fluid Pressure

Unit Pressure: amount of pressure per unit area; p

P=P\A

Pascal’s Law: at any point in a fluid at rest, the pressure is the same in all directions

B y
P2

0 P1

C D x

P3

Small wedge- shaped volume, BCD side


BC is vertical CD is horizontal BD makes any
angle w/ the horizontal

Let A1, A2, and A3 and P1,P2, and P3


represent, respectively, the area of these sides
and the pressure to w/c they are subjected.

P1A1=P3A3 sin0

P2A3=P3A3cos0

But A3sin0=A1 and A3cos0=A2

Therefore: P1=P2=P3

Hydrostatic Pressure Distribution

Pressure is the same in all directions at any point, but not the same at different points.

In a stationary fluid, pressure variations can result from gravitational or other field effects. In a
moving fluid they can occur when accelerations or shear are induced.

For the special case of a stationary fluid experiencing no body forces, the pressure is the same at
all points. When the body force is due to gravity acting vertically downwards, we find that:

1. There is no horizontal variation in pressure


2. There is a vertical pressure distribution which counterbalances the fluid weight.
A pressure condition w/c satisfies these conditions is termed hydrostatic (hydro as in water, static as in
stationary).

Z=0 w.s ↓P0

Z=-Z P

p- pO =sg Z

P0= pressure at the arbitrary datum z=0


When dealing with a free surface, it is usual to express the pressure as a function of the depth below the
surface. If the surface is at atmospheric pressure:
P-Patm=pgd

Variation of pressure with Depth in a Fluid


Assuming a body of liquid at rest having a specific weight, and with its free surface along plane
AB. Consider a small prism of this liquid with endpoints at 1 and 2 and w/ uniform closs sectional area of
dA.

X
Y dF1
h1
x

h=Lsin0 h2

Let us let: L=length of the prism


H1=Distance of pt.1 from the free surface
H2=distance of pt. 2 from the free surface
P1= unit pressure at end 1
P2= unit pressure at end 2
The forces acting on the prism them are:
*Pressure forces at the ends
dF1=P1dA
dF2=P2dA
*Gravity force or weight; dW
dW=w(dV) where dV=LdA

Since the fluid is at rest then sum of forces along X-axis

∑Fx =0 component along X of dW

dF2-dWsin0-dF1=0

subs.values:

P2dA-w(LdA)sin0-P1dA=0

Thus: P2-P1=wh ; where h=Lsin0

This equation shows that the difference in pressure between any two points in a homogeneous
fluid (constant w) at rest varies directly as the difference in depth or elevation of the two points.

NOTE: 1. If pts 1 and 2 lie along the same horizontal plane (h=0) then pressures at the points are equal.
Conversely, all points having equal pressures lie along a horizontal plane.

2.If point 1 lies along plane AB, assuming that the free surface is exposed to the atmosphere
pressure, Pa, then P1=Pa and now the intensity of pressure at pt.2 is

P2= Pa + wh

Considering pt. 2 as a general pt. in the liquid below the free surface, then the pressure at a vertical
distance, h, is

P=Pa + wh

Absolute and gage pressure


Fig. J shows two cylinders A and B connected by a tube and contain liquid with specific weight w.

In cylinder A, the liquid surface is exposed to atmospheric pressure, Pa, while in cylinder B is a piston
of negligible weight carrying a load of weight W.

The pressure at pt. 1 on the free surface is Pa and assuming that the system is in equilibrium, the
pressure at pt. 2 is

P2= Pa + wh,

This is the same as the pressure at pt. 3 on the same horizontal plane, thus

P4= Pa + wh; the pressure in the liquid just at the lower side of the piston

3.

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