ME 312: FLUID MECHANICS

Principle of Hydrostatics
3.1 Unit Pressure or Pressure
3.2 Pressure in Static Fluids
3.3 Variations in Pressures
3.4 Pressure Head
Unit Pressure or Pressure, 𝑝
• A surface force exerted by a fluid against a wall of its container.
• Pressure exists at any point in a volume of liquid.
• Pressure is the force per unit area exerted by
a fluid on a body or a surface, with the force
acting at right angles to the surface uniformly
in all directions.
𝑭𝒐𝒓𝒄𝒆 𝑭
𝒑= =
𝑨𝒓𝒆𝒂 𝑨

ME33Mechanics
Fluid : Fluid Flow 2 Chapter Chapter 2: Properties
3: Principles of Fluids
of Hydrostatics
Unit Pressure or Pressure, 𝑝
Newton’s Law

𝒎𝒈
𝑭 = 𝒎𝒈 (𝑺𝑰 𝑼𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒔) 𝑭= (𝑬𝒏𝒈𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒉 𝑼𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒔)
𝒈𝒄
where:
𝑘𝑔 ∙ 𝑚 where:
𝐹 = 𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑐𝑒, 𝑁 𝑜𝑟 𝐹 = 𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑐𝑒, 𝑙𝑏𝑓
𝑠2
𝑚 = 𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠, 𝑘𝑔 𝑚 = 𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠, 𝑙𝑏𝑚
𝑚 𝑓𝑡
𝑔 = 𝑎𝑐𝑐𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑑𝑢𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑣𝑖𝑡𝑦, 9.81 2 𝑔 = 𝑎𝑐𝑐𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑑𝑢𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑣𝑖𝑡𝑦, 32.2
𝑠 𝑠2
𝑔𝑐 = 𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑣𝑖𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑠𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑓𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑜𝑟
𝑙𝑏𝑚 ∙ 𝑓𝑡
= 32.2
𝑙𝑏𝑓 ∙ 𝑠 2

ME33Mechanics
Fluid : Fluid Flow 3 Chapter Chapter 2: Properties
3: Principles of Fluids
of Hydrostatics
Pressure in Static Fluids
Absolute and Gage Pressures
Gage Pressure (Relative Pressure)- are pressures above or below
the atmosphere and can be measured by pressure gages or
manometers.
Atmospheric Pressure- is the pressure of any one point on the earth’s
surface from the weight of the air above it.
• Under normal conditions at sea level:
𝑝𝑎𝑡𝑚 = 1 𝑎𝑡𝑚
= 101.325 𝑘𝑃𝑎 101,325 𝑃𝑎
= 14.7 𝑝𝑠𝑖
= 760 𝑚𝑚𝐻𝑔 = 76 𝑐𝑚 𝐻𝑔
= 29.92 𝑖𝑛 𝐻𝑔 (𝑖𝑛𝑐ℎ𝑒𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑚𝑒𝑟𝑐𝑢𝑟𝑦)
= 1.013 𝑏𝑎𝑟 (also 1 𝑏𝑎𝑟 = 100 𝑘𝑃𝑎)
= 760 𝑡𝑜𝑟𝑟
ME33Mechanics
Fluid : Fluid Flow 4 Chapter Chapter 2: Properties
3: Principles of Fluids
of Hydrostatics
Pressure in Static Fluids
Vacuum Pressure- is the pressure less than the local atmospheric
pressure.
Vacuum- is a space that has all matter removed from it.
Absolute Pressure- is the pressure above absolute zero (vacuum).
𝒑𝒂𝒃𝒔 = 𝒑𝒈𝒂𝒈𝒆 + 𝒑𝒂𝒕𝒎

Absolute zero is attained if all air is

removed. It is the lowest possible
pressure attainable. Absolute
pressure can never be negative. The
smallest gauge pressure is equal to
the negative of the ambient
atmospheric pressure.

ME33Mechanics
Fluid : Fluid Flow 5 Chapter Chapter 2: Properties
3: Principles of Fluids
of Hydrostatics
 Variations in Pressure
From Newton’s Law:
𝐹 = 𝑚𝑔
𝐹 = 𝐴 × ℎ2 × 𝜌 × 𝑔
To get the pressure:
𝐹 𝐴 × ℎ2 × 𝜌 × 𝑔
𝑝= =
𝐴 𝐴
𝑝 = 𝜌𝑔ℎ2
∗ 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑖𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝑎𝑡 𝐴2 𝑑𝑢𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑜𝑓
𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑓𝑙𝑢𝑖𝑑 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑣𝑒 𝑖𝑡.
∗ 𝑡𝑜 𝑔𝑒𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑡𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝑜𝑛 𝐴2 , 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝑝0
𝑚𝑢𝑠𝑡 𝑏𝑒 𝑎𝑑𝑑𝑒𝑑
𝑡𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑓𝑙𝑢𝑖𝑑 = 𝑣𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒 × 𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑃2 = 𝜌𝑔ℎ2 + 𝑃0
𝑏𝑢𝑡 𝑉𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒 = 𝐴𝑟𝑒𝑎 × ℎ2 ∗ 𝑡𝑜 𝑔𝑒𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑡𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝑜𝑛 𝐴1 :

𝑚𝑡𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 = 𝐴𝑟𝑒𝑎 × ℎ2 × 𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑦 = 𝐴 × ℎ2 × 𝜌 𝑃1 = 𝜌𝑔ℎ1 + 𝑃0

ME33Mechanics
Fluid : Fluid Flow 6 Chapter Chapter 2: Properties
3: Principles of Fluids
of Hydrostatics
Variations in Pressure
∗ 𝑇𝑜 𝑔𝑒𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝑑𝑖𝑓𝑓𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑏𝑒𝑡𝑤𝑒𝑒𝑛 𝑝𝑜𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑠 2 𝑎𝑛𝑑 1:
𝑃2 − 𝑃1 = ℎ2 𝜌𝑔 + 𝑃0 − (ℎ1 𝜌𝑔 + 𝑃0 )

𝑷𝟐 − 𝑷𝟏 = 𝒉𝟐 − 𝒉𝟏 𝝆𝒈 (𝑺𝑰 𝑼𝒏𝒊𝒕)
𝒈
𝑷𝟐 − 𝑷𝟏 = 𝒉𝟐 − 𝒉𝟏 𝝆 (𝑬𝒏𝒈𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒉 𝑼𝒏𝒊𝒕)
𝒈𝒄

∗ 𝐸𝑥𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑖𝑛 𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑚𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑖𝑓𝑖𝑐 𝑤𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡, 𝛾:

𝑊
𝛾= = 𝜌𝑔
𝑉

𝑷𝟐 − 𝑷𝟏 = 𝒉𝟐 − 𝒉𝟏 𝜸

ME33Mechanics
Fluid : Fluid Flow 7 Chapter Chapter 2: Properties
3: Principles of Fluids
of Hydrostatics
 Variations in Pressure
∗ 𝐹𝑜𝑟𝑐𝑒𝑠 𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑜𝑛 𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑎𝑟𝑦 𝑝𝑟𝑖𝑠𝑚: Consider any two points (1 & 2) whose
difference in elevation is h, to lie in the
ends of an elementary prism having a
cross-sectional area 𝐴 and a length 𝐿.
Since the prism is at rest, all forces
acting upon it must be in equilibrium.
𝑊 = 𝛾𝑉
𝑊 = 𝛾(𝐴 × 𝐿)
σ 𝐹𝑥 = 0
𝐹2 − 𝐹1 − 𝑊 sin 𝜃 = 0
𝐹2 − 𝐹1 = 𝑊 sin 𝜃
𝜌2 𝐴 − 𝜌1 𝐴 = 𝛾𝐴𝐿 sin 𝜃
Note: Free Liquid Surface refers to liquid surface 𝜌2 − 𝜌1 = 𝛾𝐿 sin 𝜃 𝑏𝑢𝑡: ℎ = 𝐿 sin 𝜃
subject to zero gage pressure or with atmospheric
pressure only. 𝑷𝟐 − 𝑷𝟏 = 𝜸𝒉

ME33Mechanics
Fluid : Fluid Flow 8 Chapter Chapter 2: Properties
3: Principles of Fluids
of Hydrostatics
Variations in Pressure
Transmission of Pressure: Pressure below Layers of
Different Liquids:
We can write the equation 𝑃2 − 𝑃1 =
Consider the tank
𝛾ℎ into the form
shown to be filled
𝑷𝟐 = 𝑷𝟏 + 𝜸𝒉 with liquids of
different densities
which means that any change in the and with air at the
pressure at point 1 would cause an top under a gage
equal change of pressure at point 2. pressure of 𝑝𝐴 , the
In other words, a pressure applied at pressure at the
any point in a liquid at rest is bottom of the tank is:
transmitted EQUALLY and
UNDIMINISHED to every other point 𝒑𝒃𝒐𝒕𝒕𝒐𝒎 = σ 𝜸𝒉 + 𝒑
in the liquid.
𝒑𝒃𝒐𝒕𝒕𝒐𝒎 = 𝜸𝟏 𝒉𝟏 + 𝜸𝟐 𝒉𝟐 + 𝜸𝟑 𝒉𝟑 + 𝒑𝑨

ME33Mechanics
Fluid : Fluid Flow 9 Chapter Chapter 2: Properties
3: Principles of Fluids
of Hydrostatics
 Pressure Head
The equation 𝑝 = 𝛾ℎ may be written into the form
𝒑
𝒉=
𝜸

𝑝
where ℎ or its equivalent in hydraulics is called PRESSURE HEAD. Pressure
𝛾
head is the height of column of homogeneous fluid of unit weight 𝛾 that will
produce an intensity of pressure 𝑝.

• To convert pressure head of liquid A to equivalent pressure head of liquid B:

𝑺𝑮𝑨 𝝆𝑨 𝜸𝑨
𝒉𝑩 = 𝒉𝑨 = 𝒉𝑨 = 𝒉𝑨
𝑺𝑮𝑩 𝝆𝑩 𝜸𝑩

ME33Mechanics
Fluid : Fluid Flow 10 Chapter Chapter 2: Properties
3: Principles of Fluids
of Hydrostatics
 Pressure Head
• To convert pressure head of any liquid to equivalent pressure head of water:

𝒉𝒘𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒓 = 𝑺𝑮𝒍𝒊𝒒𝒖𝒊𝒅 × 𝒉𝒍𝒊𝒒𝒖𝒊𝒅

where:
𝑆𝐺 = 𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑖𝑓𝑖𝑐 𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑣𝑖𝑡𝑦
𝛾 = 𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑡 𝑤𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡
𝜌 = 𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑦

Properties of Water:
𝑆𝐺𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 = 1.0
𝑘𝑁 𝑙𝑏
𝛾 = 9.81 3 = 62.4 3
𝑚 𝑓𝑡
𝑘𝑔 𝑠𝑙𝑢𝑔𝑠
𝜌 = 1000 3 = 1.94
𝑚 𝑓𝑡 3

ME33Mechanics
Fluid : Fluid Flow 11 Chapter Chapter 2: Properties
3: Principles of Fluids
of Hydrostatics