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Project and Experiment-Based Fluid Dynamics Education

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 World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology
International Journal of Social, Behavioral, Educational, Economic, Business and Industrial Engineering Vol:11, No:1, 2017

Project and Experiment-Based Fluid Dynamics

Education
Etsuo Morishita

 and electrical engineering, 5 for architecture, and 4 for ecology.

Abstract—This paper presents the project and experiment-based There are 15 weeks to complete the project. First week was an
fluid dynamics education in Meisei University, a private institution in orientation for all students. Each department also gives
Tokyo, Japan. We pay attention not only to the basic engineering instructions for their own students.
courses but also to the practical aspect of engineering experience. So,
we prepare courses called the Projects from I to VI. The Projects I and B. Project I in Mechanical Engineering
II are designed for the first year, III and IV are designated for the We provide: Traction Flight Vehicle, Material Strength, Air
International Science Index, Educational and Pedagogical Sciences Vol:11, No:1, 2017 waset.org/Publication/10006351

second year, V and VI are prepared for the third year, respectively.
Each supervisor is responsible for two of these projects every year. Engine, Mini Model Car, Pet Bottle Rocket, and Shape
When students take the Project V and VI at the third year, we Memory Alloy. One subject accepts about ten students and
automatically assume that these students will join the lab of the project weekly seminars follow. We have altogether fifteen weeks to
for the graduation thesis. We would like to show our experience in the complete the project.
Project I in the summer term, 2016. In this project, we introduce a
traction flight vehicle called Cat Flyer. This is a kind of a kite towed by C. Traction Flight Vehicle in Project I
a car for example. This is very similar to parasailing, but flight is The traction flight vehicle is similar to parasailing [1].
possible even on the roads. Experiments in mechanical engineering Although there exists already flying taxis and bikes, they are
education are also very important, and we would like to explain our
course on centrifugal pump, venture, and orifice. Although these are very difficult to develop and might be dangerous in daily life
described in detail in the text books of fluid dynamics, it is still crucial circumstances. So, we propose a traction flight vehicle where
to have practical experiments as a student. the driver and/or the pilot might be on the flying part [2]. We
allow the traction flight vehicle connected to the driving vehicle
Keywords—Aerodynamics, experiment, fluid dynamics, project primarily with pitching motion as in Fig. 1 where U is driving
velocity and  is the angular velocity of pitching motion. We
I. INTRODUCTION can achieve a stable traction flight by restricting the degrees of

T HIS paper describes the experimental and project-based

fluid dynamics education in Meisei university. Fluid
dynamics is sometimes a very difficult subject for many
freedom of the towed wing.

pitching connection

engineering students especially when the mathematical 

formulations are heavily involved. In Meisei university, we pay wing
attention to the hands-on experience during the academic support
courses. It is interesting to note that major breakthrough is often
brought by very practical people who are not necessarily U load
academically excelled. One story is that bachelors contribute
driving mechanism
much more than people with doctor degrees in a huge
manufacturing company in Japan. This is because that the Fig. 1 Traction flight vehicle
practical experience in the real world is more useful as far as
manufacturing is concerned. We are not saying that graduate After the first orientation, we explained the traction flight
education is not fruitful, but it depends on the situation. From vehicle project. We made paper gliders [3] and model
this point of view, we weigh the project-based learning and the ground-effect vehicles [4] to get hands-on experience.
experiments in our courses. In the project, the lectures were given on the aerospace
engineering and the aerodynamics which is not necessarily
II. TRACTION FLIGHT VEHICLE IN MEISEI PROJECT I familiar in the mechanical engineering department. In many
cases, airfoil theory and gas dynamics are missing in the
A. Project I in the First Term 2016 mechanical syllabus. Then laboratory tour was conducted. We
We have about 400 new undergraduate students in introduced several low-speed wind tunnels, water channel, and
engineering and science, 2016. There are altogether 34 subjects pump, venturi, orifice and weir. So, the students got the idea
for these newcomers: 5 for physics, 6 for life sciences and what about fluid dynamics and aerodynamics.
biochemistry, 6 for mechanical engineering, 8 for electronics After the introductory process, the model parts of the traction
flight vehicle were prepared.
Project I is also a course for the university open campus to
Etsuo Morishita is with Meisei University, Hodokubo, Hino, Tokyo, Japan
(e-mail: etsuo.morishita@ meisei-u.ac.jp). the future engineers and scientists. Elementary school pupils

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 World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology
International Journal of Social, Behavioral, Educational, Economic, Business and Industrial Engineering Vol:11, No:1, 2017

and the junior high school students were invited to show how to n: revolution per second). We also calculate the specific
build and operate the traction flight vehicle. During the course speed n s   1 / 2 /  3 / 4  .
of development, the author and the students both realized that
the aerodynamic concept of the traction flight vehicle had to be
explained to the participants. The students studied the ground
effect by conducting a wind tunnel test for that purpose.
The students prepared the model traction flight vehicle and
practiced how to work them. In the open campus, we had one
session in the morning and two extra sessions in the afternoon.
Each session accepted about ten students and altogether more
than thirty pupils joined the project. We introduced the model
traction flight vehicle, and operated the traction flight vehicle.
After the practice, the participants reviewed the project.
They experienced the application of aerodynamics by the
traction flight vehicle. One of the critical comments by the
International Science Index, Educational and Pedagogical Sciences Vol:11, No:1, 2017 waset.org/Publication/10006351

accompanying parents was that we should include the

assembling process of the traction flight vehicle to understand
the structural aspect of the model.

III. FLUID DYNAMICS EXPERIMENT

Fig. 2 Regular triangular weir of 320 mm side length
We provide a course called mechanical engineering
experiment I for the summer term from April to July. Third year 2016 group3
0.8
students are divided into four groups, so we have about ten past group
students in each group. Instructors prepare also four 0.7 Q=K*H^(5/2) [JIS]
experimental items, i.e., gel material deformation, machining,
0.6
pumps, and heat transfer. The author is responsible for the
Q [m^3/min]

pump experiment. Each categorized experiment continues for 0.5

successive three weeks. For the first two weeks, students work
0.4
on the experiment. The final third week, they complete the
experimental report with tables, graphs, and some discussions. 0.3
We introduce our fluid dynamics experiment, i.e., the pump
0.2
experiment, in the following section.
0.1
A. Pump and Weir
Students first set the 2.2 kW two-pole pump discharge 0
pressure by regulating a valve and flow rate is determined. 0 50 100 150
Mass flow rate is measured directly by a classical balance. H [mm]
Students measure the time to fill the tank for a given mass. This Fig. 3 Flow rate Q from triangular weir head H
becomes the reference mass and the volumetric flow rate Q .
We also measure the water surface level of a regular triangular 5 ：2016 group3
weir of 320 mm side length, Fig. 2, and obtain the volumetric : past group
flow rate Q form the hydrodynamic formula of JIS (Japan
Industrial Standard). There are small discrepancies between the 4
balance and the weir formula as shown in Fig. 3, where H is the
weir head, K is a constant by JIS formula, and symbols denote 3 
students’ group. But the agreement between the two methods is


satisfactory from the practical point of view.

The pump suction pressure is measured and we can calculate 2
the theoretical pump power. The pump motor input power is
also measured, and we obtained the motor output power and its 
efficiency from a manufacturer’s data chart. So, we finally get 1
the efficiency of the pump η. Students draw the pump H(head) -
Q curve, and the corresponding non-dimensional ψ – ϕ curve 0
including the efficiency η as shown in Fig. 4, where 0.00 0.01 0.02 0.03
  Q / nD 3  is the flow coefficient and   gH / n 2 D 2  is 
the head coefficient (D: diameter, g: gravitational acceleration,
Fig. 4 Pump head coefficient  and efficiency 

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 World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology
International Journal of Social, Behavioral, Educational, Economic, Business and Industrial Engineering Vol:11, No:1, 2017

potential flow venturi is nearly a potential flow with small viscous effect. The
1000
2016 group4 flow rate from the venturi pressure drop h is several
past group percentage smaller than that by the Bernoulli’s prediction as
shown in Fig. 5. The inlet pipe inner diameter is d1(=35 mm)
dh_Aq [mm] Venturi

and the throat diameter is d2(=23 mm) .

An orifice is set in series behind the venturi and students
500 experience higher pressure drop via the orifice than that of the
venturi as shown in Fig. 6. Pressure drop is measured with a
mercury-water U-tube manometer. The contraction is also
higher for the orifice, with a throat diameter d2=19 mm and a
pipe diameter d1=35 mm. Students have to pay attention not
only to the density of mercury but also to that of water to
calculate the pressure difference.
0
By changing the flow rate, we get the flow coefficient  of
0 0.001 0.002
the ventrui and the orifice against the Reynolds number. The
International Science Index, Educational and Pedagogical Sciences Vol:11, No:1, 2017 waset.org/Publication/10006351

Q [m^3/s] flow coefficient  is defined as the throat velocity divided by

d 2 23 2p /  , where  is the water density. These coefficients are
Fig. 5 Venturi pressure drop   0.66 d   mm
d1 35 nearly constant for the Reynolds number range tested as shown
in Fig. 7.
300
IV. VISUALIZED POTENTIAL FLOW FOR STUDENTS
dh_Hg [mm] orifice

While our students conduct the fluid mechanics experiments,

200 it might be very helpful if we can show the flow in the devices.
Although a complete viscous solution is possible these days,
it is still very useful to show a simple potential flow image for
100 basic understandings.
potential flow
2016 group4 As for a two-dimensional nozzle which represents the
venturi, we come to an idea that Laplace’s equation may have
past group
analytical solution for the nozzle flow. Laplace’s equation
0
becomes
0 0.001 0.002 0.003
Q [m^3/s]
2 2
 0 (1)
d 2 19 x2 y 2
Fig. 6 Orifice pressure drop   0.54 d   mm
d1 35
where x, y is the coordinates, and  is the stream function. We
1.1 Venturi assume the following form:

1.0   f xg y (2)

2016 group4
0.9 past group
The solution becomes as:
0.8


f x  g  y 
 c
f x  gy
0.7 orifice

0.6
f x   A cosh c x  B sinh cx (3)
0.5
2.E+04 4.E+04 6.E+04
Re g  y   C cos c y  D sin cy (4)

Fig. 7 Flow coefficient 

where A, B, C, c and D are all constants. We may put
B. Venturi Tube and Orifice
One of the most famous fluid dynamic devices is a venturi.  x, y   e  x sin y (5)
Students measure the pressure drop h mmp[ Pa] by a
U-tube water manometer and realize that a flow through the

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 World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology
International Journal of Social, Behavioral, Educational, Economic, Business and Industrial Engineering Vol:11, No:1, 2017

 0.8‐1
u  e x cos y (6)
y
0.6‐0.8
 0.4‐0.6
v  e  x sin y (7)
x 0.2‐0.4
p  u 2  v 2  e 2 x (8)
0‐0.2
Fig. 8 Two-dimensional nozzle theoretical streamline
where p is the static pressure, u and v are the velocity  x, y   e x sin y 0  x  0.34, 0  y  1
components in the x - and y -directions, respectively. Figs. 8
and 9 show  and p , respectively. We can regard the constant ‐0.1‐0
stream function as a nozzle and/or a diffuser wall of the venturi. ‐0.2‐‐0.1
It must be emphasized to the students that the flow goes through ‐0.3‐‐0.2
the adverse pressure gradient as shown in Fig. 9. This situation ‐0.4‐‐0.3
International Science Index, Educational and Pedagogical Sciences Vol:11, No:1, 2017 waset.org/Publication/10006351

0
causes problems like separation in the practical situation. ‐0.1 ‐0.5‐‐0.4
A real venturi is a pipe and therefore an axisymmetric ‐0.2
‐0.3 ‐0.6‐‐0.5
solution is appropriate. Laplace’s equation in this case becomes
‐0.4 ‐0.7‐‐0.6
‐0.5
 2 1   2 (9) ‐0.6 ‐0.8‐‐0.7
  0
r 2 r r z 2 ‐0.7 ‐0.9‐‐0.8
‐0.8 ‐1‐‐0.9
where r is the radial coordinate and z is the axial coordinate, ‐0.9
‐1
respectively. The same separation of variables as in the
two-dimensional case becomes as. Fig. 9 Two-dimensional nozzle theoretical pressure p
0  x  0.34, 0  y  1
  f r gz  (10)
1.1‐1.2
g  f  1 f  1‐1.1
  c (11)
g f r f 0.9‐1
0.8‐0.9
0.7‐0.8
Solutions are obtained by the software Mathematica
0.6‐0.7

 
f r   A rJ 1 c r  B rY1 c r   (12)
0.5‐0.6
0.4‐0.5
0.3‐0.4

g z   Ce cz
 De
 cz
(13) 0.2‐0.3
0.1‐0.2

where A, B,C, c and D are all constants, J and Y are the Bessel Fig. 10 Axisymmetric nozzle theoretical streamline
functions of the first and the second kind, respectively. One   rJ 1 r e  z 0  z  1.3, 0  r  2 
possible solution is

  rJ 1 r  e  z (14)
‐0.2‐0
‐0.4‐‐0.2
The velocity components u r , u z and the pressure p become ‐0.6‐‐0.4
as: ‐0.8‐‐0.6
‐1‐‐0.8
  J1 r  1 
uz    J 0 r   J 2 r e z (15) ‐1.2‐‐1
rr  r 2  0
‐0.2
‐0.4

 J 1 r   e  z
‐0.6
ur   (16) ‐0.8
rz ‐1
‐1.2

p   u r2  v z2 (17) Fig. 11 Axisymmetric nozzle theoretical pressure p

0  z  1.3, 0  r  2

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 World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology
International Journal of Social, Behavioral, Educational, Economic, Business and Industrial Engineering Vol:11, No:1, 2017

Fig. 10 shows the stream function  , and Fig. 11 shows the  j

ln z  z k , j   i
n 1
q N
1 2
pressure p for the axisymmetric case, respectively. These
w
2
ln z  i 0 ln z 
2
 
k 1 j 1
i
2 2
r  (18)

two-dimensional and axisymmetric solutions are

mathematically periodic in the y- and the r-directions, where N is the number of impellers, n 1 is the number of
respectively. The flow directions are reversible in the solutions, vortices on each impeller, q is the source strength, i.e., the
i.e., both diffuser and nozzle flows are possible. pump flow rate, z  x  iy  is the complex number, z k , j is the
Fig. 12 shows a potential flow stream function through a
fictitious axisymmetric orifice with a contraction ratio about coordinate of each vortex,  0 is the inlet swirl,  j is the
2:1. circulation of each vortex, and  is the angular velocity.
The finite difference from of (9) is solved numerically by The imaginary part of (18) is the stream function as:
spreadsheet [5]-[8]. Corresponding pressure is shown in Fig. 13.
Real flow is viscous and separates, and also becomes turbulent q  N n 1
j 1 2
and unsteady contrary to Figs. 12 and 13.  
2
  0 ln r 
2
 
k 1 j 1 2
ln z  z k , j 
2
r  (19)
International Science Index, Educational and Pedagogical Sciences Vol:11, No:1, 2017 waset.org/Publication/10006351

0.45‐0.5 where  is the circumferential coordinate. From (19):

0.4‐0.45 
wr 
0.35‐0.4 r
 j   x  xk , j sin    y  yk , j cos 
(20)
0.3‐0.35 q N n1

0.25‐0.3

2 r
 
k 1 j 1

2  x  xk , j 2  y  yk , j 2 
0.2‐0.25

0.15‐0.2 w  
r
 j x  x k , j cos    y  y k , j sin 
0.1‐0.15 (21)
0 N n 1

    r
0.05‐0.1 2r k 1 j 1 2 x  x   y  y 
k, j
2
k, j
2

0‐0.05
1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 31 33 35 37 39 41
where w r and w are the radial and circumferential relative
velocity components, respectively, and
Fig. 12 Orifice potential flow stream function 
0  z  2,0  r  1 x y
cos  
r r
0‐1 y x
sin   
‐1‐0 r r
‐2‐‐1
‐3‐‐2
‐4‐‐3
‐5‐‐4
‐6‐‐5
‐7‐‐6
‐8‐‐7
‐9‐‐8
‐10‐‐9
1 4 7 10 13 16 19 22 25 28 31 34 37
Fig. 13 Orifice potential flow pressure distribution p (outer boundary
not included) 0  z  2,0  r  1

A flow through centrifugal pump impeller is visualized by

the vortex singularity method in Fig. 14. The complex potential
for the centrifugal pump impeller becomes as [9]-[11].
Fig. 14 Potential flow pressure p through centrifugal pump impeller
N  6,    / 3,   0.24, r1 / r2  0.54

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 World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology
International Journal of Social, Behavioral, Educational, Economic, Business and Industrial Engineering Vol:11, No:1, 2017

radius r2 , the velocities are divided by the impeller tip

speed u 2  r2 , and the circulations are divided by u 2 r2 . In (24),
we use the Kutta condition as:

n  1  0 (28)

Therefore, the summation by j ends at n in (24).

We can solve (24) to get  j 1  j  n  , and therefore
determine the velocity components form (20) and (21).
Bernoulli’s equation for pressure becomes

1 2
wr  w2   p  1 r 2  const. (29)
2 2
International Science Index, Educational and Pedagogical Sciences Vol:11, No:1, 2017 waset.org/Publication/10006351

Fig. 15 Potential flow pressure through circular arc diffuser where the equation is non-dimensional divided by  u 22 .
N  20 , 1 .04  r3 / r2   rdiffuser / r2  1 .59  r4 / r2   1 .59 , If we omit the last term of the right-hand-side of (18), the
  20  equation becomes the complex potential for a stationary
diffuser. Similar simultaneous equations are obtained from the
A logarithmic spiral for the impeller with the inclination  is flow tangency conditions on the diffuser blades as (24). We can
given by get pressure from Bernoulli’s equation in the stationary
coordinate. Pressure recovery through circular arc diffuser
r  e  tan   (22) vanes is shown in Fig. 15. The diffuser vane inclination at the
inlet radius r3 is about 20 degree. Inlet flow angle at the
The flow tangency condition on the impeller becomes impeller outer radius r2 is also set   20 degree, while the
circumferential velocity component at the impeller exit is u 2 .
dr w
 r   tan  (23) The diffuser vane geometric parameters are given in [12].
rd w
V. CONCLUSION
From (20), (21) and (23), we get a non-dimensional form of
We introduce the project- and experiment-based fluid
(23) on the impeller collocation point x ci , y ci  as:
dynamics education in Meisei University, Tokyo, Japan. We
proposes a traction flight vehicle. This concept is used in the
project for the university students and the open campus for
 xc i  xk , j tan  cos   sin     nearby pupils. Students get hands-on experience to build the
 
 j    y c i  y k , j tan  sin   cos    
N n
traction flight vehicle and some teaching skills to elementary
  
2  xc i  xk , j    y c i  y k , j 
2 2 
(24) and junior high school pupils. We test centrifugal pump,
 triangular weir, venturi, and orifice in the fluid dynamics
k 1 j 1

  experiment. Although we learn these devices in the lectures, it
  
is worthwhile for the mechanical engineering students to see
   
  rc i  0  tan   1  i  n how they work in the practical situation.
 2 r  rci

ACKNOWLEDGMENT
where The present author would like to express many tanks to the
x1,i  x1,i1 y1,i  y1,i1 Project I students and the mechanical engineering experiment
xc i  , yc i  (25)
2 2 students. Special thanks to Mr. H. Matsuda and TA Mr. H.
Watanabe.
rci  xc2i  yc2i (26)
REFERENCES
[1] E. Morishita and T. Shibuya, “Traction flight vehicle,” JP2014196046
q
 (27) (A) 2014-10-16.
2 r2  r2  [2] T. Shibuya, T. Ishido and E. Morishita, “Cat Flyer－A Novel Wing in
Ground-Effect Vehicle (CD),” APISAT2013, Takamatsu, Japan, Nov. 21,
2013.
Although we use the same symbols as those of (18) ~ (23) in [3] http://www.sciencetoymaker.org/airsurf/images/GLIDERS/MakeMosqui
(24) ~ (26), the coordinates are divided by the impeller outer toGliderPDF.pdf (accessed on 19/12/2016)

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[4] http://www.instructables.com/id/Paper-ground-effect-vehicle-2/
(accessed on 19/12/2016)
[5] C. Misner and P. Cooney, Spreadsheet Physics, Addison-Wesley,
Reading, MA (1991), pp.43-56.
[6] J. Walkenbach, Excel 97 Bible, IDG Books, Foster City, CA (1996),
pp.171-237.
[7] K.A. Hoffmann and S.T. Chiang, Computational Fluid Dynamics for
Engineers, Vol.1, Engineering Education System, Wichita, KS (1995),
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