Fluid Mechanics (CLB 11003)

Chapter 4: Fluid Flow in Pipes and Conduits

TUTORIAL 4

1) Glycerin flows in a 25 mm diameter pipe at an average velocity of 0.3 m/s. If the

density of glycerin is 1260 kg/m3 and the viscosity is 14.9 x 10-5 N.s/m2, determine
whether the flow is laminar or turbulent. (63423, turbulent)

2) A garden hose attached with a nozzle is used to fill a 20 gallon bucket. The inner
diameter of the hose is 1 in and it reduces to 0.5 in at the nozzle exit. If the average
velocity in the hose is 8 ft/s, determine the volume and mass flow rates of water
through the hose. Take the density of water to be 62.4 lbm/ft3.
(0.0436 ft3/s, 2.72 lbm/s)

3) A desktop computer is to be cooled by a fan whose flow rate is 0.3 m3/min.

Determine the mass flow rate of air through the fan at a high elevation of 3400 m
where the air density is 0.7 kg/m3. Also, if he average velocity of air is not to exceed
110 m/min, determine the diameter of the casing of the fan. (0.063 m)

4) Express the Bernoulli equation in three different ways using (a) energies, (b) heads
and (c) pressures.

5) State four major assumptions used in the derivation of the Bernoulli equation.

6) Water at 15 °C (ρ = 999.7 kg/m3 and µ = 1.138 x 10-3 kg/m.s) is flowing steadily in a

30 m long and 4 cm diameter pipe made of stainless steel at a rate of 8 L/s.
Determine (a) the pressure drop and (b) the head loss. (239 kPa, 24.4 m)

7) In an air heating system, heated air at 40°C and 105 kPa absolute is distributed
through a 0.2 m × 0.3 m rectangular duct with smooth surfaces at a rate of 0.5 m3/s.
Determine the pressure drop and head loss through a 40 m long section of the duct.
(µ = 1.918×10-5 kg/m⋅s) (114 kPa, 9.97 m)

Air duct
0.2 m × 0.3 m

Air L = 40
40°C m
0.5 m3/s
Figure 1

NAN 08 1
 Fluid Mechanics (CLB 11003)
Chapter 4: Fluid Flow in Pipes and Conduits

8) Oil at 22 °C (ρ = 888 kg/m3 and µ = 0.8 kg/m.s) is flowing steadily through 5 cm

diameter 40 m long pipe. The pressure at the inlet and outlet are measured to be 745
and 97 kPa, respectively. Determine the flowrate of oil through the pipe if the flow is
laminar. (0.0031 m3/s)

9) The pipe flow in Figure 2 is driven by the pressured air in the tank. What gauge
pressure P1 is needed to provide a 20oC water flow rate, Q = 60 m3/h? (µ of water at
20oC is 0.001 kg/m.s) (1.35 MPa)

30 m
2

P1
1
80 m

Smooth pipe,
10 m d = 5cm

60 m

Figure 2

10) Water is pumped through a pipeline to a treatment plant at a rate of 3.68 m3s-1. The 5
ft diameter suction line is 3000 ft long and the 3 ft diameter discharge line is 1500 ft
long. The total head loss for the system is 56 ft. If the water pressure at the pipeline
entrance is 350 kPa, what is the pressure at the exit, which is 15 ft higher than the
entrance? (1.24 × 105 Pa)

Figure 3

NAN 08 2
 Fluid Mechanics (CLB 11003)
Chapter 4: Fluid Flow in Pipes and Conduits

11) Water at 70 °F flows by gravity from a large reservoir at a high elevation to a smaller
one through a 120 ft long, 2 in diameter cast iron piping system that includes four
standard flanged elbows, a well rounded entrance, a sharp-edged exit and a fully
open gate valve. Taking the free surface of the lower reservoir as the reference level,
determine the elevation z1 of the higher reservoir for a flow rate of 10 ft3/min.
(23.1 ft)
1

120 ft
2 in

2
10 ft3/min

Figure 4

12) An orifice with a diameter opening is used to measure the mass flow rate of water at
3
60 °F (ρ = 62.36 lbm/ft and µ = 7.536×10-4 lbm/ft⋅s) through a horizontal 4 in
diameter pipe. A mercury manometer is used to measure pressure differences
across the orifice. If the differential height of the manometer is read to be 6 in,
determine the volume flow rate of water through the pipe. (ρ Hg = 847 lbm/ft3)
(0.277 ft3/s)

Figure 5

NAN 08 3
 Fluid Mechanics (CLB 11003)
Chapter 4: Fluid Flow in Pipes and Conduits

13) A sharp edged orifice 4 cm in diameter, at the base of the storage tank discharges
water under the head of 6 m as shown in Figure 3. If Cv = 0.97 and Cc = 0.6
determine:
a. The actual velocity
b. Discharge in m3/s (10.52 m/s, 0.0079 m3/s)

h=6m
d0 = 4 cm

Figure 6

14) A Venturi meter equipped with a differential pressure gage is used to measure the
flow rate of liquid propane at 15 °C (ρ = 999 kg/m3) through a 5 cm diameter
horizontal pipe. The diameter of the Venturi neck is 3 cm and the measured pressure
drop is 5 kPa. Taking the discharge coefficient to be 0.98, determine the volume flow
rate of water through a pipe. (0.00235 m3/s)

15) A Venturi meter equipped with a differential pressure gage shown in Figure 7 is used
to measure the flow rate of liquid propane at 10 °C (ρ = 514.7 kg/m3) through an 8
cm diameter vertical pipe. For a discharge coefficient of 0.98, determine the volume
flow rate of propane through a pipe. (0.0109 m3/s)

5 cm

∆P = 7 kPa
30 cm

8 cm

Figure 7

NAN 08 4
 Fluid Mechanics (CLB 11003)
Chapter 4: Fluid Flow in Pipes and Conduits

16) The air velocity in a duct is measured by a Pitot-static probe connected to a

differential pressure gage. If the air is at 13.4 psia absolute and 70 °F and the
differential pressure gage is 0.15 psi, determined the air velocity (Rair = 0.3704
psia.ft3/lbm.R). (143 ft/s)

17) A piezometer and a Pitot tube are trapped into a 3 cm diameter horizontal water pipe
and the height of the water columns are measured to be 20 cm in the piezometer
and 35 cm in the Pitot tube (both measured from the top surface of the pipe).
Determine the velocity at the center of the pipe. (1.72 m/s)

35 cm
20 cm

Water 1
2 u

Figure 8

NAN 08 5