Unit-4: Laminar & Turbulent flow through Pipes

Ex.1. A crude oil of viscosity 0.97 poise and relative density 0.9 is flowing through a horizontal
circular pipe of diameter 100 mm and of length 10 m. Calculate the difference of pressure at the two
ends of the pipe, if 100kg of the oil is collected in a tank in 30 seconds.
 Unit-4: Laminar & Turbulent flow through Pipes
Ex.2. A laminar flow is taking place in a pipe of diameter 200 mm. The maximum velocity is 1.5 m/s.
Find the mean velocity and radius at which this occurs. Also calculate the velocity at 4 cm from the
wall of the pipe.
 Unit-4: Laminar flow through Pipes
• Flow of Viscous Fluid Between Two Parallel Plates :
• Consider two parallel fixed plates kept at a distance ‘t’ apart.
• A viscous fluid is flowing between these two plates from left to right.
• Consider a fluid element of length Δx and thickness Δy at a distance y from the lower fixed plate.
• If p is intensity of pressure on the face AB of the fluid element then intensity of pressure on the face
CD will be (p + 𝜕𝑝 ∆𝑥).
𝜕
• Let τ is the shear stress acting on the face BC then shear stress on the face AD will be (τ + 𝜕𝜏 ∆𝑦).
𝑥
𝜕𝑦
• If the width of the element in the direction perpendicular to the paper is unity then the forces acting
on the fluid element are:
1. The pressure force, p*Δy*1 on face AB
2. The pressure force, (p + 𝜕𝑝 ∆𝑥) Δy*1 on face CD
𝜕𝑥
3. The shear force, τ* Δx*1 on face BC
4. The shear force, (τ + 𝜕𝜕𝜏 ∆𝑦) Δx*1 on face AD.
𝑦
 Unit-4: Laminar flow through Pipes
• For steady and uniform flow, there is no acceleration and hence the resultant force in the direction of
flow is zero.
p*Δy*1 - (p + 𝜕𝑝 ∆𝑥) Δy*1 - τ* Δx*1 + (τ + 𝜕𝑐 ∆𝑦) Δx*1 = 0
𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦
𝜕𝑝 𝜕𝑐
- 𝜕𝑥 ∆𝑥Δy + 𝜕𝑦
∆𝑦 Δx = 0
Dividing by ∆𝑥Δy , we get,
𝜕𝑝 𝜕𝑐
- 𝜕𝑥 + 𝜕𝑦
=0
𝜕𝑝 𝜕
𝑐𝜕 𝑥 = (A)
𝜕
𝑦
 Unit-4: Laminar flow through Pipes
(i) Velocity Distribution : To obtain the velocity distribution across a section, the value of shear
stress from Newton’s law of viscosity for laminar flow is substituting in equation (A)
τ = μ 𝑑𝑢
𝑑
𝜕 𝑦𝜕 𝑑𝑢 𝜕2𝑢
𝑝 = (μ )=μ
𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦 𝑑𝑦 𝜕𝑦 2
𝜕2𝑢 1 𝜕𝑝
=
𝜕𝑦 2 𝜇 𝜕𝑥
Integrating the above equation w.r.t. y, we get
𝜕𝑢
= 1 𝜕𝑝 y + C 1
𝜕𝑦 𝜇 𝜕𝑥
Integrating again,
1 𝜕𝑝 𝑦 2
u= + C1y + C2 (B)
𝜇 𝜕𝑥 2
Where C1 & C2 are constants of integration.
Their values are obtained from two boundary conditions
(i) At y = 0, u = 0
(ii) (ii) at y = t, u = 0
 Unit-4(a): Laminar flow through Pipes
(i) Velocity Distribution :
The substitution of y = 0, u = 0 in equation (B) gives
0 = 0 + C1* 0 + C2
C2 = 0
The substitution of y = t, u = 0 in equation (B) gives
1 𝜕𝑝 𝑡 2
0= + C1t
𝜇 𝜕𝑥 2
1 𝜕𝑝 𝑡 2 1 𝜕𝑝 𝑡
C1 = - =-
𝜇 𝜕𝑥 2𝑡 𝜇 𝜕𝑥 2
Substituting the values of C1 & C2 in equation (B)
1 𝜕𝑝 𝑦 2
u= + (- 1 𝜕𝑝 𝑡)y
𝜇 𝜕𝑥 2 𝜇 𝜕𝑥 2

u= - 1 𝜕𝑝 (𝑡𝑦 − 𝑦2) (C)

2𝜇 𝜕𝑥

In above equation 𝜇, 𝜕𝑝 & t are constant.

𝜕𝑥
u varies with y2, equation (C) is equation of parabola
Hence velocity distribution across a section of the parallel plate is parabolic.
 Unit-4(a): Laminar flow through Pipes
(ii) Ratio of Maximum velocity to Average Velocity:
The velocity is maximum, when y = t/2.
Substituting this value in equation (C), we get
1 𝜕𝑝
Umax = - [𝑡 ∗ 𝑡 − (𝑡)2]
2𝜇 𝜕 𝑥 2 2
1 𝜕𝑝 𝑡 2 𝑡2
= - [ − ( 4 )]
2𝜇 𝜕 𝑥 2
1 𝜕𝑝 𝑡 2
=- 4
2𝜇 𝜕𝑥
𝑡2 𝜕
=- 𝑝 (D)
8𝜇 𝜕𝑥

In above equation 𝜇, 𝜕𝑝 & t are constant.

𝜕𝑥
u varies with y2, equation (C) is equation of parabola
Hence velocity distribution across a section of the parallel plate is parabolic.
 Unit-4(a): Laminar flow through Pipes
(ii) Ratio of Maximum velocity to Average Velocity:
The average velocity, 𝑢̅, is obtained by dividing the discharge (Q) across the section by the
area of the section (t*1). And the discharge Q is obtained by considering the rate of flow of
fluid through the strip of thickness dy and integrating it. The rate of flow through strip is
dQ = Velocity at a distance y * Area of strip
1 𝜕𝑝
=- [ty – y2] * dy * 1
2𝜇 𝜕𝑥
𝑡 𝑡 1 𝜕𝑝
Q = ∫0 𝑑𝑄 = ∫0 − [ty – y2] dy
2𝜇 𝜕𝑥
1 𝜕𝑝 𝑡 3 𝑡3 𝜕
=- =- 𝑝
2𝜇 𝜕𝑥 6 12𝜇 𝜕𝑥
𝑡3 𝜕
𝑄 𝑝
12𝜇 𝜕𝑥 𝑡2 𝜕
𝑢̅ = =- =- 𝑝 (E)
𝐴𝑟𝑒𝑎 𝑡∗1 12𝜇 𝜕𝑥
Dividing equation (D) by (E), we get,
2

− 𝑡 𝜕𝑝
Umax = 8 𝜇 𝜕 𝑥 = 1.5
𝑡2 𝜕
𝑢̅ − 12𝜇 𝑝
𝜕𝑥
 Unit-4(a): Laminar flow through Pipes
(iii) Drop of Pressure head for a given Length
From equation (E), we get,
𝑡3 𝜕
𝑄 𝑝
12𝜇 𝜕𝑥 𝑡2 𝜕
𝑢̅ = =- =- 𝑝
𝐴𝑟𝑒 𝑡 12𝜇 𝜕𝑥
𝜕𝑝 𝑎 12𝜇𝑢̅ ∗1
=- 2
𝜕 𝑡
𝑥
Integrating this equation w.r.t. x, we get,
1 1 12𝜇 𝑢̅
∫2 𝑑𝑝 = ∫2 − 2 dx
𝑡
̅ ̅
p1 – p2 = − 12𝜇𝑢
𝑡2
[ x 1 – x2 ] = 12𝜇𝑢
𝑡2
[x 2 – x1]
12𝜇𝑢̅𝐿
p1 – p2 =
𝑡2
If hf is the drop of pressure head, then
p1 – p2 12𝜇𝑢̅𝐿
hf = = 𝑡2 (F)
ρ𝑔
 Unit-4(a): Laminar flow through Pipes
(iv) Shear Stress Distribution :
It is obtained by substituting the value of u from equation
From equation (C), into
τ = μ (𝑑𝑢)
𝑑
𝑦
𝑑 1 𝜕𝑝
=μ (- (𝑡𝑦 − 𝑦2))
𝑑𝑦 2𝜇 𝜕𝑥
1 𝜕𝑝
=- (𝑡 − 2𝑦) (G)
2 𝜕𝑥
𝜕𝑝
In above equation, 𝜕𝑥
and t are constant.
The shear stress distribution is maximum when y = 0 or t at the wall of the plates.
It is zero when y = t/2 that is at centre line between the two plates.
 Unit-4(a): Laminar flow through Pipes
Ex. 3. Calculate : (i) the pressure gradient along flow, (ii) the average velocity, and (iii) the discharge
for an oil of viscosity 0.02 Ns/m2 flowing between two stationary parallel plates 1 m wide maintained
10 mm apart. The velocity midway between the plates is 2 m/s.
 Unit-4(a): Laminar flow through Pipes
Ex. 4. An oil of viscosity 10 poise flows between two parallel fixed plates which are kept at a distance
of 50 mm apart. Find the rate of flow of oil between the plates if the drop of pressure in a length of 1.2
m be 0.3 N/cm3. The width of the plates is 200 mm.
 Unit-4(a): Laminar flow through Pipes
• Kinetic Energy Correction Factor (α) : It is defined as the ratio of the kinetic energy of the flow
per second based on actual velocity across a section to the kinetic energy of the flow per second
based on average velocity across the same section.
• It is denoted by α.
K.E./ sec based on actual velocity
α=
K.E/ sec based on average velocity
• Momentum Correction Factor (β) : It is defined as the ratio of the momentum of the flow per
second based on actual velocity to the momentum of the flow per second based on average velocity
across a section.
• It is denoted by β.
Momentum/ sec based on actual velocity
β=
Momentum/ sec based on average velocity
 Unit-4(a): Turbulent flow through Pipes
• Turbulent flow : A flow is one in which path taken by the individual particles cross one
another & does not move along well defined path, this type of flow is called turbulent flow.
• Reynolds number is greater than 4000, the flow is turbulent.
• Characteristics of Turbulent flow :
• The velocity profile becomes more flatter with increase in Reynold’s number.
• In turbulent flow, the fluid particles are in an extreme state of disorder, their movement is
haphazard and large scale.
• In turbulent flow, fluid motion is irregular and there is complete mixing of fluid due to
collision of fluid masses with one another.
• Fluid masses in adjacent layers have different velocities, interchange of fluid masses
between the adjacent layers is accompanied by transfer of momentum which cause
additional shear stresses of high magnitude between adjacent layers.
• Shear in turbulent flow is mainly due to momentum transfer.
 Unit-4(a): Turbulent flow through Pipes
• Instantaneous Velocity (u) : Velocity of any point at any instant is called instantaneous
velocity.
• In turbulent flow, velocity changes continuously w.r.t. time.
• Temporal mean Velocity (𝒖̅) : Temporal mean velocity is found out by taking average of
velocity at a point over a certain period of time.
• Fluctuating Velocity (u’) : It is difference between instantaneous velocity (u) and temporal
mean velocity (𝑢̅) at any point in a given instant.
• It may have +ve, -ve or zero value.
• Intensity or degree of turbulence : Intensity of turbulence prescribe the ratio of degree of
turbulence to average flow velocity at a point in flow field.
• Shear Stresses in Turbulent Flow : In turbulent flow, velocity fluctuation cause
momentum transport which result in developing additional shear stresses of high magnitude
between adjacent layers of the fluid.
 Unit-4(a): Turbulent flow through Pipes
• Reynol’s Theory :
• According to Renold’s theory (1886), turbulent shear stress between two layers pf a fluid at
a small distance apart is given as,
τ = ρ u’ v’
Where u’ & v’ are the fluctuation components of velocity in the direction of x and y due to
turbulence.
• As both u’ & v’ vary and subsequently τ also varies, therefore, to find the shear stress, the
time average is taken using equation
𝑟̅ = ρ u’ v’ (1)
 Unit-4(a): Turbulent flow through Pipes
• Prandtl’s Mixing Length Theory :
• According to Prandtl’s (1925) the mixing length (l) is defined as average lateral distance
through which a small mass of fluid particles would move from one layer to other adjacent
layer before acquiring the velocity of new layer.
• He assumed that components u’ and v’ are of same order and velocity fluctuation in x-
direction is related to mixing length as
u’ = l 𝑑 𝑢
𝑑
∴ u’ ∗ v’ = l2 (𝑑𝑢)2 𝑦= (l ∗ 𝑑𝑢 ) (l * 𝑑𝑢 )
𝑑𝑦 𝑑𝑦 𝑑𝑦
Substituting the vale of u’ ∗ v’ in equation (1)
𝑟̅ = ρ l2 (𝑑𝑢)2
𝑑𝑦
When the viscous action is also included the total shear stress,
𝑟̅ = μ 𝑑𝑢 + ρ l2 (𝑑𝑢)2
𝑑𝑦 𝑑𝑦
 Unit-4(a): Turbulent flow through Pipes
• Moody’s Diagram : It is graph plotted in the form of frictional factor verses Reynold’s number Re
for various values of relative roughness (k/D).
 Unit-4(a): Turbulent flow through Pipes
• Moody’s Diagram :
• Use of Moody’s Diagram
1. It is in selection of a diameter for a pipe for some purpose
2. It is used to find relative roughness
3. It is also used to find friction factor
4. It an be used for finding pressure drop or flow rate down such a pipe.
 Unit-4 Turbulent flow through Pipes
• Determine the wall shearing stress in a pipe of diameter 100 mm which carries water. The velocities
at the pipe centre and 30 mm from the pipe centre are 2 m/s and 1.5 m/s respectively. The flow in
pipe is given as turbulent.