BME 307

Biomedical Transport Fundamentals

Similarity and Dimensional Analysis

Shams Nafisa Ali

Lecturer
Department of Biomedical Engineering
BUET

Ⓒ
Topics to be covered
▪ Definition and types of similarity

▪ Buckingham Π theorem

▪ Non-dimensional or dimensionless groups: Applications

▪ Dimensionless form of the Navier- Stokes equation

▪ Moody diagram

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Experiment with scale models
Issues to solve:

▪ Size of the model

▪ Flow condition (velocity, pressure fluid
properties)
▪ Number of experiments to fully
characterize flow and forces (considering
large number of variables, e.g., viscosity,
density, dimensions, pressure, velocity )

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Similarity: Classical Definition

▪ A similarity is a sameness or
alikeness.

▪ Similar triangles are just scaled up

(or down) versions of each other,
meaning they have the same angles.

▪ Mechanical similarity primarily

involves constructing small models
of large systems.

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Geometric/Dimensional Similarity
It imposes that the corresponding lengths between the model and the prototype bear
the same ratio.

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Kinematic Similarity
▪ This similarity requires that the length and time scales be similar between the
model and the prototype implying that velocities at corresponding points be similar
▪ Under this similarity, streamline patterns for the flow over the model and the
prototype will be similar.
▪ Obviously, kinematic similarity includes geometrical similarity.

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Dynamic Similarity
It exists between the model and the prototype when forces at corresponding points
are similar .

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Example

Model Model

Source: [1] Source: [1]

Original Original

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Buckingham Pi Theorem
In mathematical terms, if we have a physically meaningful equation such as

where the qi are the n physical variables, and they are expressed in terms of k independent
physical units, then the above equation can be restated as

where the πi are dimensionless parameters constructed from the qi by p = n − k

dimensionless equations — the so-called Pi groups — of the form

Source: [2]

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Buckingham Pi Theorem
If there is a physically meaningful equation involving a certain number n of
physical variables (x1, x2, x3…….xn ), then the original equation can be rewritten in
terms of a set of p = n − k dimensionless parameters π1, π2, ..., πp (each of the
form πi=x1ax2b…….xnj)constructed from the original variables. (Here k is the
number of fundamental physical dimensions involved)

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Problem
Imagine that we are making a model of blood flow through an artery; however, we
could only use water as our fluid flowing through the model artery. Calculate what the
angular frequency of the pulsatile waveform and the initial inlet velocity should be if
the characteristic length (diameter) of the blood vessel and the model of the blood
vessel is 10 cm, the heartbeat is 72 beats/min (angular frequency is 5.24 rad/s), and
the inlet velocity is 50 cm/s.

Blood viscosity=3.5 cP, Water viscosity= 1 cP

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Drag Force
A drag force is produced by the deviation or difference in velocity between the fluid
and the object. There should be movement between the fluid and the solid object.
Without motion, drag is non-existent.

Drag coefficient is the aerodynamic drag coefficient is a measure of the effectiveness

of a streamline aerodynamic body shape in reducing the air resistance to the forward
motion of a vehicle/object.

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Problem
Blood flow in a bifurcated vessel is affected by the drag force, Fd. Consider a
Newtonian fluid of density p and viscosity flowing at an average velocity u through a
blood vessel of diameter, D. Use Buckingham Pi theorem to identify the dimensionless
groups that affect the flow in the bifurcated vessels.

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Application

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Application

Source: [3]

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Wall Roughness
▪ Hydraulically smooth: The viscous wall thickness (δv ) is large enough that it submerges
the wall roughness elements → Negligible effect on the flow (almost as if the wall is
smooth).
▪ If the viscous wall layer is very thin → Roughness elements protrude off the layer →
The wall is rough.
▪ The relative roughness e/D and Reynolds number can be used to find if a pipe is
smooth/rough.

https://encrypted-
tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSAlW8yDRke1QkTWLFJ7ZBMLb547agnjPRdX
ZhCk8TKZTRxs6oGpVTcRGzenrk_QPh8_4U&usqp=CAU

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Wall Roughness
Relative roughness is the amount of surface roughness
that exists inside the pipe. The relative roughness of a
pipe is known as the absolute roughness of a pipe
divided by the inside diameter of a pipe.

https://encrypted-
tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSAlW8yDRke1QkTWLFJ7ZBMLb547agnjPRdX
ZhCk8TKZTRxs6oGpVTcRGzenrk_QPh8_4U&usqp=CAU

https://www.nuclear-power.com/nuclear-engineering/fluid-dynamics/major-head-loss-friction-loss/relative-
roughness-of-pipe/

https://youtu.be/5glOutYffeM

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Source: [4]

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Application
Source: [3]

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Common Dimensionless Numbers in Fluid Mechanics

Source: [5]
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Common Dimensionless Numbers in Heat Transfer

Source: [5]

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Dimensionless form of the Navier-Stokes Equation

Source: [5]

The form shown includes non-zero viscosity as well as a linear stress strain relation
relating compressibility and fluid density as defined in the proportionality constant λ.

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Dimensionless form of the Navier-Stokes Equation
For incompressible flow with high velocity,

Source: [5]

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Dimensionless form of the Navier- Stokes Equation

Assume that characteristic length and velocity in the x and y direction are the same

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Dimensionless form of the Navier- Stokes Equation

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Dimensionless form of the Navier- Stokes Equation

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Dimensionless form of the Navier- Stokes Equation
▪ For flows where viscous forces are dominant i.e., slow flows with large viscosity, a
viscous pressure scale μU/L is used. In the absence of a free surface, the equation
obtained is:

▪ In a flow where inertia term is smaller than the viscous term then inertia terms can
be neglected, leaving the equation of a creeping motion. Such flows tend to have
influence of viscous interaction over large distances from an object.

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Dimensionless form of the Navier- Stokes Equation
▪ At very low Reynolds number (i.e., when Re → 0 ), the same equation reduces to a
diffusion equation, named Stokes equation:

▪ If Re → ∞ i.e., then the inertia forces dominates, the viscous contribution can be
neglected. The non-dimensionalized Euler equation for an inviscid flow is:

*St is only important when analyzing unsteady oscillating flow problems, otherwise may be treated as unity.
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Reference
1. Master, M., & Gavin D. (2012). Acute aortic dissection in pregnancy in a
woman with undiagnosed marfan syndrome. Case reports in obstetrics and
gynecology.

2. Biofluid Mechanics, David A. Rubenstein-14.3 Buckingham Pi Theorem and

Dynamic Similarity

3. Truskey, G. A., Yuan, F., & Katz, D. F. (2010). Transport phenomena in

biological systems. 2nd Edition. New Jersey: Pearson.

4. How to read a Moody chart

5. Various resources from internet. All authors are duly acknowledged.

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