CE 366: HYDRAULICS

RELATIVE
EQUILIBRIUM
 Relative Equilibrium

Previous chapters:
• liquid is not moving with respect to the vessel
• vessel is not moving with respect to earth (although
the earth is moving itself very slowly by rotating about
its axis)

Relative Equilibrium:
• the mass of fluid is static but the vessel is moving with
respect to earth
I. Rectilinear Acceleration (Moving Vessel)

A. Horizontal Motion

v = constant a
a = 0
C C





W = Mg

N  W = Mg
REF = Ma


REF = Ma
N
Force Polygon
Applying the conditions of static equilibrium:

REF Ma
tan  = =
W Mg

a
tan  =
g

Therefore: the surface and all planes of equal hydrostatic pressure must be
inclined at this angle  with the horizontal.
Example:
An open rectangular tank mounted on a truck is 5 m long, 2 m wide and
2.5 m high is filled with water to a depth of 2 m.
a) What maximum horizontal acceleration can be imposed on the tank without
spilling any water?
b) Determine the accelerating force on the liquid mass.
c) If the acceleration is increased to 6 m/s2, how much water is spilled out?

Solution:
a)
a a

5m 5m
2.5 m 2.5 m 2.5 m 2.5 m

0.5 m 0.5 m 

2.5 m 2.5 m
2m 2m 1.5 m
Since there is no liquid spilled, the two triangular wedges shown must be equal

0.5 Equate 1 & 2

tan  = 2.5 = 0.2 eqn 1
a
g = 0.2
a
tan  = g eqn 2 a = 0.2(9.81)
a = 1.962 m/s2
horizontal acceleration

b) Accelerating Force, F = Ma
F =  (Vol) a

= 1000 (2x2x5)(1.962)

F = 39,240 = 39.24 kN

OR
F = FREAR WALL - FFRONT WALL

F = 9.81(2.5/2)[2.5(2)] - 9.81(1.5/2)[1.5(2)]

F = 39.24 kN
c) When: a = 6 m/s2

a 6
tan  = g = Voriginal = (2)(2)(5) = 20 m3
9.81

 = 31.45o Vspilled = Vorig - Vleft

= 20 - 10.22
a = 6 m/s2

Vspilled = 9.78 m3
5m
x

2.5 m

x = 2.5 cot 31.45o = 4.0875 < 5 m

1
Volleft = 2 (4.0875)(2.5)(2) = 10.22 m3
B. Inclined Motion

ay Considering a mass of fluid accelerated upwards

a at
 ax an inclination of  with the horizontal:
ax = a cos 
ay = a sin 

REFy = May


W = Mg

• REFx = Max

 N 

In the force polygon:

Max
tan  =
 Mg + May
N Mg + May
ax
tan  =
g + ay
Max
 ax
tan  = g  a
y

Use (+) if the acceleration is upward

Use (-) if the acceleration is downwards

Problem:
A vessel containing oil is accelerated on a plane inclined 15o with the horizon-
tal at 1.2 m/s2. Determine the inclination of the oil surface when the acceleration
is:
(a) upwards
(b) downwards
ay
a
ax
 = 15 o




 = 15 o
Solution:

ax
tan  =
g  ay

ax = a cos  a) when the acceleration is upwards:

= 1.2 cos 15o 1.159
tan  =
= 1.159 m/s2 9.81 + 0.31
 = 6.533o
ay = a sin 
b) when the acceleration is down-
= 1.2 sin 15o wards:
= 0.31 m/s2
1.159
tan  =
9.81 - 0.31
 = 6.955o
C. Vertical Motion

Considering a mass of fluid accelerated REF = Ma

upwards or downwards with an acceleration

W = Mg p=0
of a as shown in the figure. 
Forces acting:
h
Weight of the liquid above the point = Mg
dA
The inertia force = Ma
p
The pressure force, F = pdA
F = pdA

Fv = 0
F = Ma + Mg

W  Vol
M= =
g g
  (h)(dA)
M = g

 (h)(dA)
pdA = g (a + g)

 (h) a
p = g (g + a) =  h( 1 + g )

a
p =  h( 1  g )

Use (+) if the acceleration is upward

Use (-) if the acceleration is downwards

Problem:
A vessel 3 m in diameter containing 2.4 m of water is being raised. Find
(a) the pressure at the bottom of the vessel in kPa when the velocity is constant
(b) the pressure at the bottom of the vessel when it is accelerating 0.6 m/s2
upwards

Solution:

For vertical motion:

a
p =  h( 1  g )

h = 2.4 m

a) when the velocity is constant, a = 0, then

p =  h = 9.81(2.4)
= 23.544 kPa (pressure at the bottom)

b) when a = 0.6 m/s2 (use “+” for upward acceleration)

0.6
p = 9.81(2.4)( 1 + )
9.81
= 24.984 kPa
 Cylindrical Vessels with Free Liquid Surfaces
I. Rotation (Rotating Vessel)

 
r

h/2
h
h/2 h
H
H D
D

For no spillage
 There is spillage

2 2
H
h h= r
D 2g

There is spillage and an imaginary volume ( paraboloid)

Problem:
An open tank containing oil (sp.gr. = 0.8) is accelerated vertically at 8 m/s2.
Determine the pressure 3 m below the surface if the motion is
a) upward with a positive acceleration,
b) upward with a negative accceleration,
c) downward with a positive acceleration
d) downward with a negative acceleration.
 2r 2
h=
2g

where:
 = constant angular speed (in radians per second)
r = farthest distance of a particle in the paraboloid
equivalent to the radius of the cylinder
h = height of the paraboloid made during rotation
 Cylindrical Vessels with Free Liquid Surfaces
Problem:
An open cylindrical vessel, 0.60 m in diameter, 0.90 m high and two-thirds
full of water, rotates about its vertical axis with a constant speed of 90 rpm,
determine :
a) the depth of water at the center of the vessel
b) the total pressure on the cylindrical walls
c) the total pressure on the bottom of the vessel
d) is there some spillage? If there is, what is the volume that was spilled over
during rotation?
e) What is the maximum constant speed that can be given to the vessel
without water spilling over the sides?
f) For a constant speed of 120 rpm subjected to the cylinder what is the
volume that spilled out and the volume retained?
g) For the same dimensions and depth of water, determine the water that
spilled out if 140 rpm is subjected to the cylinder.
h) What constant speed (in rpm) must be applied to the cylinder so
that a radial distance of 0.15 m from the central axis will no longer
have water during rotation.

H = 0.90 m
D = 0.60 m h=?

0.15 m
Problem:
An open vertical cylindrical vessel, 2 m in diameter and 4 m high
and filled with water to the top. If rotated on its own axis in order to
discharge the quantity of water to uncover a circular area on the
bottom of the vessel 1 m in diameter. Determine the angular rotation
in rpm and how much volume of water is left in the tank after
rotation/spillage?
Problem:

If the mercury U-tube shown in the figure is given an

acceleration of 4.905 m/s2 towards the right, determine the
gage pressure at A in kPa.

200 mm
A
• B
C
150 mm

600 mm
 U-Tubes Subjected to Rotation about the Vertical
Axis at Constant Speed
Problem:
If the mercury U-tube shown in the figure is rotated about
a vertical axis through the leg BC, determine the height of
mercury column in the leg DE, when the speed is 40 rpm,
and the pressure at A in kPa.

 To satisfy the condition of the problem

above, use the general formula:
E C
2r2
h= 2g

Please next slides if computed h is

h greater than 400 mm or 0.40 m
2
h
h
For pressure at A, the solver only needs
200 mm 2 the imaginary height of the imaginary
A fluid surface above point A. The square
• B properties of the parabola can be used
D
150 mm here. Ans: fluid height in leg DE = 360 mm

600 mm
 If the vertex of the parabola is still on the
vertical leg where the axis of rotation is,
 h/2 is still applicable. When the vertex
E C goes below B then h of the parabola is no
longer bisected with the horizontal
surface of the fluid when it was still at
rest.
h
2 Try to find the angular speed  for the
h
condition on the left where the vertex of
h
200 mm 2
A the parabola is at the bottom of leg BC
To satisfy the condition of the problem
•
D B above, h = 400 mm or 0.400 m. This
150 mm
will enable the solver to determine .
600 mm
Please, see next slide.
 2r2
h = 2g still applies since this is a
general formula. y uses the x as its
radius in the small paraboloid (parabola)
but remember its part of the big parabola
E 
and h is the total height of the big
C
parabola.
The condition on the left will only happen
200 mm + x
for a bigger value of . The legs are
h assumed to be always high that no
spillage will occur.
200 mm x
Problems could be with  given and x
B
will be determined or the other way
D y
around.
r = 600 mm If  = 60 rpm what should be the height
of the mercury column in leg DE?
hDE = 6 22 mm; x = 222 mm
Problem:
If the mercury U-tube shown is rotated about a vertical axis
through A until there is no mercury in the leg DE, determine
the lowest possible speed for this condition.

 

E C
E C

200 mm
200 mm A
A
• B
• B D
D 150 mm
150 mm
600 mm
600 mm

When vertex of parabola is below A and no

When vertex of parabola is at A. more fluid in leg DE. Ans:  = 63.03 rpm
Problem:
A conical vessel with vertical axis has an altitude of 0.90 m
and is filled with water. Its base which is 0.60 m in diameter is
horizontal and uppermost. If the vessel is rotated about its
vertical axis with a speed of 60 rpm, how much water will
remain in it?

0.60 m 
0.30 m

0.90 m

Same principle and formula only that what is involved is a cone.

 W

 WV 2  R
gr W

R WV 2
gr

Ans: Vol. Spilled out = 0.025 m3

Vol. Remaining = 0.060 m3

Problem:
A 1.90 m diameter closed cylinder 2.75 m high is completely
filled with oil (s.g. = 0.8) under a pressure of 5 kg.cm2 at the top.
What angular speed in rpm can be imposed on the cylinder so that
the maximum pressure at the bottom of the tank is 14 kg/cm2 and
compute the pressure force exerted by the oil on the side of the tank
in kg.