BASICS OF TURBULENT FLOW AND COMPRESSIBLE FLOW

Prof S V Jain
APME, IT, NU
 Contents
1. Reynolds Experiment
2. Effects of Turbulence
3. Analysis of Turbulent Flow
4. Compressible Flow
5. Mach Number & Compressible Flow Regimes
1. Reynolds Experiment
Reynolds Number (Re) :
It is of the order of ratio of inertia force of a flowing fluid and the viscous
force of the fluid.
Inertia Force (Fi) = 𝑀𝑎𝑠𝑠 × 𝐴𝑐𝑐𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑜𝑓 𝑓𝑙𝑜𝑤𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑓𝑙𝑢𝑖𝑑
= 𝑀𝑎𝑠𝑠/𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒 × 𝑉𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦
= 𝜌 × 𝐴 × 𝑣2
Viscous Force (Fv) = Shear Force * Area
= 𝜏 × 𝐴𝑟𝑒𝑎
𝑣
=𝜇×𝐿×𝐴
𝐹𝑖 𝜌×𝐴×𝑣2 𝜌×𝑣×𝐿
Thus, Reynolds’s
Reynolds number No.
Re(Re) =
= (O) 𝐹𝑣
= 𝑣
𝜇× ×𝐴
= 𝜇
𝐿
• Where,
4 𝑥 𝐶𝑟𝑜𝑠𝑠 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑎
L = Hydraulic diameter =
𝑊𝑒𝑡𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑚𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑟
2
π𝐷
4𝑥 4
For Cylinder of diameter D :L= =D
π𝐷

4𝐻𝑊
For Rectangle of Height ‘H’ and width ‘W’: L =
2 (𝐻+𝑊)
an
 Velocity Measurement
u=U u = U + u′ = 𝑢ത + u’

(u)
u′
u′

U
U

Laminar flow Turbulent flow

• u is instantaneous vel.
• U is average vel.
• u' is fluctuation
 2. Effects of Turbulence
• Turbulence mixing is many times more rapid & intense than laminar flow.
Consequently mass, momentum & heat transfer get enhanced with the
onset of turbulence.
• Velocity profile of turbulence flow are much flatter & more fuller than
laminar flow.
 3. Analysis of Turbulent Flow
• The generalized continuity, momentum and energy equations are valid for
turbulent as well as laminar flows.
• In these equations instantaneous values of velocity, pressure and temperature are
used.

• However, in turbulent flow instantaneous values always vary with time and
variations are random with irregular fluctuations about mean values.
• These equations can be applied to turbulent flow if we can remove all irregular
fluctuations in velocity, pressure and temperature.
• In most engineering problems, we are only interested in mean values. Hence it is
necessary to take the statistical nature of turbulence into account in turbulent
flow.
 • Turbulence flow analysis is
carried out by dividing flow
into steady and fluctuating
u velocity components.
U
u

• u,v,w are instantaneous vel.

• U,V,W are average vel.
• u',v’,w’ are fluctuations.

u, v, w = f (position)
u = U + u′ , ≠ f (time)
But,
u’, v’, w’ = f (position, time)
(1) Degree of Turbulence
➢ It measures how strong, violent or intense the turbulence is.
➢ It is defined in terms of the root mean square (rms) average of
velocity fluctuations.

Where,

similarly …… ………………..
(2) Turbulence Intensity
➢ It is the ratio of degree of turbulence and average flow
velocity.

(3) Turbulent Kinetic Energy (k)

➢ For a unit mass of fluid,
Regimes of Fluid Mechanics

Fluid Kinematics and Dynamics

M < 0.3 M > 0.3

 4. Compressible Flow (Gas Dynamics)
➢ Compressible flow (gas dynamics) is the branch of fluid mechanics that
deals with flows having significant changes in fluid density.
➢ Gases, mostly, display such behaviour.
➢ To distinguish between compressible and incompressible flow, the Mach
number must be greater than about 0.3 (since the density change is greater
than 5% in that case) before significant compressibility occurs.

▪  ≠ constant (changes with temperature, pressure)

▪ For ∆P = 2 x 10^7 N/m2
∆ρ = 1% for water
∆ρ = 4370% for air
❖Applications:
▪ Aerodynamics
▪ Rocket & Missile propulsion
▪Flow through nozzle & orifices
▪ Steam & gas turbines
▪ Compressors
▪Quick return mechanisms
▪ Water hammer
 Applications of Compressible Flow

High-speed aircraft Jet engines

Rocket engines Shock tubes

 Hyperloops
(average speed of 970 km/h) Nozzles and Diffusers

Abrasive blasting
High-speed Re-entry atmosphere
 Gas pipelines

Wind tunnel Turbomachines

 5. Mach Number & Compressible Flow Regimes
• Mach number is the important parameter in determining whether compressibility effects
are significant or not.
• Mach no. is defined as the ratio of,
1)The inertia force to the elastic or compressibility force in a flow system.
2)The flow velocity to the sound system.
𝐼𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑡𝑖𝑎 𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑐𝑒 𝜌𝐴𝑉 2 𝑉2 𝑉2 𝑉
Mach no. (M)= = = 𝐾 = =
𝐸𝑙𝑎𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑐 𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑐𝑒 𝐾𝐴 𝑎2 𝑎
𝜌

𝑉 𝐹𝑙𝑜𝑤 𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦
∴𝑀= =
𝑎 𝑆𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑑 𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦
 Types of (Compressible) flow
Mach No. Velocity Flow Applications
M
0 – 0.3 <104 m/s Incompressible Fan, Blowers, Hydraulics
0.3 – 0.9 104-311 Subsonic Aircrafts, Turbo-machines
0.9 – 1.1 311-381 Transonic Compressors
1.1 – 5 381-1730 Supersonic Concord
5 – 10 1730-3460 Hypersonic Rockets
10-25 3460-8651 High-hypersonic Hypersonic aircrafts
Thank You
For Reference
Applications of Compressible Flow
Shock formation
 Speed of Sound in Different Mediums

βs = Bulk Modulus
ks = Isentropic compressibility
kT = Isothermal compressibility

[Source: Gas Dynamics by James John and Theo Keith]

14. WAVE PROPAGATION IN DIFFERENT FLOWS
• Consider a small projectile say an aerofoil that travels in a
stationary fluid and creates pressure disturbance. Initially when
projectile is at rest, series of pressure waves emanate from it
propagate rapidly outwards in all direction with the sonic speed ‘a’.

• These waves are represented by the series of concentric circles

having radius 𝑎𝑑𝑡, 𝑎 2𝑑𝑡 , 𝑎 3𝑑𝑡 ,…where 𝑑𝑡 represents the time
elapsed since the pressure impulse originates from the projectile.
When C = 0.

𝑎𝑑𝑡

𝑎2𝑑𝑡

𝑎3𝑑𝑡

𝑎4𝑑𝑡
 Subsonic flow:
• Now, let the projectile move from left to right with
velocity 𝑉 < 𝑎.
• Let the projectile move to position 4 in time 4dt which is
at distance of 𝑉(4𝑑𝑡) from initial position O.
• The projectile positions at time intervals dt,2dt & 3dt are
respectively marked by positions 1,2,3.

During time interval Pressure wave Propagated to

originated from radius of
4𝑑𝑡 0 𝑎 ∗ 4𝑑𝑡
3𝑑𝑡 1 𝑎 ∗ 2𝑑𝑡
2𝑑𝑡 2 𝑎 ∗ 3𝑑𝑡
𝑑𝑡 3 𝑎 ∗ 𝑑𝑡
Centre of circle Radius of circle
• These circles represent the position of disturbance
wave signals that occur at each of the marked
positions.

• The pressure disturbances travelling at sonic speed

precede the projectile and fill the entire flow field,
the influence of zone exists throughout the flow
field.

• Here we get eccentric circles.

When C < a 𝑎4𝑑𝑡

𝑎3𝑑𝑡

𝑎2𝑑𝑡

𝑎𝑑𝑡
 Sonic flow:
• When the projectile accelerates to sonic velocity 𝑉 = 𝑎, it
would catch up with the pressure waves.

• The waves then merge to form a normal wave front.

• The zone of influence of the moving projectile is then

confined to the flow field lying behind the wave front.

• The pressure wave do not reach the region to the right of the
normal front and this region is called the zone of silence.
When C = a 𝑎4𝑑𝑡

𝑎3𝑑𝑡

𝑎𝑑𝑡

𝑎2𝑑𝑡
 Supersonic flow:
• Finally when the projectile has a velocity greater than the
sonic speed, the sphere of disturbance propagation lags
behind the projectile position, the projectile always
remains outside the spherical waves.

Mach cone:
The radiated pattern of the pressure waves is seen to be a
cone called the Mach cone.

Mach angle:
The semi angle of the cone is called the Mach angle.
𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 3 − 5 𝑎𝑑𝑡 𝑎 1
sin 𝛼 = = = =
𝑑𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 3 − 4 𝑉𝑑𝑡 𝑉 𝑀
When C > a.
𝑎4𝑑𝑡

𝑎3𝑑𝑡

𝑎𝑑𝑡

𝑎2𝑑𝑡
 MACH CONE & MACH ANGLE
Plane Position
Stationary

Sonic speed

Super sonic speed

 Subsonic Vs supersonic flow:
• The disturbance wave reach a stationary observer before the source
of disturbance could reach him in subsonic flow.

• But in supersonic flows, it takes considerable time for an observer

to receive the pressure disturbance, after the source has passed him.

• This is one of the fundamental difference between subsonic &

supersonic flows.
 Transonic flow:
• When a body is kept in transonic flow it experiences
subsonic flow over some portion of its surface &
supersonic flow over other portion of its surface.

• There is also a possibility of shock formation on the

body.

• It is this mixed nature of the flow field which makes

the study of transonic flow complicated.
 Hypersonic flow:
• The temperature at stagnation point and over the surface of an
object in the hypersonic flow becomes very high & therefore
it requires special treatment. i.e. we must consider
thermodynamic aspects of the flow along with gas dynamics
aspects.
That’s why hypersonic flow theory is also called aero
thermodynamic theory.

• Other than that because of high temperature the specific heats

(Cp and Cv) become function of temperature & hence the air
can not be treated as perfect gas.

• If the temp is quite high (>2000K), even dissociation of gas

can take place. The complexities due to high temperature
associated with hypersonic flow makes its study complicated.