Basrah University for Oil and Gas

Fluid Mechanics II
Flow in conduits

Dr Mohammed Haloob

Email: [email protected]
Fluid Mechanics I Basrah University for Oil and Gas

Table of Contents

 Objective
 Introduction
 Types of flow- Laminar and Turbulent
 Pipe Head Loss
 Problems of Laminar and Turbulent flow

Ref; Chapter 10: Crowe, C. T. (Clayton T.) Engineering fluid mechanics/Clayton

T. Crowe, Donald F. Elger, Barbara C. Williams, John A. Roberson. —9th ed.
 Objectives

1. Differentiate between laminar and turbulent flows in pipelines.

2. Describe the velocity profile for laminar and turbulent flows.

3. Compute Reynolds number for flow in pipes.

4. Define the friction factor, and compute the friction losses in pipelines.
 Introduction
The study of fluid flow in pipes is an essential topic for the design of
industrial plants. In fact, a pipe network is the only means of fluid
transport between the industrial units. However, the flow analysis will
depend on the nature and type of fluid running inside the pipes. Each type
of fluid, whether it is a gas, liquid, viscous liquid, or a gas-liquid mixture,
will have a specific set of relationships to estimate the pressure drop
inside the pipe. Also, for each type of fluid at a given flow rate, there will
be a set of unique equations to determine the diameter of the pipe. Some
useful empirical equations, based on dimensional analysis, will also be
covered in this chapter. The estimation of pressure drop in a piping system
with pipe fittings included will be another vital topic to be studied.
 Introduction
 Laminar and Turbulent flow
The nature of flow in a pipe depends on the velocity of the fluid, the
pipe diameter and the physical properties of the fluid. The flow
regime is determined by the values of these variables. When the
velocity is low, the flow appears to be smooth and calm, moving in
layers with no mixing; this is laminar or streamline-flow. When the
velocity is increased, eddies will appear within the stream causing
mixing of the fluid elements; this is called turbulent flow.
 Introduction
The flow regime changes can be observed by conducting Reynolds’ experiment
as shown in the figure below;
Water is supplied from a tank through a glass
tube. The water flow is regulated by a valve and
a dye is injected into the stream. For low flow
rates, the dye remains as a well-defined line,
indicating laminar flow. As the velocity is
increased, the dye starts to get mixed with the
water indicating the onset of turbulence. The
velocity at which the flow changes from laminar
to turbulent is known as the critical velocity.
Experiments show that the change in flow
regime is determined by the value of a non-
dimensional group known as the Reynolds
number denoted as Re; defined as the ratio of
inertia forces to viscous forces is the Reynolds
number.
Types of flow
 Types of flow
Reynolds number
 Prof. Obsorne Reynolds conducted the
experiment in the year 1883.
 The Reynolds number (Re) is an important
dimensionless quantity in fluid mechanics used
to help predict flow patterns in different fluid
flow situations.

Re= ρVD/µ
ν= µ/ρ
Re= VD/ν
V: the velocity of the fluid m/s
ρ; Density of the fluid kg/m3
D; Diameter of the pipe m
µ; viscosity of the fluid N.S/m2
ν; kinetic viscosity m2/s
Types of flow
1
 Pipe Head Loss
 REAL FLOW IN PIPES
Continuity:
ρQ1= ρQ2= const.
ie. V1=V2 since A1=A2, p=const,
and V= Vave
Energy (Bernoulli’s) equation in real fluid flow conditions
p1/γ +(v12/2g)+ h1 = p2/γ+ (v22/2g)+h2+ hL
Where ℎ𝐿 represents the head loss between two sections 1 and 2 which divided
into two parts ℎ𝑓 (head losses due to friction, called major losses), and
ℎ𝑚(head losses due to fitting, valves, and any other source of losses along
individual pipe, called miner losses)
h L = hf + h m
 Pipe Head Loss
 For a single straightforward part of pipe without minor losses:
h1=h2+hf
h1= P1/γ & h2= P2/γ for horizontal pipe (z1=z2)
h1= P1/γ+z1 & h2= P2/γ+z2 for vertical and inclined pipes
hf= h1-h2 =δh or h (difference of pressure heads)
hf= P1/γ - P2/γ = δP/ρg ›› δP= ρghf….. (1)
hf =f * L/D * v2/2g (Darcy – Weisbach equation, valid for duct flows of
any cross section and for laminar and turbulent flow) ….. (2)
Where, hf is the energy loss and f is the friction factor or Darcy
coefficient for friction & L is pipe length in m.
 What is the value of f?
Before we can select the value of 𝒇 , we first of all must defines the regime
of flow whether is Laminar or turbulent flow
 Pipe Head Loss
For a single straightforward part of pipe without miner losses, Forces are shown in
Fig. Summing of forces in the streamwise direction gives
Fpressure +Fshear +Fweight =0
 Pipe Head Loss
i.e. shear stress varies linearly in r across pipe for either laminar or turbulent
flow
⸫ once τw is known, we can determine head drop (pressure drop).
 Pipe Head Loss
Which define a new factor called the friction factor f that gives the ratio of wall
shear stress τw to kinetic pressure;

Darcy-Weisbach Equation, is applied for any flow statues (Laminar or

turbulent). and for either round pipes or nonround conduits such as a rectangular
duct.
The Darcy-Weisbach equation shows that head loss depends on the friction factor,
the pipe-length-to-diameter ratio, and the mean velocity squared. The key to using
the Darcy- Weisbach equation is calculating a value of the friction factor f.
 Flow in pipes- Laminar flow
Laminar flow
• It’s occurs when a fluid flows in parallel layers, with no disruption
between the layers.
• There are no cross currents perpendicular to the direction of flow. In
laminar flow, the motion of the particles of the fluid is very orderly with
all particles moving in straight lines parallel to the pipe walls.
• At low Reynolds numbers, flows tend to be dominated by laminar
(sheet-like) flow, while at high Reynolds numbers turbulence results
from differences in the fluid's speed and direction.
• Examples of laminar flow; Underground water, flow of blood in human
veins & flow of Oil in measuring instruments.
• The flow is laminar when one of the conditions occurs
i) Viscosity is very high.
ii) Velocity is very low. the fluid tends to flow without lateral mixing, and
adjacent layers slide past one another.
iii) The passage is very narrow.
 Flow in pipes- Laminar flow
Laminar flow occurs when Re ≤ 2000. Laminar flow in a round tube is
called Poiseuille flow or Hagen-Poiseuille flow in honor of pioneering
researchers who studied low-speed flows in the 1840s.

* For laminar flow only in pipes, shear stresses through flow is related by
Newton law of viscosity
𝜏=µ𝑑𝑢/ 𝑑𝑦
where y is the distance from the pipe wall. Change variables by letting
y = r0 - r, where r0 is pipe radius and r is the radial coordinate. Next,
use the chain rule of calculus:
Flow in pipes- Laminar flow
 Flow in pipes- Laminar flow

Sometimes it’s more convenient to deal with volume flow rate (Q) rather
than velocity (V). Thus we can write one last relation:
hf = 128µLQ/πγD4 (Laminar flow only in horizontal pipes!)
Problems- Laminar flow
1
 Problems- Laminar flow

 Example II: The velocity of oil (S = 0.8) through the 5 cm smooth pipe
is 1.2 m/s. were L = 12 m, Z1 = 1 m, Z2 = 2 m, and the manometer
deflection is 10 cm. Determine the flow direction, the resistance
coefficient f, whether the flow is laminar or turbulent, and the viscosity
of the oil.
 Problems- Laminar flow
Solution:
Based on the deflection on the manometer, the piezometric head on the right side
of the pipe is larger than that on the left side. Since the velocity at 1 and 2 is the
same, the energy at location 2 is higher than the energy at location 1. Since the a
fluid will move from a location of high energy to a location of low energy, the
flow is downward (from right to left).

From energy principles:

Problems- Laminar flow
 Flow in pipes- Turbulent flow
 This section describes the characteristics of turbulent flow, presents equations
for calculating the friction factor f, and presents a famous graph called the
Moody diagram. This information is important because most flows in conduits
are turbulent.
 Turbulent flow is a flow regime in which the movement of fluid particles is
chaotic, eddying, and unsteady, with significant movement of particles in
directions transverse to the flow direction. Because of the chaotic motion of
fluid particles, turbulent flow produces high levels of mixing and has a
velocity profile that is more uniform or flatter than the corresponding laminar
velocity profile.
 Engineers and scientists model turbulent flow by using an empirical approach.
This is because the complex nature of turbulent flow has prevented researchers
from establishing a mathematical solution of general utility. Still, the empirical
information has been used successfully and extensively in system design.
 Flow in pipes- Turbulent flow

For turbulent flow, the friction factor depends not only on Re but also the
roughness of the pipe wall, which is characterized by a roughness factor =
ks/d, where ks is a measure of the roughness (i.e. height of the bumps on the
wall) and d is the pipe diameter. The combined effects of roughness and Re
are presented in terms of the Moody chart (1944) (Re, ks/d) still needs to be
determined. For laminar flow, there is an exact solution for f since laminar
pipe flow has an exact solution. For turbulent flow, approximate solution
for f using log-law as per Moody diagram and discussed late or other
approximations.
 Flow in pipes-Turbulent flow- Moody Diagram
Colebrook work by acquiring data for commercial pipes and then developing
an empirical equation, called the Colebrook-White formula, for the friction
factor. Moody used the Colebrook-White formula to generate a design chart
similar to that shown in Figure below. This chart is now known as the Moody
diagram for commercial pipes.
In the Moody diagram, the variable ks denote the relative roughness. In the
Moody diagram, the abscissa is the Reynolds number Re, and the ordinate is
the resistance coefficient f. To find f, given Re and ks/D one goes to the right
to find the correct elative roughness curve. Then one looks at the bottom of
the chart to find the given value of Re and, with this value of Re, moves
vertically upward until the given curve is reached. Finally, from this point one
move horizontally to the left scale to read the value of f. If the curve for the
given value of is not plotted, then one simply finds the proper position on the
graph by interpolation between the curves that bracket the given ks /D.
 Flow in pipes- Turbulent flow
Moody Chart
 Flow in pipes- Turbulent flow

Table 1: Equivalent sand-grain roughness, (kS), for various pipe materials.

 Flow in pipes- Turbulent flow

By using the Colebrook-White formula, Swamee and Jain developed an explicit

equation for friction factor:

It is reported that this equation predicts friction factors that differ by less than 3% from
those on the Moody diagram for 4 x 103 < Re < 108 and 10-5 < ks /D < 2 x 10-2
 Solving Turbulent Flow Problems

 This section describes how to solve problems that involve turbulent flow in
a pipe, emphasizing how to classify problems as case 1, 2, or 3.
 Case 1 is when the goal is to find the head loss, given the pipe length, pipe
diameter, and flow rate. This problem is straightforward because it can be
solved using algebra; see Example 1.
 Case 2 is when the goal is to find the flow rate, given the head loss (or
pressure drop), the pipe length, and the pipe diameter; see Examples 2 and
3.
 Case 3 is when the goal is to find the pipe diameter, given the flow rate,
length of pipe, and head loss (or pressure drop); see Example 4.
Flow in pipes- Turbulent flow

Table 1
 Flow in pipes- Turbulent flow
Example 2 shows an example of a case 2 problem.
2
 Flow in pipes- Turbulent flow
When case 2 problems require iteration,

Table 1
Flow in pipes- Turbulent flow
 Flow in pipes- Turbulent flow
In a case 3 problem, derive an equation for diameter D and then use the
method of successive substitution to find a solution..

Table 1
Flow in pipes- Turbulent flow

Swamee equ.
Fluid Mechanics I Basrah University for Oil and Gas

End of Lecture
Email: [email protected]