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Elementary Fluid Dynamics:

The Bernoulli Equation

CVEN 311 Fluid Dynamics

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Streamlines

Steady State
 Bernoulli
Along a Streamline
z
- Ñp = r a + g kˆ (eqn 2.2) Separate acceleration due to
gravity. Coordinate system
¶p dz
- = r as + g may be in any orientation!
¶s ds
Component of g in s direction
Note: No shear forces!
Therefore flow must be
frictionless. k
Steady state (no change in ŝj
n̂ y
p wrt time)
i
x
 Bernoulli
Along a Streamline
¶p dz Can we eliminate the partial derivative?
- = r as + g
¶s ds
chain rule
dV ¶ V ds ¶ V
as = = = V Write acceleration as derivative wrt s
dt ¶ s dt ¶ s
0 (n is constant along streamline)
¶p ¶p
dp = ds + dn \ dp ds = ¶ p ¶ s and dV ds = ¶ V ¶ s
¶s ¶n

dV 1 d ( V )
2
dp dV dz
- = rV +g V =
ds ds ds ds 2 ds
 Integrate F=ma Along a
Streamline
dp 1 d (V 2) dz
- = r +g Eliminate ds
ds 2 ds ds
1
dp + r d ( V 2 ) + g dz = 0 Now let’s integrate…
2 But density is a function
dp 1 of ________.
ò r 2ò
+ d ( V 2
) + g ò dz = 0 pressure

dp 1 2
ò r + 2 V + gz = C If density is constant…

1
p + r V 2 +g z = C Along a streamline
2
 Bernoulli Equation
 Assumptions needed for Bernoulli Equation
Inviscid (frictionless)
Steady
Constant density (incompressible)
Along a streamline

 Eliminate the constant in the Bernoulli equation?

Apply at two points along a streamline.
_______________________________________
 Bernoulli equation does not include
Mechanical energy to thermal energy
 ___________________________

Heat transfer, shaft work

 ___________________________
 Bernoulli Equation

The Bernoulli Equation is a p 1

+ gz + V 2 = C
statement of the conservation r 2
of ____________________
Mechanical Energy p.e. k.e.
p V2
+z+ =C
g 2g
p
= Pressure head
g p
+ z = Piezometric head
g
z = Elevation head
p V2
V2 +z+ = Total head
= Velocity head g 2g
2g
 Hydraulic and Energy Grade
Lines (neglecting losses for now)
z The 2 cm diameter jet is 5
m lower than the surface
of the reservoir. What is
V2 the flow rate (Q)?
p 2g


What about the free jet?

z

Elevation datum
Atmospheric pressure
Pressure datum? __________________
 Bernoulli Equation: Simple Case
(V = 0)
h
 Reservoir (V = 0) Pressure datum 1
 Put one point on the surface,
one point anywhere else 2

p V2 Elevation datum
+z+ =C
g 2g
p1 p2 We didn’t cross any streamlines
+ z1 = + z2
g g so this analysis is okay!
p2
z1 - z2 = Same as we found using statics
g
Bernoulli Equation: Simple Case
(p = 0 or constant)
 What is an example of a fluid experiencing
a change in elevation, but remaining at a
constant pressure? ________
Free jet
p1 V12 p2 V22
+ z1 + = + z2 +
g 2g g 2g
V12 V22
z1 + = z2 +
2g 2g

V2 = 2 g ( z1 - z2 ) + V12
 Bernoulli Equation Application:
Stagnation Tube
 What happens when the p V2
water starts flowing in the +z+ =C
g 2g
channel?
 Does the orientation of the
Yes!
tube matter? _______
 How high does the water
rise in the stagnation tube?
 How do we choose the
points on the streamline?

Stagnation point
 Bernoulli Equation Application:
Stagnation Tube
 1a-2a p
+z+
V2
=C 2b z
g 2g
x
 _______________
Same streamline
1b
 1b-2a
 Crosses streamlines
_______________ 1a 2a
 1a-2b
 _______________
Doesn’t cross
_____________
streamlines 1. We can obtain V1 if p1
p1 V12 p2 V22 and (z2-z1) are known
+ z1 + = + z2 +
g 2g g 2g 2. z2 is the total energy!
 Stagnation Tube

 Great for measuring EGL

__________________
(defined for a point)
 How could you measure Q? Q = òV ×dA
 Could you use a stagnation tube in a
pipeline?
 What problem might you encounter?
 How could you modify the stagnation tube to
solve the problem?
 Bernoulli
Normal to the Streamlines
- Ñp = r a + g kˆ Separate acceleration due to
gravity. Coordinate system
¶p dz
- = r an + g may be in any orientation!
¶n dn
Component of g in n direction

k
ŝ
n̂
 Bernoulli
Normal to the Streamlines
¶p dz
- = r an + g
¶n dn

2 centrifugal force. R is local radius of curvature

V
an =
R n is toward the center of the radius of curvature
0 (s is constant along streamline)
¶p ¶p
dp = ds + dn \ dp dn = ¶ p ¶ n and dV dn = ¶ V ¶ n
¶s ¶n

dp V2 dz
- =r +g
dn R dn
 Integrate F=ma Normal to the
Streamlines
dp V2 dz
- =r +g Multiply by dn
dn R dn
2
ó dp ó V Integrate
ô +ô dn + ògdz = C
õ r õ R

p ó V2 If density is constant…
+ô dn + gz = C
r õ R
2
óV Normal to streamline
p+rô dn + g z = C
õ R
 Pressure Change Across
Streamlines
2
ó V
p+rô dn + g z = C
õ R
If you cross streamlines that
are straight and parallel,
p + g z = C and the
then ___________
n r
hydrostatic
pressure is ____________.
2 V (r ) = C1r
p - r C1 ò rdr + g z = C dn = - dr
r C12 2
p- r +g z = C
2
As r decreases p ______________
decreases
 Pitot Tubes

 Used to measure air speed on airplanes

 Can connect a differential pressure
transducer to directly measure V2/2g
 Can be used to measure the flow of water
in pipelines Point measurement!
 Pitot Tube
Stagnation pressure tap
Static pressure tap

p1 V12 p2 V22
+ z1 + = + z2 +
g 2g g 2g

2 V1 = 0 2
V 1 V= ( p1 - p2 )
z1 = z2 r

Connect two ports to differential pressure transducer.

Make sure Pitot tube is completely filled with the fluid
that is being measured.
Solve for velocity as function of pressure difference
 Relaxed Assumptions for
Bernoulli Equation
 Frictionless
Viscous energy loss must be small
 Steady
Or gradually varying
 Constant density (incompressible)
Small changes in density
 Along a streamline
Don’t cross streamlines
 Bernoulli Equation Applications

 Stagnation tube Applicable to contracting

streamlines (accelerating
 Pitot tube flow).
 Free Jets
 Orifice Teams
 Venturi
 Sluice gate
 Sharp-crested weir
 Ping Pong Ball

Why does the ping pong Teams

ball try to return to the
center of the jet?
What forces are acting on
the ball when it is not
centered on the jet?
n r

How does the ball choose the

distance above the source of
the jet?
 Summary

 By integrating F=ma along a streamline we

found…
 That energy can be converted between pressure,
elevation, and velocity
 That we can understand many simple flows by
applying the Bernoulli equation
 However, the Bernoulli equation can not be
applied to flows where viscosity is large or
where mechanical energy is converted into
thermal energy.
 Jet Problem

 How could you choose your elevation

datum to help simplify the problem?
 How can you pick 2 locations where you
know enough of the parameters to actually
find the velocity?
 You have one equation (so one unknown!)
 Jet Solution

z The 2 cm diameter jet is 5 m lower than the surface of the

reservoir. What is the flow rate (Q)?
Elevation datum

V2
z p 2g
g

What about the free jet?

p1 V12 p2 V22
+ + z1 = + + z2 z2 = - 5 m
g 2g g 2g
Example: Venturi
 Example: Venturi
Find the flow (Q) given the pressure drop between point 1 and 2
and the diameters of the two sections. You may assume the head
loss is negligible. Draw the EGL and the HGL.

h

1 2
 Example Venturi
p1 V12 p2 V22
+ z1 + = + z2 +
g1 2g g 2 2g Q  VA
p1 p2 V22 V12 V1 A1  V2 A2
  
  2g 2g
d12 d 22
 4
 V1  V2
p1 p2 V   d  2
  1  2  
2 4 4
  2g  d  
  1  V1d12  V2 d 22

2 g ( p1  p2 ) d 22
V2  V1  V2

 1   d 2 d1  4  d12

2 g ( p1  p2 )
Q  Cv A2

 1   d 2 d1  4 