College of Engineering and Computer Science

Mechanical Engineering Department

Mechanical Engineering 390

Fluid Mechanics
Spring 2008 Number: 11971
Instructor: Larry Caretto

March 4 Homework Solutions

4.56 Water flows in a branching pipe shown
in figure P4.56 at the right, with
uniform velocity at each inlet and
outlet. The fixed control volume
coincides with the system at time t
20 s. Make a sketch to indicate (a)
the boundary of the system at time t
= 20.2s, (b) the fluid that left the
control volume during that 0.2 s
interval, and (c) the fluid that entered
the control volume during that
interval.
The fluid travels a distance Vt during the time periodt = 0.2 s. At point 1, this distance is V1t
= (2 m/s)(0.2 s) = 0.4 m. At point 2, this distance is V 2t = (1 m/s)(0.2 s) = 0.2 m. At point 3, this
distance is V3t = (1.5 m/s)(0.2 s) = 0.3 m. Using these dimensions we can prepare the sketch of
the system and the control volume shown below.

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3.61 The wind blows across a field with an

approximate velocity profile shown
in Figure P4.61 shown at the right.
Use equation 4.16 with the
parameter b equal to the velocity to
determine the momentum flow rate
across the vertical surface A-B which
is of unit depth into the paper.
Equation 4.16 gives the following expression
for the flow of a quantity b

B bV ndA
A

In this case, b is actually a vector quantity, V = Vi, where i is the unit vector in the x direction.
From the graph we see that V = (1.5/s)y between 0 and 10 feet and V = 15 ft/s between 10 and
20 ft. We can thus write our integral as follows noting that n = i, and b is the vector quantity, V

V (Vi i )dA ViVdA i V 2 d wy

B bV ndA B

Here we have used the fact that iI = 1 and the differential area, dA = wdy where w is the width of
one ft into the page. Substituting the relationship between V and y given above gives the
following result for the integral.

10 ft

i V 2 d wy iw V 2 dy iw
B

1.5

i w

y
3

10 ft

15 ft

1.5
20 ft
y 10 dr iw

1.5

10 ft 3
3

15 ft
y dy
dy
s

10 ft
2

ft 3
15 ft

10 ft iw 3000 2
s
s

20 ft

Using the standard density of air = 0.00238 slugs/ft3 and the given unit width, w = 1 ft, gives the
final answer as
3

iw 3000 ft
B

s2

5.7

i 1 ft 0.00238 slugs 3000 ft

ft 3
s2

1 lb f s 2
slug ft

7.14i lb f

Water flows along the centerline of a 50mm-diameter pipe with an average velocity
of 10 m/s and out radially between two
large circular disks as shown in Figure P
5.7 at the right. The disks are parallel and
spaced 10 mm apart. Determine the
average velocity of the water at a radius of
300 mm in the space between the disks.
This is a basic continuity equation problem with
constant density so that Q = V1A1 = V2A2. The desired
velocity is found as follows

A1 10 m
25 mm

1.04 m/s.
A2
s 2 300 mm 10 mm
2

V2 V1

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Mail Code
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Phone: 818.677.6448
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5.11 At cruise conditions air flows into a jet engine at a steady rate of 65 lb m/s.
Fuel enters the engine at a steady rate of 0.60 lb m/s. The average velocity
of the exhaust gases is 1500 ft/s relative to the engine. If the engine
exhaust effective cross section is 3.5 ft2, estimate the density of the
exhaust gases in lbm/ft3.
This is a problem of mass conservation and use of the continuity equation. The
exhaust mass is he sum of the air mass flow rate and the fuel mass flow rate: 65 lb m/s
+ 0.60 lbm/s = 56.60 lbm/s. This mass flow rate of exhaust must be equal to the
density-velocity-area product, VA, for the exhaust. We can thus solve for the
unknown density.

65.60 lbm
m
s

1500
ft
VA
3.5 ft 2
s

= 0.0125 lbm/ft3

5.12 Air at standard atmospheric conditions is drawn into a compressor at the

steady rate of 30 m3/min. The compressor pressure ratio, pexit/pinlete, is 10 to
1. Through the compressor p/ n remains constant with n = 1.4. If the
average velocity in the compressor discharge pipe is not to exceed 30 m/s
calculate the minimum discharge pipe diameter required.
We can apply the continuity equation to this problem with 1 as the inlet and 2 as the
outlet.

D22
1V1 A1 1Q1 2V2 A2 2V2
4
Solving this equation for D2 in terms of Q1 gives.
. D2

4 1Q1
2V2

Since p/n = constant, p1/1n = p2/2n. Making this substitution and substituting
numerical data gives.

. D2

p
4 1Q1
1
2V2
p2

1n

4Q1
1

V2
10

1 1.4

30 m 3
4
s
30 m

D2 = 0.064 m.

5.23 The Hoover Dam backs up the Colorado River and creates Lake Mead, which
is approximately 115 miles long and has a surface area of approximately
225 square miles. If during flood conditions the Colorado River flows into
the lake at a rate of 45,000 cfs and the outflow from the dam is 8000 cfs,
how many feet per 24-hour day will the lake level rise?
This is a transient continuity problem. If we assume that the density and area are
constant we can write the equation as follows

dm d V d Ah
dh

A
m in m out Qin Qout
dt
dt
dt
dt
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If we assume that the flow rates are constant so that the derivative becomes a finite
difference we have the following result.

h
Qin Qout
t

45000 ft 3 8000 ft 3
3600 s

24 h

s
s
h
Q Qout t

h in

2
A
225 mi 2 5280 ft
mi

h = 0.0510 ft

Jacaranda (Engineering) 3333

E-mail: lcaretto@csun.edu

Mail Code
8348

Phone: 818.677.6448
Fax: 818.677.7062