TURBULENCE

Reynolds number and transition from laminar to turbulent flow

Reynolds Number
Re =

D. . V D. V
=

Re < 2100
2100 < Re < 4000
Re > 4000
Re > 10000

D : diameter of tube
V : average velocity of liquid
: viscosity of liquid
: density of liquid
: kinematic viscosity of liquid

LAMINER FLOW
TRANSITION REGION
TURBULENT
FULLY TURBULENT

Flow at plate

Rex=

x. . u

x : length of the plate

u: velocity of fluid

Deviating velocities in turbulent flow

ui u u '

vi v '

wi w '

ui, vi, wi : instantaneous total velocity componets in x, y and z directions, respectively

u : constant net velocity of stream in x direction
u, v, z : deviating velocities in x, y and z directions, respectively

Reynolds Stresses

t u ' v '

Eddy Viscosities

du
t Ev
dy
Ev : Eddy viscosity

du
Ev
dy

M= Ev /

M : Eddy diffusivity of momuntum

d u
M
dy

BOUNDARY LAYERS

(ideal fluid)

(real fluid)

Laminer and turbulent flow in boundary layers

Transition from laminer to turbulent flow; Reynolds number

Re x

xu

: distance from leading edge of the plate

: density
: bulk fluid velocity
: viscosity

Turbulent flow first appears at a critical Reynolds number between ; Re = 105 3 x 106

Boundary layer formation in straight tubes

boundary layer flow
potantial flow

boundary layer

Transition length for laminer flow

xt
0.05 Re
D

xt : transition length

D : diameter of pipe

Transition length for turbulent flow

uflow > ucritic

f (Re)

= (40-50) x

Boundary seperation and wake formation