CHEMICAL ENGINEERING LABORATORY 1

CHE150-1L/B41

Experiment 1: Fluid Flow Regimes (Reynolds Number Apparatus)

Mendoza, Theresa C1
1

Student, School of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, Mapa Institute of Technology, Manila, Philippines

ABSTRACT
This experiment studies fluid flow regimes by analyzing the flow pattern of the dye in water. The fluid flow regimes are
laminar, transition, and turbulent flow. Reynolds Number Apparatus is used for this analysis through observing the dye with
water that flows out of the discharged valve. Before doing so, the dye in the smaller internal pipe must be distinct, straight,
and smooth. The observed flow pattern of the dye in water can be proven right by means of Reynolds Number. This
Reynolds Number was able to get by the parameters which are the inside diameter of the pipe and velocity, density,
viscosity of water. The inside diameter of the pipe is constant 0.2093 m while the density and viscosity is dependent on
temperature of water. Volume of the water per ten seconds and the cross sectional area of the pipe which is 0.0003441 m^2
are needed to compute for the velocity. The values of Reynolds number corresponded to the type of flow observed.
Keywords: Flow Pattern, Reynolds number, Fluid Flow Regimes
1.

Introduction

Two types of flow regimes were first suggested by

Mendeleev, a Russian scientist. Through several
experiments, Osborne Reynolds gives scientific and precise
way in differentiating the two flows from each other. He
found out in his study that the value of a dimensionless
parameter with Diameter/Length, velocity, density, and
viscosity gives basis in distinguishing laminar and
turbulent flow. Reynolds number is that dimensionless
parameter. (Balachandran, 2011)

Vd

(1)

The Reynolds Experiment identifies the critical

Reynolds Number which indicates when the flow becomes
laminar, transitional, and turbulent. It has been found that
the lower critical Reynolds Number for ordinary pipes is
2100 while the higher is 4000. The Reynolds Number less
than 2100 is said to be laminar, greater than 4000 is
turbulent and in between these two values is transition.
(Wang, n.d)

In this experiment, the behavior of the dye in water has

been observed and its relation to Reynolds number has
been interpreted.

2. Methodology
Materials and Equipment
The primary equipment used to meet the objectives in
this experiment is the Reynolds Number Apparatus (see
Figure 2.1). This apparatus consists of a dye vessel, head
tank, inside pipe, gate valve, water inlet, and two outlets.
Aside from Reynolds Number apparatus, dye, thermometer,
stopwatch and beaker were also utilized in gathering the
required data.

Experimentation
Figure 2.1 Reynolds Number Apparatus

Experiment 1 Group No. 3 May 3, 2016

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Beginning with the experiment, the apparatus was

checked first. Then, the water from the supply filled the
glass pipes of the apparatus. The water was allowed to flow
out by slightly opening the discharge valve. The dye was
placed in the dye vessel and flows inside the smaller
internal glass pipe. Its flow was observed until the dye line
has become straight, distinct and smooth, meaning, no
swirls can be seen.
The flow pattern or behavior of the dye in water was
observed. From the discharge valve, the water was
collected using 1-L beaker for ten seconds using stopwatch.
The temperature was measured using thermometer in order
to get the density and viscosity of the water from Transport
processes and separation processes by Geankoplis. The
volume of the water collected was also noted for the
computation of volumetric flow rate. Four more trials were
made varying in the opening of the discharge valve. From
the data that were obtained, Reynolds Number can be
calculated. Inside diameter and cross-sectional area of the
pipe were provided.

3. Results and Discussion

Properties of water and characteristics of the pipe is
important for most computations needed in this experiment.
The data below shows the temperature of water obtained
and its corresponding density and viscosity found in
Geankoplis while the characteristics of the pipe were given.
Table 3.1 shows the volumetric flow rate and the velocity
of water per trial. All of these data were needed to solve for
the Reynolds Number.
Properties of Water

1
2
3
4
5

2x10-5
4.5x10-5
6.5x10-5
1x10-4
6.25x10-5

Table 3.1 Volumetric Flow Rate and Velocity

obtained from the experiment

Table 3.2 shows the calculated Reynolds number, the

observed flow pattern, and the type of flow. For trial 1, the
observed behavior or flow pattern of the dye is smooth and
does not mix with water. The observation is merely right
for the calculated Reynolds Number is 1634.15 which is
less than 2100 corresponding to laminar flow. The
observation for the second trial is unstable behavior of the
dye. The type of flow in this trial is transition since
3678.94, calculated Reynolds number, is between 2100 and
4000. For the last three trials, the flow is turbulent since the
value of Reynolds number are all greater than 4000. The
flow patterns of the three are also the same where no dye
color can be seen in the water collected.
Trial

Nre

1
2
3
4
5

1634.15
3678.94
5313.08
8173.54
5107.76

993.402

Flow
Pattern
Smooth
Unstable
Unstable
Unstable
Unstable

Laminar
Transition
Turbulent
Turbulent
Turbulent

Table 3.2 Reynolds Number calculated, Observed

V=
kg
3
m
Where

Viscosity = 0.7392 cP

Type of flow

Trials
1-4 Flow Pattern and their corresponding type of flow
have
an
increasing velocity calculated using the formula:

Temperature = 34 C
Density =

0.0581
0.1308
0.1889
0.2906
0.1816

V
A (2)

V is the volumetric flow rate of water and A is

the area of the pipe.

Values were obtained from Transport Processes and
Separation Processes by Geankoplis
Characteristics of the pipe
Inside Diameter = 0.02093 m
Cross-Sectional Area =
Trial

3.441 x 104 m2

V, m^3/s

Experiment 1 Group No. 3 May 3, 2016

u, m/s

It has been observed that as the volumetric flow rate or

velocity increases the Reynolds number increases.
Reynolds number was calculated using equation (1)
Another definition of Reynolds Number is it is the ratio of
inertia force over viscous force (3). Then, if the Reynolds
number is large inertia force predominates. However, if the
Reynolds Number is small, viscous force predominates.
Flow with low velocities, the flow is predominately viscous

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which is termed to be laminar. Flow with high velocities,

inertia force is high compared to viscous is turbulent.
(Wang, n.d)

N =

inertia forces
viscous forces

(3)

Figure 3.1 shows the flow pattern of the dye in water

for every type of flow. The results in Table 2 are somewhat
acceptable. In the first trial where the velocity is low, the
fluid particles move in layers. The velocity is slightly
increased in the second trial causing waviness to develop.
The pattern is unstable which is proved by the value of
Reynolds number which is close to turbulence. Further
increase in velocity is applied in the last three trials,
therefore, the stream fluctuates. This leads to breaking up
of the dye filament; the reason why the water collected no
longer have the shade of the color of the dye.
(Balachandran, 2011)

4.

Conclusion

For the four trials of this experiment, the Reynolds

Number increases as the volumetric flow rate increases. So,
they are directly proportional to each other. These flow
rates or simply the velocities of the fluid indicate what
force predominates and the type of flow. The flow is
laminar for low velocities while it is turbulent for high.
The flow patterns observed in the experiment is also
one way to identify the type of flow. Smooth flow of the
dye means that the flow is laminar while unstable flow is
for the turbulent flow. The pattern of the transitional flow
depends on the value of Reynolds number. In this
experiment, the calculated value for transition flow is close
to 4000 which explains the instability of the flow.
The possible sources of error, if ever there is, might be
the amount of dye filled in the dye vessel for as the
velocity increases, the amount of dye must also increase.
This is in order to clearly see the pattern made by the dye
in the experiment.

References
Balachandran, P. (2011). Engineering Fluid Mechanics.
New Delhi: PHI Learning Private Limited.
Wang, D. L. (n.d.). MEEG331 Incompressible Fluids
Laboratory . Retrieved April 29, 2016, from University of
Delaware
College
of
Engineering
:
http://research.me.udel.edu/~lywang/meeg331/labs/reynold
s.pdf

Figure 3.1 Flow of Dye in different types of

flow

Experiment 1 Group No. 3 May 3, 2016

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