CHAPTER

1
Physical Properties of Fluids

LIST OF FORMULAE, TABLES, GRAPHS

No. Description
1.1 Formula for specific weight
1.2 Formula for mass density
1.3 Formula for specific volume
1.4 Formula for viscosity
Table 1.1 Classification of fluids
1.5 Formula for Kinematic viscosity
Table 1.2 Properties of air at 1 Atm
Table 1.3 Properties of water at 1 Atm
Table 1.4 Viscosity and kinematic viscosity of eight fluids at 1 Atm
and 20C
Graph 1.1 Change in the absolute viscosity with temperature
Graph 1.2 Change in kinematic viscosity with temperature
1.6 Formula for capillarity rise
Table 1.5 Surface tension and vapour pressure of pure water at
1 Atm.
Table 1.6 Saturation vapour pressure of common fluids at 20C
Table 1.7 Elastic modulus of water at 1 Atm
Table 1.8 Properties of common liquids at 1 Atm and 20C
Table 1.9 Properties of common gases at 1 Atm and 20C
 2 HYDRAULIC DATA BOOK FOR ENGINEERS

1.1 Specific Weight is weight of fluid per unit volume and is given by the
formula
W
w =
V
It is measured in N/m3
1.2 Mass Density is the mass per unit volume and is given by the formula
M w
= =
V g
It is measured in kg/m3
1.3 Specific Volume is the volume of fluid per unit weight and is given by
the formula
V
Vs =
W
It is measured in m3/N
1.4 Viscosity of a fluid, also called coefficient of viscosity, absolute viscosity
or dynamic viscosity is a measure of its resistance to flow and is given by:

=
dv / dy
dv
where = rate of shear deformation. Dynamic viscosity is measured in
dy
Ns
m2
Table 1.1: Classification of fluids

Purely Viscous Fluids

Visco-elastic Fluids
Time-Independent Time-Dependent
NEWTONIAN FLUIDS Pseudoplastic Fluids Thixotropic Fluids Viscoelastic Fluids
n n n
du du du du du
= = , n = 1 = , n <1 = + f (t ) , = + E ,
dy dy dy dy dy
Air, water, and most Fine particle f(t) decreasing Crude E = elasticity
engineering fluids suspensions oils, bentonitic drilling modulus
Dilatent Fluids fluid. Liquid solid
combinations in
du
n Rheopectic Fluids
= , n >1 pipe flow and poly-
n
dy du merised fluids with
= + f (t ), f(t) drag-reduction
Ultrafine irregular dy
particle suspensions feature.
increasing Rare liquid-
Ideal Plastics or
solid suspensions
Bingham Fluids
n
du
= 0 +
dy
Water suspensions
of clay and fly ash.
du
NON-NEWTONIAN FLUIDS
dy
 PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF FLUIDS 3

1.5 Kinematic Viscosity is the ratio of viscosity of fluid to density of fluid

and is given by

=

It is measured in m2/s
Table 1.2: Properties of air at 1 Atm

T,C kg/m3 Ns/m2 105 v m2/s 105

40 1.52 1.51 0.99

0 1.29 1.71 1.33

50 1.09 1.95 1.79

100 0.946 2.17 2.30

150 0.835 2.38 2.85

200 0.746 2.57 3.45

250 0.675 2.75 4.08

300 0.616 2.93 4.75

400 0.525 3.25 6.20

500 0.457 3.55 7.77

Table 1.3: Properties of water at 1 Atm

T,C kg/m3 Ns/m2 103 .m2/s 106

0 1000 1.788 1.788
10 1000 1.307 1.307
20 998 1.003 1.005
30 996 0.799 0.802
40 992 0.657 0.662
50 988 0.548 0.555
60 983 0.467 0.475
70 978 0.405 0.414
80 972 0.355 0.365
90 965 0.316 0.327
100 958 0.283 0.295
4 HYDRAULIC DATA BOOK FOR ENGINEERS

1
0.8  = Relative density
0.6 at 15 C
[Relative to water

Cru
0.4 at 15 C]

de
oi l
=
0.2

0.9
25

Fuel
0.1
8

o
il  =
6
4
0.940
C
ru
de
oi
l

2

=
0.
85
5

2
10
8
6
Ke
4 ros
en
e
Br =0
2

ine .81
Absolute viscosity Ns/m

2 3
20
Mercury %
3
Na
10 Cl
8
Pe
6 trol
=
0.7
4 16 W
at
er
2
Amm
onia
4
10
8
2
(abs)
6 10 MN/m
2
4 3.5
Saturated steam 2
m
kN/ eam
2 Air 100 ated st
e r h e
Methane CH4 Sup
n
ro e
5 g
10 Hyd
8
10 0 10 40 60 100 200 400

Temperature C

Graph 1.1: Absolute viscosity of fluids

 PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF FLUIDS 5

2000
 = Relative density

Sa

Fuel o
tu
at 15 C

Cru

rat
1000 Relative to water

ed
de

il 
800 at 15 C

ste
oil

= 0.94
a
600


m
=0
.92
400 m
at

0
1
5

en
rog
H yd
200

100
80
60 atm
Cr

1
ud

ne
e

40 tha
Kinematic Viscosity , mm/s

oi

Me
l

am
ste
=

tm
1a
0.

d )
ate bs
85

r
20 Ai he 2 (a
5

r
pe /m
Su kN
0
14 2
10 /m
N
.k
bs m
8
(a tea

7 00
m 2 s

r
)
6 Ai
N/ ated

Ke
e

ro
rh

4 se
pe

ne
M
Su


1

2
Br =
ine m
0 N/
2 20 .8 M
13 5
%
Na 3. 2
m
Cl N/
M
Pe 7
1 tro
l 14
0.8 =0
.71 W
0.6 6 at
er

0.4

0.2
Mercury

0.1
10 5 0 5 10 20 40 60 100 200 400
Temperature C

Graph 1.2: Kinematic viscosity of fluids

 6 HYDRAULIC DATA BOOK FOR ENGINEERS

Table 1.4: Viscosity and kinematic viscosity of eight fluids at

1 atm and 20C

Fluid (kg/m.s) Ratio (kg/m3) (m2/s) Ratio

/(H2 ) / (Hg)

1. Hydrogen 8.9 106 1.0 0.084 1.06 104 910

2. Air 1.8 105 2.1 1.20 1.51 105 130
3. Gasoline 2.9 104 33 680 4.27 107 3.7
4. Water 1.0 103 114 999 1.01 106 8.7
5. Ethyl alcohol 1.2 103 135 789 1.51 106 13
6. Mercury 1.5 103 170 13,540 1.16 107 1.0
7. SAE 30 Oil 0.26 29,700 933 2.79 104 2,430
8. Glycerine 1.5 168,000 1,263 1.19 103 10,2000

1.6 Capillarity is due to both the cohesive forces between liquid molecules
and the adhesive forces of liquid molecules and is expressed as rise or fall
of liquid in a capillary tube given by the formula
2 cos
h =
wr
where h = capillary rise, m
= angle of contact
2r

Capillary tube
Meniscus
 


Fig. 1.1: Rise of liquid in capillary tube

 PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF FLUIDS 7

Table 1.5: Surface tension and vapour pressure of pure water at 1 atm

T,C , N/m Pv, N/m2

0 0.0756 615

10 0.0742 1230

20 0.0728 2340

30 0.0712 4242

40 0.0696 7375

50 0.0679 12340

60 0.0662 19920

70 0.0644 31160

80 0.0626 47350

90 0.0608 70110

100 0.0589 101330

Table 1.6: Saturation vapour pressure of common fluids at 20C

Fluid S.V.P. in N/m2

Mercury 0.16

Water 2340

Kerosene 3300

Ethyl Alcohol 5900

Benzene 10,000
Methyl Alcohol 12,500

Petrol 30,400

Table 1.7: Elastic modulus of water at 1 atm

TemperatureC Elastic Modulus kg/cm2

0 2017
10 2144
20 2234
40 2330
60 2320
80 2240
100 2120
 Table 1.8: Properties of some common fluids at 20C and atmospheric pressure

8
Fluid Mass Specific Bulk Surface Vapour Dynamic viscosity Kinematic viscosity
density weight modulus tension pressure () (v)
() (w) (K) () (pv)

HYDRAULIC DATA BOOK FOR ENGINEERS

m slug/m3 kg/m3 kg/cm2 kg/m kg/cm2 Poise kg -sec Stokes m2/sec

m2
Water 101.95 999.00 2.205 104 0.0075 0.024 1.00 102 1.02 104 1.00 102 1.00 106

Air 0.126 1.208 1.05 1.85 104 1.88 106 0.153 1.53 105

Mercury 1380 13550.0 2.675 105 0.052 1.76 106 0.016 1.63 104 1.18 103 1.18 107

Glycerine 129.3 1260 4.44 104 0.0065 1.40 107 8.35 8.5 102 6.63 103 6.63 107

Carbon 162.50 1594 1.126 104 0.0027 1.30 107 0.01 1.02 104 6.40 103 6.40 107
tetrachloride
Kerosene 81.50 800 0.0024 0.02 2.04 104 25.0 103 25.0 107
Benzene 89.80 880 1.056 104 0.0026 1.02 101 0.007 7.15 105 7.95 103 7.95 107

Castor oil 97.80 960 1.469 104 0.0040 9.80 1.0 101 10.00 1.02 103

Ethyl Alcohol 80.4 789 1.23 104 0.0022 5.9 102 0.012 1.22 104 1.53 102 1.53 106

Ammonia 61.99 1.074 104 2.169 103 9.272 2.244 104

Methanal 80.38 8.424 103 2.303 103 1.366 101 6.1 105

Sea water 104.55 2 3 . 1 6 6 7.43 103 2.34 102 10.882.105

103
SAE 10 Oil 93.52 1 3 . 3 8 8 3.715 103 829.6 105
103
SAE 30 Oil 93.52 14.04 103 3.566 103 448.9 105
 PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF FLUIDS 9

Table 1.9: Properties of common gases at 1 atm and 20C

R m2/s2.K kg/m3 kg/m.s 105

H2 24650 0.084 0.90

He 2070 0.167 1.96

H2O 461 0.752 1.01

Ar 208 1.670 2.24

Dry air 287 1.207 1.80

CO2 189 1.831 1.48

CO 297 1.168 1.81

N2 297 1.168 1.76

O2 260 1.335 2.00

NO 277 1.251 1.90

N 2O 189 1.831 1.45

Cl2 117 2.955 1.03

CH4 518 0.668 1.34