CH 2001 Fluid Mechanics video

lectures
Module 13: Dimensional Analysis

Presented by
Dr. Sreenivasula Reddy Ramireddy,
Ph. D.
 Objectives
• Understand what dimensional analysis is
• Obtaining dimensionless numbers
• Dimensionless numbers in Fluid mechanics
 Dimensional Analysis
• Application of fluid mechanics to obtain empirical
results from experiments for complex problems
• Strategy for choosing relevant data and presentation
• Helps in reducing the number of experiments for a
given purpose while helping in developing a systematic
and meaningful methods for experimentation
• Helps in finding relationship between various factors
influencing a given property or process or parameter
 Applications of Dimensional
Analysis
• To obtain units for physical parameters
• Conversion of units from one system to the other
• Modeling behavior of fluids in complex
scenarios
• Data relationships and analysis
• Model scales and similitude
• Theory and Applications
 Units and Units Conversion
• Determine units of force
• Let us choose MLt dimensional system
• Force=ma=mass* Acceleration=MLt-2
• Fundamental units of mass, length and time in SI
system are: kg, m, sec
• The units of Force in SI system=kg.m.sec-2
• Units of Force in CGS system=g.cm. sec-2
Dimensional analysis in Modeling
• We noticed earlier from conservation of mass
and momentum equations that unless several
boundary conditions are applied, the partial
differential equations are difficult to be solved
analytically even for simple real world flows
• Experimental approach is inevitable while
dealing with turbulent flows which will discuss in
the next few modules
 Modeling
• The number of experiments required to capture
a given complex behavior can be significantly
reduced by grouping the parameters that we
think affect a process or behavior
• If these groups are dimensionless and have
physical significance, that is more advantageous
 Examples
• Mach Number: From previous module, if M is
less than 0.3, the fluid can be considered as
incompressible, M=V/c
• While characterizing laminar flow and turbulent
flows, we used Reynolds Number, DVρ/µ, if Re
is less than or equal to 2100 in pipes, the flow is
laminar
 Parameters affecting fluid flow
• Geometric: Diameter (D), Length (L), Area of
cross section (A), Volume (V)
• Kinetic parameters: Velocity, Acceleration
• Dynamic parameters: Force, Pressure
• Fluid properties: Density, Viscosity
Obtaining Dimensionless numbers
• Non-dimensionalization of partial differential
equations
• Raleigh’s method
• Buckingham’s Pi theorem
Non-dimensionalization
 Raleigh’s method
• Preferred for small number of parameters
• Dependent variable is written as a function of
independent variables with their exponents
multiplied by a constant
• Exponents of fundamental dimensions are
equated on either side
 Buckingham PI theorem
• Allows us to develop important dimensionless
parameters quickly and easily
 Procedure for obtaining Pi
parameters
1) List all the dimensional parameters
involved
2) Select a set of fundamental
dimensions
3) List the dimensions of all the
parameters in terms of fundamental
dimensions
 Procedure for obtaining Pi
parameters
4) Select a set of r dimensional parameters
that includes all the primary dimensions
5) Set up dimensional equations, combining
the parameters selected in step 4 with
each of the other parameters in turn, to
form dimensionless groups
6) Check to see that each group obtained is
dimensionless
 Example
• Drag force on a smooth sphere depends on
several factors: Diameter of the sphere, Velocity
of the fluid flow, viscosity of the fluid and
density of the fluid. Obtain the relationship
between Drag force and obtain dimensionless
parameters
• F=f(D,V, µ, ρ)
• Try by Raleigh’s method and also by
Buckingham’s Pi theorm
 Determination of m
• M is not equal to r all the times
• Example 7.3
• Rank of the dimension matrix which is the order
of the largest nonzero determinant
Dimensonless groups
 Viscous Force /Inertial force
Aerodynamics

Pressure Force /Inertial force

Cavitation Number
Froude Number

Inertial force/Gravitation
forces

Inertial force/Surface tension

forces
Inertial force/Forces due to
Compressibility
 In class Exercise

• Exercise problems 7.4 and 7.42 from the text

book
• Problem 7.4.
In class exercise problem 7.42
 References
• Chapter 7, Introduction to Fluid Mechanics by
Fox and Mc Donald – 7th Edition
• Unit Operations of Chemical Engineering by
W.L.McCabe, J.C. Smith & Peter Harriot,
McGraw- Hill, 7th Edition