EGE306 ENGINEERING FLUID MECHANICS

2019/09

Lecture 3: Fluid kinematics

Ghar Ek Lau
Ph.D. (Mech), BEng (Mech)

New Energy Science and Engineering

School of Engineering
Fluid kinematics

Objectives
• Understand the role of the material derivative in transforming
Introduction and basic concepts
between Lagrangian and Eulerian descriptions
• Distinguish between various types of flow visualizations and
methods of plotting the characteristics of a fluid flow
• Have an appreciation for the many ways that fluids move and
deform
• Understand the use and limitations of the Bernoulli equation, and
apply it to solve a variety of fluid flow problems.
• Work with the energy equation expressed in terms of heads, and
use it to determine turbine power output and pumping power
requirements.
Fluid kinematics

Introduction
• Fluid kinematics: the study of how fluids flow and how to describe
Introduction and basic concepts
fluid motion.
• Lagrangian: A description which keeps track of the position as well
as velocity vectors of each fluid particle.
• Eularian: A description which defines field variables within a control
volume.
Fluid kinematics

Velocity field
• In the Eularian framework, the velocity field is a function of both
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space and time:

• Since velocity is a vector, it has both magnitude and direction:

Fluid kinematics

Worked examples
A velocity field is given by whereand
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andconcepts
l are
constants. Determine the magnitude of the fluid velocity.
Fluid kinematics

Acceleration field
• The acceleration field of a fluid can be derived from Newton’s
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second law
• Show that acceleration of a fluid depends on the time rate of change
of velocity and the spatial derivative:

where material derivative

Fluid kinematics

Worked examples
An incompressible, inviscid fluid flows steadily past a ball of radius R.
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The fluid velocity along streamline A-B is given by

where V0 is the upstream velocity far ahead of the sphere. Determine

the acceleration experienced by fluid particles as they flow along this
streamline.
Fluid kinematics

Flow visualisations
• Flow visualisations are useful and complimentary to quantitative
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fluid mechanics
• Streamline: A curve that is everywhere tangent to the instantaneous
local velocity vector
• Streamtube: A bundle of streamlines
Fluid kinematics

Flow visualisations
• Pathlines: Actual path travelled by an individual fluid particle over
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some time period
• Streaklines: Locus of fluid particles that have passed sequentially
through a prescribed point in the flow
Fluid kinematics

Plots of fluid data

• Profiles: Indicates how the value of a property varies along some
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desired direction in the flow field
• Vectors: An array of arrows indicating the magnitude and direction
of a vector property at an instant in time
• Contours: Shows curves of constant values of a property at an
instant in time
Fluid kinematics

Worked examples
For the flow problem in slide 5, determine the streamlines.
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Fluid kinematics

The Bernoulli Equation

• The Bernoulli equation is an approximate relation between
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pressure, velocity and elevation
• It is valid in regions of steady, incompressible flow where net
frictional forces are negligible
• Key assumption: viscous effects are negligibly small compared to
inertial, gravitational and pressure effects

Show that:

(along a streamline)
Fluid kinematics

The Bernoulli Equation

Introduction and basic concepts

Fluid kinematics

The Bernoulli Equation

Introduction and basic concepts

Identify the different terms of the Bernoulli equation:

• Static pressure: the actual thermodynamic pressure of a fluid
• Dynamic pressure: represents the pressure rise when the fluid in
motion is brought to a stop isentropically
• Hydrostatic pressure: accounts for elevation effects of pressure
• Stagnation pressure: sum of static and dynamic pressure
• Total pressure: sum of static, dynamic and hydrostatic pressure
Fluid kinematics

Stagnation pressure
• The stagnation pressure can be measured using a Pitot tube
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arrangement
• Show that the stagnation pressure is given by:
Fluid kinematics

Limitations of the Bernoulli’s equation

• Although the Bernoulli’s equation
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is very practical, its application is
limited to the following flows:
 Steady
 Frictionless
 Incompressible
 No shaft work
 No heat transfer
 Flow along a streamline
Fluid kinematics

HGL and EGL

• It is often convenient to represent the level of mechanical energy
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graphically using heights to facilitate visualization of the various
terms of the Bernoulli equation.
• Pressure head: it represents the height of a fluid column that
produces the static pressure P.
• Velocity head: it represents the elevation needed for a fluid to reach
the velocity V during frictionless free fall.
• Elevation head: it represents the potential energy of the fluid.
Fluid kinematics

HGL and EGL

• Hydraulic grade line (HGL): The line that represents the sum of the
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static pressure and the elevation heads.
• Energy grade line (EGL): The line that represents the total head of
the fluid.
• Dynamic head: The difference between the heights of EGL and
HGL.
Fluid kinematics

Worked examples
Water discharge from a large lank
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A large tank open to the atmosphere is
filled with water to a height of 5 m from
the outlet tap. A tap near the bottom of
the tank is now opened, and water flows
out from the smooth and rounded outlet.
Determine the water velocity at the
outlet.
Fluid kinematics

Worked examples
Spraying water into the air
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Water is flowing from a hose attached
to a water main at 400kPa. A child
places his thumb to cover most of the
hose outlet, causing a thin jet of high-
speed water to emerge. If the hose is
held upwards, what is the maximum
height that the jet could achieve?
Fluid kinematics

Worked examples
Siphoning out petrol from a fuel tank
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During a trip to the beach, a car runs out of
petrol, and it becomes necessary to siphon
petrol out of the car of a Good Samaritan. To
start the siphon it is necessary to insert one
siphon end in the full gas tank, fill the hose
with petrol via suction, and then place the
other end in a petrol can below the level of
the tank. The difference in pressure
between point 1 and point 2 causes the
liquid to flow. The siphon diameter is 4 mm
and the frictional losses in the siphon are to
be disregarded. Determine:
• The minimum time to withdraw 4L of
petrol from the tank to the can
• The pressure at point 3
Density of petrol is 750 kg/m3.
Fluid kinematics

Worked examples
Velocity measurement by a Pitot tube
Introduction and basic concepts
A piezometer and a Pitot tube are
tapped into a horizontal water pipe to
measure static and stagnation
pressures. For the indicated water
column heights, determine the velocity
at the centre of the pipe.
Fluid kinematics

Summary
• Eularian vs. Lagrangian
Introduction and basic concepts
• Material derivative
• Fluid visualisations
 Streamlines, streamtubes
 Pathlines
 Streaklines
• Plotting fluid data
 Profiles, vectors, contours
• Bernoulli’s equation
 Static, dynamic and hydrostatic pressures
 Stagnation pressure
 Hydraulic grade line (HGL) and energy grade line (EGL)