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Chapter Three
Static Fluid and its Application

Static fluid means that there is no motion of a fluid layer relative to an adjacent

layer, i.e, no shear stresses in the fluid. Hence, all free bodies in fluid statics have
only normal pressure forces acting on them.

When the fluid velocity is zero then the pressure variation is due only to the
weight of the fluid and that denoted as the hydrostatic condition.

3-1 Pressure and Pressure Gradient

At a point a fluid at rest has the same pressure in all direction, since there can be
no shear shaped particle forces so, the only forces are the normal surface forces
and gravity.
In other words, the normal stress on any plane through a fluid element at rest is
equal to a unique value called the fluid pressure p, taken positive for compression
by common convention.
Figure 3.1 shows a small wedge of fluid at rest of size δx by δz by δs and depth b
into the paper. There is no shear by definition, but we postulate that the pressures
px, pz, and pn may be different on each face. The weight of the element also may
be important.
Summation of forces must equal zero (no acceleration) in both the x and z
directions.

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University of Technology____________ Fluid Mechanics__________ Petroleum Technology Department

Fig. 3.1 Equilibrium of a small wedge of fluid at rest

ΣFx =0 =pxb∆z - pnb∆s sinθ

ΣFz = 0 = pzb∆x - pnb∆s cosθ –(1/2) ρgb∆x∆z 3-1

But the geometry of the wedge is such that

∆s sinθ = ∆z and ∆s cosθ = ∆x 3-2

Substitution into Eq. (3.1) and rearrangement give

p x = pn pz = pn + (1/2)ρg∆z 3-3

These relations illustrate two important principles of the hydrostatic, or shear-free,

condition:
(1) There is no pressure change in the horizontal direction, and (2) there is a
vertical change in pressure proportional to the density, gravity, and depth change
In the limit as the fluid wedge shrinks to a “point,’’ δz 3.3)
become

px = pn = pz =p 3-4

3-2 Pressure variation in static fluid

3-2-1 Pressure variation in horizontal plane

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The laws of variation of pressure in a static fluid may be developed by considering

variations along a horizontal line and variations along a vertical line. Two points,
1 and 2, in Fig. 3.2, are in a horizontal plane. On a cylindrical free body, with axis
through the points and end areas normal to the axis and through the respective
points, the only forces acting in an axial direction arc p1δ a and p2 δa, in which δa
is the cross-sectional area of the cylinder. Therefore p1 = p2, which proves that two
points in the same horizontal plane in a contentious mass of fluid at rest have the
same pressure.

Figure (3-2) Pressure variation in horizontal tube

3-2-2 Pressure variation with vertical elevation

In Figure (3-3) a stationary column of fluid of height (h2) and cross-sectional area
A, where A=Ao=A1=A2, is shown. The pressure above the fluid is Po, it could be
the pressure of atmosphere above the fluid.
The total mass of fluid for h2, height and ρ density is:
(h2 A ρ) (kg)
But from Newton’s 2nd law in motion the total force of the fluid on area (A) due to
the fluid only is: - (h2 A ρ g) (N) i.e. F = h2 A ρ g (N)
The pressure is defined as (P = F/A = h2 ρ g) (N/m2 or Pa)

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University of Technology____________ Fluid Mechanics__________ Petroleum Technology Department

This is the pressure on A2 due to the weight of the fluid column above it. However
to get the total pressure P2 on A2, the pressure Po on the top of the fluid must be
added,
i.e. P2 = h2 ρ g + Po (N/m2 or Pa)
Thus to calculate P1, P1 = h1 ρ g + Po (N/m2 or Pa)
The pressure difference between points 1 and 2 is: -
P2 – P1 = (h2 ρ g + Po) – (h1 ρ g + Po)
⇒ P2 – P1 = (h2 – h1) ρ g SI units
P2 – P1 = (h2 – h1) ρ g / gc English units

Figure (3-2) Pressure variation in horizontal tube

The term (ρgh) is the hydrostatic pressure.

We state the following conclusions about a hydrostatic condition:
Pressure in a continuously distributed uniform static fluid varies only with vertical
distance and is independent of the shape of the container. The pressure is the same
at all points on a given horizontal plane in the fluid. The pressure increases with
depth in the fluid.
An illustration of this is shown in Fig. 3.4. The free surface of the container is
atmospheric and forms a horizontal plane. Points a, b, c, and d are at equal depth
in a horizontal plane and are interconnected by the same fluid, water; therefore all
points have the same pressure. The same is true of points A, B, and C on the
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bottom, which all have the same higher pressure than at a, b, c, and d. However,
point D, although at the same depth as A, B, and C, has a different pressure
because it lies beneath different fluid, mercury.

Figure (3-4) Hydrostatic-pressure distribution.

3-3 Gage Pressure and Vacuum Pressure

Before embarking on examples, we should note that engineers are apt to
specify pressures as (1) the absolute or total magnitude or (2) the value relative to
the local ambient atmosphere. The second case occurs because many pressure
instruments are of differential type and record, not an absolute magnitude, but the
difference between the fluid pressure and the atmosphere.

Atmospheric Pressure
It is the pressure exerted by atmospheric air on the earth due to its weight. This
pressure is change as the density of air varies according to the altitudes. Greater
the height lesser the density. Also it may vary because of the temperature and
humidity of air.

Gauge Pressure or Positive Pressure

It is the pressure recorded by an instrument. This is always above atmospheric.
The zero mark of the dial will have been adjusted to atmospheric pressure.

Vacuum Pressure or Negative Pressure

This pressure is caused either artificially or by flow conditions. The pressure
intensity will be less than the atmospheric pressure whenever vacuum is formed.

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University of Technology____________ Fluid Mechanics__________ Petroleum Technology Department

Absolute Pressure
Absolute pressure is the algebraic sum of atmospheric pressure and gauge
pressure.

Atmospheric pressure is usually considered as the datum line and all other
pressures are recorded either above or below it.

The measured pressure may be either higher or lower than the local atmosphere,
and each case is given a name:
1. p > pa Gage pressure: p(gage) = p(absolute) - pa
2. p < pa Vacuum pressure: p(vacuum) = pa – p(absolute)

Fig. 3-5 Illustration of absolute, gage, and vacuum pressure readings.

Chapter Three___________________ Static Fluid _____________Dr. Asawer A. Alwasiti 20