CL305: Transport Phenomena

Solution to Tutorial 4

Conducted on: 24 February 2021

1. [1 mark] A hot air balloon rises vertically up (in the positive z direction) with a uniform velocity. At
the same time, the balloon also moves with a uniform speed of 4 m/s in the positive y direction due to
wind. The temperature of earth’s atmosphere can be assumed to vary linearly with elevation according
to the following relation: T = T0 − αz where T = 20 ◦ C, α = 6.5 × 10− 3 ◦ C/m, T is in ◦ C and z is the
elevation in m. If the rate of change of atmospheric temperature measured by an instrument mounted
on the balloon is −0.01◦ C/s, what is the speed at which the balloon is rising up (i.e., the z component
of balloon’s velocity)? Assume the atmospheric temperature to not vary in the x and y direction or with
time, and provide your answer in m/s, rounded to one decimal place.

Solution: The rate of change of temperature measured by the instrument mounted on the balloon is
given by

dT ∂T ∂T ∂T ∂T
= + vx + vy + vz
dt ∂t ∂x ∂y ∂z
As the atmospheric temperature to not vary in the x and y direction or with time, we have

dT ∂T ∂(T0 − αz
= vz = vz = −αvz
dt ∂z ∂z

dT /dt −0.01
⇒ vz = − =− ⇒ vz = 1.5 m/s
α 6.5 × 10−3

2. [1 mark] A velocity field v is given by

v = (2ax + 4y + 1) î + (2y + xz + 4) ĵ + (xy − 7z + 2) k̂

If the flow is incompressible, what is the value of a? Provide your answer up to one decimal place.

Solution: For incompressible flow, the continuity equation becomes

∂vx ∂vy ∂vz

∇·v =0 ⇒ + ++ =0
∂x ∂y ∂z
∂(2ax + 4y + 1) ∂(2y + xz + 4) ∂(xy − 7z + 2)
⇒ + + =0
∂x ∂y ∂z

⇒ 2a + 2 − 7 = 0 ⇒ a = 2.5

1
3. [2 marks] For a two-dimensional inviscid, incompressible flow field, the velocity is given by

2
v = 3x2 y 2 î − xy 3 ĵ
3
where v is in m/s and x, y are in m. If the pressure at x = 1.2 m, y = 1.2 m is 200 kPa, what is the
pressure at x = 1.6 m, y = 1.2 m? Gravity acts perpendicular to the xy plane and there is no change in
elevation between the two points. The density of the fluid is 800 kg/m3 . Provide your answer in kPa
rounded to the nearest integer.
Hint: You may use Euler’s equation to solve this problem.

Solution: The x component of the Euler’s equation for the given two-dimensional steady, inviscid, in-
compressible flow is

∂(3x2 y 2 ) 2 3 ∂(3x2 y 2 )
   
∂vx ∂vx ∂p ∂p
ρ vx + vy =− ⇒ ρ 3x2 y 2 − xy =−
∂x ∂y ∂x ∂x 3 ∂y ∂x

∂p 7
= −ρ 18x3 y 4 − 4x3 y 4 = −14ρx3 y 4 p = − ρx4 y 4 + f (y)


⇒ ⇒
∂x 2
The value of pressure at x = 1.2 m, y = 1.2 m is 200 kPa. So,
7
200 × 103 = − × 800 × (1.2)4 × (1.2)4 + f (1.2) ⇒ f (1.2) ≈ 212039.5
2

Now, the value of pressure at x = 1.6 m, y = 1.2 m is

7
p(x = 1.6 m, y = 1.2 m) = − × 800 × (1.6)4 × (1.2)4 + f (1.2)
2
⇒ p (x = 1.6 m, y = 1.2 m) = −38050.7 + 212039.5 = 173988.8 Pa = 173.9888 kPa ≈ 174 kPa

4. [1 mark] The velocity field of a fluid is given by

R3
 
v = U 1 + 3 î
x

If U = 1 m/s and R = 1.7 m, what is the x component of the total acceleration (i.e., local + convective)
of a fluid element at x = 2.5 m? Provide your answer in m/s2 rounded to two decimal places.

Solution: The x component of the total acceleration (ax ) is given by the substantial derivative of the x
component of velocity. So,

Dvx ∂vx ∂vx ∂vx ∂vx ∂vx

ax = = + vx + vy + vz = vx
Dt ∂t ∂x ∂y ∂z ∂x

R3 R3 R3 R3
      
∂
⇒ ax = U 1+ 3 U 1+ 3 = −3U 2 1 + 3
x ∂x x x x4

At x = 2.5 m, with U = 1 m/s and R = 1.7 m, we have

(1.7)3 (1.7)3
 
⇒ ax = −3 × 12 1 + = −0.49596 ≈ −0.50 m/s2
(2.5)3 (2.5)4

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5. [2 marks] Consider the flow of an incompressible Newtonian liquid in the annular space between two
concentric cylinders. The flow is driven by the rotations of the two cylinders. The outer cylinder rotates
with an angular velocity of Ωo = 19 rad s1 and the inner cylinder rotates with an angular velocity of
Ωi = 11 rad s1 . After simplifying and solving the equation of motion, the velocity profile of the fluid
between the two cylinders is obtained as:

1 C2
vθ = C1 r +
2 r
If the radii of the inner and outer cylinders are 27 cm and 30 cm respectively, what is the value of the
constant C1 in the equation for vθ above? Provide your answer in rad s−1 rounded to one decimal
place.

Solution: Applying the no-slip boundary condition at the outer surface of the inner cylinder, we have

vθ (r = 0.27 m) = 0.27 Ωi = 0.27 × 11 = 2.97 m/s

So,
1 C2 C2
2.97 = C1 × (0.27) + ⇒ 0.135 C1 + = 2.97 · · · (A)
2 0.27 0.27

Applying the no-slip boundary condition at the inner surface of the outer cylinder, we have

vθ (r = 0.3 m) = 0.3 Ωo = 0.3 × 19 = 5.7 m/s

So,
1 C2 C2
5.7 = C1 × (0.3) + ⇒ 0.15 C1 + = 5.7 · · · (B)
2 0.3 0.3

0.3 × (B) − 0.27 × (A) gives

(0.045 − 0.03645) × C1 = 1.71 − 0.8019 ⇒ C1 = 106.2 rad s−1