ME 305 Fluid Mechanics I

Fall 2020
Sections 2 & 3
Homework 4 - Solution
Was due on Monday, December 14h, 2020

1. Water enters the V-shaped tank through a pipe at a uniformly increasing flow rate of Q = Kt where K is a
constant and t is time. At time t = 0, the water level in the tank is ho (above the entrance from the pipe).

By choosing an appropriate control volume and applying the needed equations to the chosen control volume
properly, derive the expressions for the water level h as a function of time t. Then, sketch h(t) approximately
by hand (the trend of h(t) should be clearly understood).

Solution:
2. In a circular piston-cylinder arrangement, the piston moves up at a constant speed while the liquid inside
leaves the cylinder from a side opening at a flow rate of 𝑄. patm ≈ 100 kPa
Initially (when the piston was stationary and the discharge
valve was closed), the volume and the pressure reading (by gas discharge
valve open
the Bourdon gage) of the gas pocket above the liquid were
0.02 m3 and 0 kPa, respectively. The piston and cylinder h liquid Q
cross-sectional areas can both be taken to be the same as 0.25
m# (the clearance between the two is very small and there is
no leakage). The liquid height ℎ in the cylinder is decreasing
at a constant rate of 0.02 m/s. At the instant the Bourdon gage
reads 25 kPa, the gas pressure is increasing at a rate of 40
piston
kPa/s. The gas specific weight is 12 N/m% and the liquid
specific gravity is 0.9. Determine
a) the exiting liquid volumetric flow rate 𝑄, and
b) the piston speed.
The gas can be assumed ideal and the temperature remains constant (isothermal conditions).
You will perform your solution separately for the two control volumes shown below:

Case I: Control volume = All of the Case II: Control volume = A fixed volume
volume inside the cylinder above the piston inside the cylinder containing liquid alone
CV and facing the discharge pipe as shown

gas gas CV

liquid Q liquid Q
h h

piston piston

Solution:
Comment: We did not have to solve a separate part (b) for Case II. The solution of (b) in Case (I) is not related
to CV analysis so it is valid in Case II solution, too.
Note that the gas volume time rate of change comes out as constant in this problem – see Case I, part (a)
solution.

3. A circular plate having a diameter of 300 mm is held perpendicular to an axisymmetric horizontal jet of air
having a velocity of 40 m/s and a diameter of 80 mm as shown. A hole at the center of the plate results in a
discharge jet of air having a velocity of 40 m/s and a diameter of 20 mm. Air can be assumed incompressible.
a) Determine the volumetric flow rate of the jet leaving the plate radially.
b) Suppose the plate is moving to the right at a constant speed of 10 m/s and the jet approaches the plate at
40 m/s. What will the volumetric flow rate of the jet leaving the plate radially be? As before, the discharge jet
has the same velocity as the striking jet (the reason to be shown in the later chapters of the course). The
diameters of the striking and discharge jets are 80 mm and 20 mm, respectively.
For each part above, choose an appropriate control volume and solve according to the chosen control volume.

For part (a) For part (b)

(stationary)
10 m/s

discharge jet
striking jet
Solution:

4. Consider Problem 3 above. If the radial jet leaving the plate has the same velocity as the striking jet,
determine the thickness of the radial jet at the edge of the plate (for each part of the problem) and the force
necessary to keep the plate
a) in place in for part (a) and
b) moving at constant velocity in part (b).
Neglect gravitational effects. Express your answers for force in vector form.
For each part above, use appropriate control volume(s), show all details on your control volume and solve
according to the chosen control volume.
Solution:

Comment: In the above solutions, we assumed that the jet flow is uniform on all flow cross-sections.

5. A horizontal water jet of constant velocity V impinges normally on a vertical flat plate and splashes radially
off the sides in the vertical plane. The plate is attached to a cart that is moving towards the oncoming water
jet with velocity 0.5 V. If a force F is required to maintain the plate
stationary (when the cart isn’t moving) against water impingement,
how much force is required to move the plate (and the cart) towards
the water jet at the given constant velocity of 0.5 V? Neglect
gravitational effects. Use appropriate control volume(s), show all
details on your control volume(s) and solve according to the chosen control volume(s).
Solution:

This problem is similar to the previous one however, getting the answer requires a somewhat different
approach.

𝑴̇𝒊
(i: incoming flow crossing the CS)
FR

CV attached to the plate (and cart)

6. A reducing elbow is used to deflect water flow at a rate of 30 kg/s in a horizontal pipe downward by an
angle of 45° from the flow direction while accelerating it. The elbow discharges water into the atmosphere.
The cross-sectional area of the elbow is 150 cm2 at the inlet and 25 cm2 at the exit. The water pressure at the
entrance of the elbow is 73.9 kPa gage. The mass of the elbow and the water in it is 50 kg. Determine the
anchoring force and the moment (all in vector form) applied through the flange that keep the elbow in place.
The center of gravity (CG) of the elbow is shown on the figure. Use an appropriate control volume, show all
details on it and solve according to the chosen control volume.

flange
30 cm

5 cm patm = 101.3 kPa

CG

10 cm
Solution: