Why Study FM

Fluids are already an integral part of our day-to-day life . Fluid mechanics helps us understand the
behaviour of fluid under various forces and at different atmospheric conditions, and to select the
proper fluid for various applications.

1) There are number of fluids that when burnt, produce lots of heat, which can be used for various
applications. Examples of these fluids includes petrol and diesel for vehicles.

2) There are some fluids like oil that have a tendency to exert very high pressure or force. These
fluids can be used for lifting various heavy loads. The fluids used in hydraulic machines and
hydraulic lifters are an example.

3) Some fluids have excellent flow properties which can be used for the lubrication of various
machines.

4) Water is used for generation of electricity in hydroelectric power plants and thermal power plants, water
is also used as the coolant in nuclear power plants.

 Common Applications of Fluids

Hydroelectric Power Plants

In hydroelectric power plants, water is used to generate electricity on a large-scale basis.

Water stored in the dam possesses potential energy, which is converted into the electrical
energy in the power generation unit of the plant. Hydroelectric power plants are one of
the major suppliers of power throughout the world. In some countries power
requirements are fulfilled entirely by these plants.

 Hydraulic machines

Machines that operate on a fluid like water and oil are called hydraulic machines. The fluid as the
capacity to lift heavy loads and exert extremely high pressures. Some hydraulic machines are used
to perform various machining operations. In most of these machines, oil is used as the fluid. The oil
is passed through the hydraulic motor which transfers large amounts of energy to the fluid. This
high energy fluid enters the piston and cylinder arrangement where it can be used to lift heavy
loads or apply large forces.

 Automobiles

No automobile can run without fluid. Fluids perform three crucial operations in automobiles:
generation of power, lubrication, and cooling of the engine. Petrol or diesel generates power on
combustion in the engine. This is commonly referred to as fuel. Oil is used for the lubrication of the
engine and the gearbox and also various other moving parts of the vehicle. In larger automobiles
like cars, busses and trucks, water is used for cooling the engine.

 Refrigerators and Air Conditioners

This is another important area where fluids play a crucial role. In refrigerators and air-conditioners,
the fluids are known as refrigerants. The refrigerant absorbs the heat from whatever is being kept
in the chiller or evaporator, which is at a low temperature, and delivers that heat to the
atmosphere, which is at a high temperature. In air conditioners, the refrigerant absorbs room heat
 and throws it in to the atmosphere, thereby keeping the room cool. The entire operation of
refrigerators and air-conditioners depends on the use of a refrigerant.

 Thermal Power Plants

In thermal power plants, water is used as the working fluid. After getting heated in a boiler, water is
converted into superheated steam which is passes through the blades of turbines, thus rotating
them. The shaft of the turbine rotates in the generator, where electricity is produced. Thermal
power plants are one of the major suppliers of power in various parts of the world, and water
working as the fluid is their most important component.

 Nuclear power plants

Water is again a crucial power plant component. Here it is both the working fluid and a coolant. In
some nuclear power plants, heat produced within the nuclear reactor is used to directly heat water,
which is converted into steam. This steam is passed through the turbines similar to thermal power
plants, rotating turbine blades to generate power. This is an application of water as the working
fluid.
In other nuclear power plants, the heat from nuclear reactors is not used to generate steam
directly. Heat is first used to heat the water, which acts as the coolant. This coolant then transfers
the heat to a secondary coolant or the working fluid, which is again water and it is passed through
the turbine to generate electricity.

 Fluids as a Renewable Energy Source

There are number of fluids that are being used as a renewable energy source. Air or wind is one of
the most popular sources of renewable energy. Wind is used for generation of electricity on a small
as well as large scale basis. Water is used in tidal power plants to generate electricity on a small
scale basis. Ocean waves are used to rotate turbine blades within the power generation unit.
Biodiesel, a type of the vegetable oil, is used as a fuel for vehicles along with traditional diesel.

 Operating Various Instruments

Compressed air is used for the operation of various types of instruments and automatic valves.
These valves can be activated and deactivated by applying the pressure of compressed air. The
pneumatic tools which work on compressed air are used for various applications like grinding,
screwing and unscrewing various machinery parts, etc.

 Heat Engines

In previous heat engine designs, air was used as a fluid to generate power in automobiles. Earlier it
was thought that the efficiency of an engine is dependent on the type of fluid used, but later it was
shown by Sadi Carnot, that the efficiency of an engine is not dependent on the type of the fluid, but
rather, the temperature of the fluid.

 Fluids are used in a wide range of applications, often playing a vital role, without which, these
applications will just cease to exist. The important thing to note is that most of the crucial
applications of fluids are for generation of electricity or power. In hydroelectric power plants and
automobiles, fluids are directly used to generate power or electricity. In thermal and nuclear power
plants, fluids are indirectly used for generation of power, and still they are the dominant parts of
 these applications. It is not an overstatement to say that without fluids, the progress of the human
race would stop.

Enumerate the Branches and Paper codes of that University

AKTU
Branches Aeronautical Engineering Civil Engineering
Automobile Engineering Environment Engineering
Mechanical Engineering
Manufacturing Technology
Mechanical & Industrial Engineering
Production Engineering/ Industrial
Production Engineering

Paper Codes KME 302 (2019-20) (3 Sem) KCE 303 (2019-20) (3 Sem)

Subject Name Fluid Mechanics and Fluid Machines Fluid Mechanics

University Paper Pattern: Short Answer, Long Answer

 External Exam

Total marks – 100

Passing marks- 30%

Section A Section B Section C

Total Question 10 5 (out of which attempt 10 (out of which attempt
any three) any Five)
Marks 20 (2 for each question) 30 (10 for each) 50 (10 for each)
Theory type Yes Both theory as well as Both theory as well as
numerical numerical
Numerical

Internal Exam (50 marks)

Sessional Exam (30 marks) Assignment (10 marks) Attendance (10 marks)
Best of Two
  Total Passing marks is 40 % (30 % in external examination and 10 % in internal examination).

Sample Paper:
Branche Aeronautical Engineering
Automobile Engineering
s Mechanical Engineering
Manufacturing Technology
Mechanical & Industrial Engineering
Production Engineering/ Industrial Production
Engineering
Paper KME 302 (2019-20) (3 Sem)
codes
Topics - 56
Units I Definition of fluid, Newton’s law of viscosity, Units
and dimensions-Properties of fluids, mass density,
specific volume, specific gravity, viscosity,
compressibility and surface tension, Incompressible
flow
Bernoulli’s equation and its applications - Pitot tube,
orifice meter, venturi meter and bend meter, notches
and weirs, momentum equation and its application to
pipe bends (Topic-9)
Units II Continuum & free molecular flows. Steady and
unsteady, uniform and non-uniform, laminar and
turbulent flows, rotational and irrotational flows,
compressible and incompressible flows, subsonic,
sonic and supersonic flows, sub-critical, critical and
supercritical flows, one, two- and three-dimensional
flows, streamlines, continuity equation for 3D and 1D
flows, circulation, stream function and velocity
potential. Buckingham’s Pi theorem, important
dimensionless numbers and their significance. (Topic-
8)
Units III Equation of motion for laminar flow through pipes,
turbulent flow, isotropic, homogenous turbulence,
scale and intensity of turbulence, measurement of
turbulence, eddy viscosity, resistance to flow, minor
losses, pipe in series and parallel, power transmission
through a pipe, siphon, water hammer, three reservoir
problems and pipe networks.
Boundary layer thickness, boundary layer over a flat
plate, laminar boundary layer, application of
momentum equation, turbulent boundary layer,
laminar sublayer, separation and its control, Drag and
lift, drag on a sphere, a two-dimensional cylinder, and
an aerofoil, Magnus effect (Topic-18)
Units IV Introduction to hydrodynamic thrust of jet on a fixed
and moving surface,
Classification of turbines, Impulse turbines,
Constructional details, Velocity triangles, Power and
efficiency calculations, Governing of Pelton wheel.
Francis and Kaplan turbines, Constructional details,
Velocity triangles, Power and efficiency Principles of
similarity, Unit and specific speed, Performance
Civil Engineering
Environment Engineering
KCE 303 (2019-20) (3 Sem)
Topics - 47
Fluid and continuum, Physical properties of
fluids, Rheology of fluids. Pressure-density
height relationship, manometers, pressure
on plane and curved surfaces, centre of
pressure, buoyancy, stability of immersed
and floating bodies, fluid masses subjected
to linear acceleration and uniform rotation
about an axis (Topic-7)
Types of fluid flows: Continuum & free
molecular flows. Steady and unsteady,
uniform and non-uniform, laminar and
turbulent flows, rotational and irrotational
flows, compressible and incompressible
flows, subsonic, sonic and supersonic flows,
sub-critical, critical and supercritical flows-,
one-, two- and three-dimensional flows,
streamlines, path lines, streak lines, stream
tube, continuity equation for 1-D, 2-D and
3-D flows, circulation, stream function and
velocity potential function (Topic-8)
Potential Flow: source, sink, doublet and
half-body. Equation of motion along a
streamline and its integration, Bernoulli’s
equation and its applications- Pitot tube,
orifice meter, Venturimeter and bend meter,
notches and weirs, momentum equation and
its application to pipe bends. resistance to
flow, Minor losses in pipe in series and
parallel, power transmission through a pipe,
siphon, water hammer, three reservoir
problems and pipe networks (Topic-14)
Equation of motion for laminar flow
through pipes, Stokes’ law, mixing length
concept and velocity distribution in
turbulent flow over smooth and rough
surfaces
Boundary layer thickness, boundary layer
over a flat plate, displacement, momentum
and energy thickness. Application of
 characteristics, Selection of water turbines (Topic-9)
Units V Classifications of centrifugal pumps, Vector
diagram, Work done by impellor, Efficiencies of
centrifugal pumps, Specific speed, Cavitation &
separation, Performance characteristics. Reciprocating
pump theory, Slip, Indicator diagram, Effect of
acceleration, air vessels, Comparison of centrifugal
and reciprocating pumps, Performance characteristics
(Topic-12)
momentum equation. Laminar boundary
layer, turbulent boundary layer, laminar
sub-layer, separation and its control. Vortex
Flow: Free & Forced (Topic-10)
Drag and lift, drag on a sphere, aerofoil,
Magnus effect, Similarity Laws; geometric,
kinematics and dynamic similarity,
undistorted and distorted model studies,
Dimensional analysis, Buckingham’s Pi
theorem, important dimensionless numbers
and their significance. Introduction to
Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)
(Topic-8)

Prerequisite Subjects:

 Engineering Maths
 Engineering Physics
Sub topics:
o Calculus
o Differential equations
o Basic physics
o Newton’s Laws

Downstream Subjects:

 Hydraulic Machine
 Power Plant Engineering

Top Industries in India

 Hydro power plant

 NTPC (National Hydro Electric Power Corporation Pvt Ltd)
 NHPC (National Thermal Power Corporation)
 Sardar Sarovar Hydro Electric Power plant

Books for basic and extended learning in FM

 Fluid Mechanics by R. J. Garde, A.J Mirajgaonkar, SCITECH Publication.

 Fluid Mechanics by Streeter & Wylie, Tata McGraw Hill.
 Fluid Mechanics by Dr. A. K. Jain, Khanna Publishers.
 Fluid Mechanics by K. Subramanya, McGraw Hill.
 Fluid Mechanics by Frank White, McGraw Hill.
Pumps
 1. Concept of hydraulic pump. Classification of pumps
2. Centrifugal pumps, Pressure changes in a pump, Velocity vector diagrams and work done,
Multistage pump, Net positive suction head, Cavitations in centrifugal pumps, Priming
3. Classification of reciprocating pumps, Operation of reciprocating pump, Discharge co-efficient,
Volumetric efficiency and slip, Work and power input, Indicator diagrams, Air vessels, Centrifugal
pumps versus reciprocating pumps, Rotary pumps
4. Pump characteristics, NPSH & Cavitation

Introduction to Open channel flow

1. Classification of channels, channel flows and geometric elements of channel, Basic governing
equations of Channel flow viz. continuity equation, energy equation and momentum equation, One
dimensional approach, Velocity distribution in open channel flow
2. Uniform flow in open channels: Uniform flow formulae: Chezy’s and Manning's formulae, Factors
affecting Manning's roughness coefficient
3. Important terms pertaining to uniform flow, viz. normal depth, conveyance, section factor, concept
of second hydraulic exponent, Uniform flow computations. Most efficient channel sections:
rectangular, triangular and trapezoidal
4. Compressible flow, Basic equation of flow (elementary study), velocity of sound or pressure wave
in a fluid, Mach number, propagation of pressure waves, area-velocity relationship, Stagnation
properties

Flow through mouthpiece and orifices

1. Classification of orifices, flow through orifices, determination of hydraulic coefficients, flow

through large rectangular orifice, flow through fully submerged and partially submerged orifice,
time of emptying a tank through an orifice at its bottom.
2. Classification of Mouthpieces, Flow through external cylindrical mouthpiece, convergent-
divergent mouthpiece, Borda’s mouthpieces.
3. Discharge measuring devices for channels Notches -Types of notches, expression for discharge
4. Francis formula, end contraction and velocity of approach Weirs - Broad crested weir, ogee
spillway and expression for discharge. Flumes - Venturi flume, standing, wave flume, expression
for discharge.Velocity area method for measurement of discharge through open channels. Discharge
measuring devices for pipes. (simple numerical problems)
a. Covered in ALM 1.2.1-5
b. Covered in ALM 1.1.2-4
c. Covered in ALM 1.4.2-1
d. Covered in ALM 2.3.1-2
e. Covered in ALM 6.2.3-1
f. Covered in ALM 4.1.1-2 and 4.1.1-3
g. Covered in ALM 6.1.1-1
h. Covered in ALM 7.1.2-2
i. Covered in ALM 8.1.1-1
j. Covered in ALM 7.3.1-1

a. Covered in PSM 1.3.2

b. Covered in PSM 2.3.2
c. Covered in PSM 3.2.1
d. Covered in PSM 7.1.2
e. Covered in PSM 8.1.2
Q.3 a. Covered in PSM 1.3.1
b. Covered in PSM 1.3.2

Q.4 a. Covered in PSM 2.2.1

b. Covered in PSM 2.3.1

Q.5 a. Covered in ALM 3.1.1

b. Covered in PSM

Q.6 a. Covered in PSM 5.1.2

a. Covered in PSM 4.1.2

Q.7 a. Covered in PSM 6.3.1

a. Covered in PSM 8.2.2