Mass, Bernoulli and Energy Equations - Part 1

(Chapter 5)

Mass Conservation Equation

Hasan Zobeyer, PhD, PEng, M.ASCE

Professor
Department of Water Resources Engineering
BUET

Course Notes provided by Dr. Weiming Wu

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Conservation of Mass
Conservation of mass: Mass is a conserved property, and it cannot
be created or destroyed during a process.
Closed systems: The mass of the system remain constant during a
process.
𝑑𝑚𝑠𝑦𝑠
𝑚𝑠𝑦𝑠 = 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑡 =0
𝑑𝑡

Control volumes: Mass can cross the boundaries, and so we must

keep track of the amount of mass entering and leaving the control
volume.

Relativity of Einstein: Mass m and energy E can be converted to

each other:

where c is the speed of light in a vacuum, c = 2.9979108 m/s.

In general fluid mechanics, we consider the mass change due to energy
change is negligible. Thus, the mass of the system is conserved.
 Conservation of Mass
Reynolds Transport Theorem:

When the extensive property B is mass m, the intensive property b=B/m=1.

Inserting them into the RTT yields

For a system, the mass is conserved. This implies dmsys/dt=0. Thus

This is the mass conservation (or balance, continuity) equation in integral form.
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Conservation of Mass

The time rate of change of mass within the control volume plus the net mass
flow rate through the control surface is equal to zero.

𝑚ሶ 𝑛𝑒𝑡 = 𝑚ሶ 𝑜𝑢𝑡 − 𝑚ሶ 𝑖𝑛 = න 𝜌 𝑉. 𝑛 𝑑𝐴
𝑐𝑠
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Conservation of Mass
Considering a bathtub shown in the figure, the mass conservation
principle reads
 Total mass   Total mass   Net change of mass 
 entering the CV  −  leaving the CV  =  within the CV 
     
50 kg 30 kg 20 kg

the total rates of mass

flow into and out of the
control volume
the rate of change of mass
within the control volume.

Mass balance is applicable to any control

volume undergoing any kind of process.
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Conservation of Mass

For a control volume with a number

of well-defined inlets and outlets
shown in the figure, the control
surface integral can be more
conveniently written in terms of
discharge or mass flow rate
crossing each inlet and outlet:
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Example
The pipe flow of water fills a cylindrical tank as shown in the figure
below. At time t = 0, the water depth in the tank is 0.3 m. Estimate the
time required to fill the remainder of the tank.
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Mass Balance for Steady Flow
During a steady-flow process, the total
amount of mass contained within a
control volume does not change with
time (mCV = constant).

dmCV 0
=0
dt

Then the conservation of mass principle

requires that for a steady flow, the total
amount of mass entering a control
volume equal the total amount of mass
leaving it.
Conservation of mass principle
for a two-inlet–one-outlet
steady-flow system.
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Special Case: Incompressible Flow

The conservation of mass relations can be simplified even further when

the fluid is incompressible, which is usually the case for liquids.

Because m = Q and ρ=constant

 Q =  Q
in out

Q = Q
in out

For steady flow of liquids, the volume flow rates, as well as the mass
flow rates, remain constant since liquids are essentially incompressible
substances.
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Example
Water flows at a uniform velocity of 10 m/s into a nozzle that increase the diameter
from 2 cm to 10 cm as shown in figure below. Calculate the water’s velocity leaving
the nozzle and the flow rate.

Q2 = Q1 D2= 10 cm
D1= 2 cm
A2V2 = A1V1
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Example
As shown, water flows steadily into a tank through pipes 1 and 2 and discharges at
a steady rate out of the tank through pipes 3 and 4. The mean velocity in pipe 1, 2,
and 3 is 50 ft/s. What are the mass rate of flow and the discharge from pipe 4?
Because the flow is steady and incompressible,

Q = Q
in out
Q3 + Q4 = Q1 + Q2

Q4 = Q1 + Q2 − Q3
= V1 A1 + V2 A2 − V3 A3

= 50 
4
(
 D12 + D22 − D32 )

= 50 
1

4 144
(
1 + 2 2 − 1.52 )
Q4 = 0.750 ft 3 s
𝑚ሶ 4 = 𝜌𝑤 𝑄4 = 46.725 𝐼𝑏𝑚/𝑠