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Intended Learning Outcomes
Ch.E. Applications in
Fluid Statics
Topic 1b
About Fluid Mechanics
(From Wikipedia Sources)
Fluid mechanics is the study of fluids and the
forces on them. (Fluids include liquids, gases,
and plasmas.) Fluid mechanics can be divided
into fluid statics, the study of fluids at
rest; fluid kinematics, the study of fluids in
motion; and fluid dynamics, the study of the
effect of forces on fluid motion. It is a branch
of continuum mechanics, a subject which
models matter from a macroscopic viewpoint
rather than from a microscopic viewpoint.
© UST ChE Department
At the end of this topic, you should be able to:
L1.1 Define Fluid Mechanics, differentiate among its
sub branches, and give its connection with related
sciences;
L1.2 Recognize the contribution of prominent
scientists to Fluid Mechanics;
L1.3 Define fluid, viscosity, recall Newton’s Law and
differentiate between Newtonian and Non-Newtonian
fluids ;
L1.4 Explain the basic principles and equations related
to Fluid Statics;
L2.1 Apply the equations of Fluid Statics to cases
related to Chemical Engineering.
© UST ChE Department
Fluid Statics
The word “statics” is derived from Greek word
“statikos”= motionless
 For a fluid at rest or moving in such a manner that
there is no relative motion between particles there
are no shearing forces present: Rigid body
approximation
 Fluid statics is also known as Hydrostatics or the
scientific study of fluids at rest, especially when
under pressure.
 Practical applications of hydrostatics are called
Hydraulics.
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Hydraulics vs Hydrostatics
Definition of Pressure
Pressure is defined as the amount of force
exerted on a unit area of a substance:
Force N
P   Pa
Area m 2

Fluid Pressure Images

(from Felder) Pascal’s Laws

 Pressure acts uniformly in all directions

on a small volume (point) of a fluid at
rest (isotropic).

 In a fluid confined by solid boundaries,

pressure acts perpendicular to the
boundary – it is a normal force.

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Direction of Fluid pressure on

Boundaries Absolute and Gage Pressure
 Absolute pressure: The pressure of a fluid is
expressed relative to that of vacuum (zero)

 Gage pressure: Pressure expressed as the difference

Furnace duct Pipe or tube
between the pressure of the fluid and that of the
surrounding atmosphere (barometric).
Heat exchanger

Usual pressure gages record gage pressure. To

Pressure is a Normal Force
(acts perpendicular to surfaces) calculate absolute pressure:
It is also called a Surface Force
Pabs  Patm  Pgage
Dam

Units for Pressure Measurement of Pressure

Mechanical pressure measuring device:
Unit Definition or
Relationship
 When a pressure acts on an elastic structure it will
1 pascal (Pa) 1 kg m-1 s-2
deform. This deformation can be related to the
1 bar 1 x 105 Pa
1 atmosphere (atm) 101,325 Pa magnitude of the pressure.
1 torr 1 / 760 atm  Bourdon pressure gage
760 mm Hg 1 atm
14.696 pounds per 1 atm
sq. in. (psi)

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Measurement of Pressure Hydrostatic Pressure

Electronic pressure measuring devices:

 Pressure transducers
convert pressure into an
electrical output

 Strain-gage pressure
transducers are suitable
for rapid changes in
pressure and cover big
ranges of pressure values

Pressure Distribution for a Fluid at Rest
Let’s determine the pressure
distribution in a fluid at rest in
which the only body force
acting is due to gravity
The sum of the forces acting
What are the z-direction forces?
PA z z
Let Pz and Pz+z denote the z
pressures at the base and top
of the cube, where the
elevations are z and z+z
respectively.
y

on the fluid must equal zero

Since F = PA and W =mg .. x

mg   Azg
PA z

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Pressure distribution for a fluid at rest Incompressible Fluid

A force balance in the z direction gives: Liquids are incompressible i.e. their density is assumed to be
constant:
F z  0  PA z  PA z z   Azg P2  P1    g ( z2  z1 )    gh
Pz  z  Pz When we have a liquid with a free surface the pressure P at
  g
z any depth below the free surface is:

For an infinitesimal element (z0)

P  gh  Po Po is the pressure at the
free surface (Po=Patm)

dP By using gage pressures we can simply write:

  g
dz P  Po  Pgage   gh

Pascal’s Principle
(The Hydrostatic Paradox) Buoyancy (Archimedes Principle)
• A body immersed in a fluid experiences a vertical buoyant
 The pressure in a homogeneous, incompressible fluid at rest force equal to the weight of the fluid it displaces
depends on the depth of the fluid relative to some reference • A floating body displaces its own weight in the fluid in
plane, and it is not influenced by the size or shape of the tank which it floats
or container. Free liquid surface
Fluid is the same in all containers
F1
h1
The upper surface of the
body is subjected to a
h smaller force than the lower
surface H
 A net force is acting
upwards h2
Pressure is the same at the bottom of all containers

F2

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Buoyant Force (FB)
The net force due to pressure in the vertical
direction is:
FB = F2- F1 = (Pbottom - Ptop) (xy)
The pressure difference is:
Pbottom – Ptop =  g (h2-h1) =  g H
Combining:
FB =  g H (xy)
Thus the buoyant force is:
FB =  g V
Measurement of Pressure
Manometers are devices in which one or more
columns of a liquid are used to determine the
pressure difference between two points.
• U-tube manometer
• Inclined-tube manometer
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Measurement of Pressure
The atmospheric pressure can be
measured with a barometer.
patm  gh  pvapor
– For mercury barometers
atmospheric pressure
(101.33kPa) corresponds to
h=760 mmHg (= 29.2 in)
If water is used h = 10.33 m
H2O (= 34 ft)
Measurement of Pressure Differences
Apply the basic equation of static
fluids to both legs of manometer,
realizing that P2=P3.
P2  Pa  b g ( Z m  Rm )
P3  Pb  b g ( Z m )   a gRm
Pa  Pb  gRm ( a  b )
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Inclined Manometer Compressible Fluid

 To measure small pressure differences needs to  Gases are compressible i.e. their density varies with
magnify Rm some way. temperature and pressure :  =P M /RT
• For small elevation changes (as in engineering
applications, tanks, pipes etc) we can neglect the
effect of elevation on pressure
• In the general case start from:
dP
  g
dz
for T  To  const:
For Derivation:  g M ( z2  z1 ) 
P2  P1 exp   
Pa  Pb  gR1 ( a  b ) sin   
RTo

Compressible Fluid Atmospheric Equations

Linear Temperature Gradient
 Assume constant
T  T0   ( z  z0 )
 gM ( z  z0 )
p
dp gM
z
dz p ( z )  p0 e RT0

 p  R
p0
 T   ( z  z0 )
z0 0

gM  Assume linear
 T   ( z  z0 )  R
p ( z )  p0  0  gM
 T0   T   ( z  z0 ) 
p ( z )  p0  0
R Temperature variation with altitude
for the U.S. standard atmosphere

 T0 
For Derivation!

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Compressible Isentropic Case Gravity Decanter

 1 y
P
 constant 
P1

Cp T P
 
 T1  P1 
 
1 Cv
For Derivation:
  1
    1   gM z  
P2  P1 1    
    RT1  

    1   gM z  
T2  T1 1    
    RT1  

Application: bottom hole conditions in gas wells

Gravity Decanter Team Problem Set

(Fluid Statics)
Hydrostatic Balance
 From Felder (pages 72 to 75)
Z B b  Z A1  A  Z A 2  A
• Numbers 3.33 to 3.37
For Derivation: • Numbers 3.39 to 3.43
 From Geankoplis (pages 110-111)
Z A2  ZT   B 
Z A1   A  • Numbers 2.2.1 to 2.2.8
1 B
  4 or 5 Compressible Fluid Problems for
A
research or creation by each Team
When ρB≈ρA interface location is very sensitive to height member.
of heavy liquid overflow leg. This leg is often has
adjustable height to give the best separation.