Velocity Profile

When a Fluid is flowing over a surface or in a pipe, its velocity at various points in a perpendicular to
the direction of flow is rarely uniform.
a. The rate of change of velocity with distance from the surface will determine the resistance to flow.
b. The fluid particle in contact with the surface of the wall may be considered to have no forward
velocity because of the resistance encountered. This is known as no-slip at the boundary.
c. Thus, a cross-sectional view of the velocity shall demonstrate highest velocity at center and
gradually decreases up to zero at the wall surface.
d. If the fluid is frictionless, the velocity becomes uniform throughout the cross-section of the pipe
and the velocity profile becomes flat (plug flow)

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 Flow field
In three-dimensional flow, the velocity
components u, v, w, in mutually perpendicular
direction are function of space coordinates (x, y,
z) and time (t).
a. While considering one dimensional flow,
the changes in velocity, pressure, etc.
transverse to the main direction of flow are
ignored i.e. the direction of flow at every
point is same. The flow in circular pipe is
considered one dimensional flow.
b. In two and three-dimensional flows the
velocity and direction both changes place to
place. Velocity profiles in pipes:
A-Plug flow,
B-Turbulent Flow,
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C-Laminar Flow 22
 Flow field
a. A streamline (streamlines characterize the fluid f. The equation of streamline can be given as.
flow) is an imaginary line. The fluid velocity
will be in tangential direction at any point of the 𝑢= ,𝑣= ,𝑤 =
streamline.
b. No matter can cross the streamline (i.e. no flow Eliminating dt
across the streamline) since the velocity vector
is tangent to the streamline. = = (1)
c. A stream filament is a family of the streamline
forming a cylindrical passage of infinitesimal Eq. (1) are two independent equations. Any continuous line
cross-section. satisfy them is a streamline.

d. A stream tube is bounded by an infinite no. of
streamline forming a surface across which there
is no flow.
e. All fluid which enters he stream tube must
leave, if there is no creation, destruction,
accumulation, or depletion of mass within the
stream tube.
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g. A streakline is a line made by a dye injected into
a fluid at one point, and thus marks the positions
of all particles of the fluid which have passed that
point.
h. A pathline is a line made by a single particle as it
moves during a period of time. In steady flow
streamlines, strealiklines, and pathlines are the
same.
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Flow field
Q. A two dimensional flow can be described by verify that the
ellipse
𝑆𝑜𝑙.
𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑚𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑒 𝑖𝑠 𝑔𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑛 𝑏𝑦 = = = ×

𝑜𝑟 𝑏 𝑥𝑑𝑥 = − 𝑎 𝑦𝑑y

𝐼𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔, 𝑏 𝑥 = − 𝑎 𝑦 + 𝑐
𝑥 𝑦
𝑜𝑟 + = 1,
𝑎 𝑏

𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑎𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑝𝑜𝑖𝑛𝑡 0, 𝑏 𝑜𝑟 𝑎, 0 , 𝑐 = 𝑎 𝑏

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Classification of Fluid Flows
 Viscous flows vs. Inviscid flow regions
 External flow vs. Internal flow
 Compressible versus Incompressible Flow
 Laminar versus Turbulent Flow
 Natural (or Unforced) versus Forced Flow
 Steady versus Unsteady Flow
 One, Two, and Three-Dimensional Flows

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 Viscous versus Inviscid Regions of Flow
Viscous flows: Flows in which the viscous effects are significant.
Inviscid flow regions: In many flows of practical interest, there are regions
(typically regions not close to solid surfaces) where viscous forces are
negligibly small compared to inertial or pressure forces.

The flow of an originally

uniform fluid stream over a flat
plate, and the regions of viscous
flow (next to the plate on both
sides) and inviscid flow (away
from the plate).
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 One, Two, and Three-Dimensional Flows
 A flow field is best characterized by its velocity distribution.
 A flow is said to be one-, two-, or three-dimensional if the flow velocity varies
in one, two, or three dimensions, respectively.

Flow over a car antenna is approximately two-dimensional except near the top and bottom of the antenna.

The development of the velocity profile in a circular pipe. V = V(r, z) and thus the flow is two-dimensional in the
entrance region, and becomes one-dimensional downstream when the velocity profile fully develops and remains
unchanged in the flow direction, V = V(r).

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Internal versus External Flow
External flow: The flow of an unbounded fluid over a surface such as a plate, a wire,
or a pipe.
Internal flow: The flow in a pipe or duct if the fluid is completely bounded by solid
surfaces.

 Water flow in a pipe is internal flow, and

airflow over a ball is external flow.

 The flow of liquids in a duct is called

open-channel flow if the duct is only
partially filled with the liquid and there is
External flow over a tennis ball, and the
a free surface.
turbulent wake region behind.

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 Compressible versus Incompressible Flow
Incompressible flow: If the density of flowing fluid
remains nearly constant throughout (e.g., liquid flow).
Compressible flow: If the density of fluid changes
during flow (e.g., high-speed gas flow)
When analyzing rockets, spacecraft, and other
systems that involve high-speed gas flows, the flow
speed is often expressed by Mach number

Schlieren image of the spherical shock wave produced

Ma = 1 Sonic flow by a bursting balloon at the Penn State Gas Dynamics
Ma < 1 Subsonic flow Lab.
Ma > 1 Supersonic flow Several secondary shocks are seen in the air surrounding
Ma >> 1 Hypersonic flow the balloon.
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 Laminar, Turbulent and Transitional Flow
Laminar flow: The highly ordered fluid motion characterized
by smooth layers of fluid. The flow of high-viscosity fluids
such as oils at low velocities is typically laminar.
Turbulent flow: The highly disordered fluid motion that
typically occurs at high velocities and is characterized by Laminar flow
velocity fluctuations. The flow of low-viscosity fluids such as
air at high velocities is typically turbulent.
Transitional flow: A flow that alternates between being
laminar and turbulent.
The nature of the flow not only depends on velocity but also
on Reynolds number. Turbulent flow
𝜌𝑣𝑑 𝐼𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑙 𝐹𝑜𝑟𝑐𝑒
𝑅𝑒 = 𝜇= 𝑉𝑖𝑠𝑐𝑜𝑢𝑠 𝐹𝑜𝑟𝑐𝑒
Pipe flow:
If 𝑅𝑒 < 2100, 𝐿𝑎𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑟 𝐹𝑙𝑜𝑤 [∆𝑃𝛼 𝑢 𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦 ]
If 𝑅𝑒 > 2100, 𝑇𝑢𝑟𝑏𝑢𝑙𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝐹𝑙𝑜𝑤 [∆𝑃𝛼 𝑢( . )]
Transitional flow
Flows over a flat plate.
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Laminar, Turbulent and Transitional Flow
Q. 2 In a pipeline, the frictional losses increases by 3.6 times on
doubling the flow. How do the pressure drop vary with velocity and
what is the nature of the flow?

Sol. Let

Or
Or

.
So,
So, the flow is then turbulent flow.
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Laminar, Turbulent and Transitional Flow
Q. 3. In a pipeline, the velocity profile for laminar flow is given by

Whare U = Constant velocity at the centerline of the tube

r = Radial distance from the centerline
R = Radius of the pipe
a. What is the average velocity?
b. Show that the velocity gradient varies linearly with the radius.
c. Determine the velocity gradient at wall.
d. Determine the velocity gradient at the centerline.

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 Laminar, Turbulent and Transitional Flow
Sol: Consider the differential of a
fluid of radius and thickness
concentric with the circular tube. The
fluid element moves with a velocity
u. the cross-section of the fluid
element is 2 and volumetric
flow rate of the fluid flowing or
through differential area is
(2
a. The average velocity is given by

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