20ME205T– Fluid Mechanics

Fluid Kinematics
Dr. Rajesh Patel
Mechanical Engineering Department
School of Technology
Pandit Deendayal Energy University
 Fluid Kinematics

Fluid kinematics deals with describing the motion of fluids without

necessarily considering the forces and moments that Cause the motion.
 Types of Fluid Flow
Laminar and Turbulent Flow
Laminar flow
In laminar fluid flow, particles move along
well defied paths or steam lines. The fluid
layers moves smoothly over the adjacent
layer. The fluid particles move in a definite
path and their paths do not cross each
other

Turbulent flow
In turbulent fluid flow, fluid particles move
in a random way in all direction.
 Types of fluid flow
Steady and Unsteady flow

Steady flow: The values of all fluid

properties (velocity, temperature,
density etc) at any fixed point do not
change with time.

Unsteady flow: The values of all

fluid properties (velocity, temperature,
density etc) at any fixed point
changes with time

Many devices such as turbines,

compressors, boilers, condensers, and
heat exchangers operate for long
periods of time under the same
conditions, and they are classified as
steady-flow devices
 Types of fluid flow
Uniform and Non-uniform flows

Uniform flow: The type of flow

in which velocity at any given
time does not change with
respect to space (i.e. length of
direction of flow).

Non-uniform flow: The type

of flow in which velocity at any
given time changes with
respect to space
Types of fluid flow
Compressible and Incompressible flow
Incompressible flow: If the density of flowing fluid remains nearly constant
throughout. e.g. liquid flow

Compressible flow: If the density of the fluid changes during flow. e.g. high-
speed gas flow (rockets, spacecraft, and other systems that involve high
speed gas flows)

The flow speed is often expressed by Mach number

 Fluid Flow Classification
Compressible and Incompressible Flow
Incompressible flow: volume of a given fluid particle does not change.
 Implies that density is constant everywhere.

 Essentially valid for all liquid flows.

Compressible flow: volume of a given fluid particle can change with position.
 Implies that density will vary throughout the flow field.

 Compressible flows are further classified according to the value of the

Mach number (M), where.

V
M 
c
 Fluid Flow Classification
Rotational and Irrotational Flow
 Fluid Flow Classification
One, Two and three dimensional flows
One dimensional flow is that type of flow in which the flow parameter such as
velocity is a function of time and one space co-ordinate only.

Two dimensional flow is that type of flow in which the flow parameter such as
velocity is a function of time and two space co-ordinate only.

Three dimensional flow is that type of flow in which the flow parameter such as
velocity is a function of time and three space co-ordinate only.

1D flow 2D flow 3D flow

 Fluid Flow Classification

Single Phase and Multiphase Flow

Single phase flow: fluid flows without phase change (either liquid or gas).

Multiphase flow: multiple phases are present in the flow field (e.g. liquid-
gas, liquid-solid, gas-solid).
 Fluid Flow Description: Eulerian and
Langrangian Flow Description
Eulerian method: Uses the control volume analysis to describe the fluid flow
properties (pressure, density, velocity, etc.) at a given point as a function of
space(x,y,z) and time(t).

At identified points in space we observe the velocity of particles passing each

point; we can also observe the rate of change of velocity as the particles pass
each point.

Lagrangian method: involves following individual fluid particles as they move

about and determining how the fluid properties associated with these
particles change as a function of time. The fluid particles are “tagged ”or
identified, and their properties determined as they move.

In fluid mechanics it is usually easier to use

the Eulerian method to describe a flow
in either experimental or analytical investigations
 Fluid Flow Description: Eulerian and
Langrangian Flow Description

Lagragian: attach the

Eulerian: fix the
temperature-measuring device
temperature probe
to a particular fluid particle (A)
and measure
and record that particle’s
T(xo , yo , zo , t)
temperature as it moves about.
 Flow Visualizations

Flow visualization—the visual examination of flow field features. Flow

visualization is useful not only in physical experiments, but in numerical solutions
as well (computational fluid dynamics (CFD))
Flow Patterns

Stream Line

A streamline is a curve that is

everywhere tangent to the
instantaneous local velocity vector.
Stream Lines
Stream Lines
Stream Lines
Flow Patterns

Stream Tube

A stream tube consists of a bundle of streamlines, much like a communications

cable consists of a bundle of fiber-optic cables.
Flow Patterns

Flow Field
Flow Patterns

Path Line
A pathline is the actual path travelled by an
individual fluid particle over some time period.
Flow Patterns

Streaklines

A streakline is the locus of fluid particles that

have passed sequentially through a prescribed
point in the flow.
e.g. Smoke emitting from a lighted
cigarette represents streakline.
Flow Patterns

Timeline
A timeline is a set of adjacent fluid particles that
were marked at the same instant in time.