TOPIC 3

BERNOULLI’S ENERGY
THEOREM

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY

3.1 INTRODUCTION
In 1738, Daniel Bernoulli, an eminent European
mathematician and philosopher, demonstrated that in any
stream flowing steadily without friction the total energy
contained in a given mass is the same at every point in its
path of flow. In other words, kinetic energy, pressure
energy, and elevation energy may each be converted into
either of the other two forms, without loss. Thus if there
is a reduction in the amount of energy contained in any
one form there must be an equal gain in the sum of the
other two.
3.2 FRICTIONAL LOSS
A fluid in motion suffers a frictional loss, which is an
expenditure of energy required to overcome resistance to
flow. The expanded energy is transformed into head.
After being so transformed it cannot, through the
ordinary processes of nature, be reconverted into any of
the useful form of energy contained in a flowing fluid and
is referred to as “lost energy or lost head”.
3.3 BERNOULLI’S ENERGY THEOREM
3.3.1 SUGGESTED PROCEDURE IN THE APPLICATION
OF THE BERNOULLI’S ENERGY THEOREM
1. Draw a sketch of the system, choosing and labeling all
cross sections of the stream under consideration.
2. Apply the Bernoulli equation in the direction of flow.
Select a a datum plane for each equation written. The
low point is logical in that minus signs are avoided and
mistakes reduced in number.
3. Evaluate the energy upstream at section 1. For liquids
the pressure head may be expressed in gage or
absolute units, but the same basis must be used for the
pressure head at section 2.
CONTINUATION:

4. Add, in meters of the fluid, any energy contributed by

the mechanical devices, such as pumps.
5. Subtract, in meters of the fluid, any energy lost during
flow.
6. Subtract, in meters of the fluid, any energy extracted
by mechanical devices, such as turbines.
7. Equate this summation of energy to the sum of the
pressure head, velocity head, and elevation head at
section 2.
8. If the two velocity heads are unknown, relate them to
each other by means of the equation of continuity.
EXAMPLE 3.1
With 30 L/sec of water flowing in the figure shown, what pressure
must be maintained at 1 if the pressure at 2 is to be 75 KPa and
the loss of head between 1 and 2 is 5% of the difference in
pressure heads at 1 and 2.
SOLUTION:
EXAMPLE 3.2
A 20 hp pump operating at 70% efficiency draws water from
a suction line whose diameter is 200 mm and discharge into
air through a line whose diameter is 150 mm. The velocity
in the 150 mm line is 3.6 m/sec. If the pressure at point A
in the suction pipe is -34 KPa where A is 1.80 m below B on
the 150 mm line, determine the maximum elevation above
B to which water can be raised assuming a head loss of 3m
due to friction.
SOLUTION:
EXAMPLE 3.3
For the 50 mm ϕ siphon drawing oil (s.g.= 0.82) from the oil
reservoir as shown, the head loss from point 1 to point 2 is 1.50 m
and from point 2 to point 3 is 2.40 m. Find the discharge of oil
from the siphon and the oil pressure at point 2.
SOLUTION:
EXAMPLE 3.4
During a flow of 500 L/sec, the gage pressure is 68 KPa in the
horizontal 300 mm ϕ supply line of a water turbine and a -41 KPa
at 450 mm ϕ section of the draft tube 2 m below. Estimate the
horsepower output of the turbine under such conditions assuming
an efficiency of 85%.
SOLUTION:
EXAMPLE 3.5
A pump draws water from reservoir A and lifts it to reservoir B as
shown in the figure. The loss of head from A to 1 is 3 times the
velocity head in the 150 mm ϕ pipe and the loss of head from 2 to
B is 20 times the velocity head in the 100 mm ϕ pipe. Compute
the horsepower output of the pump and the pressure heads at 1
and 2 when the discharge is 20 L/sec.
SOLUTION:
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND