C. K.

Pithawala College Of Engineering &

Technology

Compressible Flow

Group Members :-

1. Anajwala Parth A. - 160093106001

2. Bhagat Harsh G. - 160093106002
3. Kotak Jeet L. - 160093106005
4. Sapariya Kuldeep K. - 160093106010
5. Vaidya Yash D. - 160093106014
Compressible flow
 Content

• Compressible fluid
• Basic eq. Of compressible fluid flow
• Mach number
Examples
• Correction factor
 Compressible fluid

• A compressible flow is that flow in which the density of the fluid

changes during flow. All real fluids are compressible to some extent
and therefore their density will change with change in pressure or
temperature.
• Compressible flow (gas dynamics) is the branch of fluid
mechanics that deals with flows having significant changes in
fluid density.
• In general all the fluids are compressible, but in any fluid flow, if the
density of the fluid does not changes appreciably, then the flow is
treated as incompressible flow.
• In case of compressible fluid flow, the density of fluid changes from
• Examples of compressible fluid flow:
1. Flow of gases through nozzle and orifices
2. Flow of gases in compressors
3. Missiles, satellite launching vehicles
4. Rockets and aeroplanes moving at higher altitudes
5. Water hammer and acoustics

• ‘Compressibility’ affects the drag coefficients of bodies by formation

of shock waves, discharge coefficients of measuring devices such as
orificemeters, venturimeters and pitot tubes, stagnation pressure and
flows in converging-diverging sections.
 Basic equations of compressible fluid flow

• The basic equations of compressible fluid flow are :

1. Continuity equation,
2. Bernoulli’s equation,
 Mach number

• The mach number is an important parameter in dealing with the

flow of compressible fluids, when elastic forces become
important and predominant.
• Mach number is defined as the square root of the ratio of the
inertia force of a fluid to the elastic force.
 
• Depending on the value of mach number, the flow can be
classified as follows :

1. Subsonic flow : mach number is less than 1.0 (or M < 1) ; in this
case V < C.
2. Sonic flow : mach number is equal to 1.0 (or M = 1) ; in this case
V = C.
3. Supersonic flow : mach number is greater than 1.0 (or M > 1) ; in
this case V > C.
• The following points are worth noting :

(i) Mach number is important in those problems in which the flow

velocity is comparable with the sonic velocity (velocity of
sound). It may happen in case of airplanes travelling at very high
speed, projectiles, bullets etc.
(ii) If for any flow system the mach number is less than about 0.4,
the effects of compressibility may be neglected (for that flow
system).
 Example

1. Find the sonic velocity for the following fluids :

(i) crude oil of specific gravity 0.8 and bulk modulus 1.5 GN/m2 ;
(ii) mercury having a bulk modulus of 27 GN/m2.
 Solution
Crude oil : mercury :
ρ = 0.8 × 1000 = 800 kg/m3 ρ = 13.6 × 1000 = 13
K = 1.5 GN/m2 K = 27 GN/m2
Specific gravity = 0.8

• Sonic velocity, , :
1. = = 1369.3 m/s
2. = = 1409 m/s
 Correction factor

• When the mach number exceeds a value of about 0.3 the pitot-
static tube used for measuring aircraft speed needs calibration to
take into account the compressibility effects.
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