Fluid Mechanics

CE202

Fluid Dynamics

Alexander Mhizha

Department of Civil Engineering

University of Zimbabwe,
Harare, Zimbabwe.
1
Fluid kinematics and dynamics
While fluid kinematics is concerned with variation of
velocity of flow with time and space;
Fluid dynamics deals with forces that causes changes in
velocity.
Thus fluid dynamics involves:
The law of conservation of energy and
Impulse momentum equation
Forces acting on a control volume
From Newton’s second law of motion

Where
 is a force acting in the x direction; m is mass and is
acceleration in the x direction.
There are many forces involved in fluid flow:
Gravity force , pressure force , force due to viscosity ,
compressibility force turbulence force , and surface tension
force .
Thus
Reduced form of the force acceleration equation

Some forces can be neglected

 Most fluids (liquids) are incompressible therefore can be
neglected.
Velocity of flow is sufficiently high such that surface
tension can be neglected as the factors that cause surface
tension will be overcomed. Thus becomes negligible.
Neglecting these forces reduces the equation to:

This is known as Reynolds equations of motion

When applied in all three directions
Reduced form of the force acceleration equation

Further neglecting of turbulent forces at flows of low Reynolds

number reduces the equation to.

This is known as Navier-Stokes Equations

 When applied in all three directions
If the fluid is ideal there will be no viscosity and the equation
reduces to:

This is known as Euler’s Equations of motion

 When applied in all three directions
`
Euler’s Equations of motion
Considering forces acting on a paralleled fluid element
with sides .
Pressure force acting in x direction is given by:

Pressure force per unit volume in x-direction

Similar derivation in y and z directions.

Euler’s Equations of motion along a
stream tube
Consider a streamtube of cross sectional area , length and
inclined at an angle .
Pressure forces acting on the streamtube in the direction
of flow are:

Gravitational force acting on the streamtube.

Balancing forces and acceleration

This reduces to:

Who would like to show it?

Bernoulli’s equation
Statement
Sum of potential energy, pressure energy and kinetic
energy of an ideal and incompressible fluid remains cons
tant at all the points in the fluid.
It is obtained from integration of the Euler’s equation.

Can we integrate it now!

Limitations of the Bernoulli’s Equation
The fluid is ideal thus non-viscous
The fluid is incompressible
The fluid flow is steady
The fluid flow is irrotational
Angular velocity is zero i.e. fluid elements do not rotate
about their mass axes which are perpendicular to the plane
of motion.
Meaning of the terms of the Bernoulli’s
Equation
Each term represent some form of energy:
Potential energy, z
Pressure energy, ()
Kinetic Energy, ()
Sum of these three terms of energy is the total energy of
the system at the section of consideration.
If frictional losses between two sections are neglected the
total energy remains constant for all sections of a closed
system.
Application of the Bernoulli’s Equation:
Flow through an Orifice

Consider a reservoir with an opening (orifice) on its side

as shown in the diagram.
Surface area of reservoir,
Area of orifice,
If the fluid is filled to a depth of H above the (centre line
of ) orifice, determine the velocity of flow through the
orifice.
Application of the Bernoulli’s Equation:
Flow under a sluice gate
Consider a wide channel with a sluice (sharp edged)
sluice gate fixed across the channel.
The opening of the sluice gate is b and the sluice gate is
located at a section 2 of the channel.
Upstream of the sluice gate at a section 1 water
approaches the sluice gate at a velocity of And at a depth
of flow of .
The depth of flow at the sluice gate (upstream) increases
to while the velocity of flow at the surface is nearly zero.
Application of the Bernoulli’s Equation:
Flow under a sluice gate
The jet of water from the sluice gate is a minimum at
section 3 downstream of the sluice gate.
This point where the depth of flow ()is minimum is known
as the vena contracta.
The ratio of the depth of opening to the vena contracta is
known as the coefficient of contraction ().
The momentum Equation