FM 202

Nature of Flow

Group: B2 (a)

GROUP MEMBERS:

09002057: Manish Reddy.T -Wrote Report

09002058: Rohit Geesa - Wrote Report
09D02002:Nitin Mehra – Made PowerPoint presentation.
09D02003: Suparna Gharpure – Gave Presentation.
OBJECTIVES:

 To visually observe laminar and turbulent flow patterns

 To determine the critical Reynolds number for transition from laminar to turbulent
flow
 To determine the friction-factor and to verify the relationship between f and NRe

MOTIVATION:

Fluid mechanics exists everywhere in our daily life and production. We often deal
with fluid in mankind life and production, so fluid mechanics is employed in many sciences
and technologies, such as hydraulic engineering, civil engineering, communication
transportation, machinery manufacture, petrol exploitation, chemical engineering and
biological engineering which often deal with many problems about fluids.
In chemical engineering analysis of the nature of flow plays a vital role in many
applications. Understanding the nature of flow of fluids helps us in designing different
equipment like pipe lines, etc. Knowing the regime of flow i.e laminar or turbulent helps us
in predicting the friction factor. We perform this experiment to study and verify the
relationship friction factor and Reynold’s number.

Formulae used:

The Reynold’s Number is a measure of the ratio of inertial forces to the viscous
forces.

1. NRe = ρV D/µ
Where NRe is Reynold’s Number
V is the linear velocity of fluid
D is the inner diameter of the pipe
µ is the fluid viscosity.

The friction factor is the ratio of the shear stress at the wall to the product of the
velocity head and density of the fluid, i.e. it is a function of the pressure difference.

2. f = (ΔPgcD) / (2LρV2)
Where f is friction factor
ΔP is the pressure drop
gc is conversion factor whose value is 1 in SI units.
L is the length of the pipe
D is inner diameter of pipe
ρ is density of fluid
V is the linear velocity of fluid

Theoretically,

For laminar flow

 For turbulent flow (3000< < )

(50000< < )

PROCEDURE:

Schematic diagram of the apparatus used

Flow Chart of the procedure:

Open the valve of the second tank fully so that the flow rate is
maximum

Flow rate of dye solution is adjusted that it is equal to the flow rate of
the water

Height of the water in both tanks is measured and whether the flow is
laminar or turbulent is checked using dye solution

Volumetric flow rate is measured from tank using a stop watch

Taking highest flow rate at first and then decreasing it slowly and the
above procedure is repeated for each flow rate as we go on from
turbulent to laminar flow of water

Repeat the procedure for the reverse process

OBSERVATIONS :

Observation Table 1 - Decreasing flow rate:

Flow Observed
delta H Volume Time Rate Velocity Reynold's Friction
Sr. No. H1 (cm) H2 (cm) (cm) (ml) (sec) (ml/sec) (m/sec) Number Factor

1 47.1 41.4 5.7 1040 3.47 299.71 0.61 15271.94 0.016±0.001

2 47.1 41.4 5.7 1180 4.04 292.08 0.59 14883.02 0.017±0.001
3 47.1 41.4 5.7 1140 3.92 290.82 0.59 14818.67 0.017±0.001
4 47.1 42.1 5 800 2.87 278.75 0.57 14203.60 0.016±0.002
5 47.1 45.4 1.7 1120 8.67 129.18 0.26 6582.48 0.026±0.008
6 47.1 46 1.7 1000 11.16 89.61 0.18 4565.90 0.053±0.016
7 47.1 46.4 0.7 1000 16 62.50 0.13 3184.71 0.045±0.033
8 47.1 46.5 0.6 525 11.65 45.06 0.09 2296.27 0.074±0.063
9 47.1 46.6 0.5 385 14.14 27.23 0.06 1387.40 0.170±0.174
10 47.1 46.7 0.4 170 40.06 4.24 0.01 216.24 5.600±7.33

Fig.1

Observation Table 2 - Increasing flow rate:

Flow Observed
delta H Volume Time Rate Velocity Reynold's Friction
Sr. No. H1 (cm) H2 (cm) (cm) (ml) (sec) (ml/sec) (m/sec) Number Factor

1 47.1 46.7 0.4 140 22.62 6.19 0.01 315.37 2.6330±.095

2 47.1 46.7 0.4 160 25.79 6.20 0.01 316.13 2.620±0.083
3 47.1 46.7 0.4 145 23.62 6.14 0.01 312.81 2.676±0.094
4 47.1 46.6 0.5 620 22.03 28.14 0.06 1434.06 0.159±0.001
5 47.1 46.4 0.7 610 17.21 35.44 0.07 1806.09 0.140±0.001
6 47.1 46.2 0.9 750 13.27 56.51 0.115 2877.92 0.071±0.0059
7 47.1 46 1.1 1150 16.12 71.34 0.15 3635.16 0.054±0.003
8 47.1 44.9 2.2 1260 9.03 139.53 0.28 7110.06 0.028±0.001
9 47.1 42.4 2.7 1360 5.51 246.82 0.50 12577.02 0.011±0.000
10 47.1 41.4 5.7 1470 4.95 296.97 0.61 15132.21 0.016±0.000
Fig.2
 We can see that the relationship between Observed Friction Factor and Reynold’s
Number is approximately hyperbolic in the region of Laminar Flow. This agrees with the
theoretical formula f = 16 / NRe .

SAMPLE CALCULATIONS:

For the reading Sr .No. 1 in Observation Table 1.

Diameter of the pipe=0.025m

Area of the cross section= 0.00049 m2
Density of the water (ρ)=1000 kg/m3
Viscosity of the water (μ)=.001 Pa.s

1) Calculating Reynolds number

NRe = ρV D/µ

Where NRe is Reynold’s Number

V is the linear velocity of fluid
D is the inner diameter of the pipe
µ is the fluid viscosity.

Hence, NRe = 1000 * 0.61 * 0.025 / 0.001

= 15250.

2) Calculation of experimentally determined friction factor:

Where f is friction factor

ΔP is the pressure drop
gc is conversion factor whose value is 1 in SI units.
L is the length of the pipe
D is inner diameter of pipe
ρ is density of fluid
V is the linear velocity of fluid

Pressure difference :

P = 1000*9.8* 5.7/100= 558.6 Pa

gc=1
D=0.025m
L=1.16m
 Hence, f =0.016.

3) Calculation of theoretical friction factor:

For turbulent:

f =0.0014 + [.125/(15250)^.32]= 0.007

ERROR ANALYSIS:

The uncertainties in this experiment are in the height of the water level in the second
tank, which will propagate into the calculation of the pressure difference. Also, because of
human error, there is uncertainty in the volume measured in the measuring cylinder, as well
as the time measured by the stop watch. This uncertainty propagates into the calculation of
velocity and thus into the Reynold’s Number.

Uncertainty in the Height measured = Least count of the measuring scale / 2

= 0.005 m = 0.5 mm

Uncertainty in the measurement of = Least count of the measuring cylinder / 2

Volume in the measuring cylinder
= 20 ml = 1 x 10-5 m3

Uncertainty in the measurement of time = Least count of the stopwatch / 2

= 0.005 sec.

Relative Error in Velocity / Reynold’s Number:

∆Velocity / Velocity = ∆ Volume / Volume + ∆ Time / Time.

Relative Error in Friction Factor:

∆ f / f = ∆ Height / Height + 2* (∆ Velocity/ Velocity)

Observation Table 3
Relative Errors in Reynold’s Number and Friction Factor for Decreasing Flow Rate

Relative Relative
Observed Relative Relative Relative Relative Error Error in Error in
Reynold's Friction Error in Error in Error in in Height Reynold's Friction
Number Factor Volume Time Velocity Measurement Number Factor

15271.94 0.016 0.00962 0.00144 0.01106 0.08772 0.01106 0.10983

14883.02 0.017 0.00847 0.00124 0.00971 0.08772 0.00971 0.10714
 14818.67 0.017 0.00877 0.00128 0.01005 0.08772 0.01005 0.10781
14203.60 0.016 0.0125 0.00174 0.01424 0.1 0.01424 0.12848
6582.48 0.026 0.00893 0.00058 0.00951 0.29412 0.00951 0.31313
4565.90 0.053 0.01 0.00045 0.01045 0.29412 0.01045 0.31501
3184.71 0.045 0.01 0.00031 0.0103125 0.71429 0.01031 0.73491
2296.27 0.074 0.00952 0.00043 0.00995 0.83333 0.00995 0.85324
1387.40 0.170 0.01299 0.00035 0.01334 1 0.01334 1.02668
216.24 5.600 0.02941 0.00012 0.02954 1.25 0.02954 1.30907

Observation Table 4
Relative Errors in Reynold’s Number and Friction Factor for Increasing Flow Rate

Relative Relative
Observed Theoritical Relative error in error in
Reynolds Friction Friction error in Relative error Reynolds friction
Number Factor Factor Volume in time Number factor

315.15 2.65749 0.05077 0.03571 0.00022 0.03594 0.19687

315.9 2.64487 0.05065 0.03125 0.00019 0.03144 0.18789
312.59 2.70126 0.05119 0.03448 0.00021 0.03469 0.19439
1433.06 0.16066 0.01116 0.00806 0.00023 0.00829 0.11658
1804.83 0.14180 0.00887 0.00820 0.00029 0.00849 0.08840
2877.92 0.07170 0.00556 0.01333 0.00038 0.01371 0.08298
3632.63 0.05501 0.01047 0.00870 0.00031 0.00901 0.06347
7105.11 0.02876 0.00872 0.00794 0.00055 0.00849 0.03971
12568.27 0.01963 0.00750 0.00735 0.00091 0.00826 0.02716
15121.7 0.01645 0.00715 0.00680 0.00101 0.00781 0.02440

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS:

Using the Observed Fluctuations,

The uncertainty in the ∆P in the turbulent region , on an average is 558.60 ± 49.00.
Pa.

The uncertainty in the Reynold’s Number in the turbulent region, on an average is

14794.31 ± 136.23

The observed friction factor varies approximately in a hyperbolic manner with the
Reynold’s Number, in the Laminar Region.
 Observed Friction Factor vs Reynold's Number
for decreasing flow rate
0.200

0.180

0.160

0.140
Observed Friction Factor

0.120

0.100
Observed Friction Factor
0.080

0.060

0.040

0.020

0.000
0.00 4000.00 8000.00 12000.00 16000.00
Reynold's Number

Observed Friction Factor vs Reynold's Number for Increasing Flow Rate

0.200

0.180

0.160
Observed Friction Factor

0.140

0.120

0.100
Observed Friction Factor
0.080

0.060

0.040

0.020

0.000
0.00 5000.00 10000.00 15000.00 20000.00
Reynold's Number

We can see that it approximately follows the expected theoretical behavior.

 In the turbulent region, the Correlation gives better results, as
shown by the following plot. We cannot use the least squares method here, because the
Correlation 2 is valid only for Reynolds’s Number >50000, which is not valid in our case.

Hereby, Correlation 1 is n 3000 < NRe < 3000000

And Correlation 2 is 50000< NRe < 1000000

Comparison of the two correlations for decreasing flow rate

0.200
0.190
0.180
0.170
0.160
0.150
0.140
Friction Factor

0.130
0.120 Observed Friction Factor
0.110
0.100
0.090 Theoretical Friction Factor -
0.080
0.070 Correlation 1
0.060
0.050 Theoretical Friction Factor -
0.040 Correlation 2
0.030
0.020
0.010
0.000
0.00 4000.00 8000.00 12000.00 16000.00
Reynold's Number
 Comparison of the two correlations for increasing flow rate
0.2
0.19
0.18
0.17
0.16
0.15
0.14
0.13
Friction Factor

0.12 Theoritical Friction Factor -

0.11 Correlation 2
0.1
0.09 Observed Friction Factor
0.08
0.07
0.06 Theoritical Friction Factor -
0.05
0.04 Correlation 1
0.03
0.02
0.01
0
0.00 5000.00 10000.00 15000.00 20000.00
Reynold's Number

The critical Reynolds’s Number for transition from turbulent to laminar flow is
2296.2 ± 44.7. Whereas, for the transition from laminar to turbulent flow, it is 2877.9 ± 39.5.
Clearly, there is a considerable difference between the Upper Critical and Lower Critical
Reynolds's Number Values.

When the fluid is in laminar flow, it tends to be in that particular state. We need to
give it more energy to take the flow to the turbulent region. Same holds true for the turbulent
region, i.e. we need to remove more energy to take it to the laminar state. So, the upper
critical Reynold’s Number tends to be larger than the lower critical Reynold’s Number.

CONCLUSIONS:

We can visually observe the laminar and turbulent flow patterns in the glass pipe; in
laminar flow, the ink flows in a thin straight line, whereas in turbulent flow, it has no
particular pattern. We can relate the transition from laminar to transient flow directly to the
Reynold’s Number. For high velocities, and high Reynold’s number, inertial forces dominate
the viscous forces, and we have turbulent flow. For low velocities and low Reynold’s
Numbers, we have laminar flow. Finally, we conclude that there is an approximate hyperbolic
relation between Friction Factor and Reynold’s Number.
REMARKS AND IMPROVEMENTS:

1) Instead of using a scale to measure the height of the tanks a scale, a calibrated scale
should be fixed to the tank.
2) Instead of manually measuring the volume flow rate using stop watch, a vessel which
shows the volume after certain time should be used.