Conservation of mass

Dr. Aldo Rona

Lecture 9 outline
Statement of the conservation of mass
Derivation of the continuity equation
Definition of mass and volumetric flow rates
Simplification of the continuity equation for
incompressible flows
Application to the Venturi and Orifice flow meters
(F1 experiment)
Revision: Conservation of mass and linear
momentum

Lecture 9 learning outcomes
State the continuity equation and identify its
terms
Determine mass and volumetric flow rates
through open systems
Calibrate and use Venturi and Orifice flow
meters

Conservation of mass and energy
Mass and energy
equivalence statement
(Einstein).
c=speed of light.
In the absence of a
thermonuclear reaction,
E and m are independent
scalar quantities.
2
mc E =
Conservation of mass
Conservation of energy
Conservation of mass principle
Mass cannot be created
nor destroyed.
In an open system:
m
in
=mass entering
m
out
=mass exiting
m
system
=system mass
Statement holds over any
arbitrary time t so that:
In the
in
m
System
in
m
out
m
t
m
t
m
t
m
system
out in
A
A
=
A

A
0
lim
At
dt
dm
m m
system
out in
=

system
m A =
out
m
s
Continuity equation
m=Vol. In an incompressible flow,
=constant and

In a fixed control volume, A=constant
System
in
m

out
m

[kg/s] rate flow mass = m

dt
dm
m m
system
out in
=

( ) ol V

= m
/s] [m rate flow volumetric
3
= ol V

A
AV s A = =

ol V
V
Steady incompressible flow
Steady flow: d/dt=0
Incompressible: =constant.
Fixed control volume: A=const.

Incompressible continuity
equation
System
1
m

2
m

dt
dm
m m
system
=
2 1

0 ol V ol V
2 1
=

A
1

2 2 1 1
V A V A =
0
2 1
= m m

V
1

V
2

ol V

= m
AV ol V =

A
2

0
2 2 1 1
= V A V A
Conservation of mass
A smooth inlet,
contraction, throat,
and diffuser assembly
Apply Bernoulli along
streamline s
Venturi flow meter
1
2
1
1
2
gz
V
p p
t
+ + =
1
2
s
2
2
2
2
2
gz
V
p p
t
+ + =
inlet
contraction
throat
diffuser
By continuity of mass
Venturi flow meter
( )
2 2 1 1
2
1
2
2
2
gz p gz p V V

+ =
s
1
2
2 2 1 1
A V A V =
2 2 1 1
gz p gz p p + = A
A
1

A
2

p
( ) / 2 1 /
2
1
2
2
2
1
p A A V A =

p
A A
V
A

=
2
1 /
1
2
1
2
2
1
Cd=discharge coefficient, typically
0.98
F1 experiment: Venturi flow meter
s
1
2
A
1

A
2

p
1 1
V A m =

p
A A
A
Cd m A

= 2
1 /
2
1
2
2
2
1

p
A A
Cd V
A

=
2
1 /
1
2
1
2
2
1
A plate with a round
hole (orifice) in a pipe
Apply Bernoulli along s
and continuity to
obtain
Orifice flow meter
1
2
s

p
A A
V
A

'
=
2
1 /
1
2
1
2
2
1
Vena
contracta
A
1

A
2

As A
2
< A
2
, introduce
the discharge
coefficient Cd as
correction factor.
Calibrate Cd by
experiment. Cd0.6.
F1 experiment: Orifice flow meter
s
1
2

p
A A
Cd V
A

=
2
1 /
1
2
1
2
2
1
A
1

A
2

A
2

Vorticity and circulation
Irrotational flows
Streamlines and normal lines
Pressure force of a fluid element
Pressure gradient in simple flows
The Euler equation
Pitot tubes
Venturi flow meter
Summary
Stated the continuity equation and identify its
terms
Determined mass and volumetric flow rates
through open systems
Defined the velocity-pressure relation for
Venturi and Orifice flow meters
Reviewed the conservation of mass and linear
momentum and their applications.
Homework
Y.A. Cengel R.H. Turner, Fundamentals of Thermal
Fluid Sciences, McGraw-Hill:
Must do:
Chapter 4, Examples 4-12 and 4-13.
Further work:
Chapter 4, Problems 4-45C to 4-56 and 4-78.
Chapter 12, Problems 12-41 to 12-48 and 12-75 to 12-
84, 12-86, 12-88, and 12-89.
Skip problems in English units (identified by E, e.g. 4-
49E) and problems requiring the EES software.