Introduction

Reynolds most famously studied the conditions in which the flow of fluid in pipes transitioned
from laminar flow to turbulent flow. From these experiments came the dimensionless Reynolds
number for dynamic similarity is the ratio of inertial forces to viscous forces. In fluid dynamics,
turbulence or turbulent flow is fluid regime characterized by chaotic and stochastic property
changes. This includes low momentum diffusion, high momentum convection, and rapid
variation of pressure and velocity in space and time. Laminar flow, sometimes known as
streamline flow, occurs when a fluid flows in parallel layers, with no disruption between the
layers. At low velocities the fluid tends to flow without lateral mixing, and adjacent layers slide
past one another like playing cards. There are no cross currents perpendicular to the direction of
flow, nor eddies or swirls of fluids. In laminar flow the motion of the particles of fluid is very
orderly with all particles moving in straight lines parallel to the pipe walls. In fluid dynamics,
laminar flow is a flow regime characterized by high momentum diffusion and low momentum
convection. When a fluid is flowing through a closed channel such as a pipe or between two flat
plates, either two types of flow may occur depending on the velocity of the fluid: laminar flow or
turbulent flow. Laminar flow is the opposite of turbulent flow which occurs at higher velocities
where eddies or small packets of fluid particles form leading to lateral mixing. In nonscientific
terms laminar flow is smooth, while turbulent flow is rough.

Theory
Reynolds number, Re formula can be identified the transition from laminar to turbulent
flow occurs at a definite value of the dimensionally property:
Re=

vd

Where:
v = mean velocity =

Q
A

d = pipe diameter
Q = volumetric flow rate =

V
t

= viscosity
A = cross sectional area of cylinder glass tube
= density
V = volume of the flow
t = time taken (s)

Above picture shows three flow regimes, that is:

(a) Laminar
(b) Transitional
(c) Turbulent
Flow in which the kinetic energy dies out due to the action of fluid molecular viscosity is called
laminar flow. While there is no theorem relating Reynolds number to turbulence, flows with high
Reynolds numbers usually become turbulent, while those with low Reynolds numbers usually
remain laminar. For pipe flow,
Re 4000 = turbulent flow
Re < 2300 = laminar flow
2300 < Re < 4000 = transition region