CITY UNIVERSITY

LONDON

BEng (Hons)/MEng (Hons) Degree in Civil Engineering

BEng (Hons)/MEng (Hons) Degree in Civil Engineering with Surveying
BEng (Hons)/MEng (Hons) Degree in Civil Engineering with Architecture

PART 2 EXAMINATION

FLUID MECHANICS

CV2302

Date: 16 May 2005 Time: 10:00 – 13:00

Attempt FOUR out of FIVE questions

Take g = 9.81 m/s2, the density of water as 1000 kg/m3
and the kinematic viscosity of water as 1x10-6 m2/s

All pressures are absolute, unless otherwise stated

Calculators are permitted

Dictionaries are NOT permitted
Students should be provided with an Answer Book with graph paper
Other material required: Moody Chart (provided at end of examination paper)
Question 1

(a) For a viscous fluid of dynamic viscosity µ, flowing through a pipe with a diameter d the
velocity profile is given as
1 dp  d 2 2 
u =−  −r 
4µ dz  4 

where dp/dz is the pressure gradient in the direction of the flow (i.e. z) and r is the
radial distance from the pipe centre and z is the distance along the pipe centreline. Use
the above equation to show:
(i) the flow rate is πD 4 dp
Q =−
128µ dz
(5 marks)

(ii) the mean velocity of the fluid is 1/2 of the maximum velocity.
(5 marks)

(ii) the wall shear stress is d dp

τ w=
4 dz
(3 marks)

(b) Glycerine with a density and a dynamic viscosity of ρ=1260 kg/m3 and µ=0.8 kg/ms is
pumped at 20 l/s through a straight pipe with 90 mm diameter and 50 m long. If the
gauge pressure at inlet end of the pipe is 610 kPa and neglecting the “end effect” verify
that the flow is laminar.
(3 marks)

Also calculate:
(i) the pressure at the outlet end of the pipe
(7 marks)

(ii) the average shear stress at the wall.

(2 marks)

Page 1 of 5
Question 2

(a) A three-reservoir arrangement, shown in Figure Q2, is set up with each reservoir
connected to a common junction J by identical pipes. The elevations of the water
surfaces in each reservoir are 25, 20 and 6.5 m as shown in fig Q2, above an arbitrary
datum level. With each pipe, the length, diameter and wall surface roughness is such
that the head loss (in metres) in each pipe due to friction is equal to 22000Q12,
21000Q22, 20000Q32, for pipe 1, 2 and 3 respectively, where Q is the flow rate in m3/s.

(i) Calculate the total head HJ at the common junction. High accuracy is not required.
A good estimate value derived from plotting a graph (in a linear graph paper) will
be acceptable.
(12 marks)

(ii) Determine the flow rate in each pipe.

(6 marks)

(iii) Pipe 1 is galvanised steel with a diameter of 37.5 mm, a wall roughness of e=0.15
mm and 10 m long. Calculate the head loss.
(7 marks)

Elevation 25m

20m

Pipe 1,
Q1
Pipe 2,
J Q2
6.5m
Pipe 3,
Q3

Figure Q2

A Moody chart is available for this question

Page 2 of 5
Question 3

(a) Explain the difference between the skin drag and profile drag and give two examples
where either of these two drags is dominant.
(2 marks)

(b) Explain in words the physical meaning of displacement thickness, δ*, and momentum
thickness, θ.
(4 marks)

(c) Show that the drag coefficient at the back end of a plate can be expressed as CD= 2θ/c
per wetted side by using momentum thickness, θ, concept for invicid flow at constant
pressure; c is the length of the plate.
(4 marks)

(d) A glider with a smooth wing of 30 m and chord 3 m flies at 50 m/s. If the air density
and kinematic viscosity are 1.23 kg/m3 and 1.5x10-5 m2/s:

(i) calculate the position of transition from the leading edge for the transitional
Reynolds number for boundary layer.
(3 marks)

(ii) calculate the total drag force, assuming the boundary layers are wholly turbulent
for which the momentum thickness is given by
0.03597 x
θ c=
(Rec)0.2
(4 marks)

(iii) calculate the power dissipated..

(2 marks)

(iv) determine the wall shear stress using the Von Karman Integral Momentum
Equation as dθ
τ w = ρ uo
2
dx
(6 marks)

Page 3 of 5
Question 4

(a) What is the difference between pumps and turbines? Explain briefly the mechanisms of
the exchange of energy between the fluid and machine with these two devices.
(5 marks)

(b) A pump draws water from a reservoir to an irrigation canal with a delivery head of
1.7 m. The characteristics of the pump are as follows

Q (m3/min) 0.9 1.35 1.572 1.8 2.1

H (m) 14.9 14.1 12.8 11.2 7.9
η (%) 65 80 85 83 62

If the centerline of the pump suction is 1 metre above the reservoir and the total head
losses in the pipeline system are ∑htotal =13206Q2, due to friction and pipe fitting,
where ∑htotal is in metres and Q in m3/s:

(i) determine the system load characteristics, Hsys

(4 marks)

(ii) Plot H, Hsys and η performance curves as a function of Q on a linear graph paper.
(4 marks)

(iii) obtain the pump head, flow rate, efficiency and the input power at the duty point.
(4 marks)

(c) A small impulse wheel is to be used to drive a generator at a speed of 1000 rpm with an
efficiency of 85%. The total head available is 105m with a jet discharge flow of 42
litre/s. If the velocity coefficient Cv=0.97 and the velocity factor φ=0.45, determine:
(i) the power developed (2 marks)
(ii) the diameter of the wheel and its speed (3 marks)
(iii) the jet diameter (3 marks)

Note that the Vj=Cv√(2gH) and φ=U/ Vj

Page 4 of 5
Question 5

A steel pipe 1500 m long connected to reservoir delivers water at a rate of 0.7 m3/s and
discharges to atmosphere through a valve, as shown in Figure Q5a. Its diameter is D=0.5 m
and the thickness of its wall ep= 5 mm. The modulus of elasticity of steel
is E p = 207 × 10 6 kN/m 2 . Assuming the valve is closed completely in 0.8 s:

(a) calculate the speed of the pressure wave in the pipe;

(4 marks)
(b) calculate the critical time (or time of a round trip of pressure wave) of closure;
(4 marks)
(c) calculate the maximum pressure rise in the pipe without considering viscous effects
(5 marks)
(d) illustrate the pressure history at the valve from t=0 to t= Tr.
(5 marks)
(e) If a surge tank of diameter 5 m is connected to the pipe just before the valve as shown
on Figure Q5b, estimate the maximum height (zmax) of the water surface in the tank
above the free surface of the reservoir, assuming the total energy loss coefficient
K = 5.0.
(7 marks)

(The density of water is 1000 kg/m3; the modulus of elasticity of water: 2.07 × 106 kN/m 2 )

zmax

L
L
Figure Q5a Figure Q5b

The following formulae may be used:

KAs  V0 2
K

− + zmax 
1 L KAs LA  2 g 
cp = Tr = 2 ∆p = − ρc p ∆V 1− z max = e  
 1 D  cp LA
ρ  + 
 Ev e p E p 

Internal Examiners: Dr J M Nouri

Dr Q Ma

External Examiners: Professor M R Barnes

Page 5 of 5
Moody Chart
Friction factors for flow in pipes