Subject: Fluid Mechanics

Problems in Dimensional Analysis

Unit 5 (Autonomous)
Dr!"n# Punit Sin#h
$$%%$&&'
% (ydro )urbines (Similitude o* Dischar#e +umber, (ead +umber, Po-er
+umber and S.eci*ic S.eed)
1. What is the prime criterion before anything else, which should be satisfied for the
model and prototype to be compared? How do we predict the prototypes
performance from a well-investigated model?
2. How can the two geometric variables namely, the sie and the shape be
represented?
!. "f # variables are acting on a fluid mechanic problem, how many dimensionless
groups can be formed?
$. %or a given turbine, the &'( was found to occur at a discharge 1)* l+s with an
operating speed of 1*** rpm. What should be the discharge if the speed is increased
to 1)** rpm for the same turbine?
). ,ame the two criteria used for developing the definition specific speed?
-. How does the tor.ue of an a/ial flow turbine change when a0 the diameter is doubled
and b0 when the speed is doubled?
#. 1he power developed by a standard wind turbine depends on its diameter 2, the air
density , the wind velocity 3, the number of blades n and the rotational speed ,.
Write down the dimensionless relationship. 4 model turbine of diameter *.) m
develops 2.# 5W at sea level at a wind speed e.ual to $* m+s when rotating at a
speed of $6** rpm in a wind tunnel test.
i. What is power generated by a prototype wind turbine 7geometrically similar to the
model0 of diameter ) m with wind speeds e.ual to 12 m+s at a standard altitude of
2*** m?
ii. What will be the rotational speed of the prototype turbine?
(roblems in 2imensional 4nalysis 2r. (8 1
6. 4 model turbine of diameter 720 26$ mm has been very intensively investigated in a
laboratory. "t is found the turbine has a &'( of 6)9 at a speed of 1*** rpm
generating a shaft power of 2) 5W at an operating head of 2- m.
i. (lease calculate the specific speed 7,
.
0 of turbine.
ii. 2etermine the operating head 7H0, 2ischarge 7:0, output power 7(0 at the &'( for
the same turbine at a speed of 16** rpm. What is the specific speed at this
condition?
iii. What should be the diameter of a geometrically similar turbine, which generate
an output power of -* 5W at an operating speed of 1*** rpm and assuming &'(
conditions? 4lso determine the operating head and discharge re.uired by the
turbine at this condition.
$ /0ternal Flo- Systems (Similitude on Froude +umber and 1eynolds
+umber)
1. 1he wall shear stress
w
in a boundary layer is assumed to be a function of stream
velocity ;, boundary layer thic<ness , local turbulence velocity u
1
, density and
local pressure gradient dp+d/. ;sing 7, ;, 0 as repeating variables, evaluate the
relationship of the variables in a dimensionless form.
2. "n a turbulent flow past a flat surface the velocity near the wall varies appro/imately
logarithmically with the distance y from the wall. 1he velocity also depends
viscosity, density , and wall shear stress
w
. %or a certain flow at 2*
*
= and 1
atmosphere,
w
> *.6 (a and u > 1) m+s at !.- m. ;se this information to estimate
the velocity u and shear stress in a geometrically and dynamically similar boundary
layer at y > - mm.
!. 4 weir is an obstruction in a channel flow that can be calibrated to measure the flow
rate. 1he volumetric flow rate : is function of gravity, weir width b, upstream height H
above the weir crest. ;se &uc<ingham 1heorem to find a uni.ue functional
relationship. 4lso assume that : is directly proportional to the width of the weir.
%igure 1, 4 sharp crested rectangular weir
(roblems in 2imensional 4nalysis 2r. (8 2
$. 4 simple flow measurement device for streams and channels is a notch. "f included
angle cut into the sides of the dam as shown in the figure. 1he volume of the flow
depends only on the , gravity g and height of the upstream surface from the notch
verte/. 2etermine the dimensionless function relationship for : in terms of other
variables. "f is e.ual to ?*
*
and a flow e.ual to #!.1 l+s is measured when the
height of the weir is $* cms, find the flow when the height increases to 2.1 meters.
%igure 2, 4 ?*
*
3 notch
). 4 dam spillway is to be tested using %roude scaling with 1+!*
th
scale model. 1he
model flow has an average velocity of *.- m+s and volume flow of *.*) m
!
+s. What
will be the velocity and flow of the prototype be? "f the measured force on a certain
part of the model is 1.) ,, what will be the corresponding force on the prototype?
-. 'stablish a function relationship for the group of variables governing the fluid
mechanic problem of a ship 7partially submerged0 in relative motion with the fluid.
1he variables include, the shear resistance %
@
, ship velocity 3, density and viscosity
of fluid 7 and 0 and the geometric sie 7length0 factor A. 1he e/ternal variable
gravity g needs to be treated a separate variable since it ta<es predominance in
defining the hydraulic phenomenon.
#. 4 prototype ship is 12) meters long and has wetted area of 26** m
2
. 4 1+6*
th
scale
model is tested in a tow tan< according to the %roude scaling speeds of *.-, *.? and
1.2 m+s. 1he measured frictional drag of the model is *.),, 1,, and 1.62,
respectively. What are the ! prototype speeds? What are the corresponding
prototype drags at these speeds?
6. 'valuate the model scale when both viscous and gravity forces are necessary to
secure similitude. What should be the model scale if oil of viscosity ?.2?B1*
-)
m
2
+s is
used in the model tests and the prototype li.uid has a viscosity #$B1*
-)
m
2
+s. What
should be the velocity and flow ratios for these li.uids for the 1C$ model-prototype
scale? "f we have to use the same oil, "s it possible to do scaling studies? (lease
elaborate.
(roblems in 2imensional 4nalysis 2r. (8 !
?. 4 prototype ship is !) meters long and designed to cruise at 11 m+s. "ts drag is to be
simulated by a 1-meter long model pulled in a tow tan<. %or %roude scaling find the
following,
a. 1ow speed,
b. @atio of prototype to model drag
c. @atio of prototype power to model power
2 "nternal Flo- System (Similitude o* 1eynolds +umber and Friction
3oe**icient)
1. =onsider flow in a pipe of diameter 2 through a pipe bend of radius @
b
. 1he pressure
loss p through the bend is a function of these two length scales, plus density ,
viscosity , and average flow velocity 3. ;se dimensional analysis to rewrite to
rewrite this function in terms of dimensionless pi groups.
2. 1he wall shear stress
w
for flow in a narrow annular gap between a fi/ed and a
rotating cylinder is a function is a function of density , viscosity , angular speed ,
outer radius @, and the gap width r. ;sing dimensional analysis find the dependent
and independent groups.
!. Drifice meter is practical way of measuring fluids in internal flow systems. "ts design
is based on &ernoullis obstruction theory, where the flow is forced through a smaller
cross-sectional area 7see %igure !0. 1he volume flow : through this orifice plate is a
function of pipe diameter 2, pressure drop p across the orifice, fluid density and
viscosity , and orifice diameter d. ;sing 2, and p e/press the relationship in
dimensionless form.
%igure !, 4 thin plate orifice meter
(roblems in 2imensional 4nalysis 2r. (8 $
$. 8imilar to orifice meter a venturimeter is also classified as a flow meter based on
&ernoullis obstruction theory for internal flow systems 7see %igure $0. 1he pressure
drop in a venturimeter varies only with fluid density, pipe approach velocity, and
diameter ratio of the meter. ;nli<e orifice meter, within the range of operation
7between @e > 1.)B1*
)
to 2B1*
-
0

both in lab and field, the pressure drop is found to be
independent of viscosity.
4 model venturimeter tested in water at 2*
*
= shows a ) 5pa drop when the
approach velocity of $ m+s. 4 geometrically similar prototype meter is used to
measure gasoline at 2*
*
= and flow rate of ? m
!
+mm. "f the prototype pressure gauge
is most accurate at 1) 5pa what should the upstream pipe be? E2ataC
w
72*
*
=0 > ??6
5g+m
!
,
w
72*
*
=0 > 1.**!B1*
-!
,s+m
2
,
gasoline
72*
*
=0 > -6* 5g+m
!
,
gasoline
72*
*
=0 >
2.?2B1*
-$
,s+m
2
F
%igure $, Half section of a venturimeter
4 "mmersed 5ody Flo-s (Similitude on Mach +umber, 1eynolds +umber
and Dra# 3oe**icient)
1. 4 prototype automobile is designed for cold weather conditions 7-1*
*
= and 6! <(a0.
"ts drag force is tested on a 1+#
th
model in a wind tunnel 7at 2*
*
= and 1 atm0 at an air
velocity of -* m+s. "f the model and the prototype are to satisfy dynamic similarity,
what prototype velocity needs to be matched? E2ata
a
72*
*
=0 > 1.6B1*
-)
,s+m
2
,
a
7-
1*
*
=0 > 1.-2B1*
-)
,s+m
2
, 1a<e @
air
> 26# ,m+5g 5,F
2. 4n airplane has a chord length A > 1.2 m and flies at a Gach number of *.# in the
standard atmosphere. "f its @eynolds number based on chord length is #B1*
--
,
determine the density of fluid and the height at which plane is flying. 4ssume that the
dynamic viscosity is unaffected by pressure. E2ataC 4t standard atmosphere, 1 >
266.)
*
5, @ > 26# ,m+5g
*
5, > 1.$, 3
sound
> !$* m+s, > 1.#-B1*
-)
,.s+m
2
F
!. When tested in water at 2*
*
= flowing at 2 m+s, a 6 cm-diameter ball has a measured
drag of ) ,. What will be the velocity and drag force on a 1.) meter diameter weather
balloon moored in sea level standard air under dynamically similar conditions? E2ata
(roblems in 2imensional 4nalysis 2r. (8 )

a
72*
*
=0 > 1.2 5g+m
!
,
a
72*
*
=0 > 1.6B1*
-)
,s+m
2
,
w
72*
*
=0 > ??6 5g+m
!
,
w
72*
*
=0 >
1.**!B1*
-!
,s+m
2
F
$. 4n automobile has a characteristic length and area e.ual to ! m and 12 m
2
respectively. When tested in sea-level standard air, it measured a drag force of 1$*,
at a speed of ? m+s. 1he same car travels in 8rinagar 7H1#!*m0. ;sing 2imensional
analysis estimate the drag force and power re.uired to over come the drag. E2ata
air
7* m0 > 1.22) 5g+m
!
,
air
7* m0 > 1#.6?B1*
--
,s+m
2
,
air
71#!* m0 > 1.*) 5g+m
!
,
air
71#!* m0 > 1#.!)B1*
--
,s+m
2
F
). 84' 1* oil at 2*
*
= flows past an 6 cm-diameter sphere. 4t velocities of 2 m+s, it
measures a drag force of ).!,. 'stimate the drag force if the same sphere is tested
at a velocity of 1) m+s in glycerin at 2*
*
=. E2ata
oil
72*
*
=0 > 6#* 5g+m
!
,
*il
72*
*
=0 >
1.*$B1*
-1
,s+m
2
,
gasoline
72*
*
=0 > 12-* 5g+m
!
,
gasoline
72*
*
=0 > 1.$? ,s+m
2
F
5 Sur*ace )ension
1. 1he sie d of the droplets produced by a li.uid spray nole is thought to depend on
the nole diameter 2, Iet velocity ;, and the properties of the li.uid , and surface
tension . (lease find this relationship in dimensionless form.
(roblems in 2imensional 4nalysis 2r. (8 -