Fluid Mechanics: Momentum Equation and Its Applications

4.0 Momentum Equation and Its Applications

4.1

Introduction to General Momentum Equation

According to Newtons Second Law, the acceleration of a body is proportional to the

net force acting on it and is inversely proportional to its mass, i.e.

(
= = =

(4.1)

Thus the Second Law can be perceived as, the net force acting on the body is
equivalent to the rate of change of momentum of a body. In Fluid Mechanics, the
Second Law can be expressed as linear momentum equation. The net force can be
basically constituted from three kinds of forces:

Forces due to gravitational effect (Body Force)

Forces due to pressure effect (Pressure force)
Forces due to viscous effect (Viscous force)

Surface Force

Equation (4.1) can be expanded into the following physical representation:

= + +

(4.2)

Body forces are forces acting through the entire body of the control volume (such as
gravity, magnetic or electric) while surface forces are forces acting on the surface of
control volume.
Scientists always used = 0 to analyse collision problem (i.e. collision between balls),
and it is named as conservation of momentum equations. However, in Fluid
Mechanics, since most of the cases involve 0, linear momentum equation is a
more popular principle to be applied.
Second Law does applied in rotating context as well. It is named as angular
momentum equation, expressed as:

)
(

= =

= =

(4.3)

is the moment or torque applied on the body, I is the moment of inertia, is the

angular acceleration while

is the angular velocity. Thus angular momentum
equation can be defined in a way that, the net torque acting on the body is equivalent
to the rate of change of angular momentum of a body.

Fluid Mechanics: Momentum Equation and Its Applications

4.2

The Linear Momentum Equation

From Equation (4.2), one may know that the summation of all external forces acting
on a fixed control volume, is equivalent to the time rate of change of linear
momentum of the control volume (CV) and the net flow rate of momentum at the
control surface (CS). This is shown in Figure 4.1.

Control Volume (CV)

Surface Force

Body Force
Control Surface (CS)

Figure 4.1. General linear momentum equation: schematic representation.

Equation (4.1) can be described as:

)
)
(
(
()
=
=
+

(4.4)

(4.5)

(4.6)

Substitute Equation (4.5) and (4.6) into Equation (4.4):

= ( ) + (. ) = ( ) + (. )

(4.7)

Equation (4.7) is the famous mathematical representation of linear momentum

equation for a fixed control volume.
During steady flow where body force is zero (

)
(

= 0 ), Equation (4.7) is

simplified as the momentum flux across an inlet or outlet:

= (. ) = (. )
=

(4.8)

However, recall the description on Fluid Properties, due to the viscous effect, velocity
distribution may exist instead of uniform flow, momentum flux correction factor, is
required to get to a more accurate value of momentum flux.
(. )

(4.9)

Fluid Mechanics: Momentum Equation and Its Applications

(. ) =
=

(
.
)

(4.10)

(
.
)

(4.11)

Upon simplification, the correction factor becomes:

2

= ()

(4.12)

Equation (4.9) will now become:

= = ( ) ( )

(4.13)

Examples:
(1)
Consider laminar flow through a very long straight section of a round pipe,
with parabolic velocity profile of
= 2 (1

2
)
2

in which r is the local radius while R is the radius of the inner wall of the pipe. Sketch
the velocity profile for the flow. Determine the momentum flux correction factor.
(2)
Water is flowing in a horizontal 30 cm diameter pipe at 1 m/s and 280 kPa
gage enter a 900 bend reducing section, which connects to a 15 cm diameter vertical
pipe. The inlet of the bend is 70 cm above the exit. Neglecting any frictional and
gravitational effects. Propose the net resultant force exerted on the reducer by the
water. Take the momentum flux correction factor to be 1.10. Assume that the mass
flow rate is constant.
(3)
A reducing elbow is used to deflect water flow at a rate of 14 kg/s in a
horizontal pipe upward 300 while accelerating it. The elbow discharges water into
atmosphere. The cross sectional area of the elbow is 113 cm2 at the inlet and 7 cm2 at
the outlet. The elevation difference between the centres of the outlet and inlet is 30 cm.
The weight of the elbow and the water in it is considered to be negligible. Refer to
Figure 4.2, determine:
(a) the gage pressure at the centre of the inlet of the elbow and
(b) the anchoring force needed to hold the elbow in place

Fluid Mechanics: Momentum Equation and Its Applications

Figure 4.2. Force prediction using linear momentum equation. (Taken from: engel, Y., &
Cimbala, J. (2014). Fluid mechanics: Fundamentals and applications (3rd ed.). McGrawHillHigher Education.)

4.3

Angular Momentum

The derivation of angular momentum equation will be omitted in this section.

However, the underlying principle for derivation is the same with linear momentum
equation, even though with some modification. The angular momentum equation is
given as:
= = ( ) ( )

(4.14)

is the moment of torque of the shaft. With this, the application towards the
where,
radial-flow devices such as centrifugal pump and fans will be studied.
Consider Figure 4.3:

Figure 4.3. Force prediction using angular momentum equation. (Taken from: engel, Y., &
Cimbala, J. (2014). Fluid mechanics: Fundamentals and applications (3rd ed.). McGrawHillHigher Education.)

Fluid Mechanics: Momentum Equation and Its Applications

From Equation (8), the torque of the shaft is:
= (2 2, 1 1, )
Or

(4.15)

= (2 2 sin 2 1 1 sin 1 )
If the only information given is the angular velocity, or speed of rotation, , then
Equation (4.15) will become:
= (2 2 1 2 )

(4.16)

Examples:
(1)
Underground water is pumped through a 10 cm diameter pipe that consists of
a 2 m long vertical and 1 m long horizontal section, as shown in Figure 4.4. Water
discharges to atmospheric air at an average velocity of 3 m/s and the mass of
horizontal pipe section when filled with water is 12 kg per meter length. The pipe is
anchored in the ground by a concrete base. Determine the bending moment acting at
the base of pipe (point A) and the required length of horizontal section that would
make the moment at point A zero.

Figure 4.4. Bending moment acting at the base of water pipe. (Taken from: engel, Y., &
Cimbala, J. (2014). Fluid mechanics: Fundamentals and applications (3rd ed.). McGrawHillHigher Education.)

(2)
A large lawn sprinkler with four identical arms is to be converted into a
turbine to generate electric power by attaching a generator to it rotating head as shown
in Figure 4.5. Water enters the sprinkler from the base along the axis of rotation at a
rate of 20 L/s and leaves the nozzles in the tangential direction. The sprinkler rotates
at a rate of 300 rpm in a horizontal plane. The diameter of each jet is 1 cm, and the
normal distance between the axis of rotation and the centre of each nozzle is 0.6 m.
Estimate the electric power produced.
5

Fluid Mechanics: Momentum Equation and Its Applications

Figure 4.5. Power generation from a sprinkler system. (Taken from: engel, Y., & Cimbala, J.
(2014). Fluid mechanics: Fundamentals and applications (3rd ed.). McGraw-HillHigher
Education.)

(3)
The impeller of a centrifugal blower has a radius of 15 cm and a blade width
of 6.1 cm at the inlet and a radius of 30 cm and a blade width of 3.4 cm at the outlet.
The blower delivers atmospheric air at 200C and 95 kPa. Disregarding any losses and
assuming the tangential components of air velocity at the inlet and the outlet to be
equal to the impeller velocity at respective locations, when the rotation speed of the
shaft is 800 rpm and the power consumption of the blower is 120 W, determine:
(a)

determine the volumetric flow rate

(b)
normal components of the velocity at the inlet and outlet of the
impeller

Figure 4.6. Schematic diagram of the impeller of centrifugal pump. (Taken from: engel, Y.,
& Cimbala, J. (2014). Fluid mechanics: Fundamentals and applications (3rd ed.). McGrawHillHigher Education.)