ME:5160 (58:160) Intermediate Mechanics of Fluids

Fall 2022 – HW10 Solution

P6.73 For 20ºC water flow in a smooth, horizontal 10-cm pipe, with Δp/L = 1000 Pa/m,
the writer computed a flow rate of 0.030 m3/s. (a) Verify, or disprove, the writer’s answer.
(b) If verified, use the power-law friction factor relation, Eq. 6.41, to estimate the pipe
diameter that will triple this flow rate. (c) For extra credit, use the more exact friction
factor relation, Eq. (6.38), to solve part (b).

Solution: (a) For water at 20ºC, ρ = 998 kg/m3, and μ = 0.0010 kg/ms. The pressure-
drop relation is

f V 2 f 998V 2 0.2004
p / L  1000  ( )  ( ), or V 2  (SI units)
d 2 0.1 2 f
1 Vd (998)(0.1) V
 2.0 log10 (Re d f )  0.8 ; Re d  
f  0.0010

This is ideal for Excel iteration: Guess f ≈ 0.020, get V ≈ 3.17 m/s, Red ≈ 316,000.
Repeat: f ≈ 0.0138, get V ≈ 3.81 m/s, Red ≈ 380,000. Once more: f ≈ 0.01384, get V ≈
3.805 m/s,

Red ≈ 379,700. CONVERGED: V ≈ 3.805 m/s, Q = (π/4)d2V = 0.030 m3/s. Writer

verified!

(b) Eq. (6.41) predicts that

Q1.75  d 4.75 , or d  const Q0.368

If Q2  3Q1 , then d2  d1 (3)0.368  1.50 d1  1.50(0.1)  0.15m Ans(b)

(c) Raise Q to 3(0.030) = 0.090 m3/s, and use EES to find the new diameter for the same
Δp/L. The more exact answer is d2 = 0.1514 m, corresponding to Re2 = 753,000. The
power-law result (b) is quite accurate, considering that Eq. (6.41) is recommended only
for Red ≤ 100,000.
P6.74 Two reservoirs, which differ in surface elevation by 40 m, are connected by a new
commercial steel pipe of diameter 8 cm. If the desired weight flow rate is 200 N/s of water at
20C, what is the proper length of the pipe? Neglect minor losses.

Solution: For water at 20C, take r = 998 kg/m3 and m = 0.001 kg/m-s. For commercial steel,
 = 0.046 mm, thus e/d = 0.046mm/80mm = 0.000575. Find the velocity and the friction factor:
w /( g ) 200 /[998(9.81)] m VD 998(4.06)(0.08)
V    4.06 , Re D    324,000
( / 4) D 2
( / 4)(0.08) 2 s  0.001
1  /D 2.51
  2.0 log 10 (  ) yields f  0.0185
f 3.7 Re D f

Then we find the pipe length from the energy equation, which is simple in this case:

L V2 L (4.06) 2
z  40 m  f  (0.0185) , Solve L  205 m Ans.
D 2g (0.08m) 2(9.81)
P6.98 A rectangular heat exchanger is to be divided into smaller sections using sheets of
commercial steel 0.4 mm thick, as sketched in Fig. P6.98. The flow rate is
20 kg/s of water at 20°C. Basic dimensions are L = 1 m, W = 20 cm, and H = 10 cm. What
is the proper number of square sections if the overall pressure drop is to be no more than
1600 Pa?

Fig. P6.98

Solution: For water at 20°C, take r = 998 kg/m3 and m = 0.001 kg/m×s. For commercial
steel, e » 0.046 mm. Let the short side (10 cm) be divided into “J” squares. Then the long
(20 cm) side divides into “2J” squares and altogether there are N = 2J2 squares. Denote the
side length of the square as “a,” which equals (10 cm)/J minus the wall thickness. The
hydraulic diameter of a square exactly equals its side length, Dh = a. The total cross-section
area is A = N a2. Then the pressure drop relation becomes
2
L  2 1.0  998   Q  0.1
p  f V f    2   1600 Pa, where N  2J and a 
2
 0.0004
Dh 2 a 2 Na J

As a first estimate, neglect the 0.4-mm wall thickness, so a » 0.1/J. Then the relation for
Dp above reduces to fJ » 0.32. Since f » 0.036 for this turbulent Reynolds number (Re »
1E4) we estimate that J » 9 and in fact this is not bad even including wall thickness:

0.1 20/998 m
J  9, N  2(9)2  162, a   0.0004  0.0107 m, V  2
 1.078
9 162(0.0107) s

Va 998(1.078)(0.0107)  0.046

Re    11526,   0.00429, fMoody  0.0360
 0.001 a 10.7

 1.0   998 
Then p  (0.036)  (1.078)2  1950 Pa
 0.0107   2 
So the wall thickness increases V and decreases a so Dp is too large. Try J = 8:
m
J  8, N  128, a  0.0121 m, V  1.069 ,
s

Re  12913,  0.0038, f  0.0347
a
Then p  f(L/a)(/2)V2  1636 Pa. Close enough, J  8, N  128 Ans.

[I suppose a practical person would specify J = 7, N = 98, to keep Dp < 1600 Pa.]

*P6.102 A 70 percent efficient pump delivers water at 20 C from one reservoir to

another 20 ft higher, as in Fig. P6.102. The piping system consists of 60 ft of galvanized-iron
2-in pipe, a reentrant entrance, two screwed 90 long-radius elbows, a screwed-open gate
valve, and a sharp exit. What is the input power required in horsepower with and without a 6
well-designed conical expansion added to the exit? The flow rate is 0.4 ft3/s.

Fig. P6.102

Solution: For water at 20 C, take 1.94 slug/ft3 and 2.09E 5 slug/ft s. For
galvanized iron, 0.0005 ft, whence /d 0.0005/(2/12 ft) 0.003. Without the 6
cone, the minor losses are:

K reentrant  1.0; K elbows  2(0.41); K gate valve  0.16; K sharp exit  1.0

Q 0.4 ft Vd 1.94(18.3)(2/12)

Evaluate V    18.3 ; Re    284000
A  (2/12) /4
2
s  2.09E5
At this Re and roughness ratio, we find from the Moody chart that f 0.0266. Then
V2  L  (18.3)2   60  
(a) h pump  z   f   K   20  0.0266    1.0  0.82  0.16  1.0 
2g  d  2(32.2)   2/12  
gQh p (62.4)(0.4)(85.6)
or h pump  85.6 ft, Power  
 0.70
 3052  550  5.55 hp Ans. (a)

(b) If we replace the sharp exit by a 6 conical diffuser, from Fig. 6.23, Kexit 0.3. Then

(18.3)2   60  
h p  20  0.0266   1.0  .82  .16  0.3   81.95 ft
2(32.2)  2/12  
then Power  (62.4)(0.4)(81.95)/0.7  550  5.31 hp (4% less) Ans. (b)

P6.115 In Fig. P6.115 all pipes are 8-cm-diameter cast iron. Determine the flow rate from
reservoir (1) if valve C is (a) closed; and (b) open, with K valve  0.5.

Fig. P6.115

Solution: For water at 20C, take   998 kg/m3 and   0.001 kg/ms. For cast iron,  
0.26 mm, hence /d  0.26/80  0.00325 for all three pipes. Note p1  p2, V1  V2  0.
These are long pipes, but we might wish to account for minor losses anyway:

sharp entrance at A: K1  0.5; line junction from A to B: K2  0.9 (Table 6.5)

branch junction from A to C: K3  1.3; two submerged exits: KB  KC  1.0
If valve C is closed, we have a straight series path through A and B, with the same flow
rate Q, velocity V, and friction factor f in each. The energy equation yields

z1  z2  hfA   hmA  hfB   hmB,

V2  100 50   
or: 25 m   f  0.5  0.9  f  1.0  , where f  fcn  Re, 
2(9.81)  0.08 0.08   d

Guess f  f fully rough  0.027, then V  3.04 m/s, Re  998(3.04)(0.08)/(0.001) 243000,

/d  0.00325, then f  0.0273 (converged). Then the velocity through A and B is V  3.03
m/s, and Q  ( /4)(0.08)2(3.03)  0.0152 m3/s. Ans. (a).

If valve C is open, we have parallel flow through B and C, with QA  QB  QC and, with
d constant, VA  VB  VC. The total head loss is the same for paths A-B and A-C:

z1  z2  hfA   hmA-B  hfB   h mB  h fA   h mA-C  h fC   h mC ,

VA2  100  VB2  50 
or: 25   fA  0.5  0.9    fB  1.0 
2(9.81)  0.08  2(9.81)  0.08 
VA2  100  VC2  70 
  fA  0.5  1.3   fC  1.0 
2(9.81)  0.08  2(9.81)  0.08 

plus the additional relation V A  VB  VC. Guess f  ffully rough  0.027 for all three pipes
and begin. The initial numbers work out to

2g(25)  490.5  VA2 (1250fA  1.4)  VB2 (625fB  1)  VA2 (1250fA  1.8)  VC2 (875fC  1)
If f  0.027, solve (laboriously) VA  3.48 m/s, VB  1.91 m/s, VC  1.57 m/s.
Compute Re A  278000, fA  0.0272, Re B  153000, fB  0.0276,
Re C  125000, fC  0.0278

Repeat once for convergence: VA  3.46 m/s, VB  1.90 m/s, VC  1.56 m/s. The flow rate
from reservoir (1) is QA  (/4)(0.08)2(3.46)  0.0174 m3/s. (14% more) Ans. (b)
C6.4 Suppose you build a house out in the ‘boonies,’ where you need to run a pipe to the
nearest water supply, which fortunately is about 1 km above the elevation of your house.
The gage pressure at the water supply is 1 MPa. You require a minimum of
3 gal/min when your end of the pipe is open to the atmosphere. To minimize cost, you want
to buy the smallest possible diameter pipe with an extremely smooth surface.
(a) Find the total head loss from pipe inlet to exit, neglecting minor losses.
(b) Which is more important to this problem, the head loss due to elevation difference, or
the head loss due to pressure drop in the pipe?
(c) Find the minimum required pipe diameter.

Solution: Convert 3.0 gal/min to 1.89E4 m3/s. Let 1 be the inlet and 2 be the outlet and
write the steady-flow energy equation:

Fig. C6.4

p1gage 1V12 p2 gage  2V22

  z1    z2  h f
g 2g g 2g

p1gage 1E6 kPa

or: h f  z1  z2   1000 m   1000  102  1102 m Ans. (a)
g 998(9.81)
(b) Thus, elevation drop of 1000 m is more important to head loss than p/g  102 m.

(c) To find the minimum diameter, iterate between flow rate and the Moody chart:
 L V2 1  2.51  Q
hf  f , L  6000 m,  2 log  , V  2 ,
d 2g f  Re f   d /4
m3 Vd
Q  1.89E4 , Re 
s v
We are given hf  1102 m and water  1.005E6 m2/s. We can iterate, if necessary with
Excel, which can swiftly arrive at the final result:
fsmooth  0.0266; Re  17924; V  1.346 m/s; dmin  0.0134 m Ans. (c)