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Handout - Reynolds Number v1

The document discusses Reynolds number, which is a dimensionless quantity that determines if fluid flow through a pipe is laminar or turbulent. It provides Reynolds' experiment where he introduced dye into water flowing through a glass tube and observed straight, wavy, and diffused patterns corresponding to laminar, transitional, and turbulent flow. Reynolds concluded flow depends on a single parameter called the Reynolds number, with values below 2000 usually laminar and above 4000 usually turbulent.

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kristine amer
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9 views

Handout - Reynolds Number v1

The document discusses Reynolds number, which is a dimensionless quantity that determines if fluid flow through a pipe is laminar or turbulent. It provides Reynolds' experiment where he introduced dye into water flowing through a glass tube and observed straight, wavy, and diffused patterns corresponding to laminar, transitional, and turbulent flow. Reynolds concluded flow depends on a single parameter called the Reynolds number, with values below 2000 usually laminar and above 4000 usually turbulent.

Uploaded by

kristine amer
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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What is a Reynolds Number?

The Reynolds number is named after the British


physicist Osborne Reynolds. He discovered this
Reynolds number (Re) is a dimensionless quantity while observing different fluid flow characteristics
that is used to determine the type of flow pattern like flow a liquid through a pipe and motion of an
as laminar or turbulent while flowing through a airplane wing through the air. He also observed
pipe. Reynolds number is defined by the ratio of that the type of flow can transition from laminar
inertial forces to that of viscous forces. to turbulent quite suddenly.

Reynolds Number Formula The Reynolds Number Experiment

For a flow inside a cylindrical pipe, where the THEORY:


characteristic length is the diameter, it is given by
the following relation: The flow of real fluids can basically occur under
two very different regimes namely laminar and
turbulent flow. The laminar flow is characterized
by fluid particles moving in the form of lamina (a
thin layer) sliding over each other, such that at
any instant the velocity at all the points in
particular lamina is the same. The lamina near the
flow boundary moves at a slower rate as
compared to those near the center of the flow
passage. This type of flow occurs in viscous fluids,
fluids moving at slow velocity and fluids flowing
through narrow passages.

The turbulent flow is characterized by constant


agitation and intermixing of fluid particles such
If the Reynolds number calculated is high that their velocity changes from point to point and
(>4000), then the flow through the pipe is said even at the same point from time to time. This
to be turbulent. If Reynolds number is low type of flow occurs in low density fluids flow
(<2100), the flow is said to be laminar. through wide passage and in high velocity flows.
Numerically, these are acceptable values,
although in general the laminar and turbulent Reynolds conducted an experiment for
flows are classified according to a range. observation and determination of these regimes
of flow. By introducing a fine filament of dye into
Laminar flow is the type of flow in which the fluid the flow of water through the glass tube, at its
travels smoothly in regular paths. Conversely, entrance he studied the different types of flow. At
turbulent flow isn’t smooth and follows an low velocities the dye filament appeared as
irregular math with lots of mixing. straight line through the length of the tube and
parallel to its axis, characterizing laminar flow. As
An illustration depicting laminar and turbulent the velocity is increased the dye filament
flow is given below. becomes wavy throughout indicating transition
flow. On further increasing the velocity the
filament breaks up and diffuses completely in the
water in the glass tube indicating the turbulent
flow.
After conducting his experiment with pipes
different diameters and with water at different
temperatures Reynolds concluded that the
various parameters on which the regimes of flow
depend can be grouped together in a single non
dimensional parameter called Reynolds number.
Reynolds number is defined as, the ratio of inertia
force to the viscous force, where viscous force is
shear stress multiplied area and inertia force is
mass multiplied acceleration.

Reynolds observed that in case of flow through


pipe for values of Re<2000 the flow is laminar
while offer Re>4000 it is turbulent and for
2000<Re<4000 it is transition flow.

Reynolds Number Example Problems

Example 1 - Calculate Reynolds number, if a


fluid having viscosity of 0.4 Ns/m2 (or Pa-s) and
relative density of 900 Kg/m3 through a pipe of
20 mm with a velocity of 2.5 m/s.

Solution 1

Discussion: From the above answer, we observe


that the Reynolds number value is less than 2000.
Therefore, the flow of liquid is laminar.

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