Solution
David answered on
Dec 21 2021
Laminar and Tu
ulent flow
Introduction
Kinematics of fluid is a
anch of fluid mechanics which deals with the geometry of motion of fluid
without taking into consideration the forces causing the motion. (Cimbala, n.d.)A fluid mass is composed
of particles which can have independent movements. This phenomenon in the fluid particles is
esponsible for a very important property of viscosity. Viscosity is the property of a fluid by virtue of
which the fluid offers resistance to deformation under the action of shear stress. Ideal fluids do not have
viscosity. (Institute of Engineering Thermofluids, Surface and Interfaces (iETSI), n.d.)In case of real fluids,
due to viscosity, there is no relative motion between the surface and the fluid just in the vicinity of the
oundary. This change in velocity across the flow gives rise to a velocity gradient. Depending up on the
elative magnitudes of viscous forces and inertia forces, the fluid flow can be majorly classified as
Laminar flow and Tu
ulent flow. (School-wide Modular Program for Fluid-Mechanics, MIT, n.d.)
Osborne Reynolds was the first to study the characteristics of flow in this respect.
Reynolds Experiment
In 1883, Osborne Reynolds ca
ied out an experiment to study the flow of fluids. (Schwartz, n.d.) In the
experiment, he took a pipe of free flowing water and injected a die into the middle of the stream. The
flow of water was controlled using a control valve as shown below.
Figure 1 Reynolds apparatus for demonstration of laminar and tu
ulent flow (Schwartz, n.d.)
It was observed that, at low rates of fluid flow, the filament of dye appeared as a straight line parallel to
the tube. This flow in which the flow takes place in number of sheets or laminae was recognized as
laminar flow. (Schwartz, n.d.)
Figure 2 Laminar flow (Schwartz, n.d.)
As the valve was further opened, and the velocity of water was increased, the dye filament became
wavy in nature and finally started diffusing with the water. This flow in which intermixing of particles
took place was recognized as Tu
ulent flow. (Schwartz, n.d.)
Figure 3 Tu
ulent Flow (Schwartz, n.d.)
Critical Reynolds Number
The Reynolds experiment was repeated for varying diameters of pipe and with water at different
temperatures. From the experiments it was realized that the tu
ulence sets in after a certain value. In
1851, George Ga
iel Stokes introduced this dimensionless number and named it after Osborne
Reynolds. (Rott, 1990) Reynolds number is a dimensionless number which gives the ratio of inertial
forces to the viscous forces. (Tom Benson, n.d.)
Where,
The Reynolds number was useful to determine the nature of fluid flow and distinguish between the
laminar and tu
ulent flows. When viscous forces are dominant (the fluid velocity is low and the Re
number is also low), they are sufficient enough to keep all fluid particles in line. This flow is the laminar
flow. (T. I. Eldho, 2008) When the inertia forces dominate over viscous forces, (the fluid flow velocity is
faster and the Re number is larger) the flow is tu
ulent. (T....