2.

0 INTRODUCTION

Fluid flow can be classified in three type which is laminar flow, transitional
flow and turbulent flow. In fluid mechanics, internal flow is defined as flow for
which a fluid is confined by a surface. We can differentiate all this three type of
fluid flow by performing the Osborne Reynolds Apparatus experiment.
Osborne Reynolds Apparatus consist of water resource for system supply,
transparent pipe, fixed-head water input, water output unit to measure the flow
rate, and dye input by injection unit to show the flow pattern of the fluid. To
obtain laminar, transitional and turbulent we need to control the output valve
and dye injection. After getting the right pattern of the flow (e.g. laminar), we
can measure the flow rate at the output pipe and hence calculate the Reynolds
Number (Re). For laminar flow, Re is smaller than 2100 while for transitional
flow, Re is between 2100 and 4000 and for turbulent flow, Re is bigger than
4000.

3.0 AIMS / OBJECTIVE

1.

To compute Reynolds numbers (Re).

2.

To observed the laminar, transitional and turbulent flow.

4.0 THEORY

Fluid flow is generally broken down into three different types of flows
which are laminar flow transitional flow and turbulent flow. A flow can be
Laminar, Turbulent or Transitional in nature. This becomes a very important
classification of flows and is brought out vividly by the experiment conducted
by Osborne Reynolds (1842 - 1912). These three flows have different pattern of
flow and it can be observed throughout Osborne Reynolds experiment. Laminar
flow is fluid motion in which all the particles in the fluid are moving in a
straight line and it is dealing with small pipes and low velocity. Occur when the
fluid flows in parallel layers, with no mixing between the layers. Where the
centre part of the pipe flow the fastest and the cylinder touching the pipe is not
moving at all. As for the transitional flow, it is a mixture of laminar and
turbulent flow, with turbulence flow in the centre of the pipe and laminar flow
near the edges of the pipe. Each of these flows behaves in different manners in
terms of their frictional energy loss while flowing and have different equations
that predict their characteristics. Lastly for the turbulent flow, this is an irregular
flow of particle. Unlike the straight line motion of laminar flow, the particles of
turbulent flow are in a state of chaos, turbulent flow happens in general at high
flow rates and with larger pipes.

Figure 4.1: Types of flow

The Reynolds number is important in analysing any type of flow when
there is substantial velocity gradient. It indicates the relative significance of the
viscous effect compared to the inertia effect. It is also found that a flow in a pipe
is laminar if the Reynolds Number based on diameter of the pipe is less
than 2100 and is turbulent if it is greater than 4000. Transitional Flow is in
between these two limits. In order to observe the characteristics of the flow and
to prove that the Reynolds Number is dimensionless we are using Osborne
Reynolds experiment.

Osborne Reynolds experiment is used to investigate the characteristic of

the flow of the liquid in the pipe which is also used to determine the Reynolds
Number for each state of the flow. The design of the apparatus allowed studying
the characteristic of the flow of the fluid in the pipe, the behaviour of the flow
and also to calculate the range for the laminar and turbulent flow where the
calculation is used to prove the Reynolds number is dimensionless by using the
Reynolds Number formula. Into a flow through a glass tube a dye injected to
observe the nature of flow. When the speeds were small the flow seemed to
follow a straight line path. As the flow speed was increased the dye fluctuates

and one observes irregular paths. As the flow speed is further increased the dye
is blurred and seems to fill the entire pipe. These are how Laminar,
Transitional and Turbulent Flows can be observed.

Figure 4.2: Formula of Reynolds Number

Figure 4.3: Osborne Reynolds apparatus

12.0 REFERENCE
1. Laminar

transition

or

turbulent

Retrieved

on

October

2016

http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/laminar-transitional-turbulent-flow-d_577.html
2. Types

of

fluid

flow

Retrieved

on

October

2016

http://ffden-

2.phys.uaf.edu/212_fall2003.web.dir/ROBERT_CASEY/typeofluid.htm
3. Classification

of

flows

Retrieved

on

October

2016

http://www-

mdp.eng.cam.ac.uk/web/library/enginfo/aerothermal_dvd_only/aero/fprops/pipeflow/
node8.html
4. Osborne

Reynolds

Apparatus

experiment

Retrieved

on

October

2016

http://www.markedbyteachers.com/university-degree/engineering/osbourne-reynoldsapparatus-experiment.html
5. Types

of

flow

in

pipes

Retrieved

on

October

2016

http://me-

mechanicalengineering.com/types-of-fluid-flow-in-pipes/
6. Osborne

reynolds

apparatus

experiment

Retrieved

on

October

http://documents.mx/documents/osbourne-reynolds-apparatus-experiment.html
7. http://www.efm.leeds.ac.uk/CIVE/CIVE1400/Section4/laminar_turbulent.htm

Retreived on October 10 2016

2016