LESSON 5:

NON-UNIFORM, LAMINAR, TURBULENT, ROTATIONAL,

IRROTATIONAL FLOWS, CONSERVATION OF MASS

Kinematics of P.Therefore the differential equation for the stream lines in

FLUID MECHANICS
the xy plane may be written as
1. Introduction
Student today we are going to study the Kinematic aspect of dx/u = dy/v; Or (udy – vdx)
the fluid i.e., the of fluid or liquid in motion without A general differential equation for three dimensional flow may
considering the forces causing motion. In this topic we will first however be obtained in the manner as
deal with different types of flow, which exists like laminar or dx/u = dy/v = dz/w
turbulent flow, path line or streak line .The study of these types
flow effect the different changes to occur suppose in case of
hydraulic turbine if flow is turbulent through the penstock then
the head available at the end of pipe will be low leading to less
energy available for the generation of power but if we know in
advance the kind of flow corrective can be taken to ensure that
laminar flow occurs leading to increase in the generation of
power .
Like in the examples quoted above we as mechanical engineers
need to have to have good understanding of the different kind
of flow that exists. Hence the topics that will be under our
ambit of discussion need a through under standing .
Kinematics is defined as that branch of science, which deals
with the motion of particles without considering the forces
causing motion. The velocity at a point in a flow field at any
time is studied in this branch of fluid mechanics. Once the
velocity is known, then the pressure distribution and hence
forces acting on the fluid can be determined
2. Method of Describing Fluid Motion
The fluid motion is described by two methods. They are :
i. Lagrangian method
ii. Eulerian method.
In the Lagrangian method a single fluid particle is followed
during its motion and its velocity, acceleration, density etc are
described.
In case of Eulerian method, the velocity, acceleration, pressure,
density etc are described at a point in a flow field. The Eulerian
is commonly used in fluid mechanics.
3. Streamline
A streamline is an imaginary curve drawn through a flowing
fluid in such away that the tangent to it at any point gives the
direction of velocity of the flow at that point. Since a fluid is
composed of fluid particles, the pattern of flow of fluid may
be represented by a series of stream lines, obtained by drawing a
series of curves through flowing fluid such that the velocity
vector at any point is tangential to the curves .The fig below
show some of the stream lines for a flow pattern in the xy
plane in which a stream line passing through appoint P(x,y) is
tangential to the velocity vector V at P.If u and v are the
components of V along x and y directions, then
v/u = tan = dy/dx
Where dy and dx are the y and x components of the differential
displacement ds along the streamline in the immediate vicinity

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 4. Stream Tube
FLUID MECHANICS
A stream tube is a tube imagined to be formed by a group of
streamlines passing through a small closed curve, may or may
not be circular. Since the stream tube is bounded on all sides by
streamlines and since the velocity has no component normal to
a streamline, there can be no flow across the bounding surface
of stream tube. Therefore a fluid may enter or leave the stream
tube only at its ends. A stream tube with a cross-sectional area
small enough for the variation of velocity over it to be
negligible is sometimes termed, as stream filament .The concept
of stream tube is quite useful in analyzing several fluid flow
problems, Since the entire flow field may be divided into large
number of stream tubes, thus yielding a clear picture of entire
pattern of flow. However, only in steady flow a stream tube is
fixed in space.
5. Types of Fluid Flow
Steady Flow
When the velocity at each location is constant, the velocity field
is invariant with time and the flow is said to be steady.
(dv/dt)XoYoZo =0
Uniform Flow
Uniform flow occurs when the magnitude and direction of
velocity do not change from point to point in the fluid.
Flow of liquids through long pipelines of constant diameter is
uniform whether flow is steady or unsteady.
Non-uniform flow occurs when velocity, pressure etc., change
from point to point in the fluid.
Steady, Uniform Flow
Conditions do not change with position or time.
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e.g., Flow of liquid through a pipe of uniform bore running
completely full at constant velocity.
Steady, Non-uniform Flow
Conditions change from point to point but do not with time.
e.g., Flow of a liquid at constant flow rate through a tapering
pipe running completely full.
Unsteady, uniform Flow: e.g. when a pump starts-up.
Unsteady, non-uniform Flow: e.g. Conditions of liquid during
pipetting out of liquid.
Laminar Flow
Laminar flow is defined as that type of flow in which the fluid
particles move along well defined path or stream line and all the
stream lines are straight and parallel. Thus the particle moves in
laminas or layers gliding smoothly over adjacent layer. This type
of flow is also called streamline or viscous flow.
Turbulent Flow
Turbulent flow is that type of flow in which the fluid particle
move in zig zag way .Due to the movement of fluid particle in
the zig zag way, the eddies formation take place which are
responsible for high energy loss .For a pipe flow, the type of
flow is determined by a non dimensional number VD/ν called
the Reynolds number
Where
D = diameter of the pipe
V = Mean velocity of flow in the pipe
ν = Kinematic viscosity of the fluid
If the Reynolds number is less than 2000, the flow is called
Laminar flow .If the Reynolds number is more than 4000,it is
called turbulent flow.
Rotational Flow
Rotational flow is that type of flow in which in which fluid
particles while moving along a stream also rotate about their
own axis.
Irrotational Flow
Irrotational flow is defined as that type of in which the fluid
particles while along stream line, do not rotate about their own
axis, that type of flow is called Irrotational flow.
6. Continuity Equation
Let us make the mass balance for a fluid element as shown
below: (an open-faced cube)
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Mass Balance Notes

FLUID MECHANICS
Accumulation rate of mass in the system = all mass flow rates
in - all mass flow rates out —> 1
ixs“y “z. The flow into
Themassinthesystem atanyinstant“
the system through face 1 is

And the flow out of the system through face 2 is

Similarly for the faces 3, 4, 5, and 6 are written as follows:

Substituting these quantities in equn.1, we get

Dividing the above equation by ∆x∆y∆z:

Now we let ∆x∆y and ∆z each approach zero simultaneously,

so that the cube shrinks to a point. Taking the limit of the three
ratios on the right-hand side of this equation, we get the partial
derivatives.

This is the continuity equation for every point in a fluid flow

whether steady or unsteady, compressible or incompressible.
For steady, incompressible flow, the density r is constant and
the equation simplifies to

For two-dimensional incompressible flow this will simplify still

further to

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