COMPILATION

IN
FLUIDS

JURIE GIL R. BAYON-ON

BSCE 5
 PROBLEMS
Question 1: Suppose we were to steadily pour a liquid into the leftmost vertical tube until it reaches a
mark four inches from the bottom. Given the diameters of the other tubes, how high will the liquid level
settle in each when all columns are in a condition of equilibrium (no liquid flowing through any part of
the system)?

Now consider the same set of vertical tubes (same diameters, same step heights) connected at the
bottom by an inclined pipe. If we were to pour a liquid into the leftmost vertical tube until it reaches a
mark two inches from its bottom, how high will the liquid level settle in each column when all columns
are in a condition of equilibrium?

Question 2: Which of these tubes will generate the most hydrostatic pressure, assuming they all contain
the same type of liquid at precisely the same (vertical) height?

Question 3: Toluene has a density of 0.8669 g/cm3 at 20o C. Calculate its density in units of pounds per
cubic feet and its specific gravity (unitless).

Question 4: A liquid has a density of 865 kilograms per cubic meter. Calculate its specific gravity.
A liquid has a density of 59 pounds per cubic foot. Calculate its specific gravity.
Question 5: If force is exerted on the piston of this hydraulic cylinder, in what direction(s) will this force
be transmitted to the cylinder walls? In other words, how does a fluid under pressure push against its
surrounding container?

Question 6: Suppose a small rubber ball is floating inside the fluid of a hydraulic cylinder as shown
below. What will happen to the ball when a pushing force is exerted on the cylinder’s rod? What will
happen to the ball when a pulling force is exerted on the rod?

Question 7: A surface-mounted water pump pulls water out of a well by creating a vacuum, though it
might be more technically accurate to say that the pump works by reducing pressure in the inlet pipe to
a level less than atmospheric pressure, allowing atmospheric pressure to then push water from the well
up the pump’s inlet pipe:

Based on this description of pump operation, what is the theoretical maximum height that any pump
can lift water out of a well, assuming the well is located at sea level? Water wells located at altitudes
other than sea level will have different theoretical maximum lifting heights (i.e. the farthest distance a
surface-mounted pump may suck water out of the well). Research the average barometric pressure in
Denver, Colorado (the “mile-high” city) and determine how far up a surface pump may draw water from
a well in Denver. Domestic water wells may be hundreds of feet deep. How can water be pumped out of
wells this deep, given the height limitation of vacuum pumping?
Question 8: Water pressure available at a fire hydrant is 80 PSI. If a fire hose is connected to the hydrant
and the hydrant valve opened, how high can the end of the hose be raised and still have water flow out
the end?

Now, suppose that a spray nozzle attached to the end of the hose requires at least 30 PSI of pressure at
the coupling in order to create a proper spray of water. How high can the hose be raised then, and still
have enough water pressure at the nozzle to allow for the fighting of a fire?

Question 9: Explain how a vertical height of liquid is able to create pressure, such as in this example:
Question 17: The following illustration shows a rather strange manometer, one with two different
liquids inside, coupled by a hand valve:

If the two columns of liquid are just right, they will remain at their respective (different) heights when
the valve is opened. Unlike a normal manometer where the two liquid columns always equalize to the
same height when vented, this manometer is “content” to rest at different heights. Explain why.
Also, calculate two possible heights that will balance each other, given the liquids of water and
glycerine.

Question 18: How much pressure, in inches of water column, is being applied to this inclined water
manometer to displace water 5 inches along the length of the tube, inclined at an angle of 30o from
horizontal? Assume a negligible change in liquid level inside the “well” throughout the measurement
range of the instrument:

Question 19: A tube containing a 10 foot long column of water is angled 40o from horizontal. Calculate
the hydrostatic pressure at the bottom of this tube in units of inches water column (”W.C.) and also in
units of atmospheres.
Question 20: A simple way to make a micromanometer (an extremely sensitive manometer) is to
connect two large diameter vertical tubes by a small-diameter, transparent tube with an air bubble in it.
The air bubble becomes the marker for reading pressure along a scale:

If both of the large vertical tubes are 2.5 inches in diameter, and the transparent, horizontal tube is 0.25
inches in diameter, how much differential pressure will be indicated by 1 inch of horizontal bubble
displacement? Assume the use of water for the manometer liquid.

Question 21: Determine what will happen at the following steps in the sequence (when prompted for a
response) in this pressure transmitter calibration setup:

Question 22: Complete the following table of equivalent pressures:

Question 23: Complete the following table of equivalent pressures:

Question 33: A double-acting hydraulic cylinder has 500 PSI of pressure applied to the side without the
rod and 750 PSI of pressure applied to the rod-side. Calculate the resultant force generated at the piston
and transmitted through to the rod, and also determine this force’s direction. The piston is 5 inches in
diameter, and the rod is 1 inch in diameter.

Question 34: The following hydraulic system is made up of three cylinders connected together by the
same tube:

Assuming that all three pistons are the same size, calculate the force generated by the pistons of
cylinders #2 and #3 if the piston of cylinder #1 is pushed with 500 pounds of force.

Question 35: Calculate the force generated at the large piston (area = 40 in2 ), given a 25 pound force
applied to the small piston (area = 10 in2 ). Also, calculate the pressures where the two pressure gauges
are located, and explain how the hydrostatic pressure of the water column’s 20 foot vertical height
factors in to this force calculation.

Does the disparity in pressure between the two gauge locations represent a violation of Pascal’s
Principle? Why or why not?
Question 36: How much air pressure will be required to compress this valve actuator spring three-
quarters of an inch, assuming it begins in a relaxed state with no air pressure applied? Assume a k value
for the spring of 1340 lb/in, and a diaphragm diameter of 14 inches

Question 37: A process called delayed coking is used in the oil refining industry to convert heavy oils and
tars into higher-valued petroleum products. A process vessel called a coke drum has a removable lid
held down by a series of bolts, and alternatively by a hydraulic ram. When it comes time to open up the
coke drum, the hydraulic ram is pressurized to maintain adequate force on the coke drum lid, the bolts
are removed, and then the ram’s fluid pressure is reduced until the lid springs open from the force of
the gas pressure inside the coke drum:

Calculate the hydraulic pressure necessary to hold down the lid on the coke drum when the gas pressure
inside the drum is 5 PSI and all hold-down bolts have been removed from the lid. Assume a lid diameter
of 30 inches, and a ram piston diameter of 4 inches. Hint: sketch a right triangle, representing forces as
side lengths on the triangle – the ram’s diagonal force will translate into both a horizontal force on the
lid (which you may ignore) and a vertical force on the lid (which is what we’re interested in here).

Hydraulic P =_______PSI

Question 38: A solid metal cube measuring exactly 1 inch on a side is submerged in an open container
filled with water. The bottom of the cube is 24 inches down from the water’s surface: