1

Laminar Flow

CH1044 Fluid dynamics

By
Prof. Shantha Amarasinghe

Section 2
 2
Analysis of laminar flow

In the analysis of fluid flow we need to find

- Velocity distribution
- Relationship between the pressure drop and the flow rate
- maximum velocity
- average velocity
- shear stress at a surface

In this lecture we will examine the flow problems related to

o Flow between two parallel plates - Couette flow 

o Flow in circular cross section pipes

o Flow down an inclined surface

o Flow through an annulus

APPLICATIONS OF LAMINAR FLOW BETWEEN PARALLEL PLATES 3

Applications

1. Power transmission in Fluid coupling

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11Q4g-oOLr8

2. Heat dissipation in moving parts (Example shafts in bearings)

In forced lubrication systems, which use oil under pressure

to lubricate moving parts, an oil pump pressurizes the oil.
Examples of systems using forced lubrication are turbine
generators, boiler feed pumps, compressors, and
gearboxes. Two reasons for using forced lubrication
systems are to use oil pressure to separate two surfaces,
and to cool moving parts with a high flow of oil.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmmcj53TNic
 You can further attempt

Problems in the textbook 9-86, 9-91

4
 5
Head loss due to friction (hf) for circular pipes

In practice, it is convenient to express the pressure loss for all types of fully developed internal flows (laminar or turbulent
flows, circular or noncircular pipes, smooth or rough surfaces, horizontal or inclined pipes) as

𝐿 𝑣ҧ 2
ℎ𝑓 = 𝑓
𝐷 2𝑔

Turbulent flow
Laminar flow where
64 f - Darcy friction factor 𝑘
𝑓= L – pipe length 𝑓 = 𝜙 𝑅𝑒,
𝑅𝑒 𝐷
D – pipe diameter
𝑣ҧ - average velocity Colebrook Eqn
Hagen–Poiseuille Eqn Re – Reynolds number
𝑘
- relative roughness of the pipe 1 𝑘 Τ𝐷 2.51
Δ𝑃 𝜋𝐷4 𝐷 = −2.0 𝑙𝑜𝑔 +
𝑄= 𝑓 3.7 𝑅𝑒 𝑓
128𝜇 𝐿

Moody diagram
INCOMPRESSIBLE, STEADY AND UNIFORM LAMINAR FLOW IN CIRCULAR CROSS-SECTION PIPES 6

𝛿𝑟
2𝜋𝑟 𝛿𝑥

p
mg


Consider an annular element in the flow of internal radius r

and radial thickness r, in an inclined tube, of radius R,
carrying a fluid under laminar flow conditions.

Applying momentum equation in flow direction x

 7

Since 𝛿𝑟
2𝜋𝑟 𝛿𝑥
We can simplify the momentum equation to
However for a Newtonian fluid

Rearranging gives Therefore

𝑟 𝑑 𝑑𝑢
𝜏= − 𝑝 + 𝜌𝑔𝑧 = −μ
2 𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑟

Applying the condition at the pipe centerline 𝜏𝑤 and

r = 0, C1 =0, and we get

𝑟 𝑑
𝜏= − 𝑝 + 𝜌𝑔𝑧 Integrating with respect to r yields
2 𝑑𝑥

This is the stress distribution across the pipe

 8

Applying the boundary condition r = R, u = 0

And the velocity profile of a circular pipe flow is given by

The maximum velocity will occur on the pipe centreline, i.e. r = 0

The volume flow rate through the pipe

 9
Substitution for u at general radius r yields an expression

or, in terms of a pressure drop Δp over a length l of pipe of diameter d,

rearranged for the pressure loss, giving the well-known Hagen–Poiseuille equation:

The mean flow velocity is given by QA, where A is the pipe cross-sectional area π d 2/4. Hence,
 10

Hagen–Poiseuille equation

∆𝑃 𝜋𝑑 2 𝜌𝑢ത 𝑑
ℎ𝐿 = Q= 𝑢ത 𝑅𝑒 =
𝜌𝑔 4
𝜇

Rearranging the Hagen–Poiseuille equation to obtain the Darcy Equation

∆𝑃 64 𝐿 𝑢ത 2
ℎ𝐿 = =
𝜌𝑔 𝜌𝑢ത 𝑑 𝐷 2𝑔
𝜇
Compare with Darcy Equation
And we get
∆𝑃 𝐿 𝑢ത 2 64
ℎ𝐿 = =𝑓 𝑓=
𝜌𝑔 𝐷 2𝑔 𝑅𝑒
 11
Friction factor in terms of wall shear stress

𝜏𝑤
When
𝑟 𝑑 r=R,  = w
𝜏= − 𝑝 + 𝜌𝑔𝑧 Also
2 𝑑𝑥
𝑑 ∆𝑃
− 𝑝 + 𝜌𝑔𝑧 =
𝑑𝑥 𝐿

Rearranging the Darcy Equation Therefore

𝑅 ∆𝑃
𝜏𝑤 =
∆𝑃 𝐿 𝑢ത 2 2 𝐿
ℎ𝐿 = =𝑓
𝜌𝑔 𝐷 2𝑔
We get
𝑅 ∆𝑃 𝑓 𝜌𝑢ത 2
= 𝑓 𝜏𝑤
2 𝐿 4 2 =
4 1 2
𝜌𝑢ത
2
 12
EXAMPLE

Glycerine of viscosity 0.9 N s m-2 and density 1260 kg m-3 is pumped along a horizontal pipe 6.5 m long of diameter
d = 0.01 m at a flow rate of Q = 1.8 litres min-1. Determine the flow Reynolds number and verify whether the flow is
laminar or turbulent. Calculate the pressure loss in the pipe due to frictional effects and calculate the maximum flow
rate for laminar flow conditions to prevail.

For laminar flow, Re < 2000

 13

𝜌𝑢ത 𝑑 𝜋𝑑 2
𝑅𝑒 = Q= 𝑢ത
4
𝜇
Pipe flow in chemical and process industry
Ostwald viscometer 15

The Melt Flow Index (MFI) is

a measure of the ease of flow of the
melt of a thermoplastic polymer. It is
defined as the mass of polymer, in
grams, flowing in ten minutes https://vlab.amrita.edu/?sub=2&brch=190&sim=339&cnt=1
through a capillary of a specific
diameter and length by a pressure
applied via prescribed alternative
Viscometer - Measuring viscosity inline
gravimetric weights for alternative
prescribed temperatures
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbRhVHhLobw
15
 16

Now attempt the questions

EXAMPLE 8–1 in the Textbook

Q3 in the Tutorial – Laminar flow

Problems in the textbook 8-32, 8-33, 8-46, 9-105

Continued………..