ME 305 Fluid Mechanics I

Fall 2024 - Study Set 2

These problems are for study purposes, only; you will not submit solutions for grading. The answers to the
problems are provided however the solutions will not be posted. Feel free to ask your instructor and/or
your TA’s for help with these problems.

1. The cylindrical tank with hemispherical ends shown in figure below contains a volatile liquid and its
vapor. The liquid density is 800 kg/m3 and its vapor density is negligible. The pressure in the vapor is
120 kPa (abs), and the atmospheric pressure is 101 kPa (abs). Determine: (a) the gage pressure reading
on the pressure gage; and (b) the height, h, of the mercury manometer. (Ans: (a) 26.9 kPa, (b) 0.202
m)

Problem 1

2. Intravenous infusions are usually driven by gravity by hanging the fluid bottle at sufficient height to
counteract the blood pressure in the vein and to force the fluid into the body. The higher the bottle is
raised, the higher the flow rate of the fluid will be.
a) If it is observed that the fluid and the blood pressures balance each other when the bottle is 1.2 m
above the arm level, determine the gage pressure of the blood.
b) If the gage pressure of the fluid at the arm level needs to be 20 kPa for sufficient flowrate, determine
how high the bottle must be placed. Take the density of the fluid to be 1020 kg/m3.
(Ans: (a) 12 kPa, (b) 2 m)

Problem 2

1
3. A closed cylindrical tank filled with water has a hemispherical dome and is connected to an inverted
piping system as shown in figure below. The liquid in the top part of the piping system has a specific
gravity of 0.8, and the remaining parts of the system are filled with water. If the pressure gage reading
at A is 60 kPa, determine:
a) the pressure in pipe B, and
b) the pressure head, in millimeters of mercury, at the top of the dome (point C).
(Ans: (a) 103 kPa, (b) 230 mm)

Problem 3

4. Determine the new differential reading along the inclined leg of the mercury manometer of figure, if
the pressure in pipe A is decreased 10 kPa and the pressure in pipe B remains unchanged. The fluid in
A has a specific gravity of 0.9 and the fluid in B is water. (Ans: 0.212 m)

Problem 4

2
5. Sometimes the manometer dimensions may have a significant effect on the measurement results. The
containers (a) and (b) shown in the figure are cylindrical and are such that pa = pb.
Suppose the oil-water interface on the right leg moves up a distance ∆h where ∆h < h. Derive a formula
for the difference pa - pb when
a) d ≪ D, and
b) d = 0.15D. What is the % change in the measured value of pressure difference, compared to part (a)?

(Ans: 𝟏𝟎𝟗𝟎 ∆𝒉, 𝟏𝟓𝟎𝟕 ∆𝒉 𝟑𝟖 % 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 )

Specific weight of
SAE 30 oil can be
taken as 8720
N/m3.

Problem 5

6. A 3-m-wide, 8-m-high rectangular gate is located at the end of a rectangular passage that is connected
to a large open tank filled with water as shown in the figure. The gate is hinged at its bottom and held
closed by a horizontal force, FH, located at the center of the gate. The maximum value for FH is 3500
kN. (Ans: 16.2 m, 13.5 m)
a) Determine the maximum water depth, h, above the center of the gate that can exist without the gate
opening.
b) Is the answer the same if the gate is hinged at the top? Explain your answer.

Problem 6

3
7. An open tank having a vertical partition and on one side contains gasoline with a density 700 kg/m3 at
a depth of 4 m, is shown in following figure. A rectangular gate that is 4 m high and 2 m wide and
hinged at one end is located in the partition. Water is slowly added to the empty side of the tank. At
what depth, h, will the gate start to open. (Ans: 3.55 m)

Problem 7

8. A 4-m-long quarter-circular gate of radius 3 m and of negligible weight is hinged about its upper edge
A, as shown in figure below. The gate controls the flow of water over the ledge at B, where the gate is
pressed by a spring. Determine the minimum spring force required to keep the gate closed when the
water level rises to A at the upper edge of the gate. (Ans: 177 kN)

Problem 8

9. The homogeneous gate shown in the figure consists of one quarter of a cylinder and is used to maintain
a water depth of 4 m. That is, when the water depth exceeds 4m, the gate opens slightly and lets the
water flow under it. Determine the weight of the gate per meter of length. (Ans: 64.4 kN)

Problem 9

4
10. Three gates of negligible weight are used to hold back water in a channel of width b as shown in the
figure. The force of the gate against the block for gate (b) is R. Determine (in terms of R) the force
against the blocks for the other two gates. (Ans: 1.17R, 0.875R)

Problem 10

11. A 1-m-diameter cylinder mass, M, is connected to a 2-m-wide rectangular gate as shown in the figure.
The gate is to open when the water level, h, drops below 2.5 m. Determine the required value for M.
Neglect friction at the gate hinge and the pulley. (Ans: 2480 kg)

Problem 11

12. A hydraulic level control mechanism is shown in the figure. The float has a volume of V, and a weight
of W. The weights of the gate and the arm are negligible. Find the minimum height of the water, H1, for
𝟐(𝝆𝒈𝑽−𝑾)
the gate, with a width of w, to open. (Ans: 𝑯𝟐 + 𝝆𝒈𝒘𝒉 )

Problem 12

5
13. Scientific balloons operating at pressure equilibrium with the surroundings can be used to lift instrument
to extremely high altitudes. In such an experiment, a balloon, constructed of polyester skin of thickness
0.013 mm, lifted a payload of 230 kg to an altitude of 49 km, where atmospheric conditions are 0.95
mbar and -20 oC. The helium gas in the balloon is at a temperature of -10 oC. Specific gravity of the
skin material is 1.28. Assuming that the balloon is spherical, determine its diameter and mass. (Ans:
116.54 m, 710 kg)

14. The rectangular gate AB has a constant width of 2 m into the paper and weighs 1540 kg. It is hinged at
B and rests against the smooth wall at A. The Bourdon gage reads the air pressure inside the tank as 95
kPa. Find the water level h which will be just enough to cause the gate to open. (Ans: 𝒉 = 𝟏𝟏. 𝟖𝟒 𝒎)

Problem 14