Chapter 5

Control Volume Approach

and Continuity Principle
Problem 5.1
A 10-cm-diameter pipe contains sea water that ows with a mean velocity of 5
m/s. Find the volume ow rate (discharge) and the mass ow rate.
Solution
The discharge is
Q = \
where \ is the mean velocity. Thus
Q = 5

4
0.1
2
= 0.0393 m
3
/s
From Table A.4, the density of sea water is 1026 kg/m
3
.
The mass ow rate is
b : = jQ = 1026 0.0393 = 40.3 kg/s
29
30CHAPTER5. CONTROL VOLUME APPROACHANDCONTINUITYPRINCIPLE
Problem 5.2
The velocity prole of a non-Newtonian uid in a circular conduit is given by
n
n
max
=

r
1

1@2
where n
max
is the velocity at the centerline and 1 is the radius of the conduit. Find
the discharge (volume ow rate) in terms of n
max
and 1.
Solution
The volume ow rate is
Q =
Z
D
nd
For an axisymmetric duct, this integral can be written as
Q = 2
Z
U
0
nrdr
Substituting in the equation for the velocity distribution
Q = 2n
max
Z
U
0

r
1

1@2
rdr
Recognizing that 2rdr = dr
2
, we can rewrite the integral as
Q = n
max
Z
U
0

r
1

1@2
dr
2
= n
max
1
2
Z
U
0

r
1

1@2
d

r
1

2
or
Q = n
max
1
2
Z
1
0
[1 j]
1@2
dj
=
2
3
n
max
1
2
[1 j]
3@2
|
1
0
=
2
3
n
max
1
2
31
Problem 5.3
A jet pump injects water at 120 ft/s through a 2-in. pipe into a secondary ow
in an 8-in. pipe where the velocity is 10 ft/s. Downstream the ows become fully
mixed with a uniform velocity prole. What is the magnitude of the velocity where
the ows are fully mixed?
Solution
Draw a control volume as shown in the sketch below.
Because the ow is steady
X
fv
jV A = 0
Assuming the water is incompressible, the continuity equation becomes
X
fv
V A = 0
The volume ow rate across station a is
X
d
V A = 10

4

8
12

2
where the minus sign occurs because the velocity and area vectors have the opposite
sense. The volume ow rate across station b is
X
e
V A = 120

4

2
12

2
32CHAPTER5. CONTROL VOLUME APPROACHANDCONTINUITYPRINCIPLE
and the volume ow rate across station c is
X
f
V A = \

4

8
12

2
where \ is the velocity. Substituting into the continuity equation
120

4

2
12

2
10

4

8
12

2
+ \

4

8
12

2
= 0
\ =

120 2
2
+ 10 8
2

8
2
= 17.5 ft/s
Problem 5.4
Water ows into a cylindrical tank at the rate of 1 m
3
,min and out at the rate
of 1.2 m
3
,min. The cross-sectional area of the tank is 2 m
2
. Find the rate at
which the water level in the tank changes. The tank is open to the atmosphere.
Solution
Draw a control volume around the uid in the tank. Assume the control surface
moves with the free surface of the water.
33
The continuity equation is
d
dt
Z
fy
jd; +
X
fv
jV A = 0
The density inside the control volume is constant so
d
dt
Z
fy
d; +
X
fv
V A = 0
d;
dt
+
X
fv
V A = 0
The volume of the uid in the tank is ; = /. Mass crosses the control surface at
two locations. At the inlet
V A = Q
lq
and at the outlet
V A = Q
rxw
Substituting into the continuity equation

d/
dt
+ Q
rxw
Q
lq
= 0
or
d/
dt
=
Q
lq
Q
rxw

=
1 1.2
2
= 0.1 m/min
34CHAPTER5. CONTROL VOLUME APPROACHANDCONTINUITYPRINCIPLE
Problem 5.5
Water ows steadily through a nozzle. The nozzle diameter at the inlet is 2 in.,
and the diameter at the exit is 1.5 in. The average velocity at the inlet is 5 ft/s.
What is the average velocity at the exit?
Solution
Because the ow is steady, the continuity equation is
X
fv
jV A = 0
Also, because the uid is incompressible, the continuity equation reduces to
X
fv
V A = 0
Draw a control surface that includes the inlet and outlet sections of the nozzle as
shown.
At the inlet, station 1,
(V A)
1
= 5

4

2
12

2
At the exit, station 2,
(V A)
2
= \
2


4

1.5
12

2
35
Substituting into the continuity equation
X
fv
V A = 5

4

2
12

2
+ \
2


4

1.5
12

2
= 0
or
\
2
= 5

2.0
1.5

2
= 8.89 ft/s
Problem 5.6
Air ows steadily through a 10 cm-diameter conduit. The velocity, pressure, and
temperature of the air at station 1 are 30 m/s, 100 kPa absolute, and 300 K. At
station 2, the pressure has decreased to 95 kPa absolute, and the temperature re-
mains constant between the two stations (isothermal ow). Find the mass ow
rate and the velocity at station 2.
Solution
The mass ow rate is
b : = j\
The density is obtained from the equation of state for an ideal gas.
j =
j
1T
At station 1
j
1
=
100 10
3
N/m
2
287 J/kgK 300 K
= 1.16 kg/m
3
The ow rate is
b : = 1.16 30

4
0.1
2
= 0.273 kg/s
Because the ow is steady, the continuity equation reduces to
X
fv
jV A = 0
36CHAPTER5. CONTROL VOLUME APPROACHANDCONTINUITYPRINCIPLE
which states that the rate of mass ow through station 1 will be equal to that
through station 2. The air density at station 2 is
j
2
=
95 10
3
N/m
2
287 J/kgK 300 K
= 1.10 kg/m
3
The mass ow is the same at each station. Thus
(j\ )
1
= (j\ )
2
So
\
2
= \
1
j
1
j
2
= 30
1.16
1.10
= 31.6 m/s
Problem 5.7
Water ows steadily through a 4-cm diameter pipe that is 10-m long. The pipe
wall is porous, leading to a small ow through the pipe wall. The inlet velocity is
10 m/s, and the exit velocity is 9 m/s. Find the average velocity of the water that
is passing through the porous surface.
Solution
The ow rate is steady, and the uid is incompressible so the continuity equation
reduces to
X
fv
V A = 0
Draw a control surface around the pipe. The entrance is station 1, the exit is
station 2, and the surface of the porous pipe is station 3.
For station 1
(V A)
1
= 10

4
0.04
2
37
For station 2
(V A)
2
= 9

4
0.04
2
For the porous surface
(V A)
3
= \
3
0.04 10
The continuity equation is
10

4
0.04
2
+ 9

4
0.04
2
+ \
3
0.04 10 = 0
or
\
3
= 0.001 m/s
Problem 5.8
Water is forced out of a 2-cm diameter nozzle by a 6-cm-diameter piston mov-
ing at a speed of 5 m/s. Determine the force required to move the piston and the
speed of the uid jet (\
2
). Neglect friction on the piston and assume irrotational
ow. The exit pressure (j
2
) is atmospheric.
Solution
When ow is irrotational, the Bernoulli equation applies. Applying this equation
along the nozzle centerline between locations 1 and 2 gives
j
1

+
\
2
1
2q
=
j
2

+
\
2
2
2q
(1)
The continuity principle is

1
\
1
=
2
\
2
So
\
2
= (5 m/s)
0.06
2
0.02
2
= 45 m/s (2)
Letting j
2
= 0 kPa gage and combining Eqs. (1) and (2)
j
1
= j
\
2
2
\
2
1
2
= (1000)
45
2
5
2
2
= 1 MPa
38CHAPTER5. CONTROL VOLUME APPROACHANDCONTINUITYPRINCIPLE
Since the piston is moving at a constant speed, the applied force 1 is balanced by
the pressure force.
1 = j
1

1
= (1 MPa)

0.06
2
,4 m
2

= 2.83 kN
Problem 5.9
The sketch shows a fertilizer sprayer that uses a Venturi nozzle. Water moving
through this nozzle reaches a low pressure at section 1. This low pressure draws
liquid fertilizer (assume fertilizer has the properties of water) up the suction tube,
and the mixture is jetted to ambient at section 2. Nozzle dimensions are d
1
= 3
mm, d
2
= 9 mm, and / = 150 mm. Determine the minimum possible water speed
(\
2
) at the exit of the nozzle so that uid will be drawn up the suction tube.
Solution
Since we are looking for the lower limit of operation, assume inviscid ow so that the
Bernoulli equation applies. Also assume that the pressure at 1 is just low enough
to draw uid up the suction tube, meaning there is no ow in the suction tube.
Identify locations 1 to 3 as shown by the points in the sketch below.
Applying the hydrostatic principle (constant piezometric pressure in a uid of con-
stant density) between 1 and 3 gives
j
3
= j
1
+ (.
1
.
3
)
39
Let j
3
= 0 kPa gage, and let (.
1
.
3
) = (/ + d
1
,2).
j
1
= (/ + d
1
,2) (1)
Applying the Bernoulli equation between 1 and 2 gives
j
1

+
\
2
1
2q
=
j
2

+
\
2
2
2q
(2)
The continuity principle is

1
\
1
=
2
\
2
(3)
Let j
2
= 0 kPa gage, and combine Eqs. (2) and (3).
j
1
=
j\
2
2
2

1
d
4
2
d
4
1

(4)
Combine Eqs. (1) and (4).
(/ + d
1
,2) =
j\
2
2
2

1
d
4
2
d
4
1

9800(0.15 + 0.003,2) =
1000 \
2
2
2

9
3

4
!
So
\
2
= 0.193 m/s
Problem 5.10
Show that the velocity eld
V = rj.
2
i
j
2
2
.j + j

.
2
2

.
3
3

k
satises the continuity equation for an incompressible ow and nd the vorticity at
the point (1,1,1).
Solution
The continuity equation for the ow of an incompressible uid is
u V =
0n
0r
+
0
0j
+
0n
0.
= 0
Substituting in the velocity derivatives
j.
2
j. + j. j.
2
0
so continuity equation is satised.
40CHAPTER5. CONTROL VOLUME APPROACHANDCONTINUITYPRINCIPLE
The equation for vorticity is
. = uV
= i

0n
0j

0
0.

+j

0n
0.

0n
0r

+k

0
0r

0n
0j

Substituting in the velocity derivatives

. = i

.
2
2

.
3
3

+
j
2
2

+j (2rj 0) +k

0 r.
2

Substituting values at point (1,1,1)

. =
2
3
i+2j k