DEBRE MARKOS UNIVERSITY

TECHNOLOGY COLLEGE
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT

Fluid Mechanics (MEng 2113): Worksheet 2

Chapter 5. Dimensional Analysis and Similitude
1. The speed of sound c in an ideal gas is known to be a function of the ratio of specific
heats k, absolute temperature T, and specific ideal gas constant Rgas. Showing all your
work, use dimensional analysis to find the functional relationship between these
parameters.

2. Repeat Prob.1, except let the speed of sound c in an ideal gas be a function of absolute
temperature T, universal ideal gas constant Ru, molar mass (molecular weight) M of the
gas, and ratio of specific heats k. Showing all your work, use dimensional analysis to find
the functional relationship between these parameters.
3. A periodic Kármán vortex street is formed when a uniform stream flows over a circular
cylinder. Use the method of repeating variables to generate a dimensionless relationship
for Kármán vortex shedding frequency fk as a function of free-stream speed V, fluid
density r, fluid viscosity m, and cylinder diameter D. Show all your work.

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4. A tiny aerosol particle of density ρp and characteristic diameter Dp falls in air of density ρ
and viscosity μ. If the particle is small enough, the creeping flow approximation is valid,
and the terminal settling speed of the particle V depends only on Dp, μ, gravitational
constant g, and the density difference (ρp - ρ). Use dimensional analysis to generate a
relationship for V as a function of the independent variables. Name any established
dimensionless parameters that appear in your analysis.

5. An incompressible fluid of density ρ and viscosity μ flows at average speed V through a

long, horizontal section of round pipe of length L, inner diameter D, and inner wall
roughness height ε. The pipe is long enough that the flow is fully developed, meaning
that the velocity profile does not change down the pipe. Pressure decreases (linearly)
down the pipe in order to “push” the fluid through the pipe to overcome friction. Using
the method of repeating variables, develop a nondimensional relationship between
pressure drop ∆P = P1 - P2 and the other parameters in the problem. Be sure to modify
your π groups as necessary to achieve established nondimensional parameters, and name
them. (Hint: For consistency, choose D rather than L or ε as one of your repeating
parameters.)

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Chapter 6. Boundary Layer Concept
6. Air at 20oC and 1 atm flows at 20 m/s past the flat plate as shown in fig below. A pitot
stagnation tube, placed 2 mm from the wall, develops a manometer head h = 16 mm of
Meriam red oil, SG = 0.827. Use this information to estimate the downstream position x
of the pitot tube. Assume laminar flow.

7. Suppose you buy a 1.5- by 2-m sheet of plywood and put it on your roof rack. (See Fig.
below.) You drive home at 50 km/h. (a) Assuming the board is perfectly aligned with the
airflow, how thick is the boundary layer at the end of the board? (b) Estimate the drag on
the sheet of plywood if the boundary layer remains laminar. (c) Estimate the drag on the
sheet of plywood if the boundary layer is turbulent (assume the wood is smooth), and
compare the result to that of the laminar boundary layer case.

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8. Air at 20oC and 1 atm flows past the flat plate in Fig. below under laminar conditions.
There are two equally spaced pitot stagnation tubes, each placed 2 mm from the wall. The
manometer fluid is water at 20oC. If U = 15 m/s and L = 50 cm, determine the values of
the manometer readings h1 and h2, in mm.

9. Air at 20oC and 1 atm flows past a long flat plate, at the end of which is placed a narrow
scoop, as shown in Fig. below. (a) Estimate the height h of the scoop if it is to extract 4
kg/s per meter of width into the paper. (b) Find the drag on the plate up to the inlet of the
scoop, per meter of width.

10. Atmospheric boundary layers are very thick but follow formulas very similar to those of
flat-plate theory. Consider wind blowing at 10 m/s at a height of 80 m above a smooth
beach. Estimate the wind shear stress, in Pa, on the beach if the air is standard sea-level
conditions. What will the wind velocity striking your nose be if (a) you are standing up
and your nose is 170 cm off the ground and (b) you are lying on the beach and your nose
is 17 cm off the ground?

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11. In fully developed laminar flow in a circular pipe, the velocity at R/2 (midway between
the wall surface and the centerline) is measured to be 6 m/s. Determine the velocity at the
center of the pipe. Answer: 8 m/s
12. Water at 10°C (ρ = 999.7 kg/m3 and μ = 1.307 x 10-3 kg/m · s) is flowing steadily in a
0.20-cm-diameter, 15-m-long pipe at an average velocity of 1.2 m/s. Determine (a) the
pressure drop, (b) the head loss, and (c) the pumping power requirement to overcome this
pressure drop. Answers: (a) 188 kPa, (b) 19.2 m, (c) 0.71 W
13. Air enters a 7-m-long section of a rectangular duct of cross section 15 cm x 20 cm made
of commercial steel at 1 atm and 35°C at an average velocity of 7 m/s. Disregarding the
entrance effects, determine the fan power needed to overcome the pressure losses in this
section of the duct. Answer: 4.9 W

14. Oil with ρ = 876 kg/m3 and μ = 0.24 kg/m · s is flowing through a 1.5-cm-diameter pipe
that discharges into the atmosphere at 88 kPa. The absolute pressure 15 m before the exit
is measured to be 135 kPa. Determine the flow rate of oil through the pipe if the pipe is (a)
horizontal, (b) inclined 8° upward from the horizontal, and (c) inclined 8° downward
from the horizontal.
-5 3 -5 3 -5 3
Ans. (a) 1.62 x 10 m /s (b) 1.00 x 10 m /s (c) 2.24 x 10 m /s

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15. Oil with a density of 850 kg/m3 and kinematic viscosity of 0.00062 m2/s is being
discharged by a 5-mm-diameter, 40-m-long horizontal pipe from a storage tank open to
the atmosphere. The height of the liquid level above the center of the pipe is 3 m.
Disregarding the minor losses, determine the flow rate of oil through the pipe.
-8 3
Ans. 1.82 x 10 m /s

16. The pipe flow in Fig. below is driven by pressurized air in the tank. What gage pressure
p1 is needed to provide a 20°C water flow rate Q = 60 m3/h?
Ans. 2.38x 106 Pa

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Chapter 7. Compressible Flow
17. Air enters a compressor with a stagnation pressure of 100 kPa and a stagnation
temperature of 27°C, and it is compressed to a stagnation pressure of 900 kPa. Assuming
the compression process to be isentropic, determine the power input to the compressor for
a mass flow rate of 0.02 kg/s. Answer: 5.27 kW

18. Air flows through a device such that the stagnation pressure is 0.6 MPa, the stagnation
temperature is 400°C, and the velocity is 570 m/s. Determine the static pressure and
temperature of the air at this state. Answers: 518.6 K, 0.23 MPa

19. Carbon dioxide enters an adiabatic nozzle at 1200 K with a velocity of 50 m/s and leaves
at 400 K. Assuming constant specific heats at room temperature, determine the Mach
number (a) at the inlet and (b) at the exit of the nozzle. The gas constant of carbon
dioxide is R = 0.1889 kJ/kg·K. Its constant pressure specific heat and specific heat ratio
at room temperature are cp = 0.8439 kJ/kg⋅K and k = 1.288.
Answers: (a) 0.0925, (b) 3.73

20. Nitrogen enters a steady-flow heat exchanger at 150 kPa, 10°C, and 100 m/s, and it
receives heat in the amount of 120 kJ/kg as it flows through it. Nitrogen leaves the heat
exchanger at 100 kPa with a velocity of 200 m/s. Determine the Mach number of the
nitrogen at the inlet and the exit of the heat exchanger. The gas constant of N2 is R =
0.2968 kJ/kg·K. Its constant pressure specific heat and specific heat ratio at room
temperature are cp = 1.040 kJ/kg⋅K and k = 1.4.
Answers: Mainlet= 0.292 Maexit= 0.501

21. Air enters a converging–diverging nozzle at a pressure of 1.2 MPa with negligible
velocity. What is the lowest pressure that can be obtained at the throat of the nozzle?
Answer: 634 kPa

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22. Consider the isentropic flow of a fluid through a converging–diverging nozzle with a
subsonic velocity at the throat. How does the diverging section affect (a) the velocity, (b)
the pressure, and (c) the mass flow rate of the fluid?
23. Air enters a nozzle at 0.2 MPa, 350 K, and a velocity of 150 m/s. Assuming isentropic
flow, determine the pressure and temperature of air at a location where the air velocity
equals the speed of sound. What is the ratio of the area at this location to the entrance
area? Answers: 301.0 K, 0.118

24. Air enters a converging–diverging nozzle at 0.8 MPa with a negligible velocity.
Assuming the flow to be isentropic, determine the back pressure that will result in an exit
Mach number of 1.8. Answer: 0.139 MPa

25. Air enters a converging–diverging nozzle of a supersonic wind tunnel at 1 MPa and 300
K with a low velocity. If a normal shock wave occurs at the exit plane of the nozzle at Ma
= 2, determine the pressure, temperature, Mach number, velocity, and stagnation pressure
after the shock wave. Answers: 0.575 MPa, 281 K, 0.577, 194 m/s, 0.721 MPa

26. Air enters a converging–diverging nozzle with low velocity at 2.0 MPa and 100°C. If the
exit area of the nozzle is 3.5 times the throat area, what must the back pressure be to
produce a normal shock at the exit plane of the nozzle? Answer: 0.661 MPa