WEEK 6-FLUID MECHANICS

Fluid Kinematics and Dynamics

Chapter 3- Fluid Kinematics and Dynamics
contd.
3.7 Momentum Equation
 Momentum equation
• We see that whenever a jet of liquid impinges (ie., strikes) on a
flat plate, it experiences some force.

• If the plate is not fixed, then the plate starts moving in the
direction of the jet, because of the force.

• How can we find this force?

• As per Newton’s Second Law of motion, this force is equal to

the rate of change of momentum of the jet.
 Momentum equation
• On applying Newton's second law of motion to the control
volume shown in Figure 1.

Mass of fluid Control Volume Mass of fluid

entering
leaving Figure 1

According to Newton’s Second Law

𝑀 𝑁

𝐹= 𝜌𝑖 𝑉𝑖 𝐴𝑖 𝑉𝑖 𝑜𝑢𝑡
− 𝜌𝑖 𝑉𝑖 𝐴𝑖 𝑉𝑖 𝑖𝑛
𝑖=1 𝑖=1
𝑀 𝑁
Rate of change of momentum in the
Total force exerted on the = 𝑚𝑖 𝑉𝑖 − 𝑚𝑖 𝑉𝑖
fluid in the control volume in 𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑖𝑛 given direction of the fluid passing
a given direction 𝑖=1 𝑖=1 through the control volume
 Momentum equation cond.
• Note that this equation follows from the principle of conservation of
linear momentum: resultant force on the control volume is balanced by
the net rate of momentum flux (i.e ) out through the control surface.
• This is a vector equation.
• Components of the forces and the velocities need to be considered.
• The value of F is positive in the direction in which V is assumed to be
positive.
• This is the resultant force acting on the control volume in the direction of
motion of fluid flow.
• The equation can be used to calculate the magnitude and direction of the
impact force exerted on the control volume by its solid boundary. By
Newton’s Third Law, the fluid will exert an equal and opposite reaction on
its solid boundary.
 Momentum equation cond.
• Further consider a steady-flow situation in which there is only
one entrance (section 1) and one exit(section 2) across which
uniform profiles can be assumed. By continuity

 2  Q = Mass flow rate

1  m
m
• The momentum equation now reduces to

= Mass flow rate x Change of Velocity

 Momentum equation cond.
• or in terms of their components in x ,y, z coordinates

Where
(Vx)2= x component of the velocity at Section 2
(Vx)1= x component of the velocity at Section 1 and so on
 Momentum equation cond.
• When applying the momentum equation, one needs to pay
attention to the following two aspects.
1. Forces
represents all forces acting on the control volume in a given
direction including.
 Surface forces resulting from the surrounding acting on the
control volume:
 Impact force, which is usually the unknown to be found, on
the control surface in contact with a solid boundary
 Pressure force on the control surface which cuts a flow inlet
or exit. Remember that the pressure force is always a
compressive force.
 Body force that results from gravity.
 Momentum equation cond.
2. Sign of the vector variables
When plugging into the equations, one should be careful about
the sign of the force and velocity components. These quantities
should carry a positive (negative) sign when they are in the
same(opposite) sense as that of the corresponding coordinate.
 Applications of the momentum
equation
Force on the nozzle at the outlet of a pipe
Because the fluid is contracted at the nozzle, forces are induced in the nozzle.
Anyone holding the nozzle (e.g. a fireman) must be strong enough to
withstand these forces

Steps in analysis:

1. Draw a control volume.

2. Decide on a coordinate-axis system.
3. Calculate the total force, given by the rate of change of momentum
across the control volume.
4. Calculate the pressure force Fp
5. Calculate the body force FB
6. Calculate the resultant reaction force FR
 Applications of the momentum
equation contd.
Steps 1 and 2.
2. Control volume and co-
co-ordinate axis are shown in
the figure below
y

Notice how a one-dimensional system greatly simplifies matters

Step 3 Calculate the total force

 Applications of the momentum
equation contd.
By continuity Q=A1V1=A2V2
So,

Step 4 Calculate the pressure force (red arrows)

Fp= Pressure force at 1- Pressure force at 2= p1A1-p2A2

We use the Bernoulli equation to calculate the pressure
2 2
p1 V1 p2 V2
  z1    z2
g 2 g g 2 g
 Applications of the momentum
equation contd.
Since the nozzle is horizontal, z1= z2, and the pressure outside is
atmospheric, p2= 0, and with continuity the Bernoulli equation
gives 𝜌𝑄2 1 1
𝑝1 = −
2 𝐴22 𝐴12

𝜌𝑄2 𝐴1 1 1
𝐹𝑝 = −
2 𝐴22 𝐴12

Step 5 Calculate the body force

The only body force is the weight due to gravity in the y-direction -
but we need not consider this as the only forces we are
considering are in the x-direction
 Applications of the momentum
equation contd.
Step 6 Calculate the reaction force that the nozzle acts on the
y
fluid (green arrow)
x

Since the indicated direction of the reaction force is opposite

to x-axis, a negative sign is included
1 1
𝐹 = −𝐹𝑅 + 𝐹𝑝 + 𝐹𝐵 = 𝜌𝑄2 −
𝐴2 𝐴1
2
𝜌𝑄2 𝐴1 1 1 2
1 1 𝜌𝑄2 𝐴1
𝐹𝑅 = − − 𝜌𝑄 − = −1
2 𝐴22 𝐴12 𝐴2 𝐴1 2𝐴1 𝐴2
So the fireman must be able to resist the force of FR
 Applications of the momentum
equation contd.
Force due to a two-dimensional jet hitting an inclined plane
• Consider a two-dimensional jet hitting a flat plate at an angle θ. For
simplicity gravity and friction are neglected from this analysis.
• We want to find the reaction force normal to the plate so we choose the
axis system such that it is normal to the plane
 Applications of the momentum
equation contd.
We do not know the velocities of flow in each direction. To find
these we can apply the Bernoulli equation
2 2 2
p1 V1 p2 V2 p3 V3
  z1    z2    z3
g 2 g g 2 g g 2 g

The height differences are negligible i.e.,Z1 =Z2=Z3 and the

pressures are all atmospheric = 0. So
V1=V2=V3= V
By continuity
Q1=Q2+Q3
A1V1=A2V2+ A3V3
A1=A2+A3 Using this we can calculate the forces in the same
way as before.
 Applications of the momentum
equation contd.
1. Calculate the total force in the x-direction
𝐹𝑥 = 𝜌[ 𝑄2 𝑉2𝑥 + 𝑄3 𝑉3𝑥 − 𝑄1 𝑉1𝑥 ]

• but V2x=V3x=0 as the jets are parallel to the plate with no

component in the x-direction, and V1x= V cosθ , so
𝐹𝑥 = −𝜌𝑄1 𝑉 cos 𝜃

2. Calculate the pressure force

All zero as the pressure is everywhere atmospheric.
 Applications of the momentum
equation contd.
3.Calculate the body force
As the control volume is small, hence the weight of fluid is small,
we can ignore the body forces

4. Calculate the resultant reaction force

𝐹 = −𝐹𝑛 + 𝐹𝑝 + 𝐹𝐵 = −𝜌𝑄1 𝑉 cos 𝜃

𝐹𝑛 = 𝜌𝑄1 𝑉 cos 𝜃

which is the force exerted on the fluid by the plate

 Applications of the momentum
equation contd.
We can further find out how much discharge goes along in each
direction on the plate. Along the plate, in the y-direction, the
total force must be zero, ∑ Fy =0, since friction is ignored.
Also in the y-direction:
V1y= Vsinθ, V2y=V, V3y= -V so

𝐹𝑦 = 𝜌 𝑄2 𝑉2𝑦 + 𝑄3 𝑉3𝑦 − 𝑄1 𝑉1𝑦

= 𝜌𝑉 𝑄2 − 𝑄3 − 𝑄1 sin 𝜃
= 𝜌𝑉 2 𝐴2 − 𝐴3 − 𝐴1 sin 𝜃

Setting this to zero, we get

𝐴2 − 𝐴3 − 𝐴1 sin 𝜃 = 0
 Applications of the momentum
equation contd.
and as found earlier we have
A1=A2+A3
so on solving

by which we readily obtain that

So we know how the discharge is divided between the two jets

leaving the plate
 Applications of the momentum
equation contd.
Flow past a pipe bend

Consider the pipe bend shown above. We may first draw a free
body diagram for the control volume with the forces:
 Applications of the momentum
equation contd.
Force due to the
pressure on the
inlet section

Force due to the

pressure on the inlet
section

Impact force the

Weight of bend is acting on
fluid in the the fluid inside the
control control volume
volume if the
bend is in a
vertical plane
 Applications of the momentum
equation contd.
Paying due regard to the positive x and y directions, we may
write the summation of forces in these two directions:

Relating these components to the net change of momentum flux

through the inlet and exit surfaces
 Applications of the momentum
equation contd.
From these two equations and using the continuity equation and
the Bernoulli equation, we may calculate the two force
components. The magnitude and direction of the resultant force
from the bend on the fluid are

As a reaction, the impact force on the pipe bend is equal in

magnitude, but opposite in direction to the one on the fluid.