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2.5 SHELL
MOMENTUM
BALANCES
AND VELOCITY
DISTRIBUTIONS
IN LAMINAR FLOW

 In this chapter we show how to obtain the

velocity profiles for laminar flows of fluids in
simple flow systems.

 These derivations make use of the definition of

viscosity, the expressions for the molecular and
convective momentum fluxes, and the concept of a
momentum balance.

 Once the velocity profiles have been obtained, we can

then get other quantities such as the maximum
velocity, the average velocity, or the shear
stress at a surface.

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 Apply only to steady flow - the pressure,

density, and velocity components at each point
in the stream do not change with time

SHELL MOMENTUM BALANCES

AND BOUNDARY CONDITIONS

 keep in mind that the molecular momentum flux

includes both the pressure and the viscous
contributions
𝑚𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑢𝑚 𝑘𝑔
𝑚𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑢𝑚 𝑓𝑙𝑢𝑥 = =
𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒 × 𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑎 𝑚 ∙ 𝑠2

𝑚𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑢𝑚 𝑘𝑔∙𝑚
𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑚𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑢𝑚 = = 𝑚𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑢𝑚 𝑓𝑙𝑢𝑥 × 𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑎 = @ Newton (Force)
𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒 𝑠2

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 The procedure in this chapter for setting up and

solving viscous flow problems is as follows:
i) Identify the nonvanishing velocity
component and the spatial variable on which
it depends.
ii) Write a momentum balance of the form of Eq.
2.1-1 over a thin shell perpendicular to the
relevant spatial variable.
iii) Let the thickness of the shell approach zero
and make use of the definition of the first
derivative to obtain the corresponding
differential equation for the momentum flux.
iv) Integrate this equation to get the momentum-
flux distribution

v) Insert Newton's law of viscosity and

obtain a differential equation for the
velocity
vi) Integrate this equation to get the
velocity distribution
vii) Use the velocity distribution to get other
quantities, such as the maximum velocity,
average velocity, or force on solid surfaces

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Boundary conditions (statements about the

velocity or stress at the boundaries of the system)
are as follows:

i) At solid-fluid interfaces, the fluid velocity

equals the velocity with which the solid
surface is moving; this statement is applied
to both the tangential and the normal
component of the velocity vector. The equality
of the tangential components is referred to as
the "no-slip condition.'‘

ii) At a liquid-liquid interfacial plane of constant

x, the tangential velocity components vy and vz
are continuous through the interface (the "no-
slip condition") as are also the molecular
stress-tensor components p + τxx, τxy, and τxz.

iii) At a liquid-gas interfacial plane of constant x,

the stress-tensor components τxy and τxz are
taken to be zero, provided that the gas-side
velocity gradient is not too large. This is
reasonable, since the viscosities of gases are
much less than those of liquids.

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Assumption: no adsorption, absorption,

dissolution, evaporation, melting, or chemical
reaction at the surface between the two phases

2.5.1 FLOW OF A FALLING FILM

 The flow of a liquid down an inclined flat plate of
length L and width W, as shown in Fig. 2.2-

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 Such films have been studied in connection

with wetted-wall towers, evaporation and gas-
absorption experiments, and applications of
coatings.
 We consider the viscosity and density of
the fluid to be constant.
 For small flow rates we expect that the viscous
forces will prevent continued acceleration of the
liquid down the wall, so that vz will become
independent of z in a short distance down the
plate. Therefore it seems reasonable to
postulate that vz = vz(x), vx = 0, and vy = 0,
and further that p = p(x).

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 we set up a z-momentum balance over this

shell, which is a region of thickness ∆x,
bounded by the planes z = 0 and z = L, and
extending a distance W in the y direction

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Flow of liquid down an inclined flat plate of length L and width W.

Neglect the entrance and exit disturbances.
For a low flow rate, the viscous force will prevent continued acceleration of fluid down the plate.
1. Choose the suitable coordinate ( rectangle, cylindrical or spherical).
Tips: select one of the axis to follow the direction of flow, (x? y? z?)
2. Visualize the flow and identify in which direction the velocity = zero @ not zero
vx =
vy =
vz = Entrance disturbance
z x
3. Find out if this v is a function of x, y or z y
vi = f (x,y,z) ?
Does vi changes with x ?
L
Does vi changes with y ?
Does vi changes with z ?
β = shell
4. Find out the boundary
for this system. Exit disturbance
Direction of gravity

Liquid film
Schematic diagram (side view) of the falling film experiment

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 We can include all the possible mechanisms for

momentum transport at once:

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 Equation is divided by L W ∆x, and the limit taken as ∆x

approaches zero, we get

 eq 2eq 2.2-7

 The first term on the left side is exactly the definition of

the derivative of φxz with respect to x. Therefore Eq. 2.2-7
becomes

 eq 2.2-8

eq 2.2-9a

eq 2.2-9b

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In accordance with the postulates that vz = vz(x), vx = 0, vy = 0,

and p = p(x), we see that:
 (i) since vx = 0, the ρvxvz term in Eq. 2.2-9a is zero;

 (ii) since vz= vz (x), the term -2µ(dvz/dz) in Eq. 2.2-9b is

zero;
 (iii) since vz= vz (x), the term ρvzvz is the same at z = 0 and z
= L; and
 (iv) since p = p(x), the contribution p is the same at z = 0
and z = L. Hence τxz depends only on x, and Eq. 2.2-8
simplifies to

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 Integrate the equation:

 The constant of integration may be evaluated by

using the boundary condition at the gas-
liquid interface:
 B.C 1

Substitution of this boundary condition get C1=0.

Therefore the momentum-flux distribution is:

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 Next we substitute Newton's law of viscosity

 Substitute in the following equation,

 Then, get this equation:

(differential equation
for velocity distribution)

 Integrate the equation:

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 The constant of integration is evaluated by using

the no-slip boundary condition at the solid
surface:
 B.C 2

Get C2:
Finally, we get velocity distribution as follows:

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 Then, we can calculate:

𝑣𝑧

𝑣max

𝛿 x
𝑉𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒/𝑡𝑖𝑚𝑒
𝑣𝑧 =
𝐴𝑟𝑒a

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 The mass rate of flow:

 Film thickness:

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 For falling films the Reynolds number is defined by Re =

4δ<vz>ρ/μ. The three flow regime are then:

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