Experiment:01

t o o bs er v e l a mi na r , tr a ns i ti o n a l a n d t ur b ul e n t pi pe f l o w a n d
c a l c ul a t e r ey no l d s nu m be r us i ng o s bo r n e r ey no l ds '
d e mo ns tr a ti o n a p p a r a t us ex p er i m e n t o f f l ui d f l o w l a b r e po r t .

Demonstration:

I N T R O D UC T IO N

T h e ex p er i me n t i s co nd u c te d ma i n l y to s t u dy t he c r i te r i o n
o f l a m i n a r , tr a n s i ti o n a n d t ur b ul en t f l o w . I n f l ui d m e c ha ni cs ,
i n ter n a l f l o w i s de f i ne d a s a f l o w f o r w hi c h t h e f l ui d i s co nf i n ed
b y a s ur f a ce. T h e f l o w ma y b e l a mi na r o r t ur b ul en t. Os bo r ne
R e y no l ds (2 3 A u g u s t 1 83 2 – 2 1 F eb r ua r y 1 91 2 ) w a s a pr o mi ne n t
i n no v a to r i n t he u n d er s ta n di ng o f f l ui d dy na mi cs a n d m e ch a ni cs .

O s bo r ne R ey no l ds A p pa r a t us co ns i s ts o f w a te r r es o ur ce f o r
t h e s y s t em s u p pl y , f i x - h e a d w a ter i n p ut to b i g a n d s ma l l
t r a ns pa r e nt pi p es , d y e i n p ut by i n j e cti o n u ni t, a nd w a ter o u tp u t
u n i t to de te r mi ne w a t er f l o w r a te . T he l a m i n a r , tr a n s i t i o n a nd
t u r b ul e nt f l o w s ca n be o b ta i n e d by v a r y i n g t h e w a t er f l o w r a te
u s i ng t he w a t er o ut l e t co n tr o l v a l v e. W a t er f l o w r a t e a nd h en c e
t h e f l o w v el o ci ty i s me a s ur e d by th e v o l um et r i c me a s ur i n g ta n k.
T h e s up pl y t a n k c o ns i s ts o f g l a s s b e a d s to r e du c e f l o w
d i s t ur ba n ces . F l o w pa tt er ns a r e v i s ua l i z e d us i ng dy e i nj e c ti o n
t h r o u g h a ne ed l e v a l v e. T h e dy e i n j e cti o n r a t e ca n b e co nt r o l l ed
a n d a dj us t ed to i m p r o v e t he q ua l i t y o f f l o w pa tt er n s .

OBJECTIVES

1 . T o o bs er v e t h e c ha r a ct er i s ti cs o f l a mi na r , tr a ns i ti o n a nd
t u r b ul e nt f l o w .
2 . T o pr o v e t h a t the R ey no l ds n um be r i s di me ns i o n l es s by us i n g
t h e f o r m ul a ;
𝜌𝜈𝑑
𝑅𝑒 =
µ

3 . To visualize and sketch the flow pattern of a converging diverging nozzle to

give a parallel flow in the contracted outlet using different items.
A PP A R A T U S
* Os bo r n e r e y no l d s ’ a pp a r a t us

* D y e i nj ec to r w i t h n ee dl e v a l v e co nt r o l .

* R o ta me t er f l o w m e ter .

* Wa te r s up pl y f r o m a ta n k w i t h c l ea r te s t s e cti o n t u b e a n d “ bel l
m o ut h” en tr a n c e.

E X PE R IM E N T A L PR O C E D UR E S

T hi s e x p er i m en t d e mo ns tr a t es v i s u a l l y l a mi n a r (o r s tr ea ml i n e )
f l o w a n d i ts tr a ns i ti o n to t ur b ul en t f l o w a t a p a r ti c u l a r v el o c i ty .

1 . F i r s t l y , t he a p p a r a t us i s s e t u p a n d i ns er t t h e r ed d y e i n to
t h e dy e r es er v o i r w i t h a s t ea dy f l o w o f w a ter .
2 . T h e dy e i s a l l o w ed t o f l o w f r o m t he n o z zl e a t t h e en t r a n ce o f
t h e c ha n ne l u nti l a co l o r e d s tr e a m i s v i s i b l e a l o n g t he
p a s s a g e. T h e v e l o ci ty o f w a t er f l o w s ho ul d be i nc r ea s ed i f
t h e dy e a cc u m ul a t es a r o u n d t he n o z zl e.
3 . A dj us t t he w a te r f l o w u n ti l a l a m i n a r f l o w pa tt er n w hi c h i s a
s tr a i g ht t hi n l i n e o r s tr ea ml i n e o f d y e i s a bl e to b e s ee n a l o n g
t h e w ho l e pa s s a g e .
4 . C o l l e ct t h e v o l um e o f w a te r th a t f l o w s f o r 1 0 s ec o nd s t h en
m e a s ur e t he a mo u nt o f w a ter i n t h e v o l um et r i c m e a s ur i ng
t a nk. R e pe a t t hi s s t e p 3 t i m es to g e t t he a v er a g e a n d mo r e
a c c ur a t e v o l u me o f w a t er . T he v o l u m e f l o w r a t e i s c a l c ul a t ed
f r o m t h e v o l u me a n d a kn o w n ti me .
 5 . T h e w a te r f l o w r a t e i s i n cr ea s e d b y o p en i n g t he pi p e v es s e l
a n d t he f l o w pa tt er n o f t h e f l u i d i s o bs er v e d. R epe a t s te p 2 -
4 f o r tr a ns i ti o n a n d t ur b ul e n t f l o w .

C l ea n a l l t he a p pa r a tus a f t er th e e x p er i m en t i s do n e.

THEORY

I n f l ui d m e c ha ni cs , R ey no l ds N u mb e r (R e ) i s a di me ns i o nl e s s
n u m b er t ha t i s ex pr es s e d a s t he r a ti o o f i n er ti a l f o r c es ( p V 2 / L ) to
v i s co us f o r c es ( µV / L 2 ). T h us , t h e R e y no l ds n u m ber c a n be
s i m pl i f i e d a s f o l l o w i ng s ;

R e = ( pV 2 /L ) / ( µV / L 2 )

= p V L/ µ

W h er e p i s t he de ns i t y o f t he f l ui d , V i s t he me a n f l ui d v el o ci ty , L
i s a c h a r a c ter i s t i c l i n ea r di me ns i o n , a n d µ i s th e dy n a mi c
v i s co s i t y o f t h e f l ui d.

W h en a f l ui d f l o w s thr o u g h a p i pe t he i n te r n a l r o u g h ne s s
( e ) o f t he pi pe w a l l ca n cr e a t e l o ca l e d dy c u r r e n ts w i t hi n t he
f l ui d a d di n g a r es i s t a n c e to f l o w o f th e f l ui d. Pi pes w i t h s mo o t h
w a l l s s u ch a s g l a s s , co p p er , br a s s a n d po l y et hy l e ne h a v e o nl y a
s ma l l ef f e ct o n th e f r i cti o n a l r es i s ta n ce. Pi p es w i th l es s s m o o t h
w a l l s s u ch a s co nc r et e, ca s t i r o n a n d s t ee l w i l l cr ea t e l a r g er e d dy
c u r r en ts w hi c h w i l l s o me ti mes ha v e a s i g ni f i ca n t ef f e ct o n t h e
f r i c ti o na l r e s i s t a n c e. T h e v e l o ci t y p r o f i l e i n a pi p e w i l l s ho w t ha t
t h e f l ui d a t t h e ce n tr e o f t h e s tr ea m w i l l mo v e mo r e q ui c kl y t ha n
t h e f l ui d to w a r ds t h e e dg e o f th e s tr e a m. T her ef o r e f r i ct i o n w i l l
o c c ur b e tw e en l a y er s w i t hi n t h e f l u i d. F l ui ds w i t h a hi g h
v i s co s i t y w i l l f l o w m o r e s l o w l y a n d w i l l g e ne r a l l y n o t s u p po r t
e d dy c ur r e nts a nd t h er ef o r e th e i n t er na l r o u g hn es s o f th e pi pe
w i l l h a v e no ef f ec t o n th e f r i c ti o na l r es i s t a nc e. T hi s co nd i t i o n i s
k no w n a s l a mi na r f l o w .
R e y no l ds n u m ber b a s i c a l l y d et er mi n es t h e tr a n s i t i o n o f
f l ui d f l o w f o r m l a mi n a r f l o w to tu r b ul e n t f l o w . Wh e n th e v a l ue
o f R e y no l ds n u mb e r i s l es s t ha n 23 0 0 , l a mi na r f l o w w i l l o c c ur
a n d t h e r e s i s ta nc e to f l o w w i l l be i nd e pe n de n t o f t h e p i pe w a l l
r o ug h n es s (℮ ). M ea nw hi l e, t ur bu l en t f l o w o c c ur s w he n th e v a l u e
o f R e y no l ds n u mb e r i s ex c ee di n g 4 0 0 0.
F o r l a r g e v i s co us f o r c e, w he r e by R e v a l u e i s l es s th a n 23 00 ,
v i s co us ef f ec ts a r e g r ea t e no ug h t o d a m p a n y d i s tu r ba n ce i n t he
f l o w a n d th e f l o w r em a i ns l a mi na r . T he f l o w i s c a l l e d l a mi n a r
b e c a u s e th e f l o w t a k es pl a c e i n l a y er s . A ny co mb i na ti o n o f l o w
v el o ci ty , s m a l l di a m et er , o r h i g h k i ne ma ti c v i s co s i t y w h i ch
r es ul ts i n R e v a l ue o f l es s t ha n 230 0 w i l l pr o du c e l a mi n a r f l o w .
A s R e i n cr ea s es , t h e v i s co us da mp i ng o f f l o w di s tu r ba n ces o r
p e r t ur ba ti o ns dec r ea s es r e l a ti v e t o t he i n er ti a l ef f ec ts . B ec a us e
o f a l a ck o f v i s co u s da m pi ng , d i s tu r ba n ces a r e a mp l i f i e d u nti l t h e
e n ti r e f l o w br ea k s do w n i n to i n i r r eg ul a r mo ti o n. T h er e i s s t i l l a
d ef i ni t e f l o w di r e c ti o n , b u t t h er e i s a n i r r e g ul a r mo ti o n
s u per i m po s e d o n t h e a v er a g e mo ti o n. T h us , f o r t ur b u l e n t f l o w i n
a pi p e, t he f l ui d i s f l o w i ng i n th e d o w ns tr ea m di r ec t i o n, b ut f l u i d
p a r ti cl es ha v e a n i r r eg u l a r mo t i o n i n a d di ti o n to t he a v er a g e
m o t i o n. T h e t ur bu l en t f l u c tu a t i o ns a r e i n he r e n tl y u n s t ea dy a n d
t h r e e d i m e ns i o na l . A s a r es u l t , pa r ti c l es w hi c h p a s s t ho u g h a
g i v e n po i n t i n t he f l o w do no t f o l l o w th e s a m e p a th i n t ur b ul en t
f l o w ev en t ho u g h t h ey a l l a r e f l o w i ng g e n er a l l y do w ns t r e a m.
F l o w s w i t h 2 0 00 < R e < 4 00 0 a r e ca l l e d tr a ns i ti o n a l . T h e f l o w c a n
b e u ns ta bl e a nd t h e f l o w s w i t c h b a c k a nd f o r t h be tw ee n
t u r b ul e nt a n d l a m i na r co n di ti o ns .
Models of Flow Boundaries:
The bases of flow-boundaries inserted in the working section must be flush with
the glass sheet to prevent leakage of water beneath. Isolated models such as
cylinders should have bases machined at right angles to their vertical axes. Long
walls can be easily made of metal strips but their lower edges must be straight. The
strips may be kept vertical by short lengths of angle (Figure 11.2) fixed on the inner
side of the wall where there is usually no flow; spare cylinders or tees may be
placed on the horizontal legs of the angles to prevent movement of the wall. Any
grease on the models or the working section itself may be removed with a
detergent. Grease repel dust and flow patterns will thus be unrepresentative. All
traces of detergent must be carefully removed from surfaces after cleaning to
prevent the generation of foam a water flows through the tank.

Fig 11.2: Support for walls of The Mobile Bed and Flow Visualization Tank
Suitable depth and velocity of flow:
The hook and point gauge (item 12) can be used to determine the depth of the
water in the working section.

A depth of flow in the working section 40-60mm will usually be satisfactory for
most experiments. Average free-stream velocities (estimated by eye) should be in
the range 30-50mm/s unless otherwise stated in instructions. The flow may
become laminar below this range and may thus be unrepresentative of normally
turbulent flowy) Above this range surface waves and secondary currents may
become so important that a flow pattern intended to be two-dimensional will in
fact be three dimensional.

Recording of flow patterns:

Flow patterns may be recorded accurately (but expensively) on a photograph with

the camera mounted above the working section. The exposure time must be
adjusted by trial and error until a compromise is achieved in which the streak
arising from the fastest and slowest dust particles are neither too long nor too short
Students should sketch flow patterns accurately to scale on squared paper. In
steady flow the paths of dust particles coincide with the streamlines and thus it is
not at of the free stream the spacing between streamlines should be
correspondingly narrow, Figure 11.5 (a). For regions such as turbulent wakes where
the flow is locally unsteady it is more difficult to represent the flow pattern and two
sketches are often necessary. Figure 11.5 (a) shows the equivalent of a short time-
exposure photograph in which the path lines of dust particles in the wake clearly
illustrate the size and distribution of eddies; this sketch nevertheless fails to show
the stead) velocity distribution in the wake on which the turbulent components are
superimposed. Figure 11.5 (b) supplies this information in the form of the
streamline for the steady components in the wake. These components are deduced
from the general trends such as the entrainment process seen at C in Figure 11.5
(a). The combination of Figures 11.5 (a) and (b) thus provides a more complete
representation of the flow pattern; the former gives an 'instantaneous' view and
the latter a 'time averaged’ view of the motion.

Fig 7.3: Diverging Flow through the Mobile Bed and Flow Visualization Tank

Fig 7.4: Boundaries formed by Tees in the Mobile Bed and Flow Visualization Tank
Fig 7.5: Flow about a cylinder in the Mobile Bed and Flow Visualization Tank
R E S U LT S

Volume Flow Rate Velocity,

Time Reynolds Type of
( × 10-5 ( × 10-5 V
(s) No. Flow
m3) m3/s) (m/s)
1 3 8.40 2.80 0.1393 2228.8 laminar

2 8.00 2.67 0.1328 2124.8 laminar

3

3 9.60 3.20 0.1592 2547.2 transition

3

4 9.40 3.13 0.1557 2491.2 transition

3

5 13.0 4.33 0.2153 3444.8 transition

3

6 12.4 4.13 0.2054 3286.4 transition

3

7 18.0 6.00 0.2984 4774.4 turbulent

3

8 17.2 5.73 0.2850 4560.0 turbulent

3

9 16.8 5.60 0.2785 4456.0 turbulent

3
S A M P LE C A L C U LA T IO N S

Data Given:

Times = 3 sec

Density of water, ρ= 1000 kg/m³

Viscosity, μ = 10.00 x 10-4 Ns/m²

Diameter of tube, d = 16 x 10ˉ³ m

Length, l = 0.103 m

Area of cross passage, a = πd²/4

= π (16 x 10ˉ0³) / 4

= 2.0106 x 10ˉ4 m²

From experiment:

Laminar Flow:

Volume flow rate = volume/ time

= 8.4 x 10-5 m3 / 3s

= 2.8 x 10-5 m3/s

Velocity, v = (m / ρa) = volume flow rate / area

= 2.8 x 10-5 m3/s ÷ 2.0106x 10-4 m2

= 0.1393 m/s

Reynolds number, Re = ρvd / μ

= (1000 kgm-3 x 0.1393 m/s x 16 x 10-3 m) ÷ 10.00 x 10-4Ns/m2

= 2228.8

* For laminar flow Re should be less than 2300.

Transition Flow:

Volume flow rate = volume/ time

= 9.6 x 10-5 m3 ÷ 3s

= 3.2 x 10-5 m3/s

Velocity, v = (m / ρa) = volume flow rate / x area

= 3.2 x 10-5 m3/s ÷ 2.0106 x 10-4m

= 0.1592 m/s

Reynolds number, Re = ρvd / μ

= (1000 kgm-3 x 0.1592 m/s x 16x 10-3m) ÷ 10.00 ˉ4 Ns/m²

= 2547.2

*For transition flow Re should be in between 2300 and 4000

Turbulent Flow:

Volume flow rate = volume/ time

= 16.8 x 10-5 m3 ÷ 10s

= 5.60 x 10-5 m3/s

Velocity, v = (m / ρa) = volume flow rate / area

 = 5.60 x 10-5 m3/s ÷ 2.0106 x 10-4m2

= 0.2785 m/s

Reynolds number, Re = ρvd / μ

= (1000kgm-3x 0.2785 m/s x 0.016m) ÷ 10.00 x 10ˉ4 Ns/m²

= 4456.0

*For turbulent flow Re should be more than 4000

D IS C U S SI O N

I t i s n e ce s s a r y to k no w th e di f f er e n c es be tw e e n l a mi n a r ,
t u r b ul e nt a n d tr a ns i ti o n f l o w b ef o r e o n e i s a bo u t t o co n d u ct th i s
e x p er i m en t. A s f o r l a m i na r f l o w , i t i s def i ne d a s a h i g hl y o r der e d
f l ui d mo t i o n w i th s mo o t h s tr e a ml i n es . T ur b ul en t f l o w i s m u c h
d i f f e r en t w i th l a m i na r , a s i t i s a h i g h l y di s o r d er ed f l ui d mo ti o n
c h a r a c t er i ze d by v el o ci ty a n d f l u ct u a t i o n s a nd e d di es , w h er e a s
t r a ns i ti o n f l o w i s k no w n a s a f l o w t h a t co nt a i ns bo t h l a mi na r a n d
t u r b ul e nt r eg i o ns .

B a s e d o n R ey no l d s a p pa r a t us ex pe r i me n t, l a mi n a r f l o w i s
o bt a i ne d w he n a s i n g l e o r d er ed l i n e i s s e e n a f ter a t hi n f i l a m e nt
o f dy e i s i nj e ct ed i nto t he tr a ns pa r e n t g l a s s t u be. T h er e i s no t
m u c h di s p er s i o n o f dy e c a n b e o bs er v ed t hr o ug ho u t t he f l o w i n g
f l ui d. N e v er t he l es s , t h e c a s e i s no t t he s a me w i t h t u r b ul e n t f l o w ,
a s t he r e i s o bv i o u s di s pe r s i o n o f d y e a l o ng t he g l a s s t ub e,
w her e by th e l i n es o f dy e b r ea ks i n to my r i a d e n ta ng l e d thr ea ds o f
d y e.

T hr o u g ho u t t h e e x p er i m en t , w e o bs er v e d t ha t t he r e d dy e
l i n e s ta r ts f l o w i ng i n a s tr a i g h t o r d e r e d l i n e t hr o ug h th e g l a s s
t u b e, a n d a s t he v el o ci ty i n cr ea s es a f t er s o me ti me , th e o r de r e d
s tr e a ml i ne s i s s ee n to be g i n to di s pe r s e a t a bo u t th e mi d dl e o f
t h e s tr e a m l i nes , b u t s ti l l r e ma i n th e s tr a i g h t l i ne a t t he ea r l i er
p a r t. N ex t, t he di s p er s i o n s ta r te d to i n cr ea s e , i nd i c a ti ng t he
t u r b ul e nt f l o w . T h es e o bs e r v a ti o ns a r e co n cl ud e d a s t he
s tr e a ml i ne s i s und e r g o i ng a c h a n g e o f ty p e o f f l o w , w hi c h i s f r o m
l a m i n a r f l o w , tr a n s i ti o n f l o w to tu r b ul e n t f l o w .

T h er e a r e a f ew c a r el es s mi s ta kes th a t ha v e be e n d o ne
d u r i ng t hi s ex p er i m en t. M o s t o f a l l , th e a c c ur a cy o f co l l e ct i n g
t h e f l ui d f l o w i n g o ut o f t he tu b e w i t hi n 3 s e co n ds i s a b i t
i na c c ur a t e. T he o ne w ho co l l e ct t h e f l ui d mi g h t no t b eg i n r i g ht
w he n th e per s o n m o n i to r i ng t h e s t o pw a t c h s ta r te d t i cki n g o n i t ,
a n d he /s he mi g ht a l s o no t s to p co l l e c ti ng e x a ct l y a f t er t h e t hi r d
s e co n d. T h er e f o r e , th e v a l ues ca l c u l a te d i n r es ul ts s e cti o n mi g h t
n o t b e ex a c tl y 10 0% co r r e ct.

C O N C L US IO N

A s a co n cl us i o n , a s w a t er f l o w r a te i s i n cr e a s i ng , th e
R e y no l ds n u m ber w i l l a uto ma ti ca l l y i nc r e a s e a s w el l , a n d t h e r e d
d y e l i ne c ha n g e f r o m s tr a i g ht l i n e to s w i r l i n g s tr ea m l i n es .
L i k ew i s e, i t i s pr o v e n t ha t R ey no l d s nu m be r i s di me ns i o nl e s s ,
s i n c e no u ni t i s r e p r es e nti n g t he v a l ue o f R ey no l ds n um b er .
L a mi na r f l o w i s o b t a i ne d i f t he R ey no l ds n u mb er i s l es s t h a n
2 3 0 0; me a nw h i l e t h e R ey no l ds n um b er f o r t ur bu l en t f l o w i s mo r e
t h a n 4 00 0. T h e R e y no l ds nu m be r f o r tr a ns i ti o n f l o w i s i n
b e tw e e n 2 3 00 u nt i l 40 0 0.

R E C O MM E N D A T IO N S

T h er e a r e s o me r e co m m en d a ti o ns to ma ke s ur e th i s e x p er i m en t
w o ul d a tt a i n mo r e a cc ur a t e a n d pr e ci s e r es ul ts i n t h e f ut ur e :

 C h e ck w h e th er th e w a t er i n t h e t u b e f l o w s i n a co r r e ct w a y
a n d w e s ho ul d a l s o ma ke s ur e t ha t t he f l o w i s s t a b l e b ef o r e
m e a s ur i ng t he f l o w r a t e by mo ni t o r i ng t h e t i m e t a ke n f o r
c o l l e ct i n g a n a mo u nt o f w a t er i n t h e v o l u m etr i c m e a s ur i ng
t a nk.

 B ef o r e i n j e c ti ng t h e dy e i n to t h e f l ui d , w e s ho ul d m a ke s ur e
t h e d y e i s no t to o mu c h a n d no t to o i ns uf f i ci e nt . I t w i l l be
h a r d to s t a b l e t he f l ui d to g e t a l a mi n a r f l o w .

 T h e ex p er i me n t s ho ul d b e r epe a te d tw i c e to g e t b et t er
r es ul t.

 T h e p e r s o n co l l ec t i n g t he w a ter s h o ul d s y n c hr o ni ze w el l w i t h
t h e t i m e k ee p er .
REFERENCES

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