Shear Stress Variation in Circular Conduits

Local shear stress (τo) varies from point to point around the perimeter of all
conduits (regardless whether the wall is smooth or rough), so we define the
average shear stress (average shear stress per unit area) at the conduit wall is
given by
1 P
 o    o dP
P 0

In case of a circular pipe flowing full, the shear stress at the wall is the same at
all points on the perimeter as shown in the Figure.

1
 Shear Stress Variation
For a circular pipe flowing full, Rh = r0/2, where ro is the radius of the pipe

L 2 o L
hf   o hf  1
Rh  ro 

Where the local shear stress at the wall, τo , is equal to the average shear stress τo,
because of symmetry.
For a cylindrical fluid body of radius r concentric with the pipe, if h  2 L
2
r
f
we follow a development similar to that of wall shear, we can get that

r
Equating Equations 1 and 2  o
ro
Shear stress is zero at the center of the pipe and increases linearly with the
radius to a maximum value τo at the wall. This is true regardless of whether the
flow is laminar or turbulent.

2
 Shear Stress Variation
hf   o
L  o o 4L
hf   o 3
Rh  Rh = D/4 D

L V2
Darcy-Weisbach Equation hf  f 4
D 2g

Equating Equations 3 and 4

f V2 f V2
o    
4 2g 4 2

It can be used to compute τo for flow in a circular pipe for any

experimentally determined value of f.

3
 Laminar Flow in Circular Pipes
du
Newton’s law of Viscosity  
dy
Where u is the value of the velocity at a du
  
distance y from the boundary. As y = ro – r, so dr
2 L du 2 L hf 
hf  h f   du   r dr
r 2 dr r  2 L
Integrating
hf 
u r2  C
4 L

B. C. 1: hf 
at pipe center r = 0
, u  umax  r2
4 L
u = Vc= umax then C = umax
4
 hf  hf 
u  umax  r 2  umax  k r 2 5 k
4 L 4 L
This equation shows that the velocity profile is a parabola.

B.C. 2: At the wall we have no-slip boundary condition,

i.e. u = 0 when r = ro, from Equation 5 then k = Vc/ro2

Equation 5 can be represented as  r2 

u  VC 1  2 
 ro 
VC  k ro
2

hf  hf 
VC  umax  ro 
2 2
D
4 L 16 L
5
 The rate of discharge is equivalent to the volume of a solid bounded by the
velocity profile, which is paraboloid with a maximum height of umax.

The mean height of a paraboloid is one-half the maximum height, and

hence the mean velocity V is 0.5 umax. Thus h
V 
f 2
D
 L L 32 L
h f  32 V  32  V
 D 2
gD 2

It is the Hagen-Poiseulle Law for laminar flow in tubes.

L V2
Darcy-Weisbach Equation h f  f
D 2g
Comparing these Laws 64 64
f  
DV R
This equation shows that in laminar flow, the friction factor is a function of the
Reynolds number only and is independent of the roughness of the pipe surface.
6
Problem 8.2.2
Oil with a kinematic viscosity of 0.185 St is flowing through a 150-mm
diameter pipe. Below what velocity will the flow be laminar.

ν = 0.185 St (Stoke) = 0.185 x 10-4 m2/sec

D = 150 mm = 0.15 m
DV DV
R  
 

0.15V
R  4
 2000 So V < 0.247 m/sec
0.185 x10

7
Problem 8.5.4
Oil (s = 0.92) of viscosity of 0.00038 m2/s flows in a 100-mm diameter pipe at
a rate of 0.64 L/s. Find the head loss per unit length.

V = Q/A = 4*0.00064/(π x 0.12) = 0.0815 m/s

DV DV
R  
 
0.1x0.0815
R   21.44  2000 So Flow is Laminar
0.00038
f = 64/R = 64/21.44 = 2.98
1 V2
hf / L  f
D 2g

hf/L = 2.98(1/0.10)(0.0815)2/(2x9.81)
= 0.01010 m per meter

8
Problem 8.3
Two pipes, one circular and one square, have the same cross-sectional area.
Which has the largest hydraulic radius, and by what percentage?

Circular pipe, diameter D, and square pipe, side a, have

same cross-sectional area so
A D
  1/ 2
a  2
D 2
a D
4 2
A a
Rh  A / P  ( / 4) D /( D)  0.25D
2

Rh  A / P  a 2 /( 4 a)  a / 4  0.22D
Rh ratio  0.25D / 0.222D  1.128

So circular pipe has larger Rh, by 12.8 %

9
Problem 8.5
Two long pipes convey water between two reservoirs whose water surfaces
are at different elevations. One pipe has a diameter twice that of the other;
both pipes have the same length and the same value of f. If minor losses are
neglected, what is the ratio of the flow rates through the two pipes?

Pipe-1 has diameter D and Pipe-2 has a diameter 2D Pipe-1 D

L V2 L Q2 Q2
hf  f hf  f hf  5
D 2g D ( / 4 D) 2 2 g D
Pipe-2 2D
(h f )1  (h f ) 2  Q1   Q2 
2 2
 5  5 
D  D 
 1   2 
5/ 2
Q2  D2 
    (2)5 / 2  5.66
Q1  D1 

So the flow in the larger pipe will be 5.66 times that in the smaller pipe.
10
Problem 8.6.1
When fluid of specific weight 8.2 kN/m3 flows in a 150-mm diameter pipe,
the frictional stress between the fluid and the pipe wall is 25 N/m2. Calculate
the friction head loss per meter of pipe. If the flow rate is 42 L/s, how much
power is lost per meter of pipe?

Rh = D/4 = 0.15/4 = 0.0375 m

L
hf   o hf = (25 x 1)/(0.0375 x 8200) = 0.0813 m/m
Rh 

Power Loss/m = γ Q hf

= 8200 x 0.042 x 0.0813 = 28 W/m

11
Problem 8.7.1
An oil with kinematic viscosity of 0.004 ft2/sec weighs 62 lb/ft3. What will be its
flow rate and head loss in a 2750 ft length of 1 3-inch diameter pipe when the
Reynolds number is 950?
DV DV
R  
 
950 x0.004
V   15.2 fps
(3 / 12)

Q  AV  ( / 4)(3 / 12) 2 x15.2  0.746 cfs

f  64 / R  64 / 950  0.0673

L V2
hf  f
D 2g

hf = 0.0673(2750)(15.2)2/(2x32.2x3/12)
= 2655 ft 12