ME 380 Midterm 2 Exam

Assigned at 10:00 AM Thursday, 11/4/2021

Due at 10:00 AM Friday, 11/5/2021

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2 Midterm 2-solutions.nb

Question 1
The following data was obtained from wind tunnel testing of a scale model:
Air speed (m / s) Drag force (N)
0 0.00
1 0.44
2 2.04
3 4.97
4 9.36
5 15.30

To understand this data more universally and to understand the effects of viscosity, it would help to
present this data nondimensionally as
A) Froude number vs Mach number
B) Weber number vs Euler number
C) Drag coefficient vs Reynolds number
D) Drag coefficient vs Froude number
V
The Froude number is describing speed versus gravity. The problem doesn’t really have anything
gL

to do with gravity.
ρ V2 L
The Weber number is σ
describing kinetic energy versus surface energy. The problem doesn’t really
have anything to do with surface tension.
Δp
The Euler number is describing pressure versus kinetic energy. There is no pressure difference that
ρ V2

can be calculated from the data.

F
The drag coefficient is 1 D2 2 describing the drag pressure versus a dynamic pressure. This is a useful
ρV L
2

number to describe the drag force.

ρV D
The Reynolds number is μ
describing inertial forces versus viscous forces. This is a useful number to
describe the air speed with respect to viscosity.

Thus, C is the correct answer since quantifying the drag force using the drag coefficient and quantify-
ing the air speed using the Reynolds number would be most relevant to the problem.
 Midterm 2-solutions.nb 3

Question 2
Which of the following velocity profiles best resembles fully-developed turbulent flow in a pipe?

A)

B)

C)

D)

A is the velocity profile for laminar flow with moving top plate and no pressure gradient (Couette flow)
B has a more square-like profile compared to the parabolic profile D, and is thus most likely turbulent
flow
C does not resemble any known velocity profile
D is parabolic, which could be for laminar flow in a tube or between parallel plates

The answer is B
4 Midterm 2-solutions.nb

Question 3
Consider the mechanical energy equation:
pB 1 p 1
+ VB 2 + g zB = A + V A 2 + g z A + w - loss
ρ 2 ρ 2

where loss ≥ 0

Select ALL true statements

a fluid particle will flow through point A before point B

a fluid particle will flow through point B before point A

points A and B do not lie on the same streamline

if a turbine is present, w < 0

if a pump is present, w < 0

if the fluid is perfectly inviscid, loss can be 0

The mechanical energy equation can be expressed

as
pout 1 p 1
+ Vout 2 + g zout = in + Vin 2 + g zin + wshaft,in - loss
ρ 2 ρ 2
flow energy out flow energy in

Bernoulli

Thus, it is a statement of energy conservation where the flow energy in + the net work in - losses is
equal to the flow energy out.

In this form, this mechanical energy equation resembles the Bernoulli equation; thus, we should still
think of two points on the same stream line. Point A (in) has to be before point B (out). If w < 0 that
means that the shaft work device must be removing energy from the fluid. A pump adds energy to a
fluid while a turbine removes energy. Losses occur due to heat transfer and viscous dissipation. If the
fluid was perfectly inviscid (not possible), then there would be no losses (assuming no other heat
transfer).

a fluid particle will flow through point A before point B

a fluid particle will flow through point B before point A

points A and B do not lie on the same streamline

if a turbine is present, w < 0

if a pump is present, w < 0

 Midterm 2-solutions.nb 5

if the fluid is perfectly inviscid, loss can be 0

6 Midterm 2-solutions.nb

Question 4
An elbow is to be attached to a pressurized water tank ptank = 15 kPa (gauge ). Water is to flow out of
the elbow into the ambient, atmospheric environment. The inner diameter of the elbow is 2 cm. The
loss coefficient of the elbow is KL = 0.3. Neglect gravitational and entrance effects. Assume the elbow
is massless. Use properties of water at 20°C.

(a) What is the flow rate out of the elbow? (4 points)

(b) Treating the elbow as a tube, what is the Reynolds number? Is the flow laminar or turbulent? (4
points)
(c) What horizontal force on the flange, F, is required to secure the elbow to the tank while the fluid is
flowing? (4 points)

(a)
The pressure at the inlet of the elbow is ptank (gauge) while the outlet pressure is 0 (gauge). The pres-
sure difference from the inlet to the outlet is ptank - 0 = ptank . Since the diameter doesn’t change, the
velocity at the inlet is the same as the outlet.
 Midterm 2-solutions.nb 7

From the definition of loss coefficient

Δp
KL = 1 2
ρV
2

where Δp = ptank
The velocity through the elbow is then
ptank
In[]:= KL  /. {KL  0.3, ptank  15 000, ρ  998.2}
1
ρ V2
2

Solve[%, V]
30.0541
Out[]= 0.3 
V2

Solve : Solve was unable to solve the system with inexact coefficients. The answer was obtaine d by solving a
cor responding exact system and numericizing the result .

Out[]= {{V  - 10.009}, {V  10.009}}

V = 10.009 m / s
2
The flowrate is then π  d2  V where d = 2 cm

d 2
In[]:= Qπ V /. {V  10.00901216825375`, d  0.02}
2
Out[]= Q  0.00314442

3
so Q = 0.00314 ms

(b)
8 Midterm 2-solutions.nb

Reynolds number is
ρV d
Re = μ

ρVd
In[]:= Reynolds  /. ρ  998.2, V  10.00901216825375`, d  0.02, μ  1.002 * 10-3 
μ
Out[]= Reynolds  199 421.

The Reynolds number is 199,000, which is greater than 4000 so the flow is turbulent.

(c)
Let’s draw a free body diagram on the fluid considering only horizontal forces since we are interested in
solving for a horizontal force (hence we only need to consider conservation of linear momentum in the
horizontal direction for this problem).

The force of the elbow pushing on the water, Few is directed from right to left.

If you draw a free body diagram of the elbow, you can convince yourself that Few is equal to F:

First, on the elbow, we draw Few in the opposite direction due to Newton’s third law. Then, we can see
that the force on the flange, F, must balance Few so F = Few
Let’s draw a control volume as such:
 Midterm 2-solutions.nb 9

Since this problem involves forces, let’s do a finite volume linear momentum conservation (horizonta-
lly).

   dA =
∫CV ρ u dV + ∫CS ρ u u · n ∑ Fx
∂
∂t
 d 2
0 ptank π  2  -F

The only place where u

u · n  has a nonzero value is at the inlet. We don’t consider the outlet because
u = 0 there (remember we’re only dealing with horizontal momentum conservation and u refers to the
x-component velocity).
   dA = p d 2
∫Ainlet ρ u  u · n tank π  2  - F

-u
2 d 2
-∫A ρ u dA = ptank π   - F
inlet 2
Since the flow is turbulent, we can make an approximation that the velocity profile is uniform so u = V
and
d 2 d 2
-ρ V 2 π   = ptank π   - F
2 2
Solving for F,
d 2 d 2
In[]:= - ρ V2 π  ptank π -F
2 2
Solve[%, F] /. {ρ  998.2, V  10.00901216825375`, d  0.02, ptank  15 000}
1 1
Out[]= - d2 π V2 ρ  - F + d2 π ptank
4 4

Out[]= {{F  36.1283}}

So the force on the flange is 36.1 N.

Alternative solution
You may have assumed the static pressure was for a location far away in the tank where V = 0. In that
case, using the mechanical energy equation,
p2 1 p 1
+ V2 2 + g z2 = 1 + V1 2 + g z1 + wshaft,in - 
loss
2 2
     
ρ ρ
Δp
1 0 0 0 0
0 V2 ptank ρ
2 ρ
1
Δp KL 2 ρ V 2 1
where the loss is pressure loss such that loss = ρ
=
ρ
=
2
KL V 2 so
1 ptank 1
2
V2 = ρ
-
2
KL V 2
10 Midterm 2-solutions.nb

1 ptank 1
In[]:= V2  - KL V2 /. {ptank  15 000, ρ  998.2, KL  0.3}
2 ρ 2
Solve[%, V]
V2
Out[]=  15.027 - 0.15 V2
2

Out[]= {{V  - 4.80817}, {V  4.80817}}

So the velocity would be 4.8 m/s

d 2
In[]:= Qπ V /. {V  4.808173919745376`, d  0.02}
2
Out[]= Q  0.00151053

The flow rate would 0.00151 m3  s

ρVd
In[]:= Reynolds  /. ρ  998.2, V  4.808173919745376`, d  0.02, μ  1.002 * 10-3 
μ
Out[]= Reynolds  95 798.8

The Reynolds number would be 95,800 (turbulent).

d 2 d 2
In[]:= - ρ V2 π  ptank π -F
2 2
Solve[%, F] /. {ρ  998.2, V  4.808173919745376`, d  0.02, ptank  15 000}
1 1
Out[]= - d2 π V2 ρ  - F + d2 π ptank
4 4

Out[]= {{F  11.9622}}

And the force would be 12.0 N

 Midterm 2-solutions.nb 11

Question 5
A pressurized water tank has a gauge pressure (p A ) of 35 kPa. A 4-mm-diameter pipe that is 50 m long
connects to another tank that is open to the atmosphere. The pipe has a roughness of 0.26 mm.
Assume fully-developed flow for the entirety of the pipe. Neglect gravitational effects. Use properties
of water at
20°C.

(a) Assuming the flow is laminar, what would the friction factor and Reynolds number be? (3 pts)
(b) Assuming the flow is turbulent, what would the friction factor and Reynolds number be? (3 pts)
(c) Is the flow laminar or turbulent? Which of the two Reynolds numbers calculated above is the true
Reynolds number? Explain your reasoning in a few sentences. (3 pts)
(d) What is the wall shear stress on the pipe? (3 pts)

(a)
Assuming the flow is laminar, we can use the Hagen-Poiseuille solution to relate f to Re where
64
︸f = Re 
Δp d
ρV d
1 2 l
ρV μ
2

Here, the pressure difference is Δp = 35 kPa

Solving for V
Δp d 64
In[]:=  /. Δp  35 000, ρ  998.2, d  0.004, l  50, μ  1.002 * 10-3 
1
ρV 2 l ρVd
2 μ

Solve[%, V]
0.0056101 0.0160609
Out[]= 
V2 V

Solve : Solve was unable to solve the system with inexact coefficients. The answer was obtaine d by solving a
cor responding exact system and numericizing the result .

Out[]= {{V  0.349301}}

12 Midterm 2-solutions.nb

Thus, the Reynolds number is 1390 assuming laminar flow

ρVd
In[]:= Reynolds  /. ρ  998.2, d  0.004, μ  1.002 * 10-3 , V  0.34930139720558884`
μ
Out[]= Reynolds  1391.91

And the friction factor is 0.0460 assuming laminar flow

Δp d
In[]:= f /. {ρ  998.2, d  0.004, l  50, V  0.34930139720558884`, Δp  35 000}
ρ V2 l
1
2

Out[]= f  0.0459801

(b)
In the previous part, we assumed laminar flow and got a velocity and Reynolds number associated with
that assumption. Here we solve for a different velocity and Reynolds numbers by making the assump-
tion of turbulent flow.

Assuming the flow is turbulent, we can use the Colebrook formula to relate f to Re where
1 ϵd 2.51
= -2.0 log + 
f 3.7 Re f
Δp d ρV d
Applying the definitions f = 1 2 l
and Re =
ρV μ
2

1 ϵd 2.51
= -2.0 log +
Δp d 3.7 ρV d Δp d
1 l μ 1 l
ρ V2 ρ V2
2 2

We have an equation where everything is known and only V is unknown. We can solve for V with a
computer.
1 ϵ/d 2.51
In[]:=  - 2.0 Log10 +  /.
Δp d 3.7 ρVd Δp d
1 1
ρ V2 l μ ρ V2 l
2 2

ρ  998.2, d  0.004, μ  1.002 * 10-3 , Δp  35 000, l  50, ϵ  0.26 * 10-3 

Solve[
%,
V]
13.351 0.00840966
Out[]=  - 0.868589 Log0.0175676 + 
1 1
V
V2 V2

Out[]= {{V  0.237496}}

We find that V = 0.237 m / s

 Midterm 2-solutions.nb 13

Thus, the Reynolds number is 946 assuming turbulent flow

ρVd
In[]:= Reynolds  /. ρ  998.2, d  0.004, μ  1.002 * 10-3 , V  0.23749585459476422`
μ
Out[]= Reynolds  946.381

And the friction factor is 0.0995 assuming turbulent flow

Δp d
In[]:= f /. {ρ  998.2, d  0.004, l  50, V  0.23749585459476422`, Δp  35 000}
ρ V2 l
1
2

Out[]= f  0.0994623

(c)

In part (a) and (b), we’re asked to figure out the resultant flow across a pipe with a given Δp. We
didn’t know whether the flow was laminar or turbulent, so we would have needed to try out both
assumptions and see which one gives us a Reynolds number that is consistent with the chosen
assumption.

In part (a), we assumed laminar; thus, the Reynolds number should be less than 2100 if this were
true. Indeed, we found the Reynolds number to be 1390, so our solution is consistent with the
laminar flow assumption.

In part (b), we assumed turbulent; thus, the Reynolds number should be greater than 4000 if this
were true. Instead, we found the Reynolds number to be 946, so our solution is NOT consistent with
the turbulent flow assumption.

Thus, the flow is laminar and the true Reynolds number is 1390.

(d)
Drawing a free body diagram on the flow horizontally:

Performing a linear momentum conservation horizontally

   dA =
∫ ρ u dV + ∫CS ρ u u · n ∑ Fx
∂

∂t CV 
d 2
0 p A π  2  -τw π d l
14 Midterm 2-solutions.nb

Since u is the same at the inlet and outlet, ∫CS ρ u

u · n  dA = 0 so
2
0 = p A π  d2  - τw π d l
Solving for τw
d 2
In[]:= 0  pA π - τw π d l
2
Solve[%, τw]
% /. {d  0.004, l  50, pA  35 000}
1
Out[]= 0 d2 pA π - d l π τw
4
d pA
Out[]= τw  
4l

Out[]= {{τw  0.7}}

We find that τw = 0.7 Pa