EMM 3305 – Fluid Mechanics I

Tutorial 1

1)

A vacuum gage connected to a chamber reads 36 kPa at a location where the atmospheric pressure is
92 kPa. Determine the absolutre pressure in the chamber.

Solution The pressure in a vacuum chamber is measured by a vacuum gage.

The absolute pressure in the chamber is to be determined. 36 kPa
Pabs

Analysis The absolute pressure in the chamber is determined from

Patm = 92 kPa
Pabs = Patm − Pvac = 92 − 36 = 56 kPa

Discussion We must remember that “vacuum pressure” is the negative of gage pressure – hence
the negative sign.

2)

Determine the atmospheric pressure at a location where the barometric reading is 735 mmHg. Take
the density of mercury to be 13,600 kg/m3.

Solution The barometric reading at a location is given in height of mercury column. The
atmospheric pressure is to be determined.
Properties The density of mercury is given to be 13,600 kg/m3.
Analysis The atmospheric pressure is determined directly from
Patm = gh
 1N  1 kPa 
= (13,600 kg/m 3 )(9.81 m/s 2 )(0.735 m)  
 1000 N/m 2 
 1 kg  m/s
2

= 98.1 kPa
Discussion We round off the final answer to three significant digits. 100 kPa is a fairly typical value
of atmospheric pressure on land slightly above sea level.
3)

The absolute pressure in water at a depth of 8 m is read to be 175 kPa. Determine (a) the local
atmospheric pressure, and (b) the absolute pressure at a depth of 8 m in a liquid whose specific gravity
is 0.;78 at the same location.

Solution The absolute pressure in water at a specified depth is given. The local atmospheric
pressure and the absolute pressure at the same depth in a different liquid are to be determined.
Assumptions The liquid and water are incompressible.
Properties The specific gravity of the fluid is given to be SG = 0.78. We take the density of water to
be 1000 kg/m3. Then density of the liquid is obtained by multiplying its specific gravity by the density
of water,
 = SG   H 2O = (0.78)(1000 kg/m 3 ) = 780 kg/m 3
Patm
Analysis (a) Knowing the absolute pressure, the
atmospheric pressure can be determined from

h
Patm = P − gh
 1 kPa 
= (175 kPa) - (1000 kg/m 3 )(9.81 m/s 2 )(8 m)  
= 96.52 kPa  96.5 kPa  1000 N/m 2 

(b) The absolute pressure at a depth of 8 m in the other liquid is

P = Patm + gh
 1 kPa 
= (96.52 kPa) + (780 kg/m 3 )(9.81 m/s 2 )(8 m)  
= 157.7 kPa  158 kPa  1000 N/m 2 

Discussion Note that at a given depth, the pressure in the lighter fluid is lower, as expected.

4)

A pressure gage connected to a tank reads 350 kPa at a location where the barometric reading is 740
mmHg. Determine the absolute pressure in the tank. Take ρHg = 13,590 kg/m3.

Properties The density of mercury is given to be  = 13,590 kg/m3.

Analysis The atmospheric (or barometric) pressure can be expressed as Pabs
350kPa

Patm =  g h
 1N  1 kPa 
= (13,590 kg/m 3 )(9.807 m/s 2 )(0.740 m)   Patm = 740mmHg

 1 kg  m/s
2 2
 1000 N/m 
= 98.6 kPa
Then the absolute pressure in the tank becomes:

Pabs = Patm + Pgage = 98.6 + 350 = 448.6 kPa

5)

A mercury manometer ( = 13,600 kg/m3) is connected to an air duct to measure the pressure inside.
The difference in the manometer level is 10 mm, and the atmospheric pressure is 100 kPa. (a) Judging
from the figure, determine if the pressure in the duct is above or below the atmospheric pressure. (b)
Determine the absolute pressure in the duct.

Solution The air pressure in a duct is measured by a mercury manometer. For a given mercury-
level difference between the two columns, the absolute pressure in the duct is to be determined.
Properties The density of mercury is given to be  = 13,600 kg/m3.
Analysis (a) The pressure in the duct is above atmospheric
pressure since the fluid column on the duct side is at a lower level. 10 mm
Air
(b) The absolute pressure in the duct is determined from

P = Patm + gh
 1N  1 kPa 
= (100 kPa) + (13,600 kg/m 3 )(9.81 m/s 2 )(0.010 m)   
 1 kg  m/s 2  1000 N/m 2 
= 101.3 kPa   

Discussion When measuring pressures in a fluid flow, the difference between two pressures is
usually desired. In this case, the difference is between the measurement point and atmospheric
pressure.

6)
Freshwater and seawater flowing in parallel horizontal pipelines are connected to each other by a
double U-tube manometer as shown in the figure. Determine the pressure difference between the
two pipelines. Take the density of seawater at that location to be  = 1035 kg/m3. Can the air column
be ignored in the analysis?

Solution Fresh and seawater flowing in parallel horizontal pipelines are connected to each other
by a double U-tube manometer. The pressure difference between the two pipelines is to be
determined.

Air
hsea
hair
Sea
Fresh
water
water
hw
hHg
Mercury
Assumptions 1 All the liquids are incompressible. 2 The effect of air column on pressure is negligible.
Properties The densities of seawater and mercury are given to be sea = 1035 kg/m3 and Hg =
13,600 kg/m3. We take the density of water to be w =1000 kg/m3.
Analysis Starting with the pressure in the fresh water pipe (point 1) and moving along the tube
by adding (as we go down) or subtracting (as we go up) the gh terms until we reach the sea water
pipe (point 2), and setting the result equal to P2 gives

P1 +  w ghw −  Hg ghHg −  air ghair +  sea ghsea = P2

Rearranging and neglecting the effect of air column on pressure,

P1 − P2 = −  w ghw +  Hg ghHg −  sea ghsea = g (  Hg hHg −  w hw −  sea hsea )

Substituting,

P1 − P2 = (9.81 m/s 2 )[(13,600 kg/m 3 )(0.1 m)

 1 kN 
− (1000 kg/m 3 )(0.5 m) − (1035 kg/m 3 )(0.3 m)] 
 1000 kg  m/s 2 
 
= 5.39 kN/m 2 = 5.39 kPa

Therefore, the pressure in the fresh water pipe is 5.39 kPa higher than the pressure in the sea water
pipe.
Discussion A 0.70-m high air column with a density of 1.2 kg/m3 corresponds to a pressure
difference of 0.008 kPa. Therefore, its effect on the pressure difference between the two pipes is
negligible.

7)
Pressure is often given in terms of a liquid column and is expressed as ‘pressure head’. Express the
standard atmospheric pressure in terms of (a) mercury (SG =13.6), (b) water (SG = 1.0), and (c)
glycerine (SG = 1.26) columns. Explain why we usually use mercury in manometers.

Solution The standard atmospheric pressure is expressed in terms of mercury, water, and
glycerin columns.
Assumptions The densities of fluids are constant.
Properties The specific gravities are given to be SG = 13.6 for mercury, SG = 1.0 for water, and SG
= 1.26 for glycerin. The standard density of water is 1000 kg/m3, and the standard atmospheric
pressure is 101,325 Pa.
Analysis The atmospheric pressure is expressed in terms of a fluid column height as
Patm
Patm = gh = SG w gh → h=
SG w g
Substituting,

Patm 101,325 N/m2  1 kg  m/s 2 

(a) Mercury: h= = 2   = 0.759 m
SGw g 13.6(1000 kg/m )(9.81 m/s )  1 N/m2 
3
 Patm 101,325 N/m2  1 kg  m/s 2 
(b) Water: h= = 2   = 10.3 m
SGw g 1(1000 kg/m )(9.81 m/s )  1 N/m2 
3

Patm 101,325 N/m2  1 kg  m/s 2 

(c) Glycerin: h= = 2   = 8.20 m
SGw g 1.26(1000 kg/m )(9.81 m/s )  1 N/m 2 
3

Discussion Using water or glycerin to measure atmospheric pressure requires very long vertical
tubes (over 10 m for water), which is not practical. This explains why mercury is used instead of water
or a light fluid.

8)
Consider a double-fluid manometer attached to an air pipe shown in the figure. If the specific gravity
of one fluid is 13.55, determine the specific gravity of the other fluid for the indicated absolute
pressure of air. Take the atmospheric pressure to be 100 kPa.

Air

P = 76 kPa
40 cm
Fluid 2
22 cm SG2
Fluid 1
SG1

Solution A double-fluid manometer attached to an air pipe is considered. The specific gravity of
one fluid is known, and the specific gravity of the other fluid is to be determined.
Assumptions 1 Densities of liquids are constant. 2 The air pressure in the tank is uniform (i.e., its
variation with elevation is negligible due to its low density), and thus the pressure at the air-water
interface is the same as the indicated gage pressure.
Properties The specific gravity of one fluid is given to be 13.55. We take the standard density of
water to be 1000 kg/m3.
Analysis Starting with the pressure of air in the tank, and moving along the tube by adding (as
we go down) or subtracting (as we go up) the gh terms until we reach the free surface where the oil
tube is exposed to the atmosphere, and setting the result equal to Patm give

Pair +  1 gh1 −  2 gh2 = Patm → Pair − Patm = SG 2  w gh2 − SG1  w gh1

Rearranging and solving for SG2,

h1 Pair − Patm 0.22 m  ( 76 − 100) kPa   1000 kg  m/s 2 

SG 2 = SG1 + = 13.55 +   = 1.3363  1.34
h2 w gh2 0.40 m  (1000 kg/m3 )(9.81 m/s 2 )(0.40 m)   1 kPa  m 2 

Discussion Note that the right fluid column is higher than the left, and this would imply above
atmospheric pressure in the pipe for a single-fluid manometer.