INTERNAL FLOW

A/Prof Shaun Chan

https://research.unsw.edu.au/projects/advanced-combustion-diagnostics-
laboratory

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Laminar and Turbulent Flow in Pipes

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Pipes / Tubes
Snowy Hydro Tumut Power Station
The Tumut 3 (T3) Power Station has 6 penstocks (pipelines) that feed water from
the reservoir that provide energy to operate the power station. These pipelines
were constructed between 1968 to 1973 and previously re-painted in 1997. Since
then, they have accumulated a significant amount of dirt that causes a negative
appearance for the company. Due to this, the penstocks need to be cleaned.
• Penstocks are dirty.
• Need to be cleaned for aesthetic (PR) purposes.
• Terrain and location prevents safe access for manual cleaning.
• Requires a solution that doesn't involve physically scaling pipe or use of heavy
infrastructure such as scaffolding.
• ‘Ideal’ device is something that can be attached to pipe and left to do the job,
top to bottom.
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Head Loss (Pressure Drop) in a Pipe Flow
Energy Equation:

, ,

Head loss:

Pressure drop due to pipe friction:

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Laminar Flow in Pipes
We consider steady, laminar, incompressible flow of a fluid with constant
properties in the fully developed region of a straight circular pipe.

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Can we show that:

Convenient to work with average quantity, despite slight loss in accuracy ...
Expression for average mass flux:

Noting that we are dealing with circular surface:

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Integration gives:

Noting that:

Combination of and expressions gives:

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Example W8-1 Derive Drag Force Expression
In regions far from the entrance, fluid flow through a circular pipe is one dimensional, and the
velocity profile for laminar flow is given by:

where is the radius of the pipe, is the radial distance from the centre of the pipe, and is
the maximum flow velocity, which occurs at the centre.
Demonstrate that the drag force applied by the fluid on a section of the pipe of length can be
represented by:

(Hint: Drag force is shear stress multiple by area…)

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Darcy Friction Factor for Laminar Flow
Considering that the expression for pressure drop is:

What is the Darcy friction factor for a laminar flow flowing through a pipe with a length of ?
For laminar flow:

Rearranging:

Noting that:

Therefore:

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Darcy Friction Factor for Laminar Flow
Noting that:

And:

Equating them will give you…

Can we express as a function of ?

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Example W8-2 Pressure Drop
Horizontal Pipe
Water at 10°C ( = 999.7 kg/m3 and = 1.307 × 10-3 kg/m · s) is flowing steadily in a 0.2-cm-
diameter, 15-m-long pipe at an average velocity of 1.2 m/s. Determine (a) the pressure drop, (b) the
head loss, and (c) the pumping power requirement to overcome this pressure drop.

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Laminar Flow in Non-Circular
Pipes
The friction factor f relations are given
for fully developed laminar flow in
pipes of various cross sections.
The Reynolds number for flow in these
pipes is based on the hydraulic
diameter , where is
the cross-sectional area of the pipe
and is its wetted perimeter.

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Example W8-3 Square Channel
Consider laminar flow of a fluid through a square channel with smooth surfaces. Now the average
velocity of the fluid is doubled. Determine the change in the head loss of the fluid. Assume the flow
regime remains unchanged.

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Turbulent Flow in Pipes
Turbulent flow is characterized by disorderly and rapid fluctuations of swirling
regions of fluid, called eddies, throughout the flow.

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Turbulent Velocity Profile
The very thin layer next to the wall where viscous effects are
dominant is the viscous sublayer.
The velocity profile in this layer is very nearly linear, and the
flow is streamlined.
Next to the viscous sublayer is the buffer layer, in which
turbulent effects are becoming significant, but the flow is still
dominated by viscous effects.
Above the buffer layer is the overlap layer, in which the
turbulent effects are much more significant, but still not
dominant.
Above that is the turbulent layer in the remaining part of the
flow in which turbulent effects dominate over molecular
diffusion (viscous) effects.
Pressure drop:
The velocity profile in fully developed
pipe flow is parabolic in laminar flow,
but much fuller in turbulent flow.
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Empirical Correlations for the Darcy Friction Factor
The friction factor in fully developed turbulent
pipe flow depends on the Reynolds number
and the relative roughness .
𝟎.𝟐𝟓 Blasius equation for a
smooth pipe ( = 0)

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Empirical Correlations for the Darcy Friction Factor
Colebrook equation (for smooth and rough pipes):

You prefer an explicit correlation????

Haaland equation:
.

Warning:
If you ever heard of “Fanning friction factor”, it is one fourth of the Darcy friction
factor:
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The Moody Chart

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Example W8-4 Pressure Drop
Horizontal pipe
Water at 15°C ( = 999.1 kg/m3 and = 1.138 x 10-3 kg/m · s) is flowing steadily in a 5-cm-
diameter, 30-m-long horizontal pipe made of stainless steel at a rate of 9 litre/s. Determine (a) the
pressure drop, (b) the head loss, and (c) the pumping power requirement to overcome this
pressure drop.

0.016

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