Department of Mechanical Engineering I.I.T.

Kharagpur ME21101 Fluid Mechanics Autumn 2012 Assignment on solution of Navier-Stokes equations

1. Consider plane Couette flow with an applied pressure gradient. The system consists of two large parallel plates spaced a distance h apart. The lower plate is fixed, while the upper plate moves with a speed U in its own plane. Assume that the flow between the plates is parallel, incompressible and steady, and the fluid is a Newtonian fluid. (a) Obtain an expression for the skin-friction factor at the top wall. (b) Obtain an expression for the skin-friction factor at the bottom wall. (c) Determine the pressure gradient for which the drag force on the lower plate is zero. (d) Determine the pressure gradient for which the drag force on the upper plate is zero. (e) Determine the pressure gradient for which the volume flow rate is zero. (f) Determine the range of values of the pressure gradient for which the maximum velocity is large than U. (g) Determine the range of values of the pressure gradient for which there is reverse flow in the channel.

2. Consider plane Poiseuille flow between two large horizontal parallel plates. The distance between the plates is h. (a) Obtain expressions for the skin-friction factor at the two walls. (b) Obtain a relation between the maximum velocity and the applied pressure gradient. (c) Obtain a relation between the average velocity and the applied pressure gradient. (d) Obtain a relation between the average velocity and the maximum velocity. 3. A layer of oil of thickness a and viscosity 0 floats on top of a layer of water of thickness b and viscosity w . Both the layers are contained between two large flat horizontal plates (the distance between the plates is a + b). The lower plate is stationary, while the upper plate moves with a speed U on its own plane. There is no externally applied pressure gradient. Derive expressions for (a) the speed Vi of the water-oil interface, and (b) the volumetric flow rates of oil and water per unit width. Express your answer in terms of the known parameters a, b, 0 , w and U.