ME313- Fluid mechanics lab

Expt- 3b) Free Vortex

Rajat Jain 09003005 AIM:- To obtain the surface profile in a free vortex flow. APPARATUS:- The setup consists of an open transparent cylinder which is stationary at its
base. At the bottom centre of the graduated carriage an orifice discharge has been given to create free vortex. Suitable arrangements for water supply, drainage and traveling of pointer are provided.

THEORY:The motion of the fluid swirling rapidly around a center is called a vortex. When water flows out of a vessel through a central hole in the base, a free vortex is formed, the degree of rotation being dependent on initial disturbance. The water moves spirally towards the centre with streamline motion, so that, neglecting losses caused by viscosity, the energy per unit mass remains constant. If, while the mass of water is rotating, the central exit hole is plugged, the flow of water in the vertical plane ceases and the motion becomes one of simple rotation in the horizontal plane, and is known as a Free Cylindrical Vortex. In the free vortex 1. 2. 3. 4. Fluid particles move in circles about a point. The only non-trivial velocity component is tangential. This tangential speed varies with radius r so that same circulation is maintained. Thus, all the streamlines are concentric circles about a given point where the velocity along each streamline is inversely proportional to the distance from the centre. This flow is necessarily irrotational.

PROCEDURE:1. Clean the apparatus and make All Tanks free from Dust and Close the drain valves provided. 2. Fill Sump tank with water and ensure that no foreign particles are there. 3. Open Flow Control Valve given on the discharge line. Ensure that all On/Off Switches given on the Panel are at OFF position. 4. Now switch on the Main Power Supply (220 V AC, 50 Hz) and switch on the Pump. 5. Operate the Flow Control Valve to regulate the discharged (so that the level in the cylinder is to be maintained). 6. Now open the orifice provided at the center of the bottom of the cylinder in order to allow the water to flow out at the steady state. 7. When conditions become steady, take the surface profile readings with the help of a pointer provided just beneath the water surface along a radial line. The surface elevation at r=0 is taken as the datum for all these readings. 8. Repeat the same procedure for one more speed provided

Experimental calculation:Center in our experiment is at 35.8 cm in x direction from the origin of the scale.
trial 1 cm x 40.87 38.19 37.14 36.65 36.37 36.2 35.28 34.98 34.56 34.37 33.79 30.98 29.1 31.09 33.46 34.27 35.09 35.26 35.4 35.8 36.5 36.95 37.65 38.31 39.87 cm y 23.7 23.01 21.35 18.91 18 17.41 15.4 17.23 19.9 21.95 22.9 24.23 19.45 19.27 18.6 17.78 15.25 12.1 11.35 5 11.35 14.3 16.8 17.55 18.18 cm x'=r 5.59 2.91 1.86 1.37 1.09 0.92 0 -0.3 -0.72 -0.91 -1.49 -4.3 -6.7 -4.71 -2.34 -1.53 -0.71 -0.54 -0.4 0 0.7 1.15 1.85 2.51 4.07 cm y' 8.3 7.61 5.95 3.51 2.6 2.01 0 1.83 4.5 6.55 7.5 8.83 14.45 14.27 13.6 12.78 10.25 7.1 6.35 0 6.35 9.3 11.8 12.55 13.18

Also x and y are the coordinates of points in a particular trial w.r.t most inside point in the vortex.

Results and Discussion

1. Surface profiles are coming like this.

surface profile
16

14

12

10 trial1(right) 8 y' trail1(left) trial2(left) trial2(right) 6

0 -10 -5 0 x'=r(cm) 5 10

CONCLUSIONS
1. Here we got surface profile of a free vortex nearly same as theoretical one. Small errors are due to some measurement errors. 2. In compare to forced vortex this is difficult to produce as we need to maintain the water level same for the readings also as in the center of free vortex very small region is there in which its very difficult to take readings as there is no water.