6
Velocity Distribution
Chapter 4
Hydraulic processes:
Pressurized Pipe Flow
Flow in open channel can be classified based on time �and space �. For
time criterion, the flow may be steady or unsteady. Steady flow has a
water depth constant with time at a particular point on the channel, while
the depth in unsteady flow changes with time at a particular point on the
channel. For space criterion, the flow may be either uniform or
nonuniform. Uniform flow has a constant water depth along the reach of
the channel, but the depth of water in nonuniform flow changes along the
reach of the channel. Nonuniform flows, also termed varied flow, can further be
classified as rapidly varied and gradually varied flows. For
rapidly varied flow, the water depth changes significantly over a relatively
short distance such as the case for a hydraulic jump or a hydraulic drop.
For gradually varied flow, the depth changes rather slowly over a
relatively long distance such as the case of a reservoir upstream of a dam.
According to this classification, four combinations of flows can be
considered. Steady uniform flow has a constant water depth that does not
change with time and space, and is found practically only in lab flume
experiments.
4.2 Pressurized Pipe Flow
4.2.1 Energy Equation
Laminar Flow
The velocity distribution for laminar flow, at a cross section, follows a parabolic
law of variation with zero velocity at the walls. In circular pipes , the velocity
varies as the ordinates of a paraboloid of revolution with it’s average velocity is
equal to one-half of it’s maximum velocity.
Turbulent Flow
The velocity distribution for the turbulent flows varies with Reynolds number ,
with zero velocity at the wall and increase more rapidly for a short distance from
the walls as compared to laminar flow.