Pipe Flow Example

Water flows steadily into the circular pipe with a uniform inlet velocity profile as
shown. Due to the presence of viscosity, the velocity immediately adjacent to the
inner pipe wall becomes zero and this phenomenon is called the no-slip boundary
condition. It is found out that the velocity distribution reaches a parabolic profile
at a distance downstream of the entrance and can be represented as
V1(r)=Vmax[1-(r/R)2], where Vmax is the velocity at the center of the pipe and r is
the radial distance measured away from the center axis. Use the mass
conservation equation, determine Vmax.

V1(r )=Vmax[1-(r/R)2]
P1

VO R: radius of pipe
PO
 Mass Conseration

Mass conservation: 
t CV
 d     V  dA  0
CS

  V  dA  
IN OUT
 V  dA  0 0, steady state

 VO AO  
OUT
 V1dA1  0, since V & dA are in the same direction
r=R
VO AO  
r=0
V1 (r)(2 rdr), since dA1 =d( r 2 )  2 rdr

r=R
 r 2
 R
 r3 
VO ( R 2 )   Vmax  1- 2  (2 rdr)  2 Vmax   r  R 2 dr
r=0  R  0  
 R2  1
 2 Vmax     R 2
Vmax
 4  2
Therefore, Vmax  2VO
 Momentum Conservation
Assume there is no significant forces acting between the pipe and the fluid
except the pressure forces normal to the pipe inlet (PO) and the section 1 (P1).
Use linear momentum conservation equation, estimate the pressure difference
between these two sections in order to accelerate the velocity profile inside the
pipe from the inlet to a parabolic profile at section 1. Assume the pressure is
uniform both at the inlet and section 1.


Momentum conservation: FS  FB  
t CV
Vd    V (V  dA)
CS

PO AO  P1 A1  Rx  
inlet
V (V  dA)  
section 1
V (V  dA)
R
( PO  P1 ) AO   VO2 AO   V12 d ( r 2 )
0
R
 r 2

  VO2 AO   Vmax
2
 1  2 
(2 rdr )
0  R 
 Momentum Conservation (cont.)
2
R
 r 
2
( PO  P1 ) AO   V AO   V
O
2 2
max  1  2  (2 rdr )
0  R 
 R
2 r 2
r 4

  VO AO  2Vmax   1  2  4 ( rdr )
2 2

0
R R 
 R
2 r 3
r 5

  VO AO  2Vmax   r  2  4 dr
2 2

0
R R 
rR
r 2
2r 4
r  6
  V AO  2V
O
2 2
max  2  4R2  6R4 
  r 0
 R2  4
  V AO  2V
O
2 2
max  6    V 2
O OA  
  O AO
V 2

   3
1
PO  P1    VO2
 3