2.10.4.

Forced Vortex
A body of fluid, contained in a vessel, which is rotating about a vertical axis with
uniform angular velocity, will eventually reach relative equilibrium and rotate with the same
angular velocity w as the vessel, forming a forced vortex. The acceleration of any particular of
fluid at radius r due to rotation will be (-w2r) perpendicular to the axis of rotation, taking the
direction of r as positive outward from the axis. Thus, from Equ. (2.34),

dp= -w2 r
dr

Rotation | Rotating Vessel

Tags:
centrifugal force
angular velocity
paraboloid
squared property of parabola
centripetal acceleration
slope of paraboloid
volume of paraboloid

When at rest, the surface of mass of liquid is horizontal at PQ as shown in the figure. When this mass of liquid is
rotated about a vertical axis at constant angular velocity radian per second, it will assume the surface ABC which
is parabolic. Every particle is subjected to centripetal force or centrifugal force CF = m2x which produces centripetal
acceleration towards the center of rotation. Other forces that acts are gravity force W = mg and normal force N.

Where tan is the slope at the surface of paraboloid at any distance x from
the axis of rotation.
From Calculus, y = slope, thus

For cylindrical vessel of radius r revolved about its vertical axis, the height h of paraboloid is

Other Formulas
By squared-property of parabola, the relationship of y, x, h and r is defined by

Volume of paraboloid of revolution

Important conversion factor

Example 1.8Overflow from a Spinning Container

A cylindrical container of height H and radius a is initially half-filled with a
liquid. The cylinder is then spun steadily around its vertical axis Z-Z, as shown
in Fig. E1.8. At what value of the angular velocity _ will the liquid just start to
spill over the top of the container? If H = 1 ft and a = 0.25 ft, how many rpm
(revolutions per minute) would be needed?

7.94 A rotary mixer consists of two 1-mlong

half-tubes rotating around a central

arm, as in Fig. P7.94. Using the drag from

Table 7.2, derive an expression for the
torqueT required to drive the mixer at
angular velocity in a fluid of density .
Suppose that the fluid is water at 20C and
the maximum driving power available is
20 kW. What is the maximum rotation
speedr/min?
Fig. P7.94

Solution: Consider a strip of half-tube of width dr, as shown in Fig. P7.94 above. The
local velocity is U r, and the strip frontal area is Ddr. The total torque (2 tubes) is

7.96 A Savonius rotor (see Fig. 6.29b)

can be approximated by the two open halftubes
in Fig. P7.96 mounted on a central
axis. If the drag of each tube is similar to
that in Table 7.2, derive an approximate
formula for the rotation rate as a
function of U, D, L, and the fluid
propertiesand .
Solution: The analysis is similar to
Prob. 7.91 (the cup anemometer). At any
arbitrary angle as shown, the net torque
caused by the relative velocity on each
half-tube is set to zero (assuming a
frictionless bearing):