ABSTRACT

Osbourne Reynolds experiment is used to investigate the characteristics of the flow of the liquid in the pipe which
is also used to determine the Reynolds Number for each type of flow. The apparatus is desgn to determine the
Reynolds Number for each type of flow in the pipe and also to calculate the range for the laminar, transition and
turbulence flow where the calculation is used to prove the Reynolds Number is dimesionless by using its formula.
For both objectives, running the experiment with different volume flow rate of water is involved. In this
experiment, the time taken to collect the amount of water is 10 seconds. At the same time, characteristics of flow is
also observed. From the data collected, the calculation is to estimate the range for each type of flow, laminar,
transition or turbulence. To prove the Reynolds Number is dimensionless, calculating using the formula was done
and it is proven that the Reynolds Number is dimesionless.
INTRODUCTION
This experiment is conducted mainly to study the criterion of laminar, transition and turbulent
flow. In fluid mechanics, internal flow is defined as a flow for which the fluid is confine by a
surface.
The apparatus used in this experiment is the Osborne Reynolds apparatus. This apparatus are
consists of water resources for the system supply, dye input injection unit fix head water input
and water output unit to determine water flow rate, a tank with stones, fix head water input, dye
input injection and water output unit. . The apparatus is used to demonstrate the critical velocity
based on the nature of the two modes of motion flowing in a tube whether it is laminar, transition
and turbulent. We can observe laminar, transition, and turbulent flow by varying the flow rate.
The water output unit is used to calculate the flow rate. The dye input injection is used to
visualise the flow patterns. The dye can be controlled and adjusted to improve the quality of the
flow patterns. The stone acts as baffles to minimize flow disturbances. The glass tube is where
we observe the flow patterns.

OBJECTIVES
The objectives of this experiment is
1. To observe the characteristics of laminar, transition and turbulent flow
2. To prove that the Reynolds number is dimensionless by using the formula

THEORY

In fluid mechanics, the Reynolds number (Re) is a dimensionless quantity that is used to help
predict similar flow patterns in different fluid flow situations. The Reynolds number is defined as
the ratio of inertial forces to viscous forces and consequently quantifies the relative importance
of these two types of forces for given flow conditions. They are also used to characterize
different flow regimes within a similar fluid, such as laminar, transition and turbulent flow.
Laminar flow occurs at low Reynolds numbers, where viscous forces are dominant, and is
characterized by smooth, constant fluid motion as for the turbulent flow, it occurs at high
Reynolds numbers and is dominated by inertial forces, which tend to produce chaotic eddies,
vortices and other flow instabilities. The Reynolds number can be used to determine type of flow
whether it is laminar, transition, or turbulence. The flow is,

The Reynolds number is widely used dimensionless parameters in fluid mechanics.

Reynolds number formula:

Reynolds number R is independent of pressure.

Laminar flow is the flow of a fluid moving with a moderate speed has fluid layers moving past
other layers as if some sheets are moving over other layers. In Laminar Flow viscous shear
stresses act between these layers of the fluid which defines the velocity distribution among these
layers of flow. The flow is denoted a steady flow condition where all streamlines follow parallel
paths, there being no interaction between shear planes.
As for the transitional flow is a mixture of laminar and turbulent flow with turbulence in
the center of the pipe, and laminar flow near the edges.
Meanwhile, as for the turbulence flow speed of the otherwise calm layers increases, these
smoothly moving layers start moving randomly, and with further increase in flow velocity, the
flow of fluid particles becomes completely random and no such laminar layers exist anymore.
Turbulent flow denotes an unsteady flow condition where streamlines interact causing shear
plane collapse and mixing of the fluid.

APPARATUS

Figure 1: Osborne
Reynolds Demostration
Unit.

1. Dye
Reservoir
2. Dye
Injector
3. Head Tank

4. Observation Tube
5. Water Inlet
Valve, V1
6. Bell Mouth
7. Water Outlet Valve, V2
8. Overflow Valve

PROCEDURES
1. Dye injector was lowered until it is seen in the glass tube.
2. The inlet valve, V1 was opened and water was allowed to enter stilling tank.
3. A small overflow spillage was ensured through the over flow tube to maintain a
constant level.
4. Water was allowed to settle for a few minutes.
5. The flow control valve was opened fractionally to let water flow through the
visualizing tube.
6. The dye control needle valve was slowly adjusted until a slow flow with dye
injection was achieved.
7. The water inlet valve, V1 and outlet valve, V2 was regulate until a straight
identifiable dye line was achieved. The flow was laminar.
8. The flow rate was measured using volumetric method.
9. The experiment was repeated by regulating water inlet valve, V1 and outlet valve,
V2 to produce transitional and turbulent flow.

RESULTS
i) Laminar Flow
Volume (L)

Time (s)

0.035
0.032
0.023

10
10
10

Flow rate, Q
(L/s)
0.0035
0.0032
0.0023

Flow rate, Q
(m/s)
0.0000035
0.0000032
0.0000023

Reynolds
Number
321.19
293.66
234.82

Flow rate, Q
(L/s)
0.0232
0.0248
0.0289

Flow rate, Q
(m/s)
0.0000232
0.0000248
0.0000289

Reynolds
Number
2129.06
2275.89
2652.16

Flow rate, Q
(L/s)
0.060
0.062
0.068

Flow rate, Q
(m/s)
0.000060
0.000062
0.000068

Reynolds
Number
5506.21
5689.75
6240.37

ii) Transitional Flow

Volume (L)

Time (s)

0.232
0.248
0.289

10
10
10

iii) Turbulent Flow

Volume (L)

Time (s)

0.600
0.620
0.680

10
10
10

D = 0.0156 m
A = 0.000191 m
V = 0.0000089 m/s

CALCULATION
Using formula,

Where,
Thus,

i)

Laminar Flow
Re = 0.0000035 0.0156
0.000191 0.0000089
= 321.19

ii)

Transitional Flow
Re = 0.0000232 0.0156
0.000191 0.0000089
= 2129.06

iii)

Turbulent Flow
Re = 0.00006 0.00156
0.000191 0.0000089
=

DISCUSSION
It is necessary to know the difference laminar, turbulent and transition flow before one is about
to conduct this experiment. As for laminar flow, it is defined as a highly ordered fluid motion
with smooth streamlines. Turbulent flow is much different with laminar. Turbulent flow is a
highly disordered fluid motion characterized by velocity and fluctuations and eddies, whereas
transition flow is known as a flow that contain both laminar and turbulent flow.
Based on the Osbourne Reynolds experiment, laminar flows is obtained when a single line of red
dye is seen after a thin film of dye is injected into the glass tube. However, for turbulent flow,
there is a huge dispersion of dye along the glass tube, whereby the lines of dye breaks into a
highly tangled threads of dye.
For laminar flow, from the conducted experiment, the Reynolds numbers calculated are 321.19,
293.66 and 234.82. On average, the value is somewhere 283. Thus, it obeys the condition of a
laminar flow which its Reynolds number is less than 2100 (Re < 2100). This represents that
laminar flow is a steady flow where all streamlines follow parallel paths and there being no
interaction or mixing between shear planes. Under this condition the dye observed will remain as
a solid, straight and easily identified. In todays application, this type of flow is widely used in
surgery, nursery, diagnostic and treatment.
Throughout the experiment, we observed that the red dye line starts flowing in a straight ordered
line at small velocity. However, as the velocity increases over time, the ordered line seem to
dispersed everywhere along the streamline but still remain as straight line at the earlier part. This
indicate a transition flow. Later on, as the velocity increases, the dispersion of dye starts to be
huge, indicating a turbulent flow. These observation are concluded as the streamline is
undergoing change of type flow from laminar flow, transition flow and turbulent flow.
Meanwhile, for transitional flow, we get these Reynolds numbers of 2129.06, 2275.89 and
2652.16. On average, the value becomes around 2352. Thus, it can be said that this value
represents a transitional flow. (2100 < Re < 4000). Transitional flow is actually a mixture of
laminar and turbulent flows with turbulence in the centre of the pipe and laminar flow near the
edges. Each of these flows behaves in different manners in terms of their frictional energy loss
while flowing nd have different equations that predict their behaviors. It is applied in some
working areas encompassing reentry vehicles, scramjets, tactical and ballistic missiles and much
more.
Lastly, for the turbulent flow, the Reynolds number are as follows; 5506.21, 5689.79 and
6240.37. On average, these values become 5812.12. Thus, it clearly proves the condition of a
turbulent flow (Re > 4000). This large scale denotes an unsteady flow condition where
streamlines interact causing shear plane collapse and mixing of the fluid. In this condition the
dye observed will become disperse in the water and mix with the water. The dye will not be

identified this time. The use of turbulent flow for on-line sample clean-up of urine samples is one
of the applications nowadays.
CONCLUSIONS
As a conclusion, as water flow rate is increasing, the Reynolds number will increased, and the
dispersion of the red dye line changing, indicating there is an existence of different type of flow
along the glass tube streamline. From the calculation, it is proven that Reynolds number is
dimensionless. For laminar flow, the Reynolds number is proven to be less than 2300, transition
flow is between 2300 to 4000 while turbulent is proven to be more than 4000.

RECOMMENDATIONS
There are some recommendations to make sure this experiment would obtained more accurate
results.

Check whether the water in the tube flows in a correct way and we should also make sure
the flow is table before considering the type flow and collecting the fluid flow out and
time recorded.
Before injecting the dye into the fluid, make sure the dye is sufficient in order to get a
stable, straight ordered line laminar flow.
The person collecting the fluid flowing out and taking the reading should be the same
person.
The experiment should be repeated twice in order to get more accurate result.

REFERENCE

http://ffden-2.phys.uaf.edu/212_fall2003.web.dir/ROBERT_CASEY/typeofluid.htm
http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/laminar-transitional-turbulent-flow-d_577.html
http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/the-different-types-of-fluid-flow.html
Douglas J.F., Gasiorek J.M. and Swaffield, Fluid Mechanics, 3rd edition, Longman

Singapore Publisher.
Munson B.R., Young D.F. and Okiishi T.H.(1998). Fundamentals of Fluid Mechanics, 3rd
edition, New York : Wiley and Sons.

APPENDICES

Figure 1: type of flow is laminar.

Figure 2: type of flow is turbulence.

Figure 3: type of flow is turbulence