BPH – Fluid Mechanics

Fluid mechanics – Course-Notes Problems

Set 3

Q.3.1

A vertical circular jet of water is issued from a nozzle, as shown. At exit from the nozzle, the jet has a
velocity of 8 m/s and diameter 30 mm. The jet suspends a circular cup at a height h = 2 m above nozzle
exit. Determine the cup mass. Make reasonable assumptions. θ = 60°.

1
 BPH – Fluid Mechanics

Q.3.2

Q.3.3

Consider the Y section shown. Neglecting losses, determine the x-component of the force needed to keep
the Y section in place. The Y section is horizontal.

Data are: flow rates Q1 = 600 l/s, Q2 = 360 l/s; diameters d1 = 540 mm, d2 = 300 mm, d3 = 150 mm;
gauge pressure P1 = 70 kPa; angles θ2 = 45°, θ3 = 60°.

2
 BPH – Fluid Mechanics

Q.3.4

Q.3.5

Water at 20 °C flows in a 120 mm-diameter commercial steel pipe. If the centre-line velocity is 2 m/s,
calculate the flow rate.

Set 3 – Solutions

Q.3.1

3
 BPH – Fluid Mechanics

4
 BPH – Fluid Mechanics

5
 BPH – Fluid Mechanics

@@@@####@@@@####@@@@====++++====++++====@@@@####@@@@####@@@@

Set 4

Q.4.1

In the pumping system shown, water is pumped from a reservoir and discharged into the atmosphere. The
inlet pipe from the reservoir to the pump has length L1 = 1000 m and diameter d1 = 0.220 m. On the
discharge side, the pipe has length L2 = 500 m and diameter d2 = 0.180 m. Both pipes are of clean cast
iron. For H = 5 m, find the water flow rate and the pump power when cavitation is about to begin at the
pump inlet. Water temperature is 20 °C and the system is at sea level. Make reasonable assumptions.

6
 BPH – Fluid Mechanics

Q.4.2

Q.4.3 (adapted from Gerhart, Gross and Hochstein, 1992)

A pump has the head and efficiency characteristics as shown below. It delivers water at 20 °C from the
lake to the reservoir. Determine the average water velocity in the piping, which has screw connections.
Determine also the required pump’s input power.

7
 BPH – Fluid Mechanics

Q.4.4

An underwater object has the shape as shown; it has a cylindrical body attached to a hemispherical front
and a flat tail. Its overall length L is 8 m, and its cylindrical body has a diameter D = 0.6 m. If it has a net
propulsive power of 540 kW, estimate how fast it can move axially in fresh water at 20 °C. Take the drag
coefficient CD of a solid hemisphere with the flat side downstream to be about 0.42. Make other
reasonable assumptions.

Q.4.5

A spherical raindrop 2 mm in diameter falls from a great height to the ground. Assuming that its size and
shape do not change significantly during the fall, and that it has reached a constant velocity near the
ground, determine this velocity. Take air to be at standard conditions (15°C, 101.3 kPa) throughout.

Set 4 – Solutions

8
 BPH – Fluid Mechanics

Q.4.1

In the pumping system shown, water is pumped from a reservoir and discharged into the atmosphere. The
inlet pipe from the reservoir to the pump has length L1 = 1000 m and diameter d1 = 0.220 m. On the
discharge side, the pipe has length L2 = 500 m and diameter d2 = 0.180 m. Both pipes are of clean cast
iron. For H = 5 m, find the water flow rate and the pump power when cavitation is about to begin at the
pump inlet. Water temperature is 20 °C and the system is at sea level. Make reasonable assumptions.

Solution

9
 BPH – Fluid Mechanics

10
 BPH – Fluid Mechanics

Further notes:

In the “Power” part above, gauge pressures have been used, with Pressure-at-O = Pressure-At-E = 0 Pa
(gauge). If energy equation is written for I => E section (instead of the O => E section, as above), then
it’ll be better to use absolute pressures, because Pressure-At-I is very low. In this case, Pressure-At-I =
2340 Pa (absolute), and Pressure-At-E = 101300 Pa (absolute).

11
 BPH – Fluid Mechanics

Also, in this problem, friction loss is overwhelmingly large, so other losses associated with entrance (into
the pipe from reservoir), with pipe fittings like elbows, etc., have been neglected. Thus, from the solution
above, friction loss in the inlet pipe is about 4545×f1 times velocity head (VH or [v2]/[2g]). With f1 =
about 0.022, 4545×f1 = 100. A K-value (loss factor) for elbows is about 0.3. The loss associated with an
elbow is therefore about K×(VH) = 0.3×(velocity head), compared with 100×(VH) due to pipe friction.
Similarly, the entrance’s K-value for the shown diagram would be only about 0.8.

Q.4.2

Solution.

12
 BPH – Fluid Mechanics

Energy equation A (tank’s free surface)  C (pipe 2’s exit):

13
 BPH – Fluid Mechanics

Q.4.3 (Adapted from Gerhart, Gross and Hochstein, 1992)

A pump has the head and efficiency characteristics as shown below. It delivers water at 20 °C from the
lake to the reservoir. Determine the water flow rate through the piping, which has screw connections.
Determine also the required pump’s input power. Take total pipe length (inflow + outflow from the
pump) to be approximately 140 m. Use pipe of the same type throughout. Determine the average water
velocity in the piping.

Solution

14
 BPH – Fluid Mechanics

15
 BPH – Fluid Mechanics

16
 BPH – Fluid Mechanics

Average water velocity = 4.33 x 1.05 = 4.55 m/s.

17