Chapter 3 Fluid Statics

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 Main Topics
 Introduction
 Pressure Variation in a Static Fluid
 Equilibrium of a fluid of constant density
 The measurement of Pressure
• The Barometer
• Manometers
• The Bourdon Gauge
• Other types of Pressure Gauge
 Uniform Rectilinear Acceleration
 Pressure Variation in a variable density
fluid and the Standard Atmosphere

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 3.0 Introduction
Fluid Statics is a branch of
mechanics of fluid which deals
primarily with fluids at rest. As
individual elements do not move
relative to each other, shear
stresses are not involved and all
forces due to the pressure of the
fluid are normal to the surfaces on
which they acts.

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 3.1 Pressure variation in a
static fluid

Fig.3.1.1

Derivation of (eq.3.1.1)

Equation (3.1.1) is the basic equation of fluid statics and

it states that the maximum rate of change of pressure
occurs in the direction of the gravitational vector.

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3.1 Pressure Variation in a Static Fluid:
For an infinitesimal fluid element as shown in Fig.3.1.1. The forces acting on the element are
the stresses from the surroundings and the gravity force. For equilibrium, we have

Dividing through by the volume Δx Δy Δz, we have

Taking the limit when Δx, Δy, Δz approaches to zero, then

which is

or (3.1.1)
 3.2 Equilibrium of a fluid of
constant density
Assumptions:
 Constant density
 Gravitational acceleration in negative z direction
Deriving eq.3.2.1

Assumptions:
 Constant density (liquid)
 Gravitational acceleration in negative z direction
 Relating to liquid surface

Deriving eq.3.2.2

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3.2 Equilibrium of a Fluid of Constant Density:

(3.2.1)

(3.2.2)
3.3 The Measurement of Pressure

 The Barometer
• Fig.3.3.1.1
• The governing equation is

g c Patm  g c Pv  gh
 Manometers
• Fig.3.3.2.1
• The governing equation is
g c P   A gy  g c Patm  B gx

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3.3 The Measurement of Pressure

Applying manometer on a pipe

Fig.3.3.2.3
The governing equation is

g c P1  ( y  x )  A g  g c P2   A gy   B gx

g c ( P1  P2 )  (  B   A ) gx

 The Bourdon Gauge

Fig.3.3.3.1
 Other types of Pressure Gauge
e.g., strain-gage pressure transducer

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 3.4 Uniform Rectilinear
Acceleration
Fig.3.1.1*

Derivation of eq.3.4.1

Example 3.4.1

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3.4 Uniform Rectilinear Acceleration:

(3.4.1)
Example 3.4.1: A fuel tank is shown in Fig.3.4.1. If the tank is given a uniform acceleration to
the right, what will be the pressure at point B?
From (eq.3.4.1), the pressure gradient is in the direction, therefore the surface of fluid
will be perpendicular to this direction.

Choosing the y axis parallel to , we find that (eq.3.4.1) may be integrated between point
B and the surface. The pressure gradient becomes

Integrating between y = 0 and y = d, yields

The depth of fluid d at point B is determined from the tank geometry, the fluid's volume and the
angle θ.
3.5 Pressure Variation in a variable-density
fluid and the Standard Atmosphere

For ideal gas under isothermal condition

derivation of (eq.3.5.3)
For ideal gas under adiabatic condition
governing equations (3.5.4) & (3.5.5)
 U.S. Standard Atmosphere (Fig.3.5.1)
in Troposphere – (eq.3.5.7)
in Stratosphere – (eq.3.5.8)

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3.5 Pressure Variation in a Variable- Density Fluid and the Standard Atmosphere:
At low pressure the densities of most gases are reasonably well approximated by the ideal gas
law.

(3.5.1)

For an ideal gas, considering with the normal Cartesian coordinate, as we mentioned that
gravitational acceleration is acting in the z direction, Eq. (3.1.1) becomes

Solving for the pressure,

(3.5.2)

To complete the integration on the right, we must know how the gas temperature varies with z.
If the temperature is constant, this can be separated and integrated as follows:

(eq.3.5.3)

For gas under adiabatic conditions, we have

(3.5.4)

(3.5.5)
 B

50
o
-2.5 C
45 47.3 km
(P = 0.1 kPa)
40
35
C
o
5
Altitude, km

4.
-4

30 32.2 km (P = 0.9 kPa)

25 Ionosphere
20
-56.5 C

20.1 km (P = 5.5 kPa)

o

15 Stratosphere 11 km (P = 22.6 kPa)

10
5 0 km (P = 101.325 kPa)
Troposphere
0
-100 -80 -60 -40 -20 0 20
o
Temperature, C

Fig. 3.5.1 Temperature - Altitude Curve

The temperature variation in the troposphere is
T = T0 - B z (3.5.6)
where T0 is the surface temperature and B is the lapse rate. For the U.S. Standard Atmosphere,
T0 = 15oC = 288.15 K = 59oF = 518.67oR
and
B = 0.00650 K/m = 0.003566oR/ft
Substituting (eq.3.5.6) into (eq.3.5.2) and integrating we obtain

(3.5.7)

In the stratosphere, the temperature is

T = Tc = 216.7 K = -69.6oF
Solving (eq.3.5.2) for the stratosphere, we have

(eq.3.5.8)

where Pc is the pressure at the lower edge of the stratosphere zc. For the U.S. Standard
Atmosphere, zc = 11 km (36100 ft) and Pc = 22.6 kPa (3.28 psi).
 Points to remember

 The governing equation for static fluid is

 
gc  P   g
The above equation applies to static fluid where there
is no relative motion between fluid particles.
 For static fluid, the maximum rate of change of
pressure is along the gravitational acceleration and
the constant pressure line is perpendicular to the
gravitational acceleration.
 Constant pressure line is for fluid with continuous
phase.

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 Tutorial

Link to Tutorial 2

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 Tutorial 2
(Chapter 3)

1. The vapour pressure of mercury is 2.5x10-5 psia at 70 oF. Calculate the error in barometer
height due to neglecting the vapour pressure of mercury. Would this be detectable for
engineering calculations? (1.701×10-4 %)
2. Determine the gage pressure in psig at point a in Fig.T.2.2, if liquid A has a specific gravity
of 0.75 and liquid B has a specific gravity of 1.20. The liquid surrounding point a is water,
and the tank on the left is open to the atmosphere. (1.18)
3. A rectangular tank, as shown in Fig.T.2.3, open to atmosphere, is filled with water to a depth
of 2.5 m as shown. A U-tube manometer is connected to the tank at a location 0.7 m above
the tank bottom. If the zero level of the manometer fluid, Meriam blue (specific gravity
1.75), is 0.2 m below the connection, determine the deflection R after the manometer is
connected and the air has been removed from the connecting leg. (1.6)
4. The inclined manometer as shown in Fig.T.2.4 has reservoir diameter, D, of 96 mm and
measuring tube diameter, d, of 8 mm. Determine the angle, θ, required to provide a 5 : 1
increase in liquid deflection, L, compared to the total deflection in a regular U-tube
manometer. (11.21)
5. If the variation in specific weight of atmospheric air between sea level and an altitude of

3600 ft were given by , where γ0 is the specific weight of air at sea level,

z is the altitude above sea level, and , determine the pressure

in psia at an altitude of 3600 ft when sea level conditions are 14.7 psia, 59oF. (12.99)
6. Calculate the pressures at points A, B, C and D in pascals for the set-up as shown in
Fig.T.2.6. (95.44, 107.21, 107.21, 123.99)
7. For Fig.T.2.7, A contains water, and the manometer fluid has a specific gravity of 2.94.
When the left meniscus is at zero on the scale, PA = 90 mm H2O. Find the reading of the right
meniscus for PA = 8 kPa with no adjustment of the U tube or scale. (0.3835)

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