2.

9 Shell Momentum Balance And Velocity Profile In Laminar Flow

2.9A Introduction

Read from the textbook

2.9B Shell Momentum Balance Inside A Pipe

Let’s consider the following cylindrical control volume, a shell with radius, r,
thickness, ∆ r, and length, ∆ x.

∆r

P|x P|x+∆x
R

r
x

∆x

The general equation for momentum conservation with respect to a control

volume, c.v., is:

Sum of forces acting on the c.v. = Rate of momentum out of c.v. –Rate of
momentum into c.v. + Rate of accumulation of momentum in c.v.

Simplification (assumptions) considered here are:

- incompressible Newtonian fluid

-one dimensional flow
-steady state (rate of accumulation of momentum in c.v. = 0)
-laminar flow
-fully developed flow ( no entrance effects and velocity is independent from
x)

So,

Sum of forces acting on the c.v. = Rate of momentum out of c.v. –Rate of
momentum into c.v.

The pressure forces = pA|x –pA|x+∆ x = p(2Π r ∆ r)|x - p(2Π r ∆ r)|x+∆ x

 Drag force (shear force) acts on the cylindrical surface at the radius r is
the shear stress τ rx times the area 2Π r ∆ x.
 this is also considered as the rate of momentum flow into the cylindrical
surface of the shell (see eq. 2.4-9).

Net momentum efflux = Rate of Momentum out - Rate of Momentum in

= (τ rx 2Π r ∆ x)|r+∆ r – (τ rx 2Π r ∆ x)|r

So,

( rτ rx ) |r +∆r - (rτ rx ) |r r ( p |x − p |x +∆x

=
∆r ∆x

In fully developed flow, (∆ p/∆ x) is constant and becomes (∆ p/L). Letting ∆ r

approach zero,

d (rτ rx ) ∆p
= r
dt L

 ∆p  r C
τ rx =   + 1
 L 2 r

C1 must be zero if the momentum flux is not infinite at r = 0.

 ∆p  p − pL
τ rx =   r = 0 r
 2L  2L

Note that momentum flux varies linearly with the radius as shown in the
following figure:

vx = 0 vmax

x
Momentum flux
profile

Parabolic τrx max

velocity profile τrx = 0

Newton’s Law:
 dvx
τ rx = − µ
dr

Equating the two equations gives:

dvx p − pL
=− 0 r
dr 2µ L

Integrating using B.C. vx (r=R) = 0

p0 − pL 2   r  
2

vx = R 1 −   
4µ L   R  

Note that velocity distribution is parabolic

Using eq. 2.6-17 to obtain the average velocity, vav, gives

p0 − pL 2 p0 − pL 2
vxav = R = D  Hagen-Poiseuille Equation
8µ L 32 µ L

The maximum velocity occurs at r = 0 and is:

p0 − pL 2 vxmax
vxmax = R  vxav =
4µ L 2

2.9C Shell Momentum Balance For Falling Film

The c.v. for the falling film is shown as:

 Momentum in by
convection
x
0
z

Gravity
force
Momentum
Momentum
out by
in by
molecular
molecular ∆x
transport
transport
δ
L

Momentum out by
convection
-Momentum balance in the z-direction
- System with ∆ x thickness
- z-direction boundaries are z = 0 and z = L
-distance in y-direction is W
momentum balance components are:

1. Molecular transport momentum flux:

Net efflux by molecular transport = LW(τ xz )|x+∆ x – LW(τ xz )|x

2. Convective Momentum flux:

Net efflux by convection = ∆ xW vz(ρ vz)|z=L - ∆ xW vz(ρ vz)|z=0 = 0

Notice that convective efflux is zero because velocity is constant (vz|z=L = vz|
z=0)

3. Gravity force:

Gravity force = ∆ xWL(ρ g)

Therefore, the momentum balance for steady state:

∆ xWL(ρ g) = LW(τ xz )|x+∆ x – LW(τ xz )|x + 0

Rearranging and letting ∆ x 0

d
τ xz = ρ g
dx

Integrating with B.C. : τ xz (x=0) = 0 at the free liquid surface and τ xz (x=x)
= τ xz

τ xz = ρ gx

Notice that momentum flux profile is linear and the maximum value is at the
wall.

δ
vz(x)

Velocity
profile

τxz(x)

Momentum
flux profile
τ xz = ρ gx

From Newton’s law:

dvz
τ xz = − µ ,
dx

dvz ρg
=− x
dx µ

Separating variables and integrating, with B. C. vz(x=δ ) =0

ρg 2   x  
2

vz = δ 1 −   
2 µ   δ  

The velocity profile is parabolic as shown in the figure above.

The max. velocity occurs at x = 0
ρg 2
vzmax = δ
2µ

The average velocity can be found as:

W δ δ
1 1 1
vzav = ∫∫ vz dA = ∫0 ∫0 vz dxdy = δ ∫0 vz dx
A A Wδ

ρg 2
vzav = δ
3µ

The volumetric flow rate, q, is obtained as:

q = vzav A = vzav δ W

In the falling film, the mass flow rate per unit width of wall, Γ in kg/s.m :

Γ = vzav δ ρ
and Reynolds number is defined as:

4Γ 4 ρδ vzav
N Re = =
µ µ

Example: 2.9-1