Fluid Statics and Dynamics – An Introduction

Fluid Statics and Dynamics – an Introduction

Introduction:

Fluids in tanks and flowing in channels are considered without understanding how they do behave while in a Static or Dynamic mode. The course will introduce the participants to the concepts of Fluid Mechanics. Further problems concerning pipe flow will also be covered. The course will also look at the analysis of pipe networks and various phenomena within pipelines.

Objectives:

Having attended the course delegates will understand how to;

  • The effect of Fluids at rest
  • The Dynamics of Fluids in motion
  • Analyse pipe networks
  • Design pipelines

Who Should Attend:

  • This course is intended for the following people:
  • Engineers who would like to refresh their knowledge in Fluid Mechanics and Hydraulics
  • People working in the Water Industry who would like to know more about the design of pipes.
  • Engineering graduates

Course Methodology:

The course is a technical course, which will include a number of worked examples and tutorial on the subject. This is intended for the purpose of getting the attendees get used to calculations and design procedures for pipelines.

Course Structure:

Day1

A – Fluid Statics

  • General overview of syllabus
  • Properties of fluids
  • Engineering units and dimensions
  • Static pressure and head
  • Relationship between pressure and depth for static fluid
  • Pressure at a point, Pascal’s Law
  • Definitions of atmospheric, gauge, absolute pressure and associated relationships.
  • Atmospheric pressure measurement, barometer
  • Fluid pressure measurement, piezometer, mercury U-tube manometer
  • Differential pressure measurement, mercury U-tube with 2 liquids, inverted U-tube, inverted U-tube with 2 liquids.

Day 2

  • Fluid pressure on surfaces, total pressure and resultant force on immersed body in static liquid.
  • Pressure on plane surfaces, horizontal, vertical and inclined (various cross-sections), centroid and centre of pressure.
  • Pressure diagrams.
  • Pressure on curved surfaces, horizontal and vertical forces, resolution of components.
  • Buoyancy and stability of floating bodies, partially immersed bodies.
  • Principle of Archimedes, upthrust on an immersed body.
  • Stable, unstable and neutral equilibrium.
  • Metacentre, metacentric height, overturning moment.
  • Anchored buoys, angle of tilt.

Day 3

B – Fluid Dynamics

  • Brief introduction to fluid motion, viscosity, friction, shear forces, streamlines.
  • Types of flow, turbulent, viscous (laminar), Reynolds number.
  • Definitions of liquid flow, uniform, steady, unsteady. Dependence upon time and area.
  • Continuity of flow, conservation of mass.
  • Momentum of a fluid, rate of change of momentum.
  • Energy of a fluid, potential energy, kinetic energy, pressure energy, total energy.
  • Derivation of Bernoulli’s equation for frictionless flow.
  • Allowance in Bernoulli’s equation for loss of energy.
  • Practical application of Bernoulli’s equation to flow measurement, venturi meter and pitot tube, coefficient of discharge.
  • Flow measurement through small and large orifices.

Day 4

  • Forces on reducers and bends, tapered pipes.
  • Losses of energy in pipelines, frictional and shock
  • Shock losses, sudden enlargement, contraction, orifice plates.
  • Frictional losses, Darcy formula, Chezy formula, Manning and Hazen-Williams formula.
  • Bernoulli’s theorem and pipeline problems, energy degradation and hydraulic gradient.
  • Single pipe problems connecting reservoirs, discharge to atmosphere.
  • Design of gravity pipelines, considerations of design, friction factor.
  • Moody diagram, HRS tables and charts.

Day 5 

  • Pipe network analysis, overview of methods available and appropriate usage.
  • Hardy-Cross method (multiple loop systems)
  • Nodal method
  • Boundary layer theory, solid boundary.
  • Laminar and turbulent boundary layers.
  • Combined effect, displacement thickness, laminar sub-layer.

Learning Outcomes

After completing the module the student should be able to:

  • Appreciate the nature of fluids, and the forces associated with them, both at rest and in motion.
  • Design pipes for conveying water and to analyse pipe networks.
  • Analyse the nature of flow of water in pipes.
  • Be familiar with the theory, operation and some aspects of the design of Hydraulic machines and structures.