MEC 2910: Fluid Mechanics Tutorial Sheet 7

1) Consider steady, incompressible, laminar flow of a Newtonian fluid in a narrow gap between two infinite parallel plates as shown in the figure. The top plate is moving at speed V, and the bottom plate is stationary. The distance between these two plates is h, and gravity acts in the negative z-direction. There is no applied pressure other than hydrostatic pressure due to gravity. This flow is called Couette flow. Calculate the velocity and pressure fields, and estimate the shear force per unit area acting o n the bottom wall.

2) Consider the same geometry as problem 1) above, but instead of pressure being constant with respect to x, let there be an applied pressure gradient in the x-direction as shown in the figure. (a) Calculate the velocity and pressure fields and (b) plot the velocity profile.

3) Consider flow of a film of oil falling slowly down an infinite vertical wall as shown in the figure. The oil film thickness is h, and gravity acts in the negative z-direction. There is no applied pressure driving the flow and the oil drops by gravity alone. Calculate the velocity profile and the pressure field in the oil film and sketch the normalized velocity profile. You may neglect changes in the hydrostatic pressure of the surrounding air.

4) Repeat problem 3), except for the case in which the wall is inclined at an angle as shown in the figure. Generate expressions for both the pressure and velocity fields. As a check, make sure that your resul agrees with that of question 3) when = 90.

5) For a falling oil film of problem 4), generate an expression for the volume flow rate per unit width of oil falling down the wall as a function of , , h, and g. Calculate the volume flow rate per unit width for an oil thickness of 5.0 mm with =888 kg/m3 and =0.80 kg/m.s. 6) Repeat problem 3), except for the case in which the wall is moving upwards at a speed V. As a check, make sure that your result agrees with that of problem 3) when v = 0. Plot the velocity profile. 7) Consider fully developed, two dimensional channel flow (flow between two infinite parallel plates separated by distance h, with both the top plate and bottom plate stationary, and a forced pressure gradient dP/dx driving the flow as shown in the figure. (dP/dx is constant and negative). Generate an expression for the velocity field in terms of dP/dx . 8) Simplify the Navier-Stokes equation as much as possible for the case of incompressible hydrostatics (fluid at rest), with gravity acting in the negative z-direction. Begin with the incompressible form of the Navier-Stokes equation, explain how and why some terms can be simplified and give your final result as a differential equation.