Pipe Flow Example

Water flows steadily into the circular pipe with a uniform inlet velocity profile as
shown. Due to the presence of viscosity, the velocity immediately adjacent to the
inner pipe wall becomes zero and this phenomenon is called the no-slip boundary
condition. It is found out that the velocity distribution reaches a parabolic profile
at a distance downstream of the entrance and can be represented as
V1(r)=Vmax[1-(r/R)2], where Vmax is the velocity at the center of the pipe and r is
the radial distance measured away from the center axis. Use the mass
conservation equation, determine Vmax.

V1(r )=Vmax[1-(r/R)2]
P1

VO R: radius of pipe
PO
 Mass Conseration

Mass conservation:
t CV
d V dA 0
CS

V dA
IN OUT
V dA 0 0, steady state

VO AO
OUT
V1dA1 0, since V & dA are in the same direction
r=R
VO AO
r=0
V1 (r)(2 rdr), since dA1 =d( r 2 ) 2 rdr

r=R
r 2
R
r3
VO ( R 2 ) Vmax 1- 2 (2 rdr) 2 Vmax r R 2 dr
r=0 R 0
R2 1
2 Vmax R 2
Vmax
4 2
Therefore, Vmax 2VO
 Momentum Conservation
Assume there is no significant forces acting between the pipe and the fluid
except the pressure forces normal to the pipe inlet (PO) and the section 1 (P1).
Use linear momentum conservation equation, estimate the pressure difference
between these two sections in order to accelerate the velocity profile inside the
pipe from the inlet to a parabolic profile at section 1. Assume the pressure is
uniform both at the inlet and section 1.

Momentum conservation: FS FB
t CV
Vd V (V dA)
CS

PO AO P1 A1 Rx
inlet
V (V dA)
section 1
V (V dA)
R
( PO P1 ) AO VO2 AO V12 d ( r 2 )
0
R
r 2

VO2 AO Vmax
2
1 2
(2 rdr )
0 R
 Momentum Conservation (cont.)
2
R
r
2
( PO P1 ) AO V AO V
O
2 2
max 1 2 (2 rdr )
0 R
R
2 r 2
r 4

VO AO 2Vmax 1 2 4 ( rdr )
2 2

0
R R
R
2 r 3
r 5

VO AO 2Vmax r 2 4 dr
2 2

0
R R
rR
r 2
2r 4
r 6
V AO 2V
O
2 2
max 2 4R2 6R4
r 0
R2 4
V AO 2V
O
2 2
max 6 V 2
O OA
O AO
V 2

3
1
PO P1 VO2
3