Homework #1 Solutions (MCEN3021 Fluid Mechanics)

Problem 1
Using intuition, academic references, the internet, or any other resource to find appropriate fluid
(i.e., density, , and viscosity, ) and flow (i.e., characteristic length and velocity L and U ) properties, calculate approximate Reynolds numbers Re = U L/ for the following systems:
(a) Blood flow through a capillary.
(b) Blood flow through the aorta.
(c) Water flowing from a kitchen faucet.
(d) Water flowing around a small pebble in a gentle creek.
(e) Water flowing around a large boulder in a gentle creek.
(f) Air flowing over the wing of an airplane.
(e) A hurricane.
Comment on whether each of the above systems are examples of laminar or turbulent flows, and
be sure to clearly cite any references used to find your answers.
Solution:
In each part of this problem, the basic challenge is to find values for , U , L, and appropriate to
the fluid flow at hand. In the following, values in each problem were obtained from either wikipedia,
google, or intuition.
(a) A standard density of blood at body temperature is = 1060kg/m3 and a standard viscosity is
roughly = 3 103 Pas. The appropriate characteristic length scale is the diameter of a typical
capillary, giving L = 10 106 m and a standard velocity is on the order of U = 1 103 m/s. The
resulting Reynolds number and anticipated flow regime are thus
Re = 4 103

Laminar Flow .

(1)

(b) The density and viscosity of blood are once again taken to be = 1060kg/m3 and = 3
103 Pas, respectively, but now we use a length and velocity characteristic of the aorta. A standard
diameter of an aorta is L = 0.03m and an average blood flow velocity is roughly U = 0.4m/s. The
resulting Reynolds number and anticipated flow regime are
Re = 4 103

Turbulent Flow .

(2)

(c) The density and viscosity of water at room temperature are = 1000kg/m3 and = 1
103 Pas, repsectively. An appropriate characteristic length scale is the diameter of the faucet exit,
giving roughly L = 0.02m and a reasonable velocity is on the order of U = 1m/s. The resulting
Reynolds number and anticipated flow regime are thus
Re = 2 104

Turbulent Flow .

(3)

(d) Once again, water has density and viscosity = 1000kg/m3 and = 1 103 Pas, respectively.
A pebble is approximately L = 0.01m and a reasonable velocity for a very slow moving creek is on
the order of U = 1 102 m/s. The resulting Reynolds number and anticipated flow regime are
thus
Re = 1 102 Laminar Flow .
(4)

(e) Using density and viscosity = 1000kg/m3 and = 1 103 Pas, respectively, we assume now
that the diameter of a boulder is approximately L = 5m and a the creek velocity is the same as
before, U = 1 102 m/s. The resulting Reynolds number and anticipated flow regime are thus
Re = 5 104

Turbulent Flow .

(5)

(f) The density and viscosity of air are = 1.225kg/m3 and = 1.81 105 Pas, respectively. The
chord length for a large commercial airliner is roughly L = 5m and the cruising velocity of such an
airliner is roughly U = 250m/s. The resulting Reynolds number and anticipated flow regime are
thus
Re = 1 108 Turbulent Flow .
(6)
(g) Again using air with density and viscosity = 1.225kg/m3 and = 1.81105 Pas, respectively,
the characteristic diameter of a typical hurricane is roughly L = 1.6 105 m and the winds are
roughly U = 30m/s. The resulting Reynolds number and anticipated flow regime are thus
Re = 3 1011

Turbulent Flow .

(7)

Problem 2
Consider a spacecraft with characteristic size L = 5m re-entering the earths atmosphere from
space. Assuming that the mean free path, , of the air molecules is related to the density, , as
= /, where = 2 107 kg/m2 , and that varies with height, z, above the earths surface as

 gM
`z Ru ` 1
(z) = 0 1
,
T0
calculate and plot the Knudsen number Kn = /L as a function of z for the spacecraft re-entry.
Only plot the results for heights from z = 0m to z = 100km and plot Kn on a logarithmic axis.
Identify on your plot the rarefied, transitional, and continuum gas regimes. Use parameter values
0 = 1.225kg/m3 , ` = 0.0025K/m (the temperature lapse rate), T0 = 288.15K, g = 9.80m/s2 ,
M = 0.02896kg/mol (the molar mass of dry air), and Ru = 8.31447J/(molK). Is it appropriate to
have assumed constant g in this problem? Explain why or why not.
Solution:
Figure 1 shows the Knudsen number Kn as a function of height z. The rarefied gas regime is
assumed to occur for Kn > 1, which exists for heights above roughly 86km. The continuum regime
is assumed to occur for Kn < 0.03, which exists for heights below roughly 80km. In between these
two heights, the flow is said to be in a transitional regime. Even though g varies with height in
this problem, it is appropriate to have assumed a constant g since the variation is so small. In
particular, g 1/r2 and the variation of r is between about 6400km and 6500km over the distance
the spacecraft travels. This represents only a 3% change in the strength of gravity from 100km to
the surface.

K nu d s e n Nu mb e r K n ( z )

10

10

10

4
6
He i ght z ( m)

10
4

x 10

Figure 1: Knudsen number Kn as a function of height z for Problem 2. For Kn less than the
horizontal red dash-dot line, the flow is in the continuum. For Kn above the horizontal black
dash-dot line, the flow is rarefied. In between these two lines the flow is said to be transitional.
3

Problem 3
How fast would a submarine need to go in order to achieve supersonic speeds (i.e., M a = u/c 1)
in the ocean? Is this a reasonable or attainable speed? Be sure to cite any references used to find
your answer.
Solution:
The speed of sound in seawater is about 1560m/s. Thus a submarine would need to travel 1560m/s
in order to achieve supersonic speeds in the ocean. This is simply not feasible given the amount of
skin friction and form drag on a submarine as it moves through the water.