Problem I Fluid Flow in Food Processing

1. Pressure in spherical tank

Calculate the pressure in psia and kN/m in a spherical

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tank at the bottom of the tank filled with oil having a

diameter of 8.0 ft. The top of the tank is vented to the
atmosphere having a pressure of 14.72 psia. The density
of the oil is 0.922 g/cm .
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2. Pressure with two liquids, Hg and water

A open test tube at 293 K is filled at the bottom with

12.1 cm of Hg and 5.6 cm of water is placed above the

Hg. Calculate the pressure at the bottom of the test tube if
the atmosphere pressure is 756 mm Hg. Use a density of

13.55 g/cm for Hg and 0.998 g/cm of water. Give the

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answer in terms of dyn/cm , psia and kN/m .

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3. Head of a fluid of jet fuel and pressure

The pressure at the top of a tank of jet fuel is 180.6

kN/m . The depth of liquid in the tank is 6.4 m. The
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density of the fuel is 825 kg/m . Calculate the head of the

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liquid in m which corresponds to the absolute pressure at

the bottom of the tank.

4. Reynolds number of milk flow

Whole milk at 293 K having a density of 1030 kg/m and

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viscosity of 2.12 cP is flowing at the rate of 0.605 kg/s in

a glass pipe having a diameter of 63.5 mm.

 Calculate the Reynolds number. Is this turbulent

flow.

Calculate the flow rate needed in m /s for a

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Reynolds number of 2100 and the velocity in m/s.

5. Mass balance for flow of sucrose solution

A 20 wt% sucrose (sugar) solution having a density of

1074 kg/m is flowing through the piping system as seen
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in following picture. The flow rate entering pipe 1 is

1.892 m /h. The flow divides equally in each of pipe 3.
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Calculate the following:

The velocity in m/s in pipe 2 and 3.

The mass velocity (=mass flow rate X area =

kg/m .s in pipe 2 and 3)
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2-in

pipe

3-in

pipe

3
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1 -in
pipe
1 -in
pipe

6. Mechanical-Energy balance in pumping soybean oil

Soybean oil is being pumped through a uniform-diameter

pipe at a steady mass-flow rate. A pump supplies 209.2
J/kg mass of fluid flowing. The entrance abs pressure in

the inlet pipe to the pump is 103.4 kN/m . The exit

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section of the pipe downstream from the pump is 3.35 m

above the entrance and the exit pressure is 172.4 kN/m .

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Exit and entrance pipes are the same diameter. The fluid is

in turbulent flow. Calculate the friction loss in the system.

The temperature is 303 K.

7. Pressure measurement from flows

Water having a density of 998 kg/m is flowing at the rate

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of 1.676 m/s in a 3.068 in-diameter horizontal pipe at a

pressure p1 of 68.9 kPa abs. If then passes to a pipe
having an inside diameter of 2.067 in

Calculate the new pressure p2 in the 2.067 in

pipe. Assume no friction losses.

If the piping is vertical and the flow is upward,

calculate the new pressure p2.

The pressure tap for p2 is 0.457 m above the tap for p1.
8. Draining cotton seed oil from a tank

A cylindrical tank 1.52 m in diameter and 7.62 m high

contains cotton seed oil having a density of 917 kg/m .
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The tank is open to the atmosphere. A discharge nozzle of

inside diameter 15.8 mm and cross sectional area A2 is

located near the bottom of the tank. The surface of the

liquid is located at H = 6.1 m above the center line of the

nozzle. The discharge nozzle is opened, draining the liquid
level from H = 6.1 m to H = 4.57 m. Calculate the time
in seconds to do this.

9. Friction loss in turbine water power system

Water is stored in an elevated reservoir. To generate

power, water flows from this reservoir down through a

large conduit to a turbine and then through a similar-sized

conduit. At a point in the conduit 90 m above the turbine,

the pressure is 30 psia and at a level of 3 m below the
turbine, the pressure is 18 psia. The water flow rate is
3600 tons/h. The output of the shaft of the turbine is

1000 hp. The water density is 998 kg/m . If the efficiency

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of the turbine in converting the mechanical energy given

up by the fluid to the turbine shaft is 90% (=0.90),

calculate the friction loss in the turbine in J/kg.

10. Pipeline pumping of oil

A pipeline laid across country carries oil at the rate 795

m /d. The pressure of the oil is 1793 kPa gage leaving
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pumping station 1. The pressure is 862 kPa gage at the

inlet to the next pumping station 2. The second station is

17.4 m higher than the first section. Calculate the lost
work in J/kg mass oil.

Physical properties of water

Source : Singh and Heldman (1993)

Steam Table (saturated steam)

Source : Singh and Heldman (1993)

Steam Table (superheated steam)

Source : Singh and Heldman (1993)

Physical Properties of Dry Air