UNIT I.

PROPERTIES OF FLUIDS
1.4 COMPRESSIBLE AND INCOMPRESSIBLE
FLUIDS
What is Compressible Fluid?
Every fluid we encounter in our daily lives is compressible. To understand what
compressible fluids is one must first understand what compressibility is. The
compressibility of a fluid is the reduction of the volume of the fluid due to external
pressures acting on it. A compressible fluid will reduce its volume in the presence of an
external pressure. The quantitative measurement of the compressibility is taken as the
relative volume change of the liquid in response for a pressure change.
What is Incompressible Fluid?
Incompressible fluids are a hypothetical type of fluids, which are introduced for the
convenience of calculations. An incompressible fluid is a fluid that does not change the
volume of the fluid due to external pressure. Most of the basic calculations done in fluid
dynamics are done assuming the fluid is incompressible. The approximation of
incompressibility is acceptable for most of the liquids as their compressibility is very low.
However, the compressibility of gases is high, so gases cannot be approximated as
incompressible fluids. The compressibility of an incompressible fluid is always zero.
What is the difference between Compressible Fluids and Incompressible Fluids?
Compressible fluids are found in reality. In fact, all of the fluids found in nature are
compressible. Incompressible fluids are a concept developed for ease of calculations.
Compressible fluids reduce in volume when an external pressure is applied, but
incompressible fluids do not change the volume.

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 The fluid dynamic calculations for the incompressible fluids are very easy compared to
the calculations involving compressible fluids.

1.5 COMPRESSIBILITY OF LIQUIDS

The compressibility (change in volume due to change in pressure) of a liquid is inversely
proportional to its volume modulus of elasticity, also known as the bulk modulus.
This modulus is defined as
k =V

P
V
=
P
V
V

( )

Where
k = Bulk modulus of elasticity (Pa or psi)
V =

Volume

P=

Pressure

V
= Dimensionless ratio
V

A large value of k indicates that a large change in pressure is needed to cause a small
fractional change in volume, and thus a fluid with a large k is essentially incompressible.

APPLICATION PROBLEMS
1. A liquid compressed in a cylinder has a volume of 1000 cm at 1 MN/m and a volume of
995 cm at 2 MN/m. What is the bulk modulus of elasticity (k)?
Solution:
P
k =V
V
k =1000

21
( 9951000
)

k =200 Mpa ans !

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2. If k =22Gpa is the bulk modulus of elasticity for water, what pressure is required to
reduce a volume by 0.6percent?
Solution:
k =V

P 20
P P
=
; 2.5=
V
V
0.006
V

P2=2.5(0.006)
P2=0.0132 Gpa13.2 Mpa ans !
3. Find the change in volume of 1 ft of water at 80F when subjected to a pressure
increase of 300 psi. Waters bulk modulus of elasticity at this temperature is 325,500
psi.
Solution:
k =V

V=

P
3000
; 325,000=
V
V

300
325,000
3

V =0.00092 f t ans !
4. A rigid steel container is partially filled with a liquid at 15atm. The volume of the liquid
is 1.232L. At pressure of 30 atm, the value of the liquid is 1.231L. Find the average
bulk of elasticity of the liquid over the given range of pressure if the temperature
after compression is allowed to return to its initial value. What is the coefficient of
compressibility ( )? (Note: =1/k )
Solution:
k =V

P
V

k =1.232

( 30 atm15 atm )

kPa
( 101.3
1 atm )

1.2311.232

]
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k =1.872 x 10 kPa1.872GPa
Solving for coefficient of compressibility
=

1
k

1
1.872

=0.534 GP a1 ans !
5. A heavy tank contains oil (A) and water (B) subject to
variable air pressure; the dimensions shown in Fig. 1
correspond to 1 atm. If air is slowly added from a
pump to bring pressure p up to 1 MPa gage, what will
be the total downward movement of the free surface
oil and air? Take average values of bulk moduli of
elasticity of the liquids as 2050MPa for oil and 2075
Mpa for water. Assume the container does not change
volume. Neglect hydrostatic pressures.
Solution: Solving for delta V for oil
k=

p
V /V

2050=

[(

d2
10
h
4 oil V oil

)(

[(

)]

)( )]

( 300)2
10
2050=
600
4
V oil
V oil =20690 mm3
Solving for delta V for water

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k=

p
V /V

2075=

2075=

[(

d2
h
4 H

[(

( 300)2
10
700
4
VH 0

)( V10 )]
oil

)(

V H 0 =23850 m m

)]

Thus, V total = -20690 + (-23850) = - 44540 mm

Let x = distance the upper free surface moves
44540=[ ( 300 )2 / 4 ] x ; x=0.630 mm ans !

1.6 SPECIFIC WEIGHT OF LIQUIDS

The Specific weight of a liquid is designated by

(Greek word for gamma), is

defined as its weight per unit volume

=

W
m
=
g=g
V
V

( )

g g
=
1 v

Where
W = Weight;

g=

Density;

v = Specific volume

local acceleration of gravity (9.8066 m/s or 32.174 ft/s)

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The Specific Gravity of a liquid is designated by

SG , is defined

specified temperature is taken as 4C (39.2 F), and at this

temperature the density of water is 1.94 slugs/ft or 1000 kg/m.
SG=

0@4C

APPLICATION PROBLEMS
1. A reservoir of carbon tetrachloride (CCl 4) has a mass of 500 kg and a
volume of 0.315 m. Find the carbon tetrachlorides weight, mass
density, specific weight, and specific gravity.
Solution:
F=W =ma=( 500 ) ( 9.81 )=4905 N 4.905 kN ans !
=

m 500
kg
=
=1587 3 ans !
V 0.315
m

W 4.905
kN
=
=15.57 3 ans !
V 0.315
m

1.7 PROPERTY RELATIONS FOR

PERFECT GASES
The Ideal Gas Law
The ideal gas law relates important thermodynamic properties, and is often used to
calculate density. One form of the law is given by the equation
=

p
RT

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Where
= Density
p=

Absolute pressure (abs)

R=

Gas constant (The same for all gases)

T = Absolute temperature (Rankine/Kelvin)

APPLICATION PROBLEMS
1. The compressed air tank has a volume of 0.84 ft. The temperature is 70 F and the
atmospheric pressure is 14.7 psi (abs). When the tank is filled with air at a gage
pressure of 50 psi, determine the density of the air and the weight of the air in the
tank.
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Solution: From Table 1.7

=

R=1716 ft lb/slug R

2
2
2
2
p ( 50 lb/i n +14.7 lb/i n ) ( 144 i n /f t )
=
RT (1716 ft lb /slug R ) [ ( 70+460 ) R ]

=0.0102

slugs
ans !
3
ft

Solving for the weight of air Wair

W air = g x (Volume)
W air =( 0.0102 slug/f t 3 )( 32.2 ft /s 2) ( 0.84 f t 3 )
So that since 1lb = 1 slug ft/s
W air =0.276lb ans !
2. A gas at 20C and 0.21 MPa abs has a volume of 41 L and a gas constant (R) of 210
mN/(kgK). Determine the density and the mass of the gas.
Solution: Solving for the density of the gas
p
0.21 x 106
=
=
RT ( 210 ) [ (20+ 273 ) ]
=3.41 kg /m

Solving for the mass

m=V = (3.41 ) ( 0.041 )
m=0.140 kg ans !

3. The volume of a 6x12-ft tank is 339.3 ft. It contains air at 200 psig and 85F. How
many 1 ft drums can be filled to 50 psig and 80F if it is assumed that the air
temperature in the tank remains at 85F? The drums have been sitting around in the
atmosphere which is at 14.7 psia and 80F. (R=53.34 ft-lb f / lbm-R)
Solution: Let
m1= Mass of air initially in the tank
m2= Mass of air left in the tank
m3= Mass of air initially in the drum
m4= Mass of air in the drum after filling
p1=200+14.7=214.7 psia
T 1 =85+460=545 R
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p2=50+14.7=64.7 psia
T 2 =85+460=545 R
p3=14.7 psia
T 3 =80+ 460=540 R
p4 =50+14.7=64.7 psia
T 4=80+ 460=540 R
T 4=80+ 460=540 R
For the tank

pV =mRT
p V
m 1= 1 1 =
R T1

p V
m 2= 2 2 =
R T2

241.7

i n2

)(

144 in2
1 f t2

ft .l b f
53.34
( 545 R )
lb m . R

l bf

64.7

l bf
i n2

)(

144 in 2
1 f t2

ft . lb f
53.34
( 545 R )
lb m . R

=360.9 lb m

=108.7 l bm

Solving for mass of air that can be used mair

mair =m1m2=360.9108.7=252.2 l bm

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For the drums

pV =mRT
p V
m 3= 3 3 =
RT3

p V
m 4= 4 4 =
RT4

14.7

lb f
in2

)(

144 i n
1f t2

ft . l b f
53.34
( 54 0 R )
l bm . R

64.7

l bf
in

)(

144 in
2
1f t

ft .l b f
53.34
( 540 R )
l bm. R

=0.0735l b m

=0. 3235l bm

Mass of air put into each drum

mair =m4 m3 =0.32350.0735=0.25 l bm
Number of drums filled up
mass of air that can be used 252.2
ndrums =
=
=1009
mas of air put into each drum 0.25
ndrums =1009 drums ! ans !

1.8 Compressibility of perfect gases

1.9 Standard atmosphere
1.10 Ideal fluid

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1.11 VISCOSITY
Viscosity ( )

is the property of fluid which determines the amount of tis resistance to

shearing forces
F

AU F U
( 1.0 )
y
A y

From the figure

U dV
=
( 1.1 )
y dy
Shearing stress

( )

F
= ( 1.2 )
A
Thus (1.0) becomes

U
y

dV
dV
=k
(1.3)
dy
dy

Where k is the proportionality constant called dynamic of absolute viscosity

denoted by symbol . Thus (1.3) becomes
=

dV
dy

dy
dV

Where
= Shear stress

lb/ft or Pa

= Absolute viscosity lb.sec/ft (poise) or Pa.sec

y= Distance bet. plates

feet or meter

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U= Velocity
Kinematic Viscosity

ft/sec or m/sec

( v ) is the ratio of the dynamic viscosity of the fluid,

, ot its

mass density
v=

Where
= Absolute viscosity lb.sec/ft (poise) or Pa.sec
= Density

kg/m or lb/ft

1.12 Surface tension

1.13 Vapor pressure of liquids

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