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. (a)
Dimensional consistency requires that all terms in the function f should have the same
dimensions as the left hand side of the equation, p. And each term must be a combination of
all variables, that is
n n
R 1 2 V n3n4 n5
P =
8 LQ
R4
8 L(R 2V )
R4
page 1
Thus,
n
1
2
3
4
[p]
= [R] [] [V] [] []
n5
The square bracket denotes the dimension of the quantity in it. That is
1 2
[p] = M L T
M : 1 = n4 + n 5
L : 1 = n1 + n 2 + n 3 3n4 n5
T : 2 = n n
3
5
(1)
(2)
(3)
We have 3 equations and 5 unknowns. Thus all ni can be expressed in terms of two although
the choice of the two is arbitrary.
From (1) and (3), n4=1n5 and n3=2n5. Using these results along with (2), n1=n2n5.
[ p ] = [ R ] n 2 n 5 []n 2 [V]2 n 5 [ ]1 n 5 [ ]n 5
i.e.,
p
=
g
,
2
R
V
or
p n 2
2=
V R RV
n5
RV
This relationship in comparison with equation (a) indicates that the relationship between 6
dimensional quantities is equivalent to the relationship between 3 dimensionless groups.
If we had known a priori that the physical quantity we are interested in is the pressure drop per
unit length
(p / ) not the pressure drop p, then this knowledge imposes a condition that
n2=1. In that case the above relationship is further simplified as
RV
pR
=
g
2
V
Here the dimensionless group on the left hand side of the equation is defined as Fanning
friction factor f and the argument of the function g is defined as Reynolds number Re.
pR
DV
f
and Re
i.e., f = g(Re)
2
V
In defining the Reynolds number for the flow in a pipe, it is customary to use the diameter of
the pipe (D) instead of the radius (R).
page 2
2) Diagonalize it using row-manipulation. (Columns may be switched along with the label.)
Add 3 times of the 1st row to the second row:
R
V
0
1
0
1
2
1
M
L
T
1
0
0
0
1
1
0
1
0
p
1
2
2
Add the third row to the 2nd row, and then change the sign of the 3rd row:
R
V
M
L
1
0
0
1
0
0
0
1
1
1
1
0
R
V
(M)
(L) R
(T) V
i.e.,
1
0
0
[] = [R]
[] = [RV]
2
[p] = V
[ ]
or
0
1
0
0
0
1
0
1
0
1 =
2 =
RV
3 =
1
1
1
1
0
2
DV
Re =
p
V
p
=
g
,
2
V
R
RV
page 3
p = f ( R, , V, , , )
Then
RV
= g ,
,
R R
If the additional information, that the pressure drop per unit length
(p / ) not the pressure
drop p is the physical quantity of importance, is incorporated,
RV
, or
= g
R
V 2
pR
f F = g Re,
R
p = f F ( V 2 ) = 4 f F V 2
R
D 2
For turbulent flows, there exists a chart showing the value of fF as a function of Re and /D.
page 4