ME 3350 Fall 16 handout 3.

MOVING CV COMPLEMENT

The Reynolds transport theorem and, therefore, all control volume equations derived in class
are valid for both fixed and moving but non-accelerating control volumes as long as the velocity
in the dot product is expressed relative to a reference frame attached to the control surface.

General form of the Reynolds transport theorem:

dN
CV d V V dA
dt sys t CS
relative to the CS

Sometimes, this general form is written:

dN
CV d V W dA
dt sys t CS

where W is explicitly the fluid velocity relative to the control surface.

The reason why the velocity relative to the control surface must be considered in the dot product
can be explained through an example.
Consider a hose mounted on a fire truck. The hose delivers water at a fixed flow rate Q . If the
cross-sectional area of the hose is known, the velocity of the fluid exiting the hose can be
determined as:
Q W dA WA
CS

If the truck moves but the flow rate Q is held constant, then the velocity of the water exiting the
hose measured from the moving nozzle is still W Q A .

In other words, the dot product, which indicates a flux of fluid through the control surface, is not
affected by the velocity at which the control volume is moving. This explains why the velocity in
this dot product is always taken with respect to a reference frame moving with the control
volume (in the case of a moving control volume) or with respect to a moving fan (in the case of a
fixed control volume applied to a rotating turbomachine).

Comments:
1. For problems involving a moving control volume or a fixed control volume applied to a
rotating machine (e.g., fan), the relative velocity W is not provided. Instead, the
velocities are often measured from a fixed reference frame. A velocity measured from a
fixed reference frame is called an absolute velocity, Vabs . In order to evaluate the dot
product in this type of problems, it is necessary to convert the absolute velocity into a
velocity relative to the moving control surface or moving fan. In order to do this, the
following equality can be used:

Vabs VCS / fan W

ME 3350 Fall 16 handout 3.6

Most of the time, the velocities Vabs and VCS / fan are known and W can be determined by
drawing a velocity diagram (similar to that shown in the example problem on one-arm
sprinkler).

2. In the Reynolds transport theorem and, therefore, in all equations derived in the chapter
on control volume analysis, all other velocities besides that in the dot product are
absolute velocities measured from a fixed reference frame. For example, if one
implements the linear momentum equation to a moving control volume, the flux term
should be explicitly written:
CS
Vabs W dA
ME 3350 Fall 16 handout 3.6

EXAMPLE
AIR FLOW THROUGH A TURBOREACTOR

The control volume is the volume of air contained in the engine. The CV moves at the same
speed as the plane.

How to apply the conservation of mass to this moving control volume?

it depends on how the velocities Vair in and Vair out are measured.

Case 1
If Vair in and Vair out are measured with respect to a reference frame attached to the moving CV
(reference frame ( xCV , yCV ) ), then those velocities are already the fluid velocities relative to the
control surface:
Vair in Win

Vair out Wout
Therefore, the conservation of mass is:

t CV
d V Win dAin Wout dAout 0
in out
ME 3350 Fall 16 handout 3.6

Case 2
If Vair in and Vair out are measured with respect to a fixed reference frame attached to the ground
(reference frame ( x, y ) ), then those velocities are the absolute velocities of the fluid crossing
the control surface.

Vair in Vin abs

Vair out Vout abs

In order to evaluate the dot product in the continuity equation, we need to convert those
velocities into velocities relative to the moving control surface. The following relationship can be
used:
Vabs VCS W

(absolute velocity of fluid = velocity of the CS + velocity of fluid relative to the moving CS)

We can find W using a velocity diagram:

Based on this diagram, for this specific problem: W Vabs VCS i