UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY

MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
Prof S. Morris
ME106 Fluid Mechanics, Problem Set 4
1. The gure shows the crosssection of a largediameter pipe from which you are permitted to withdraw
water through a hole of xed area A
i
. You have attached a diuser with exit area A
e
. The ow is incompress-
ible and inviscid. Find (a) the volume owrate Q as a function of the pipe pressure p
o
, atmospheric pressure
p
a
, uid density and the exit area A
e
; and (b) the pressure p
i
in the hole of area A
i
. Your analysis will
predict that Q can be made arbitrarily large by making A
e
large enough, but what eect already discussed
in this class would limit Q?
2. The gure shows a piston of crosssectional area A
p
sinking under its own weight into an airlled
cylinder. The air expelled leaves the cylinder as a free jet of total crosssectional area A
j
. The gap between
the piston and cylinder is narrow, so that A
j
A
p
. (a) Sketch the streamlines in two frames of reference:
(i) xed in the piston; and (ii) xed in the cylinder wall. (To do this, rst identify stagnation points and the
stagnation streamline.) (b) Then nd the pressure acting on the base on the piston. (Use axes xed in the
piston. Assume that the ow is quasisteady and that the kinetic energy density
1
2
V
2
within the free jet
is large compared with that within the cylinder. Also assume that throughout the air, the potential energy
density gz is negligibly small.) (c) Hence show that the piston sinks at a speed V given approximately by
V =
_
2mgA
2
j
/(A
3
p
). (A similar device is used as a hydraulic buer.)
3. Flow in a sink vortex can be approximated by V = K

/r; here K is a constant, r and are plane polar

coordinates, and

is a unit vector in the circumferential direction. (This simplied model does not include
the downward ow into the drain; that ow is small compared with the swirling motion.)
(a) Use Eulers equation of motion to show that the pressure p within the liquid satises
p
r
=
K
2
r
3
,
p

= 0,
p
z
= g. (1a, b, c)
(b) Use Eq.(1) to show that the trial expression for V is, in fact, a solution of Eulers equation.
(c) Find p by integrating Eq.(1). Then nd the equation h(r) for the free surface, and sketch the shape of
the free surface.
ME106: Problem Set 41 Prof S. Morris
4. The sketch shows a siphon of uniform diameter being used to drain a tank. (a) Sketch the streamlines
qualitatively. (b) Find the speed V at the exit of the siphon. (c) Find the pressure at the inlet of the siphon
(it is not hydrostatic), assuming that the ow there is uniform across the siphon.
SOLUTIONS will be posted on bspace on Wednesday 2010.02.17
ME106: Problem Set 42 Prof S. Morris
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING
ME106 Fluid Mechanics
Problem Set 4 Solutions
Problem 1
Problem Statement:
The gure shows the crosssection of a largediameter pipe from which you are permitted to withdraw water
through a hole of xed area A
i
. You have attached a diuser with exit area A
e
. The ow is incompressible
and inviscid. Find (a) the volume owrate Q as a function of the pipe pressure p
o
, atmospheric pressure p
a
,
uid density and the exit area A
e
; and (b) the pressure p
i
in the hole of area A
i
. Your analysis will predict
that Q can be made arbitrarily large by making A
e
large enough, but what eect already discussed in this
class would limit Q?
Solution:
Part A:
Find Q as a function of p
0
:
Apply Bernoullis equation from point o to point e.
p
o
+
1
2
V
2
o
+ 0 = p
a
+
1
2
V
2
e
+ 0
1
2
V
2
o
0
V
e
=

2 (p
o
p
a
)

Q = V
e
A
e
= A
e

2 (p
o
p
a
)

Part B:
Find p
a
: Apply Bernoullis equation from point i to point e
p
i
+
1
2
V
2
i
= p
a
+
1
2
V
2
e
but by mass conservation,
V
i
=
A
e
A
i
V
e
ME106: Problem Set 43 Prof S. Morris
Then,
p
i
= p
a
+
1
2
V
2
e
_
1
_
A
e
A
i
_
2
_
= p
a
+
1
2

_
2 (p
o
p
a
)

_
_
1
_
A
e
A
i
_
2
_
p
i
= p
a
+ (p
o
p
a
)
_
1
_
A
e
A
i
_
2
_
Explanation: By making A
e
it would appear that Q , but in reality Q would become limited by
cavitation (at low pressure)
ow separation/turbulence
Grading: 3 points total
1 point: Correct derivation of Q
1 point: Correct derivation of p
i
1 point: Explanation of the limits of Q
Problem 2
Problem Statement:
The gure shows a piston of crosssectional area A
p
sinking under its own weight into an airlled cylinder.
The air expelled leaves the cylinder as a free jet of total crosssectional area A
j
. The gap between the
piston and cylinder is narrow, so that A
j
A
p
. (a) Sketch the streamlines in two frames of reference: (i)
xed in the piston; and (ii) xed in the cylinder wall. (To do this, rst identify stagnation points and the
stagnation streamline.) (b) Then nd the pressure acting on the base on the piston. (Use axes xed in the
piston. Assume that the ow is quasisteady and that the kinetic energy density
1
2
V
2
within the free jet
is large compared with that within the cylinder. Also assume that throughout the air, the potential energy
density gz is negligibly small.) (c) Hence show that the piston sinks at a speed V given approximately by
V =
_
2mgA
2
j
/(A
3
p
). (A similar device is used as a hydraulic buer.)
Solution:
Part A:
ME106: Problem Set 44 Prof S. Morris
sketch streamlines:
(i) frame of reference xed in piston (ii) frame of reference xed in cylinder wall
Part B:
Find the pressure acting on the base of the piston using axes xed to the piston.
Apply the Bernoulli equation on streamline (i) from 1 to 2 (assume potential energy density is small),
P
a
+
1
2
V
2
j
= P
2
+
1
2
V
2
(1)
Apply Bernoulli equation on stagnation streamline (iii) from 3 to 4,
P
4
+
1
2
V
2
= P
3
+ 0 (2)
Note: P
2
P
4
because pressure is approximately constant along the base of the cylinder.
(good approximation if streamlines are nearly parallel near the base of the piston)
Using (1) and (2),
P
3
= P
a
+
1
2
V
2
j
(3)
Part C:
Show that V =
_
2mgA
2
j
A
2
p
From mass conservation:
A
j
V
j
= A
p
V
V
j
=
A
p
A
j
V (4)
Putting (4) into (3),
P
3
= P
a
+
1
2

_
A
p
A
j
V
_
2
(5)
ME106: Problem Set 45 Prof S. Morris
From force balance of the piston:
(P
3
P
a
) A
p
= mg (6)
Putting (5) into (6),

1
2

_
A
p
A
j
V
_
2
A
p
= mg
V =

2mgA
2
j
A
3
p
Problem 3
Problem Statement:
Flow in a sink vortex can be approximated by V = K

/r; here K is a constant, r and are plane polar

coordinates, and

is a unit vector in the circumferential direction. (This simplied model does not include
the downward ow into the drain; that ow is small compared with the swirling motion.)
(a) Use Eulers equation of motion to show that the pressure p within the liquid satises
p
r
=
K
2
r
3
,
p

= 0,
p
z
= g. (1a, b, c)
(b) Use Eq.(1) to show that the trial expression for V is, in fact, a solution of Eulers equation.
(c) Find p by integrating Eq.(1). Then nd the equation h(r) for the free surface, and sketch the shape of
the free surface.
Solution:
(a) Eulers equation is given by
a = + g
By inspection the acceleration in this case is purely centrifugal. Thus, a =
v
2
r
r =
K
2
r
3
r. Alternatively,
you could compute the acceleration directly. The velocity in cylindrical coordinates is (u, v, w) = (0,
K
r
, 0);
recall that the acceleration in cylindrical coordinates is governed by
a =
dV
dt
=
V
t
+V V =
V
t
+ u
V
r
+
v
r
V

+ w
V
z
= 0 + 0 +
K
r
2

_
K
r

_
+ 0
=
K
2
r
3
(r)
ME106: Problem Set 46 Prof S. Morris
which is the same as our initial guess. Term #1
_
V
t
_
is zero because the ow is steady. Terms #2
_
u
V
r
_
and #3
_
w
V
z
_
are zero because the radial velocity u and the upward velocity w are each zero. Now, plug
the acceleration into Eulers equation to obtain

K
2
r
3
r =
_

p
r
r
1
r
p

p
z
z
_
gz
Separating by components, we obtain the desired result
p
r
=
K
2
r
3
,
p

= 0,
p
z
= g
(b) Up until this point we have assumed that the given velocity eld is possible. However, not all velocity
elds are possible; there are some minimum requirements necessary.
Method #1: Consider taking the curl of Eulers equation. You get
a = p +g
a = 0 + 0
The rst term on the r.h.s of the equation is zero because the curl of any gradient is zero. The second term
on the r.h.s. is zero because g is a constant and the curl of a constant is zero. Then, we have proved that
any velocity eld must satisfy the equation a = 0. The curl of a 2D eld, a in cylindrical coordinates is
1
r
_
(ra

)
r

a
r

_
z
plugging in the current value of acceleration, a = (K
2
/r
3
)r, we get
a =
1
r
(0 0)z = 0
Thus, the condition a = 0 is satised.
Method #2: Alternatively, one could check the mixed partial derivatives of pressure to see if they are
compatible. That is

_
p
r
_
=

r
_
p

_
p
z
_
=

z
_
p

r
_
p
z
_
=

z
_
p
r
_
If this condition is not satised, then the given velocity eld cannot be generated by a smooth pressure eld.
In this case, we can cross-dierentiate equation (1) to see that

_
p
r
_
=

r
_
p

_
0 = 0

_
p
z
_
=

z
_
p

_
0 = 0
ME106: Problem Set 47 Prof S. Morris

r
_
p
z
_
=

z
_
p
r
_
0 = 0
Thus, the compatibility conditions are satised.
(c) Integrating equation (1)
p
r
=
K
2
r
3
p =
K
2
2r
2
+ f(, z) (2)
Note that the integration dows NOT yield a constant, but instead a function of and z. Plug equation (2)
into the second condition to get
p

= 0
f(, z)

= 0 f(z) only
Plugging into the nal condition
p
z
= g
df(z)
dz
= g f(z) = gz + C
where C is a constant. Then the solution for pressure is
p =
K
2
2r
2
gz + C
At the free surface, the uid is exposed to the atmosphere and thus the pressure is a constant p
a
along z = h.
Also, a convenient condition to impose is that as r , h = 0. Then, C = p
a
and the prole is given by
h =
K
2
2g
1
r
2
A typical sketch of the surface prole is shown below. Note that there is a singularity at r=0 because the
velocity and thus the acceleration are innite there. The singularity, of course, does not occur in nature;
viscous eects will dampen out the center portion. However, the prole is realistic for large r.
ME106: Problem Set 48 Prof S. Morris
Grading: 4 points total
1 point: Correct expression & justication for the vector acceleration
1 point: Correct plugging/matching of terms in Eulers equation
1 point: Using Method #1 or #2 to check that the velocity eld is valid
1 point: Correct expression (to within a constant) for the surface prole h(r) and an appropriate sketch.
Problem 4
Problem Statement:
The sketch shows a siphon of uniform diameter being used to drain a tank.
(a) Sketch the streamlines qualitatively.
(b) Find the speed V at the exit of the siphon.
(c) Find the pressure at the inlet of the siphon (it is not hydrostatic), assuming that the ow there is
uniform across the siphon.
Part A:
All streamlines begin on the air-water interface, enter the siphon, and leave in the free jet.
Part B:
Use streamline Bernoulli equation on streamline 1-2-3.
Bernoulli on 1-3,
1
2
V
2
1
+ p
1
+ gD =
1
2
V
2
3
+ p
3
+ g(0)
p
1
= p
3
= p
a
and V
3
= V
V
2
= 2gD + V
2
1
Because the tank is shown as being large, and because the depth d to the inlet is shown as being large
compared to the siphon diameter, V
1
V
V
2
= 2gD
V =
_
2gD Torricellis theorem
ME106: Problem Set 49 Prof S. Morris
Part C:
Either (i) Because the siphon diameter is constant, speed is constant within the siphon.
Bernoulli 2-3,
1
2
V
2
2
+ p
2
+ gz
2
=
1
2
V
2
3
+ p
3
+ g(0)
z
2
= D d, V
2
= V
3
, p
3
= p
a
(free jet)
p
2
= p
a
g(D d)
(Because there is no acceleration along the streamline from 2-3, p is hydrostatic within the siphon.)
Or (ii) Bernoulli 1-2
1
2
V
2
1
+ p
1
+ gD =
1
2
V
2
2
+ p
2
+ g(D d)
V
2
1
V
2
2
= 2gD, p
1
= p
a
0 + p
a
+ gD = gD + p
2
+ g(D d)
p
2
= p
a
g(D d)
(Equivalent arguments)
ME106: Problem Set 410 Prof S. Morris