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Dimensional Analysis,
Similitude,
and Modeling
Introduction
HISTORICAL CONTEXT
John Smeaton (1724-1792) first used scale models for systematic
experimentation.
William Froude (1810-1871) first proposed laws for estimating
ship hull drag from model tests.
Aimee Vaschy, Lord Rayleigh, D. Riabouchinsky, E.
Buckingham all made significant contributions to dimensional
analysis and similitude.
Jean B. J. Fourier (1768-1830) first formulated a theory of
dimensional analysis.
Osborne Reynolds (1842-1912) first used dimensionless
parameters to analyze experimental results.
Moritz Weber (1871-1951) assigned the name Reynolds number
and Froude number.
Introduction
z
prototype
pl = f ( D, , ,V )
pl =
p
pressure drop per unit length
x
Dimensional Analysis
z
VD
Dpl
=
2
V
Dimensional Analysis
z
z
L F L3
Dpl
=
2
V
FL4T 2
(
VD ( FL
=&
z
=& F 0 L0T 0
)( LT )
T )( LT ) ( L )
=& F
( FL T )
0 0
LT
pl = F L3
=& FL4T 2
D =& L
=& FL2T
V =& LT 1
1 = ( 2 , 3 , L k r )
The required number of pi terms is fewer than the number of original
variables by r, where r is determined by the minimum number of
reference dimensions required to describe the original list of variables.
MLT, FLT
Determination of pi terms
3: Determine the required member of pi terms.
Buckingham pi theorem:
k variables
r reference dimensions (M, L, T, or )
k r independent dimensionless groups
4: Select a number of repeating variables, where the
number required is equal to the number of reference
dimensions
Notes:
1. Each repeating variable must be dimensionally
independent of the others.
2. Do not choose the dependent variable (e.g., p) as one
of the repeating variables.
Determination of pi terms
5: Form a pi form by multiplying one of the
nonrepeating variables by the product of the repeating
variables, each raised to an exponent that will make
the combination dimensionless.
a
1
b
2
c
3
ui , u , u , u
ui
a
b
c
u1 , u2 , u3
: nonrepeating variable
: repeating variables
Determination of pi terms
8: Express the final form as a relationship among the pi
terms, and think about what it means
1 = ( 2 , 3 ,L k r )
Determination of pi terms
z
( FL ) L ( LT ) ( FL
3
1 b
2 c
=& F 0 L0T 0
1+ c = 0
3 + a + b 4c = 0
F
L
a =1
b = 2
b + 2c = 0
pl D
1 =
V 2
c = 1
Determination of pi terms
2 = D aV b c
( FL T ) L ( LT
2
1 b
1+ c = 0
( FL T
4
2 c
=& F 0 L0T 0
a = 1
2 + a + b 4c = 0
b = 1 2 =
1 b + 2c = 0
c = 1
FL3 ) ( L )
(
pl D
0 0 0
F
LT
1 =
=
=
&
&
2
2
4
2
1
V
( FL T )( LT )
FL2T
0 0 0
F
LT
2 =
=&
=
&
1
4 2
DV L ( LT )( FL T )
VD
pl
%
or
2 =
DV
V
DV
repeating variable
D =& MLT 2
1 = D waV b c =
w =& L
h =& L
=& ML1T 1
=& ML3
V =& LT 1
k r = 63 = 3
w, V ,
w2V 2
h
a b c
2 = hw V =
w
3 = waV b c =
wV
% h , = w , Vw
=
w2V 2
w
wV
h
Selection of variables
z
q = f1 ( u, v, w,L)
Ex. 7.2
2
V
Uniqueness of Pi Terms
z
Then
1 = 1 ( 2 , 3 )
1 = 2 ( 2 , 2 )
pl D VD pl D 2
=
2
V
V
Uniqueness of Pi Terms
z
Common Dimensionless
Groups in Fluid Mechanics
z
Froude number, Fr
Fr =
V
inertia force
=
g l gravitational force
FI = as m
as =
dVs
dV
= Vs s
dt
ds
Common Dimensionless
Groups in Fluid Mechanics
z
dVs
dVs V 2 * dVs*
as =
Vs
= Vs
=
l
dt
ds
ds*
V 2 * dVs*
FI = mas =
Vs
m, FG = mg
*
l
ds
FI V 2 * dVs*
=
Vs
FG g l
ds*
V
V7.4 Froude number
gl
For a problem in which gravity (or weight) is not important, the
Froude number would not appear as an important pi term.
Fr =
Common Dimensionless
Groups in Fluid Mechanics
z Reynolds number
Re =
V l
inertia force
viscous force
Euler number
p
p
Eu =
=
2
V
V 2
pressure force
inertia force
www.boattest.com/images-gallery/News/prop_cav.jpg
Common Dimensionless
Groups in Fluid Mechanics
z
Ca =
V 2
Ma 2 =
V 2
Ma = = V
c
E
= Ca
c=
E
When the Mach number is relatively small (less than 0.3), the
inertial forces induced by the fluid motion are not sufficiently
large to cause a significant change in the fluid density, and in
this case the compressibility of the fluid can be neglected.
Common Dimensionless
Groups in Fluid Mechanics
z
Strouhal Number
St =
V
It represent a measure of the ratio of inertia forces due to the
unsteadiness of the flow (local acceleration, V / t ) to the
inertia forces due to change in velocity from point to point
in the flow field (convective acceleration, V V / x ).
V7.5 Strouhal number
singing wires
Common Dimensionless
Groups in Fluid Mechanics
z
Weber Number
V 2 l
We =
7.7 Correlation of
Experimental data
z
where C is a constant
1 = ( 2 , 3 )
Ex. 7.3 Flow with only one Pi term V7.7 Stokes flow
Ex. 7.4 Dimensionless correlation of experimental data
Theory of models
z
nm = n
- prediction equation
Theory of models
D = f ( w, h, , ,V )
pi theorem indicates
wm w mVm wm Vw
w Vw
D
= ,
=
=
,
hm h
w2 V 2
h
m w
hm
=
,
=
w
w
V
V
Dm
wm mVm wm
m
m
,
=
m wm
h
2
2
wm mVm
m
hm
Dm
D
thus,
=
w2 V 2 wm2 mVm2
2
w V
or, D =
Dm
wm m Vm
Theory of models
Similarity:
z
Ex. 7.5
length scale
V1 V1m
=
V2 V2 m
velocity scale
etc.
gl
Vm
lm
=
= l
V
l
=
=
m
m l m l m
V
3
vm Vm l m
lm lm
=
=
= ( l ) 2
v
V l
l l
l
l
mVm l m V l
=
m
Ex. 7.6
p
,
2
V
pm
p
=
mVm2 V 2
l
l
CD =
l i V l
D
=
, ,
2 2
1
V
l
l
l
l im l i
m
= ,
=
lm
l
lm l
geometric similarity:
m l
m l
Vm =
V=
V
m l m
lm
To reduce Vm
mVm l m V l
=
m
m
< 1 ( water / air ~0.1), or m > (increase p )
CD =
D
,
2
1
2 AV
A =d2 4
NASA Ames
40 80 ft
345 mil/hr
12 24 m
552 km/hr
test section
Ex. 7.7
=
cm m l
z
l i V l V V 2 l
= , ,
,
,
l l
gl
Vm
gml m
Weber number
V
lm
V
=
, gm = g m =
= l
l
V
gl
mVm l m V l
l
=
m = m
m
32
= ( l )
32
(7.15)
m m
2
= ( l )
Note: Special treatment (adding studs) is needed for the ship model to
stimulate turbulent boundary layer at proper position.
p
+u
+
= + g + 2 + 2
x
y
y
y
t
x
u* = , * = , p* =
V
x
x* = ,
l
y
t
y* = , t* =
p0
Therefore,
u Vu * x * V u *
=
=
x
x * x
l x *
and
2u V u * x * V 2u *
=
= 2
2
l x * x * x l x *2
x
Thus
u * *
+
=0
x * y *
2
2
2
u *
p0 p * V u * u *
V u * V u *
t * + l u * x * + * y * = l x * + l 2 x *2 + y *2
2
2
2
*
p0 p *
V * V *
V * *
+
g + 2
2
2
t * + l u * x * + * y * = l y * +
{
*
*
x
y
l
{
{
123
FG {
FV
FI l
FP
FIc
inertia (local)
force
inertia (convective)
force
pressure
force
gravity
force
viscous
force
p0 p * 2u * 2u *
u *
u *
l u *
V t * + u * x * + * y * = V 2 x * + V l x *2 + y *2
p0 p * g l 2 * 2 *
*
*
l *
V t * + u * x * + * y * = V 2 y * + V 2 + V l x *2 + y *2
a form of
Strouhal number
z
Euler number
reciprocal of
Froude number
square
reciprocal of
Reynolds number