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B48BB1

HERIOT-WATT UNIVERSITY

DEGREE OF BEng IN CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

DEGREE OF BSc IN CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
School of Engineering and Physical Sciences

B48BB1
2013

Duration: 2 hours

Answer ALL questions

HERIOT-W ATT UNIVERSITY

June 2014 v1

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ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS

B48BB1

1.
Show, from first principles, that for a well manometer, the pressure
drop, P is given by:
P 1 P 2 = ( 2 1 )gh 2

[8]

A well manometer reads a height of 70cm. The manometer employs an oil

with specific gravity 0.92. It is open to the air. Calculate the gauge
[4]
pressure, P 1 -P 2 .
What do you understand by the term viscosity? Explain it at the molecular
level. If a fluid is being sheared at a rate of 10s-1 and undergoes a shear
[8]
stress of 0.5N/m2, what is the coefficient of viscosity of the fluid?
.
[20]

HERIOT-W ATT UNIVERSITY

June 2014 v1

B48BB1

2.
Starting with the fluid flowrate in an annulus of pipe:
dQ = u2rdr
and using Prandtls 1/7th Power law:
u/u max = (1 r/R)1/7
Show that for turbulent flow in a pipe of circular cross section,
= 49/60u max

[10]

Fluid of density 1100kg/m3 and viscosity 0.001Ns/m2 flows in a pipe of 1

diameter with a flowrate of 0.001m3/s.
Calculate Re

[2]

Calculate u max

[2]

Plot u against r for the fluid.

[6]
.
[20]

HERIOT-W ATT UNIVERSITY

June 2014 v1

B48BB1

3.
Starting with the Bernoulli equation:
p 1 / 1 g + u 1 2/2g + h 1 = p 2 / 2 g + u 2 2/2g + h 2
Show that for a Pitot tube, upstream velocity, u 1 , is given by:
u 1 = 2P/
[8]
Show that for an orifice plate meter, the upstream velocity, u 1 is given by:
u 1 = C d (2P/[(A 1 /A 2 )2 1]

[8]

An orifice plate meter in a 3 diameter pipe has a throat diameter of 2.

Density of the fluid is 1200kg/m3.
Pressure upstream reads 200000N/m2 gauge whilst at the throat it reads
120000N/m2 gauge.
Assuming the discharge coefficient to be 0.96, what is the upstream velocity in
the pipe?
[4]
.
[20]

HERIOT-W ATT UNIVERSITY

June 2014 v1

B48BB1

4.
What is the overall pressure drop in the line illustrated?
Pipe diameter = 3
Volumetric flowrate = 0.02m3/s
Fluid density = 900kg/m3
Fluid viscosity = 1.5 x 10-3 Ns/m2
Pipe absolute roughness = 0.025mm
Pressure drop for gate valve fully open = 0.17 velocity heads.
Pressure drop for diaphragm valve half open = 4.3 velocity heads.
Pressure drop for 90 bend = 1.2 velocity heads.

[10]
If the flowrate fell to 0.00002m3/s, what would be the pressure drop then?
[7]

What do you understand by the term Net Positive Suction Head (NPSH)?
Explain why this is important in pump design.

A Moody chart is provided.

HERIOT-W ATT UNIVERSITY

June 2014 v1

[3]
.
[20]

B48BB1

5.
What is a pseudoplastic fluid? Why do its rheological properties make it ideal as
an engine oil?
[3]
The above fluid is placed in a viscometer. The following results are obtained:
Shear Rate(s-1)
0.0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1

Shear Stress(N/m2)
0.0
0.5
0.9
1.2
1.4
1.5
1.4
1.2
0.9
0.5

Calculate the Ostwald-DeWaele power law exponent for the fluid.

[4]

Explain why Bingham Plastic flow behaviour is favoured by the cosmetics

industry.
[3]
Dilatant and rheopectic fluids differ only in their time dependence. Explain this
statement. Give examples of these types of fluids.
[6]
Explain, with reference to its microstructure, the behaviour of a thixotropic
fluid?
[4]
.
[20]

HERIOT-W ATT UNIVERSITY

June 2014 v1

B48BB1

END OF QUESTION PAPER

HERIOT-W ATT UNIVERSITY

June 2014 v1

HERIOT-W ATT UNIVERSITY

B48BB1

June 2014 v1