2001

The operation of a rotameter is based on

A) variable flow area C) pressure drop across a nozzle

B) rotation of a turbine D) pressure at a stagnation point

Solution (A)

The gravitational force and buoyant force is constant on

Fbuoyant Fdrag the float as flow rate increases drag force also increases

and the float moves upward as it moves upward the area

of flow increases which reduces the velocity and hence

the drag force the rotameter is calibrated accordingly

F gravity and gives the reading.

Additionally it is not used very widely in the industry because the rotameter is calibrated for a
particular fluid only and also its construction is made of glass which is not the preferred choice of
material in the industry.

Applying a pressure drop across a capillary results in a volumetric flow rate Q under laminar flow
conditions. The flow rate, for the same pressure drop, in a capillary of the same length but half the
radius is

A) Q/2 C) Q/8

B) Q/4 D) Q/16

Solution (D)

vL
Hagen Poiseulli eqn P=32 which assumes laminar flow of an incompressible and
d2
Newtonian fluid through a constant cross-sectional area.

d2
Multiply and divide by we get
4
QL
P=128
d4
For same P
4
Implies Q d
 4
Q2 d 2 d1
= but d 2=
Q1 d 41 2

Q2 d 41 1
Therefore = 4
=
Q1 16 d 1 16

A Bingham fluid of viscosity M = 10 Pa s, and yield stress 0 = 10 k Pa, is sheared between flat
parallel plates separated by a distance 10 -3 m. The top plate is moving with a velocity of 1 m/s. The
shear stress on the plate is

A) 10 kPa C) 30 kPa

B) 20 kPa D) 40 kPa

Solution (B)

For bingham plastic fluid

du
= 0 +
dx
3 1 3
=10 10 +10 3
=2 10 =20 kpa
10

The inlet velocity of water (p = 1000 kg/m3) in a right-angled bend-reducer is V 1 = 1 m/s, as shown
below. The inlet diameter is D1 = 0.8 m and the outlet diameter is D 2 = 0.4 m. The flow is turbulent
and the velocity profiles at the inlet and outlet are flat (plug flow). Gravitational forces are negligible.

Find the pressure drop (P1 P2) across the bend assuming negligible friction losses. If the actual
pressure drop is (P1 P2) = 8.25 kPa, find the friction loss factor (K f) based on the velocity V1
Solution

Applying bernaullis eqn at 1 and 2

P1 v 21 P2 v 22
+ + z = + +z
g 2 g 1 g 2 g 2
Neglecting gravitational forces and assuming no frictional loss
2 2
P1 P2 v 2 v 1
= -
2 2
2 2
P1P2= (v 2v 1) 1
2
A1V1=A2V2

0.82.1=0.42.V2

V2=4 m/s

From 1

1000 2 2
p1 p2= (4 1 )
2
=7500pa or 75kpa

Now,If losses are considered then bernaullis eqn becomes

2 2
P1 v 1 P v
+ + z 1= 2 + 2 + z 2 +h f
g 2 g g 2 g
Given that P1P2=8250 when losses are considered

hf=0.076m

to calculate in terms of Kf

v 21
Kf =0.076
2g
K f =1.5
2002

With increasing flow rate, the hydraulic efficiency of a centrifugal pump

A) monotonically decreases B) decreases and then increases

C) remains constant D) increases and then decreases

Solution (D)

m gH Q gHQ
= =
BHP BHP
At shut off head QQ is equal to zero and at free delivery of the pump H is zero hence efficiency of the
pump is zero at these two points so it must pass through a maximum by first increasing and then
decreasing.

For flow past a flat plate. if x is the distance along the plate in the direction of flow. the boundary
layer thickness is proportional to

1
A) x B)
x
1
C)x D)
x
Solution (A)

5
Boundary layer thickness over a flat plate varies as distance x from the leading edge as =
x x

For turbulent flow of an incompressible fluid through a pipe, the flow rate Q is proportional to
Pn where P is the pressure drop. The value of exponent n is
A) 1 B) 0

C) < 1 D) >1
Solution (C)

For turbulent flow we have darcy-weiscbach equation

4 fl v 2
hf = ..(1)
2 dg
to find relationship between P and Q multiply and divide by area 2 and in terms of head loss P can
be written as

P= ghf .(2)

Putting the value of hf from equation (2) into (1) and multiplying and dividing by area 2

P 2 fl Q 2
=
g d2 2
( ) dg
4

32 fl Q2
P= clearly Q( P)0.5
d5
The drag coefficient for a bacterium moving in water at 1 mm/s, will be of the following order of
magnitude (assume size of the bacterium to be 1 micron and kinematic viscosity of water to be 10 -6
m2/s)

A) 24000 B) 24

C) 0.24 D) 0.44

Solution (A)

d p v 106 103
p = = =0.001
10
6

24
Since Rep<<1 it is under laminar regime and drag coefficient C d=
p
24
C d= =24000
103
2003

A lubricant 1000 times more viscous than water would have a viscosity (in Pa-s)

A) 0.01 B) 0.1

C) 1 D) 10

The velocity profile for a Bingham plastic fluid flowing (under laminar conditions) in a pipe is

A) parabolic B) flat

C) flat near the wall and parabolic in the middle D) parabolic near the wall and flat in the middle

A pipe has a porous section of length L as shown in the figure. Velocity at the start of this section is
Vo. If fluid leaks into the pipe through the porous section at a volumetric rate per unit area q (x/L) 2,
what will be the axial velocity in the pipe at any x? Assume incompressible one-dimensional flow i.e.,
no gradients in the radial direction.
3 3
x x
(A) vx = v0 + q 2 (B) vx = v0 + q 2
L d 3L

x3 4 x3
(C) vx = v0 + 2q (D) vx = v0 + q
Ld 3 L2 d
A centrifugal pump is used to pump water through a horizontal distance of 150 m and then raised to
an overhead tank 10 m above. The pipe is smooth with an I.D. of 50 mm. What head (m of water)
must the pump generate at its exit (E) to deliver water at a flow rate of 0.001 m 3/s? The Fanning
friction factor, f is 0.0062
A) 10m B) 11 m

C) 12m D) 20 m

The pressure differential across a vertical venturimeter (shown in Figure) is measured with the help
of a mercury manometer to estimate flow rate of water flowing through it. The expression for the
velocity of water at the throat is