ME-230 Fluid

Mechanics-I
Muhammad Adnan Hanif
MSc Mechanical Engineering(Structural
Mechanics)

6.4 Inviscid flow

Please prepare this topic as homework. You

may discuss the problems with me via email

or at my office.

7.1 Dimensional
Analysis
A typical fluid mechanics problem in which

experimentation is required;
Designing a pipeline
Decision of the factors/variable that effect on
pressure drop
It is important to develop a meaningful and

systematic way to perform an experiment.

7.2 Buckingham Pi
Theorem
A fundamental question we must answer is how many

dimensionless products are required to replace the original

list of variables? The answer to this question is supplied by
the basic theorem of dimensional analysis that states the
following:
If an equation involving k variables is dimensionally
homogeneous, it can be reduced to a relationship
among k-r independent dimensionless products,
where r is the minimum number of reference
dimensions required to describe the variables.
The dimensionless products are frequently referred to as
pi terms, and the theorem is called the Buckingham pi
theorem

7.3 Determination of
Pi Terms
The method which will used in this section is called

the method of repeating variables.

Step 1 List all the variables that are involved in the
problem.
Step 2 Express each of the variables in terms of
basic dimensions.
Step 3 Determine the required number of pi terms.
Step 4 Select a number of repeating variables,
where the number required is equal to the number
of reference dimensions (usually the same as the
number of basic dimensions).

7.3 Determination of
Pi Terms
Step 5 Form a pi term by multiplying one of the

nonrepeating variables by the product of

repeating variables each raised to an exponent
that will make the combination dimensionless.
Step 6 Repeat Step 5 for each of the remaining
nonrepeating variables.
Step 7 Check all the resulting pi terms to make
sure they are dimensionless and independent.
Step 8 Express the final form as a relationship
among the pi terms and think about what it
means.

Example 7.1

Solution:
Step 1 List all the

variables that are

involved in the
problem.

Step 2 Express each of the variables in terms

of basic dimensions.

Step 3 Determine the required number of pi

terms.

Step 4 Select a number of repeating

variables, where the number required is equal

to the number of reference dimensions
(usually the same as the number of basic
dimensions).

Step 5 Form a pi

term
by
multiplying one of
the nonrepeating
variables by the
product
of
repeating
variables
each
raised
to
an
exponent that will
make
the
combination
dimensionless.

Step

6
Repeat Step 5
for each of
the remaining
nonrepeating
variables.

Step 7 Check all the resulting pi terms to

make sure they

independent.

are

dimensionless

and

Step 8 Express the final form as a

relationship among the pi terms and think

about what it means.

7.4 Some Additional Comments

about Dimensional Analysis
7.4.1 Selection of Variables
1. Clearly define the problem. What is the main

variable of interest (the dependent variable)?

2. Consider the basic laws that govern the
phenomenon. Even a crude theory that describes
the essential aspects of the system may be
helpful.
3. Start the variable selection process by
grouping the variables into three broad classes:
geometry, material properties, and external
effects.

7.4.1 Selection of Variables

4. Consider other variables that may not fall into one

of the above categories. For example, time will be an

important variable if any of the variables are time
dependent.
5. Be sure to include all quantities that enter the
problem even though some of them may be held
constant (e.g., the acceleration of gravity, g). For a
dimensional analysis it is the dimensions of the
quantities that are importantnot specific values!
6. Make sure that all variables are independent. Look
for relationships among subsets of the variables.

7.4.2 Determination of
Reference Dimensions
Typically, in fluid mechanics, the required number of

reference dimensions is three, butin some problems

only one or two are required.
7.4.3 Uniqueness of Pi Terms
Once a correct set of pi terms is obtained, any other
set can be obtained by manipulation of the original
set.
There is no simple answer to the question: Which form
for the pi terms is best? Usually our only guideline is
to keep the pi terms as simple as possible. Also, it
may be that certain pi terms will be easier to work
with in actually performing experiments.

7.5 Determination of Pi Terms by

Inspection
Pi terms can be formed by inspection by

simply making use of the fact that each pi

term must be dimensionless

7.5 Determination of Pi Terms by

Inspection

7.6 Common Dimensionless

Groups in Fluid Mechanics
A useful physical interpretation can often be

given to dimensionless groups.

7.7 Correlation of
Experimental Data
One of the most important uses of dimensional analysis

is as an aid in the efficient handling, interpretation, and

correlation of experimental data. Since the field of fluid
mechanics relies heavily on empirical data, it is not
surprising that dimensional analysis is such an
important tool in this field. As noted previously, a
dimensional analysis cannot provide a complete
answer to any given problem, since the analysis only
provides the dimensionless groups describing the
phenomenon, and not the specific relationship among
the groups. To determine this relationship, suitable
experimental data must be obtained.

7.7.1 Problems with One Pi

Term
If only one pi term is involved in a problem, it

must be equal to a constant.

Example 7.3

Solution

7.7.2 Problems with Two or

More Pi Terms
For problems involving only two pi terms,

results of an experiment can be conveniently

presented in a simple graph.
For problems involving more than two or
three pi terms, it is often necessary to use a
model to predict specific characteristics