TYPES OF FLUID FLOWS
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INTRODUCTION
According to nature of flows and their dependency
on other factors such as density, velocity gradient,
etc. flows are divided into various types.
• Incompressible • Inviscid
• Compressible • Newtonian
• Steady • Non-Newtonian
• Un-steady • Streamline
• Uniform • Laminar
• Non-uniform • Turbulent
• Rotational
• Irrotational 2
• Viscous
INCOMPRESSIBLE FLOW
Incompressible flow is type of flow in which density of
fluid remains constant. It means fluid is incompressible.
Practically incompressible flow is not possible. But in
aerodynamics when velocity of air is less than 0.3 Mach
(370.44 Km/h) flow is considered to be as
incompressible flow.
Examples
• Liquids are generally considered incompressible
• Gases can also be considered incompressible if
they are moving with very low velocities- below
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220miles/hour
• If Mach number is less than 0.3
COMPRESSIBLE FLOW
Compressible flow is flow in which density of fluid
changes with respect to distance.
For example, consider fluid flowing over body. So the
fluid will have higher density at a place where fluid
collides with body.
Examples
• When fluid moves with high velocity.
• Mach number greater than 0.3
• High speed aircrafts, rockets, gas pipelines,
nozzles, jet engines etc 4
In air, at room temperature, Speed of
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sound is 340 m/s
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Wave motion and speed of sound
STEADY FLOW
If fluid parameters such as velocity, acceleration, etc
does not change with respect to time, Such type of flow
is know as Steady flow.
Examples
Flow through a pipe
of variable diameter
under constant
pressure head (e.g.
reservoir or tank)
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UNSTEADY FLOW
If fluid parameters such as velocity, acceleration, etc
changes with respect to time, such a type of flow is
known as Unsteady flow.
Examples
• Passage of a Flood Wave.
• Operation of Irrigation and Power Canals
• Tidal Effects
• Water flow out of a tap which has just been
opened.
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UNIFORM FLOW
If fluid parameters such as velocity, acceleration, etc
does not change with respect to space, such type of flow
is known as Uniform flow.
Or
Flow of a fluid in which each particle moves along its
line of flow with constant speed and in which the cross
section of each stream tube remains unchanged
Examples
Steady and uniform: Flow through a pipeline of 9
constant diameter with a discharge constant with time.
NON-UNIFORM FLOW
If fluid parameters such as velocity, acceleration, etc
changes with respect to space, such type of flow is
known as Non-Uniform flow
Examples
Steady and non-
uniform:
Fixed discharge flow
through a tapering
pipe.
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ROTATIONAL FLOW
When fluid particles while flowing rotates about their
own axis, such a flow is known as Rotational flow.
Example
Motion of liquid in a rotating cylinder (forced
vortex) as rotational flow.
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IRROTATIONAL FLOW
When fluid particles while flowing does not rotate about
their own axis, such a type of flow is known as
Irrotational flow.
Examples
Flow of liquid in an emptying wash-basin (free
vortex)
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VISCOUS FLOW
When viscosity of fluid is considered in fluid flow, such
type of flow is known as Viscous flow. Viscosity is a
resisting force to flowing fluid.
Examples
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INVISCID FLOW
When viscosity of fluid is not considered in fluid flow,
such type of flow is known as Inviscid flow (super-
fluids).
Examples
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EULER EQUATION
In a 1757 publication, Leonhard Euler described a set of
equations governing inviscid flow
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STREAMLINE FLOW
The flow in which velocity is constant or varies with
regular manner, such type of flow is known as
Streamline flow.
Examples
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LAMINAR FLOW
The flow in which fluid flows smoothly such that fluid
layers are parallel to each other or no to streamlines
intersect each other, such type of flow is known as
laminar flow.
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Conditions
• Fluid moves slowly
• Viscosity is relatively
high Turbulent
• Flow channel is Flow
relatively small
• Blood flow through
capillaries is laminar Laminar Flow
flow, as it satisfies the 3
conditions
• Most type of fluid flow
is turbulent
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TURBULENT FLOW
The flow in which fluid flows in zig-zag manner and
fluctuate irregularly in such a way that its velocity
changes irregularly, such type of flow is known as
turbulent flow.
The flow is Turbulent flow or Laminar flow this can be
determined from the value of Reynolds number.
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REYNOLD’S NUMBER
It is a measure of the ratio between inertial forces and
viscous forces.
If Re >> 1 the flow is dominated by inertia.
If Re << 1 the flow is dominated by viscous effects.
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Re = 0.05 Re = 10 Re = 200 Re = 3000
The Reynold’s number can be used to determine if
a flow is laminar, transient or turbulent
Laminar: Re < 2300
Turbulent : Re > 4000
Transient : 2300 < Re < 4000
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FLOW CONFIGURATIONS - EXTERNAL
FLOW
Fluid flows over an object in an unconfined
domain.
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Viscous effects are important only in the vicinity
of the object.
Away from the object, the flow is essentially
inviscid.
Examples: flows over aircraft, projectiles, ground
vehicles.
FLOW CONFIGURATIONS - INTERNAL
FLOW
Fluid flow is confined by walls, partitions, and
other boundaries.
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Viscous effects extend across the entire domain.
Examples: flows in pipes, ducts, diffusers,
enclosures, nozzles.
car interior
temperature profile
FLOW CLASSIFICATIONS
Single phase vs. multiphase flow.
Single phase flow: fluid flows without phase change
(either liquid or gas).
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Multiphase flow: multiple phases are present in the
flow field (e.g. liquid-gas, liquid-solid, gas-solid).
Homogeneous vs. heterogeneous flow.
Homogeneous flow: only one fluid material exists in
the flow field.
Heterogeneous flow: multiple fluid/solid materials
are present in the flow field (multi-species flows).
