FLUID MECHANICS (ME F212)

TUTORIAL 5

BITS Pilani
Hyderabad
Pilani Campus Campus
EXAMPLE PROBLEM 1
Consider a fully developed flow of a thin liquid film (ℎ ≪ 𝐿) falling slowly
down an inclined wall, making an angle of 𝜃 with the horizontal. If the liquid
film is having a uniform thickness of h and all fluid properties are constant,
derive an expression for the velocity profile in the liquid film.

Air
ℎ
𝐿 𝜃 𝑔

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SOLUTION
𝜕𝑢 𝑦 𝜃 𝑔𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃
For a Fully Developed Flow (FDF): =0 𝑔𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃
𝜕𝑥 1 𝑔
Assuming a steady flow, from continuity equation, we have:
𝑥
𝜕𝑢 𝜕𝑣 𝜕𝑣 Air
ℎ
+ =0 ⇒ =0 o𝑟 𝑣 ≠ 𝑣 𝑦
𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦 𝜕𝑦 𝐿 𝜃 2
∵𝑣 𝑦=0 =0 ∴ 𝑣 = 0 ∀𝑦

Writing the y-momentum equation we have: (Assume that the width of the flow in the
z-direction is so large, that any variation
𝜕𝑣 𝜕𝑣 𝜕𝑣 𝜕𝑝 𝜕 2𝑣 𝜕 2 𝑣 of any fluid properties can be neglected.)
𝜌 +𝑢 +𝑣 = − +𝜇 + − 𝜌𝑔𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃
𝜕𝑡 𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦 𝜕𝑦 𝜕𝑥 2 𝜕𝑦 2
0 0 0 0 0
∵𝑣=0 ∵𝑣=0
𝜕𝑝
⇒ + 𝜌𝑔𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃 = 0 ⇒ 𝑝 = −𝜌𝑔𝑦𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃 + 𝑓 𝑥
𝜕𝑦
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 SOLUTION
𝑦 𝜃 𝑔𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃
Writing the x-momentum equation we have: 𝑔𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃
1 𝑔
𝜕𝑢 𝜕𝑢 𝜕𝑢 𝜕𝑝 𝜕 2 𝑢 𝜕 2𝑢
𝜌 +𝑢 +𝑣 = − +𝜇 + + 𝜌𝑔𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 𝑥
𝜕𝑡 𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦 𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑥 2 𝜕𝑦 2 Air
ℎ
0 0 0 0 𝐿 𝜃 2
(steady (FDF) ∵𝑣=0 (FDF)
flow)

𝜕𝑝 𝜕 2𝑢
⇒− + 𝜇 2 + 𝜌𝑔𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 = 0
𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦
𝜕𝑝
Since the film thickness is very small, =0 ∴ 𝑝 ≡ 𝑝 𝑥 𝑜𝑛𝑙𝑦
𝜕𝑦
𝑑𝑝 𝑑 2𝑢
⇒ − 𝜌𝑔𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 = 𝜇 2 ⇒ 𝐹 𝑥 = 𝐺 𝑦 . Only possible if LHS = RHS = a constant.
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑦
𝑑𝑝 𝑝2 − 𝑝1 𝑝𝑎𝑡𝑚 − 𝑝𝑎𝑡𝑚 𝑑2𝑢
Now, = = =0 So the flow is gravity driven. ∴ 𝜇 2 + 𝜌𝑔𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 = 0
𝑑𝑥 𝐿 𝐿 𝑑𝑦 4
BITS Pilani, Hyderabad Campus
SOLUTION
𝑦 𝜃 𝑔𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃
Writing the x-momentum equation we have: 𝑔𝑐𝑜𝑠𝜃
1 𝑔
𝑑2𝑢
∴ 𝜇 2 + 𝜌𝑔𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 = 0 𝑥
𝑑𝑦 Air
ℎ
𝑑𝑢
Integrating twice: 𝜇 + 𝜌𝑔𝑦𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 = 𝑐1 𝐿 𝜃
𝑑𝑦 2
𝜌𝑔𝑦 2 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 𝑐1 𝑦
⇒𝑢+ = + 𝑐2
2𝜇 𝜇
Boundary Conditions:
1. 𝑢 𝑦 = 0 = 0: no-slip condition 𝑐2 = 0
𝑑𝑢 𝑑𝑢 𝑑𝑢
2. 𝐴𝑡 𝑦 = ℎ, 𝜇𝑙𝑖𝑞 ቚ = 𝜇𝑎𝑖𝑟 ቚ : shear stress continuity 𝐴𝑡 𝑦 = ℎ, ቤ =0 𝑐1 = 𝜌𝑔ℎ𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃
𝑑𝑦 𝑙𝑖𝑞 𝑑𝑦 𝑎𝑖𝑟 𝑑𝑦 𝑙𝑖𝑞

1 ∵ 𝜇𝑎𝑖𝑟 ≪ 𝜇𝑙𝑖𝑞
∴𝑢= 𝜌𝑔𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃(2ℎ𝑦 − 𝑦 2) Velocity profile
2𝜇
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PROBLEM 2 (EVALUATIVE)
A belt moving upward through a bath at velocity 𝑉0 , pulls up a liquid film of thickness h,
density 𝜌, and viscosity 𝜇. However, gravity tries to make the liquid drain down, but the
movement of the belt keep the fluid from running off completely. Assume that the flow is
fully developed and that the atmosphere produces no shear at the outer surface of the film.
Obtain an expression for the velocity profile.
𝑉0

h
Belt

Bath

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Thank You

BITS Pilani, Pilani Campus