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EMM 2301 FLUID MECHANICS I, Fall 2021
Dr. Achieng K., , kevin.achieng@gmail.com
Text: Munson et al.., Fundamentals of Fluid Mechanics, 6th ed.
• Bi-Weekly HW, due beginning of class; no late homework
• Three labs
Fluid statics
• Pressure
• Manometry
• Forces on submerged planes
• Buoyancy
• Flotation
Pressure
• What is pressure?
Pressure
• Pressure is exerted by fluid
• Its force per unit area
• Units: N/m2 (also known as pascal (Pa))
𝐹𝑜𝑟𝑐𝑒 𝐴𝑝𝑝𝑙𝑖𝑒𝑑
• 𝑃=
𝐴𝑟𝑒𝑎 𝐸𝑥𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑒𝑑
Pressure
• Values of standard atmospheric pressure:
–760 mm of mercury column
–10.3 m of water column
–101.3 kN/m2
–101.3 kPa
–1 bar
Pressure and Depth
• Pressure (P) acting on fluid element of height h is
given as:
𝑃 = 𝜌𝑔ℎ
• Where:
– h = pressure head
– 𝜌 = fluid of density
– 𝑔 = gravitational acceleration
Problem 1
• Calculate the pressure in a tank filled with water (whose
density is 1000 𝑘𝑔/𝑚3 and 𝑔 = 9.8 𝑚/𝑠 2 ) at the
following depths:
a) 5 m
b) 10 m
c) 15 m
What is a Manometer?
Manometers
• Used to measure pressure
• Balance a column of fluid against another column
of fluid of known specific gravity.
Types of Manometers
1. Simple manometers
– Piezometer
– U-tube manometer
2. Micro-manometers (single column
manometers)
– Vertical column micro manometer
– Inclined column micro manometer
3. Differential manometers
– Upright U-tube differential manometer
– Inverted U-tube differential manometer
1. Simple manometers
• Consists of:
– a glass tube with one end open to the
atmosphere
– 2nd end connected to a point at which
pressure is to be measured.
1. Simple manometers: Piezometer
• Is the simplest of all the manometers
• consists of glass tube connected to a vessel or
pipe at which static pressure is to be measured.
• measure very low pressures
• pressure in piezometer is given by 𝑃 = 𝜌𝑔ℎ
1. Simple manometers: U-tube manometer
• consists of a glass tube having the shape of ‘U’
• Pressure in the left limb at XX = P + ρ1gh1 = P + ω1h1
– P is the Pressure head h at the centre of left circular pipe
• Pressure in the right limb at XX = ρ2gh2 = ω2h2
Fig. 2 U-tube manometer
1. Simple manometers: U-tube manometer
• ρ1 = density of liquid for which pressure has to be determined
• ρ2 = density of manometer liquid (assume mercury)
• ω1 = weight density of liquid for which pressure has to be
determined
• ω2 = weight density of manometer liquid
• S1 = Specific gravity of liquid for which pressure has to be
determined
• S2 = Specific gravity of manometer liquid
Rules for Writing Equations for Manometers
• Step 1: Draw a neat diagram of a manometer
• Step 2: Consider a suitable datum line XX.
– It should be in such a manner so that manometer liquid
touching the datum line in the two limbs is the same.
– In figure below, point A and B are on the datum line, liquids
is same in both the columns i.e. left and right limbs.
Rules for Writing Equations for Manometers
• Step 3: Mark the distances of centre of pipe & liquid
level in the vertical column from the datum line X-X
Rules for Writing Equations for Manometers
• Step 4: Let h in meters is the pressure head in the centre
of pipe.
Rules for Writing Equations for Manometers
• Step 5: Write the equation for pressure head in the left
limb starting from center of pipe.
• Pressure head in left limb at X-X = h + h1S1
Rules for Writing Equations for Manometers
• Where:
– S1 = Specific gravity of liquid for which pressure has to be
determined
– S2 = Specific gravity of manometer liquid (assume mercury)
– Let h be the pressure in terms of height of fluid in the pipe.
– h1 is the distance from the datum line XX to the centre of
pipe
– h2 is the height of heavy liquid from the datum line XX in the
right limb
Rules for Writing Equations for Manometers
• Step 6: Write the equation for pressure head in the right
limb starting from center of pipe.
• Pressure head in right limb at X-X = h2S2
Rules for Writing Equations for Manometers
• Step 7: Equate the pressure heads in the two limbs (left
and right) to get the value of h.
• Equating pressure head at X-X as the pressure at datum line
would be equal.
– h + h 1 S1 = h 2 S2
– h = h 2 S2 - h 1 S1
2. Micro-manometers
• Is a modified form of simple U-tube manometer
• also known as single column manometers.
• Types:
– Vertical column micro-manometer
Fig. 5a. Vertical column micro-manometer
2. Micro-manometers
• Is a modified form of simple U-tube manometer
• also known as single column manometers.
• Types:
– Inclined column micro-manometer: more sensitive than vertical
column manometers
Fig. 5b. Inclined column micro-manometer
3. Differential manometers
• used to measure the difference of pressures between two points in a pipe or in
two different pipes.
• Types:
– U-tube upright differential manometer: used to measure
pressure difference at two points in a pipe or between two
pipes at different levels.
Fig. 6a. U-tube upright differential manometer
3. Differential manometers
• used to measure the difference of pressures between two points in a pipe or in
two different pipes.
• Types:
– U-tube Inverted differential manometer: light fluids for
e.g. oil is used as manometer fluid.
Fig. 6b. U-tube inverted differential manometer
