CP502

Advanced Fluid Mechanics

Compressible Flow

Part 01_Set 01:

Steady, quasi one-dimensional, isothermal,
compressible flow of an ideal gas in a
constant area duct with wall friction
 Incompressible flow assumption is not valid
if Mach number > 0.3

What is a Mach number?

Definition of Mach number (M):
Speed of the flow (u)
M≡ Speed of sound (c) in the fluid
at the flow temperature

For an ideal gas, c = RT

specific heat ratio
specific gas constant (in J/kg.K)
R. Shanthini
02 Feb 2012
absolute temperature of the flow at the point concerned (in K)
For an ideal gas,
u u
M= =
c RT

Unit of u = m/s

Unit of c = [(J/kg.K)(K)]0.5
= [J/kg]0.5 = (N.m/kg)0.5 = [kg.(m/s2).m/kg]0.5
= [m2/s2]0.5 = m/s
R. Shanthini
02 Feb 2012
constant area duct Diameter (D) A = D 2 / 4 is a constant

quasi one-dimensional flow speed (u) u varies only in x-direction

x
compressible flow Density (ρ) is NOT a constant

steady flow  = Au is a constant

Mass flow rate m

isothermal flow Temperature (T) is a constant

ideal gas Obeys the Ideal Gas equation

wall friction  w = fu 2 / 2 is the shear stress acting on the wall

R. Shanthini
02 Feb 2012 where f is the average Fanning friction factor
Friction factor:

For laminar flow in circular pipes: f = 16 / Re

where Re is the Reynolds number of the flow defined as follows:

uD m D 4m D 4m
Re = = = =
 A D 2  D

For lamina flow in a square channel: f = 14.227 / Re

1  3. 7 D 
For the turbulent flow regime: = 4.0 log10  
f   
Quasi one-dimensional flow is closer to turbulent
R. Shanthini
velocity profile than to laminar velocity profile.
02 Feb 2012
Ideal Gas equation of state:
pV = mRT
temperature
pressure
specific gas constant
volume
(not universal gas constant)

mass

Ideal Gas equation of state can be rearranged to give

m
p = RT p = RT
V K
Pa = N/m2 kg/m3
R. Shanthini J/(kg.K)
02 Feb 2012
Problem 1 from Problem Set 1 in Compressible Fluid Flow:
Starting from the mass and momentum balances, show that the
differential equation describing the quasi one-dimensional,
compressible, isothermal, steady flow of an ideal gas through a
constant area pipe of diameter D and average Fanning friction
factor f shall be written as follows:
4f 2 2
dx + 2 dp + du = 0 (1.1)
D u u
where p, ρ and u are the respective pressure, density and velocity
at distance x from the entrance of the pipe.

R. Shanthini
02 Feb 2012
 w
p p+dp
D
u u+du
x dx

Write the momentum balance over the differential volume chosen.

pA + m u = ( p + dp) A + m (u + du) +  w dAw (1)

steady mass flow rate

cross-sectional area shear stress acting on the wall

dAw = Ddx is the wetted area on which shear is acting

R. Shanthini
02 Feb 2012
 w
p p+dp
D
u u+du
x dx
Equation (1) can be reduced to Adp + m du +  w dAw = 0
 = Au
Substituting m A(dp + udu) +  w dAw = 0
Since A = D 2 / 4 ,  w = fu / 2
2
and dAw = Ddx , we get

u 2 4 f
dp + udu + dx = 0
2 D

4f 2 2
dx + 2 dp + du = 0 (1.1)
R. Shanthini
02 Feb 2012 D u u
Problem 2 from Problem Set 1 in Compressible Fluid Flow:
Show that the differential equation of Problem (1) can be converted
into
4f 2 2
dx = − pdp + dp (1.2)
D RT (m / A) 2
p
which in turn can be integrated to yield the following design equation:

4f L p2  p L2   p L2 
= 1 − 2  + ln  2  (1.3)
D RT ( m / A) 2  p  p 
where p is the pressure at the entrance of the pipe, pL is the pressure at
length L from the entrance of the pipe, R is the gas constant, T is the
temperature of the gas, m is the mass flow rate of the gas flowing
through the pipe, and A is the cross-sectional area of the pipe.
R. Shanthini
02 Feb 2012
The differential equation of problem (1) is
4f 2 2
dx + 2 dp + du = 0 (1.1)
D u u
in which the variables ρ and u must be replaced by the variable p.

 = Au and the ideal gas

Let us use the mass flow rate equation m
equation p = RT to obtain the following:
p m m RT m RT
= and u = = and therefore pu =
RT A Ap A

It is a constant for steady, isothermal flow in a

constant area duct

du dp
R. Shanthini d ( pu) = pdu + udp = 0 =−
02 Feb 2012 u p
 p m m RT du dp
Using  = , u= = and =−
RT A Ap u p

4 f 2 2
in dx + 2 dp + du = 0 (1.1)
D u u

we get

4f 2 2
dx = − pdp + dp (1.2)
D RT (m / A) 2
p

R. Shanthini
02 Feb 2012
 p pL

L
Integrating (1.2) from 0 to L, we get
L pL pL
4f 2 2
D 0 dx = − RT (m / A) 2  pdp + 
p p
p
dp

which becomes

4f L p2  p L2   p L2 
= 1 − 2  + ln  2  (1.3)
D RT ( m / A) 2  p  p 

R. Shanthini
02 Feb 2012
Problem 3 from Problem Set 1 in Compressible Fluid Flow:
Show that the design equation of Problem (2) is equivalent to
4f L 1  M2  M2 
= 1 − 2  + ln  2  (1.4)
D  M2  ML   ML 
where M is the Mach number at the entry and ML is the Mach number
at length L from the entry.

R. Shanthini
02 Feb 2012
Design equation of Problem (2) is

4f L p2  p L2   p L2 
= 1 − 2  + ln  2  (1.3)
D RT ( m / A) 2  p  p 
which should be shown to be equivalent to
4f L 1  M2  M2 
= 1 − 2  + ln  2  (1.4)
D  M2  ML   ML 

where p and M are the pressure and Mach number at the entry and pL
and ML are the pressure and Mach number at length L from the entry.

We need to relate p to M!

R. Shanthini
02 Feb 2012
 We need to relate p to M!
m m RT 1 m RT 1 m RT
p = RT = RT = = =
Au A u A M RT AM 

which gives

m RT
pM = = constant for steady, isothermal flow in a
A 
constant area duct

Substituting the above in (1.3), we get

4f L 1  M2  M2 
= 1 − 2  + ln  2  (1.4)
D  M2  ML   ML 

R. Shanthini
02 Feb 2012
 Summary
Design equations for steady, quasi one-dimensional,
isothermal,compressible flow of an ideal gas in a constant area
duct with wall friction
4f 2 2
dx + 2 dp + du = 0 (1.1)
D u u
4f 2 2
dx = − pdp + dp (1.2)
D RT (m / A) 2
p
4f L p2  p L2   p L2 
= 1 − 2  + ln  2  (1.3)
D RT ( m / A) 2  p  p 

4f L 1  M2  M2 
= 1 − 2  + ln  2  (1.4)
R. Shanthini D  M2  ML   ML 
02 Feb 2012