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CENTRAL PHILIPPINE ChE 4203 Chemical

UNIVERSITY Engineering Laboratory 1


COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
Jaro, Iloilo City, Philippines
Reynolds Number
Group No. 2 Name: Donna Mae R. Galaez Expt. No. 1
Experiment
I. Objective:

To perform the Reynolds number experiment for the determination of different types of flow

II. Theory:

If a fluid is put into motion, then its behavior is determined by its physical nature, the flow
geometry, and its velocity. In order to obtain a phenomenological view of the process of fluid flow,
consider the pioneering experiments done by Osborne Reynolds in the nineteenth century on Newtonian
fluids.

Reynolds, considered by many to be the founder of modern-day fluid mechanics, injected a dye
stream into water flowing in a glass tube. At certain fluid velocities he found that the dye stream moved
in a straight line (see Figure 1). This behavior was found to occur over the entire cross section of the
tube for a given overall flow rate.

Figure 1. Reynolds Experiment streamline flow.

Reynolds also found that the dye streams velocity was the same for a given radial distance
from the tube center (or wall). Hence, at a particular circumference the velocity had the same value.
Furthermore, he found that the maximum fluid velocity occurred at the tube's center line and then
decreased as the radius approached the radius of the tube wall.

These behavior patterns led Reynolds to conclude that such flows were streamline (i.e., the dye
stream showed a straight line behavior with a given velocity at a circumference). Furthermore, since the
velocity moved from a maximum at the tube center to a minimum at the wall, the fluid itself moved in
shells or lamina (see Figure 2). Because of these patterns of behavior he termed such flows as
streamline and laminar.

Figure 3. Reynolds Experiment transition


Figure 2. Laminar flow and turbulent flow.
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schematic.
Date:
December 12, 2016
ENGR. SHARON ROSE DUMAM-AG
Reynolds, being an experimentalist, went further by increasing the flow rate. In so doing, he
first observed that the stream line began to move in a sinuous or oscillating pattern (Figure 3) and
ultimately developed into a chaotic pattern of eddies and vortices. The chaotic flow was termed
turbulent flow, and the intermediate range was called transition flow.

In his experiment, Osborne Reynolds demonstrated that there are two distinctly different types
of flow by injecting a very thin stream of colored fluid having the same density of water into a large
transparent tube through which water is flowing.

Through careful experimentation, Reynolds established that the change in the nature of the flow
occurs when a certain combination of the parameters in the flow crosses a threshold. Later, this
combination was named the Reynolds number. For flow in a circular tube of diameter D at an average
velocity V, the Reynolds number Re is defined as follows.

Dv
=

where: D diameter of the tube

V velocity of fluid flow

- density of fluid

- viscosity of fluid as a function of

In the temperature feature of streaming the dye in


the fluid , Reynolds formulated the above equation in a function of flow velocity , fluid density , pipe
diameter , and fluid viscosity.

For circular tubes, the transition from laminar to turbulent flow occurs over a range of
Reynolds numbers from approximately 2,100 to 4,100, regardless of the nature of the fluid or the
dimensions of the pipe or the average velocity. So, when the Reynolds number is below 2,100, we can
expect the flow to be laminar, and when it is above approximately 4,100, the flow will be turbulent. In
between these two limits, the flow is termed transition flow.

III. Materials and Apparatus:

A. Materials:

Dye (using black crepe paper) and water

B. Apparatus:

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Date:
December 12, 2016
ENGR. SHARON ROSE DUMAM-AG
Reynolds apparatus, stop watch, and measuring device

IV. Procedure:

First, we prepared for the dye to be injected in the water stream. We dissolved the dye in the
water until it gave a darker color. Then we filtered that crepe paper using the mesh 200 size of sieve.

Next, the apparatus was prepared. We filled the water tank of the apparatus and allow it to stand
for some time so that the water comes to rest. Then, we have marked the tube at two points and
measured its distance. Then, the dye container was filled with the dyed water and placed it back in the
Reynolds apparatus ensuring that the needle point is at the center of the tube.

The experiment proper is then performed. We partially open the valve of the faucet and allowed
the flow to take place at a very low rate. Then, the time it took for the dye to pass the second point from
the starting point was measured. We also observed for the visual character of the flow of the dye stream.
Finally, we repeated the above steps for different discharges or flow rate and recorded the time for
each..

V. Diagram:

(see attached page)

VI. Data and Results:

Trial Time (s) Velocity (cm/s) Re Type of Flow


1 16 1.25 578.1 Laminar
2 12.9 1.55 717.02 Laminar
3 17 1.176 544.09 Laminar
4 3.3 6.061 2802.9 Transitional
5 2.5 8 3699.8 Transitional
Table 1. Results of Reynolds number measurement

Length = 20 cm

Diameter of tube = 4 cm

From Unit Operations of Chemical Engineering by McCabe, Smith and Harriott (Appendix 6),

At T = 27 C, viscosity = 0.862 cp, density = 0.99664 g/cm3

VII. Calculations:

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Date:
December 12, 2016
ENGR. SHARON ROSE DUMAM-AG
Velocity:
Length
v=
time

20 cm
( 1 ) v= =1.25
16 s

20 cm
( 2 ) v= =1.55
12.9 s

20 cm
( 3 ) v= =1.176
17 s

20 cm
( 4 ) v= =6.061
3.3 s

20 cm
( 5 ) v= =8
2.5 s

Reynolds Number:

Dv
=

4 1.25 0.9964
( 1 ) = =578.1
0.862 0.01

4 1.55 0.9964
( 2 ) = =717.02
0.862 0.01

4 1.176 0.9964
( 3 ) = =544.09
0.862 0.01

4 6.061 0.9964
( 4 ) = =2802.9
0.862 0.01

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Date:
December 12, 2016
ENGR. SHARON ROSE DUMAM-AG
4 8 0.9964
( 5 ) = =3699.8
0.862 0.01

VIII. Observation and Discussion of Results:

In the experiment, it has been observed that different flow rates can produce different visual
characteristic of the dye flowing through the tube. If the faucet is opened slightly, it will produce a flow
of dye that is of somehow a straight line. However, if the faucet is slowly opened until it could reach its
maximum capacity, the dye changes from straight, to loose and dissipated thoroughly. It can be
observed based on Table 1 that as the velocity of the fluid increases, its type of flow would change from
laminar to transitional and to turbulent flow.

The appearance of straight-like dye filament indicates laminar flow where there is very small
disturbances present in the stream as can be seen in the tube. Turbulent flow is characterized by the
eddies near the needle point and dissipates entirely in the tube.

Based on the above results, we were able to determine and observe the type of flow of the fluid.
We were able to get the type of flow by computing the reynolds number based on the parameters
weve recorded in the experiment. Trials 1 to 3 are laminar flow while 4 5 are considered transitional
flow. Supposedly, turbulent flow is allotted for the trial 4 and 5 but when we solved for its Re, the
resulting value is less than 4,000. It may be due to some errors committed during the conduct of the
experiment like the correct measurement of time and of length.

IX. Conclusion and Recommendation:

The type of flow can be determined by Reynolds number which is a dimensionless number
defined as the ratio of diameter of tube or pipe, density and velocity of fluid to its viscosity at a given
temperature. Once the Reynolds number is calculated, the type of flow is revealed. When the Re is less
than 2,100, the type of flow is laminar flow while is Re is greater than 4,100, it is of turbulent flow. In
between this value, the type of flow is termed as transitional flow.

This experiment can enable a person to determine the type of flow (laminar or turbulent) of a
fluid and the visual characteristic also of each as shown by the stream of dye.

It is recommended that one should be able to familiarize himself/herself in the function of the
Reynolds apparatus and how it should be used properly to conduct the experiment correctly and
accurately. Also, the temperature is needed to be measured since the viscosity of the fluid is determined
by the fluids temperature. It is also recommended that the dye should be of darker color to be able to
see well the dye stream in the tube.

X. References:

Maatooq, J. (n.d.). Flow Dynamics in Closed Conduit (Pipe Flow). Retrieved December 12,
2016, from http://uotechnology.edu.iq/dep-building/LECTURE/dams%20and
%20water/first_class/Lect.No.8-pdf.pdf
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Date:
December 12, 2016
ENGR. SHARON ROSE DUMAM-AG
Subramanian, S. (n.d.). Reynolds
Number. Retrieved December 11, 2016, from

http://web2.clarkson.edu/projects/subramanian/ch330/notes/Reynolds%20Number.pdf

XI. Pictures:

Figure 4. Materials used: stopwatch, measuring device, dye

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Date:
December 12, 2016
ENGR. SHARON ROSE DUMAM-AG
Figure 5. Measurement of length and time

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Date:
December 12, 2016
ENGR. SHARON ROSE DUMAM-AG

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