Osbourne: Reynolds Apparatus

ENGTECH 4TF3 Mechanics of Fluids

Konstantinos Apostolou
Ayesha Nazneen Samiya Jahan Andrew Watson
400046539 1335692 400109654

Experiment completed
May 25, 2017

Report Submitted
June 08, 2017
Abstract
In order to understand the difference between laminar and turbulent flow and to identify the
transitional phase, an Osbourne Reynolds experiment was used to investigate the characteristic
of fluid. The experiment required monitoring for flow behaviour as well as flow rate through a
pipe and temperature influences the flow behaviour. By collecting flow data, the Reynolds
Number for each flow state (Laminar, Transition, and Turbulent) was calculated. The
experiment was designed to be performed under two different temperature conditions. Due to
technical issues, hot water experiments could not be performed. Although, the cold water over
time started to drop in temperature and it became apparent that, with elevated temperature,
the fluid (water) flowing through the line behaves more turbulent. After calculating, it appeared
that, the calculated flow characteristics given by Reynolds number mostly agreed with the
observed predictions, with the exception of some Laminar flow- which was predicted as
Transition flow. This could have been a result of slow response time to flow adjustment. If more
time was allowed for the flow to stabilize, the predictions could have been more accurate.

Purpose

The purpose of the experiment was to visually inspect the difference between laminar and
turbulent flow and to experimentally determine the transition between the two types of flow.
An Osbourne Reynolds Apparatus with a cylindrical acrylic tank was injected with die to visually
inspect various flows. In order to measure the flow rate, a clear bell mouth test tube was placed
in the center of the apparatus with a flow control valve attached to the end. Both the dye and
flow control valves were adjusted accordingly until an optimal flow was achieved. To check
whether the flow was laminar or turbulent, an educated observation was made by visually
inspecting the dye running through the test tube. The flow rates were then measured by timing
the volume collected in the beaker. A thermometer was used to collect the water temperature
immediately and both the flowrate and temperature was recorded.

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 Data

Table 1: Data Collection from Osborne Reynolds Apparatus

Volume Water Inlet Flow
No Time Velocit Reynolds Observed Calculated Flow
of Water Temp. Rate Q
. (s) y (m/s) Number Flow State State
(ml) (C) (L/min)
1 100 19.2 112.00 0.05 0.05 203 Laminar Laminar
2 50 21.1 34.09 0.09 0.07 333 Laminar Laminar
3 100 18.1 66.00 0.09 0.08 344 Laminar Laminar
4 50 18.9 31.60 0.09 0.08 359 Laminar Laminar
5 50 19.2 30.55 0.10 0.08 372 Laminar Laminar
6 50 21.1 22.79 0.13 0.11 498 Laminar Laminar
7 50 19.1 17.90 0.17 0.14 634 Laminar Laminar
8 100 18.1 23.12 0.26 0.22 982 Laminar Laminar
9 100 19.1 19.35 0.31 0.26 1174 Transition Laminar
10 100 17.7 19.24 0.31 0.26 1181 Transition Laminar
11 100 17.7 13.33 0.45 0.38 1704 Transition Laminar
12 100 19.1 11.82 0.51 0.43 1922 Transition Laminar
13 100 19.6 9.49 0.63 0.54 2393 Turbulent Transition
14 100 20.1 7.65 0.78 0.67 2969 Turbulent Transition
15 100 20.2 5.96 1.01 0.85 3811 Turbulent Transition
16 100 17.7 5.50 1.09 0.93 4130 Turbulent Turbulent
17 150 17.2 7.14 1.26 1.07 4772 Turbulent Turbulent
18 100 20.4 3.47 1.73 1.47 6546 Turbulent Turbulent

Sample Calculations:
Density of Water (kg/m3): Dynamic Viscosity (kg/ms): Diameter of tube (m):
999 0.00112 0.005
Using data entry No. 18 as an example, Calculate Q:
1000
100
= = 1
60 = 1.73/
3.47
1

Convert value of Q to m3/s:

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 1.73 0.001 3 /
= = 2.88 105 3 /Calculate the velocity of the water:
1 60/

2.88 105 3 /
= = = 1.47/
(.0025)2
Calculate the Reynolds Number:

999/3 1.47/ 0.005

= = = 6546
. 00112/
Determine the state of the flow:

Re 2100, the flow is laminar

Re 4000, the flow is turbulent
2100 <Re < 4000, the flow is in transition

Therefore, when Re is 6546, the flow is turbulent.

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Results

Graphs

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Issues/potential Issues with the lab
Biggest issue was the lack of hot water, we were unable to complete a portion of the lab, due to
only having cold water available.
However, we speculate that if we were able to use hot water, the state of the flow would have
become turbulent at a lower velocity.
Issues during data collection would be eyeballing a volume of fluid in a beaker to determine a
reached volume, also using a stopwatch to clock the time it takes to fill the beaker to a desired
level. There is room for human error and communication error.

Comments and Suggestions

The instructions provided in the manual are excellent and logically written. Improvement could
be made in the following steps of the instruction:

In step 6, it is instructed, open slightly the control valves which could implement to
start with laminar flow and work the way towards turbulent flow by increasing the flow
rate. However, in step 12 it is stated to decrease the flow slowly. These two steps
contradict each other.

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Bibliography

Apostolou, Konstantinos. EXPERIMENT 4: OSBOURNE REYNOLDS APPARATUS.

Spring 2017. MAN TECH 4TF3 Lab Manual. McMaster University, Hamilton.
Fundamentals of fluid mechanics 7th Edition. Bruce RoyMunson - Donald F.Young - Theodore
HisaoOkiishi - J. Wiley & Sons - 2006

Course tables from ENGTECH 4TF3