570 Fluid Mechanics

Example 10.23. A uniform circular tube of bore radius R has a fixed co-axial cylindrical solid
core of radius R2 An incompressible viscous fluid flows through the annular passage under a
p
pressure gradient . Determine the radius at which shear stress in the stream is zero given
x
that the flow is laminar under steady state condition [GATE]
Solution. Bore r R
R2
p
x
Radius at which shear stress is zero:

p R2 R2
= r
4 x r R
ln
R2

R2 R2
r
r R
ln
R2

R2 R2
or, 2r2 =
R
ln
R2

R2 R2
or, r = (Ans.)
2 R
ln
R2

b
U as
dx dy
 Chapter 10 : Laminar Flow 571
p dy
p
p dx dy on the right end,
x
dx

dy dx
y

zero
p
p dy p dx dy dx dy dx
x y
p
dx dy dy dx
x y
dx dy
p
=
x y
applicable for
laminar as well as turbulent flow
equal
du
=
dy
for
2
p u
=
x y2
p
Since is independent of y y
x
p 2
u = y Cy C
2 x
C and C2

y u y = b, u = U
U p
C2 C = b
b 2 x
C and C2
the velocity distribution for generalised Couette flow:
U p
u = y by y2
b 2 x

p p
U and
x x
p
zero
x
y
u U
b
linear simple or plain) Couette flow or simple shear flow
 572 Fluid Mechanics
q
b b
U p
q = u dy y by y2 dy
b 2 x

b b p
= U
x
The distribution of shear stress

u U p
= b y
y b 2 x
U p
= b y
b 2 x
ie stationary
and the other moving generalised Couette flow.

q and the shear

Velocity,

p
u= by y2
2 x
Poiseuille flow

b p
q =
x
p
Shear stress, = b y
2 x

p 2
u = y Cy C
2 x

y u V, and
y = b, u = U

V = C2 i e C2 V
p 2
and, U = b C b V
2 x
 Chapter 10 : Laminar Flow 573

p 2
or, U+V = b C b
2u x
p
C = U V b
b 2 x

p 2 p
u = y U V b y V
2 x b 2 x
y p
u = U V by y2 V
b 2 x
The distance y u
y p
U V by y2 V
b 2 x

p 2 U V p
y b y V
2 x b 2 x

2
U V p U V p p
b b V
b 2 x b 2 x 2 x
y=
p
2
2 x
2 2
U V p U V p U V p
b 2
b2
b 2 x b 4 x x
=
p
x
y ve and less than b

b
q = u dy

b
y p
= U V by y2 V dy
b 2 x
 574 Fluid Mechanics

b
y p y y b
= U V b V y
b x

b p b b
= U V Vb
x
b p
= U V b
x

du
=
dy
d y p
= U V by y2 V
dy b 2 x
U V p
= b y
b 2 x
U V p
= b y
b 2 x
p b
= U V y
b x 2
The distance y

p b
U V y
b x 2
p b
or, y = U V
x 2 b

b U V
or, y = b
2 p
x
b U V
y =
b p x
Example 10.24. Determine the direction and amount of flow per metre width between two
parallel plates when one is moving relative to the other with a velocity of 3 m/s in the negative
p
direction, if = – 100 × 106 N/m3 and = 0.4 poise and distance between the plates is 1 mm
x
(MGU, Kerala)
dp
Solution. Given: U , m2
dx
b
b b p
q = U
x

q =

amount of flow per metre width = 0.2068 m3/s. (Ans.)