MME 303: Fluid Mechanics and Machinery
Pressure and
Pressure Emotions are nothing
but fluid mechanics,
measurements every inch of your
heart is feeling
pressure.
~ Praveen
Dr Praveen Kr Sharma
Department of Mechanical and
Mechatronics Engineering
“Pressure” is defined as the external force exerted on a unit area
If F = total force uniformly distributed over an area A.
𝐹𝑛 −→ 𝑁𝑂𝑅𝑀𝐴𝐿 𝐹𝑂𝑅𝐶𝐸
𝑃=
𝐴
If force is not uniformly distributed over an area A
# Units of Pressure
# Measurement concept of pressure
1. Atmospheric Pressure: The
pressure exerted by
environmental mass is known as
atm. Pressure.
2. Absolute Pressure: Total pressure
of the system measured from zero
level.
3. Gauge Pressure: Pressure of the
system above atmospheric
pressure.
4. Vacuum Pressure: Pressure of the
system below atmospheric
pressure values, 0 pressure
Problem : What are the gauge pressure and absolute pressure at a point 3m
below the free surface of a liquid having a density of 1.53 × 103 𝑘𝑔/𝑚3 if the
atmospheric pressure is equivalent to 750 mm of Mercury? The specific gravity
of mercury is 13.6 and density of water is 1000 𝑘𝑔/𝑚3 .
Problem : What are the gauge pressure and absolute pressure at a point 3m
below the force surface of a liquid having a density of 1.53 × 103 𝑘𝑔/𝑚3 if the
atmospheric pressure is equivalent to 750 mm of Mercury? The specific gravity
of mercury is 13.6 and density of water is 1000 𝑘𝑔/𝑚3 .
# Hydrostatic pressure at a point
Centre of Mass => COM
Free body diagram
# Hydrostatic pressure at a point
Force balance
Pressure increases in
downward direction.
𝟕𝒕𝒉 unit of pressure :- as a height of liquid column
𝟕𝒕𝒉 unit of pressure :- as a height of liquid column
Pascal’s law: The intensity of pressure at any point
in a stationary fluid is same in all the directions.
Note: Pressure varies only with depth in stationary fluids, whereas if
fluid is in motion pressure may vary in horizontal direction also.
# Conventional pressure measurement devices
1. Barometer
=> Measure local atm. Pressure
=> Mercury (Hg) is used for the measurement.
=> why?
1. Low vapour pressure
2. High density fluid
# Conventional pressure measurement devices
2. Piezometer
=> It is a tube one end open to atmosphere.
=> Second end connected to that place where
pressure has to be measured
=> It can measure only positive gauge pressure
=> low pressure
# Conventional pressure measurement devices
3. Manometer
=> it measure positive as well as negative gauge
pressure.
=> One additional fluid is used (density 𝜌𝑚 ).
=> For low, medium and high pressure
# Conventional pressure measurement devices
3. Manometer
=> Choice of manometer liquid depends upon range of pressure measured, for low
pressure -> low sp. Gravity of liquid and vice-versa
# Conventional pressure measurement devices
3. Manometer
Differential U-tube
manometer
# Conventional pressure measurement devices
3. Manometer
Differential U-tube
manometer
# Conventional pressure measurement devices
3. Manometer
# Concept through variation in the problem
1. What is change in 𝑃𝐵 , so that manometer height
become zero, h=0?
# Concept through variation in the problem
# Concept through variation in the problem
