Fluid Mechanics

Scholar Year: 2018/2019 - 1S

Courses

Head Teacher Responsability Nuno Humberto Costa Pereira Head

Weekly workload Hours/week T TP P PL L TC THE EL OT OT/PL TPL S Type of classes 4 1 Lectures Type Teacher Classes Hours Theorethical and Practical classes Totals 1 4,00 Laboratories Totals 1 1,00

Teaching language

Portuguese

Intended learning outcomes (Knowledges, skills and competencies to be developed by the students)

The main objective of this UC is to develop the student’s interest in the study of fluid
mechanics, in order to know the main subjects of statics and dynamics of fluids to solve the
most common problems that arise in engineering.
At the end of this UC the students should be able to:
- Determine the force and its point of application on a submerged flat surface;
- Determine the pressure indicated by any liquid column manometer;
- Draw the free body diagram of floating or submerged objects and determine the forces
involved;
- Identify and characterize the flow regime; calculate the losses of the flows inside pipelines;
determine the system curve;
- Characterize the type of turbomachinery depending on the inside flow; interpret their
characteristic curves; determine operating points, selection of pumps and blowers; evaluate
the possibility to occur cavitation in pumps; Determine curves of combined pumps;
- Determine the most efficiency channel shapes; determine the flow rate; characterize the
flow regime.

Syllabus

1. Fluid concept: Basic laws of physics; Notion of volume flow and mass flow rate;
Thermodynamic properties of fluids.
2. Viscosity of the fluid: dynamic and kinematic viscosity, variations with temperature;
Measurement of viscosity.
3. Distribution of pressure in a fluid: Absolute and relative pressure scales; Pascal's Law,
Equation of hydrostatics, manometry, hydrostatic forces; Impulse.
4. Flow of fluids: Bernoulli and energy equations: Notion of path lines, streamlines and
streaklines; Continuity equation, Bernoulli's equation, energy equation.
5. Flow regimes: laminar and turbulent flow, Reynolds number, velocity profiles, velocity
measurement.
6. Viscous flow in ducts: Friction in laminar and turbulent flow; minor losses, losses in pipe
systems; Multipipe systems; System curve.
7. Application and selection of pumps and fans: Performance curves; Similarity laws;
Operating point; Matching pumps to system characteristics; Combining pumps; Net positivesuction
head.
8. Flow in free surface: Types of movement; Delivery pressures and speeds; Froude number;
Backwater; Hydraulic jump; Holes and sill spillways; Specific energy; Total momentum;
Uniform regime and steady;
9. Hydraulic measurements
Measuring devices and pressure control, level and flow rate; Holes and dischargers;
Calculation of the flow rate drained through holes and through dischargers.
Laboratorial component:
- Viscosity determination in a fluid through the terminal velocity method;
- Hydraulic rig: Bernoulli's theorem Study;
- Hydraulic rig: Study of the impact of jets;
- Hydraulic rig: Head loss in input / output and contraction / expansion;
- Hydraulic rig: Calibration of a manometer;
- Hydraulic rig: Weir tests;
- Head losses test rig: Head losses in pipes and accidents;
- Centrifugal pump test rig: Performance curves of centrifugal pumps.

Demonstration of the syllabus coherence with the UC intended learning outcomes

- Introductory concepts
Know differences between solid, liquid and gaseous and how to calculate the mass and
volume flow rate.
- Viscosity Fluid
Knows how to measure and characterize the viscosity. Know the parameters that influence it.
- Pressure distribution in a fluid
Know how to calculate the pressure and apply hydrostatics equation. Know how to calculate
pressure with liquids manometers. Know how to determine forces on surfaces and buoyancy.
- Flow of fluids and the Bernoulli´s and energy equations
Know how to apply the equations, choosing the best points. Can sketch the energy and
hydraulic grade lines.
- Flow regimes
Can identify the flow regime and the shape of the velocity profiles. Know how to measure the
velocity.
- Viscous flow in ducts
Know how to calculate losses and the system curve.
- Application and selection of pumps and fans
Knows how to determine the operating point and select the machines. Know how to calculate
the net positive-section head in pumps.

Teaching methodologies

Theoretical-practical (2x2h per week): theoretical exposure of subjects with student’s
interaction (using a projector for presentation of content, movies and exercises) and
demonstration method (with practical problems solved by students).
Practical-laboratorial classes (1x1h per week): experimental method (laboratorial experiments
to apply the theoretical subjects).
Laboratorial experiments complement the concepts introduced in theoretical-practical classes
and enable contact with real equipment and work. Reports are written for the experiments.

Demonstration of the teaching methodologies coherence with the curricular unit's intended learning outcomes

The theoretical-practical classes consist in a presentation of the fundamental concepts of the
various subjects, with use of a projector to display the slides with the content including
illustrative figures and movies. To complement the theoretical subjects, during the classes are
proposed small practical applications to be solved by the students. At the end of the chapter
several problems are proposed to be solved by students covering various theoretical
concepts. The proposed problems fall into areas of interest in engineering. Students are
encouraged to participate in practical exercises resolution, which and are solved by the
teacher at the end.
In the Practical-Laboratorial classes a group of three students do their work, under the
supervision of the teacher. The practical works are supported by specific guidelines, which
introduce some theoretical concepts, explain the experimental procedure, the data to be
collected and identify the goals to be achieved with the experiment. A final report must be
written to describe the work, present and comment the results and answer the specific
formulated questions.

Assessment methodologies and evidences

* Evaluation by final exam:

<*> In examinations may be used only non-programmable scientific calculator and have restricted consultation - Form supplied

Assement and Attendance registers

Primary Bibliography

Secondary Bibliography

Observations

Support:
(Office D120):
Monday – 17:00h às 18:00h
Thursday – 17:30h às 18:30h
Friday – 18:30h às 19:30h