Types of Fluid Flow

Types of Fluid Flow:

There are Six different types of fluid flow:

• Steady and Unsteady
• Uniform and Non-Uniform
• Laminar and Turbulent
• Compressible and In-compressible
• Rotational and Ir-rotational and
• One, Two, and Three -dimensional Fluid Flow
  
  
  

  1. Steady and Unsteady flows:

  The steady flow is defined as that type of flow in which the fluid characteristics like velocity, density, pressure, etc at a point do not change with the time.

  

  
  

• The Unsteady flow is defined as that type of flow in which the fluid characteristics like velocity, density, pressure, etc at a point change respected to time.

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  2. Uniform and Non-uniform fluid flow:

  This uniform fluid flow is defined as the type of flow in which the velocity at any given time does not change with respect to space (i.e length of direction of the flow).

  

  Uniform flow

  Whereas the Non-uniform flow is defined as,This non-uniform fluid flow is defined as the type of flow in which the velocity at any given time changes with respect to space (i.e length of the direction of the flow).

  

  non uniform flow

  3. Laminar, and Turbulent fluid flow:

  This laminar fluid flow is defined as the type of flow in which the fluid particles move along well-defined paths or streamline and all the streamlines are straight and parallel.

  Thus the particles move in laminas or layers gliding smoothly over the adjacent layer. This type of fluid is also called as streamline flow or viscous flow.This Turbulent fluid flow is defined as the type of flow in which the fluid particles move in a zig-zag way, the eddies formation takes place which is responsible for high energy loss.For pipe flow, The type of flow is determined by a non-dimensional number [(VD) / (ν) nuo] called the Reynolds number.

  Where,

  • D = Diameter of pipe
  • V = Mean velocity flow in a pipe
  • ν = Kinematic viscosity of the fluid.
  • If the Reynold Number is less than 2000, the flow is called Laminar flow.
  • Reynold Number is more than 4000, the flow is called Turbulent flow.
  • If the Reynold Number is lies between 2000-4000, the flow may be laminar or turbulent.

    4. Compressible and Incompressible fluid flow:

    Compressible fluid flow is defined as the flow in which the density is not constant which means the density of the fluid changes from point to point.

    The density notation is ρ but here i have used J.

    Whereas,

    Incompressible fluid flow is defined as the flow in which the density is constant which means the density of the fluid does not change from point to point.

    J = constant

  • J ≠ constant Gases are compressible fluid flow but whereas the liquid is incompressible fluid flow.

    5. Rotational and irrotational Fluid flow:

    The rotational fluid flow is defined as the type of fluid flow in which the fluid particles while flowing along streamline and also rotate about there own axis.

    Whereas, The Ir-rotational fluid flow is defined as the type of fluid flow in which the fluid particles while flowing along streamline and do not rotate about there own axis.

    6. One, Two and Three-dimensional fluid Flow:

    One dimensional flow is that type of flow in which the flow parameter such as velocity is a function of time and one space co-ordinate only, say x.

• u=f(x), v=0 and w=0

  Where u,v and w are velocity component in x,y and z directions respectively.

  Two-dimensional fluid flow is the type of flow in which velocity is a function of time and two rectangular space co-ordinate say x,y.

  u= f1(x,y,), v= f2(x,y,) and w= 0.