CBB 1033 Chem. Eng.

Fluid Mechanics January 2011

Chapter 2
Solution to Tutorial Question

1. The pressure in a steam pipeline is measured to be 500 kN/m2. Express this pressure as a head of
water. If the atmospheric pressure is 1.013 bar, what is the absolute pressure of the steam in
kN/m2.

Solution:

Pg = 500 kPa = gh

h=
500  10 3 = 50.97 m
1000  9.81
Pabs = 500 kPa  1.013 bar  101.3 kPa = 601.3 kPa
1.013 bar

2. A mercury barometer reads 760 mm at sea level and 750 mm on top of a mountain. How high is
the mountain above the sea level? Assume a constant density of air of 1.2 kg/m3 and the specific
gravity of mercury to be 13.6.

Solution:

P2 – P1 = – g h

h =
760  750 103  13.6  1000 = 113.3 m
1.2

3. The hydraulic press shown in the figure below is expected to give a load M of 2 tonnes at the end
of a 120 mm piston. What force F will be required at the plunger, which is of 20 mm? (SG for oil
used in the hydraulic press is 0.8)

1m  120 mm

 20 mm

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CBB 1033 Chem. Eng. Fluid Mechanics January 2011

Solution:

Taking P1 at the entry of  20 mm piston, and P2 at the end of  120 mm piston.

P1 - gh = P2
F W
 ρ oil gh 
Aφ20mm Aφ120mm
 m 
F  Aφ20mm g  ρh
A 
 φ120mm 
 
 
π 2000
 9.81 20  10 3    10001
2

π 
  120  10 
4 3 2

4
  
 548 N

4. The hydraulic brakes in a motorcar are worked by a plunger pump of diameter 2.0 cm. The four-
wheel cylinders are of diameter 3.0 cm each. If the operator applies a force of 35 N at the plunger,
what will be the force exerted at each wheel cylinder Assume that all components are at the same
horizontal plane.

Solution:
FP1 FP2 FP3 FP4
35 N

A B

Since all the cylinders are at horizontal position, h = 0

And PP1 = PP2 = PP3 = PP4

F FP

Aφ2cm Aφ3 cm
33
FP  35  78.75 N
22

5. Water contained in a sealed tank with air occupying the space above the water, as shown in the
figure below. A mercury U-tube manometer is connected to the air space as shown. A pressure
gage is connected 2 m below the surface of the water. If the manometer level in the U-tube reads
0.2 m, what pressure will the pressure gage read in kPa? (SG for mercury = 13.6)
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CBB 1033 Chem. Eng. Fluid Mechanics January 2011

0.2 m

Pressure 2m
gage

Solution:

Assumption: All liquids are incompressible fluids. Pressure of air in the tank acts in all direction and
equal to the pressure at the surface of water.

Pgage P – watergh = Psurface = – Hggh + Patm

Pgage P = watergh – Hggh + Patm
= (1000)(9.81)(2) – (13.6)(1000)(9.81)(0.2) + 0
= – 7.063 kPa

6. A mercury manometer is connected to a closed oil tank which has a layer of water at the bottom.
Calculate the pressure of the air above the oil.

Air

2m Oil (SG = 0.8)

Water
5m

0.5 m

Mercury (SG = 13.6)

Solution:

Assumption: All liquids are incompressible fluids so that the densities are constant.

Pair + Poil + Pwater – PHg = Patm

Pair = PHg – Pwater – Poil + Patm
= (1000)(9.81)[(13.6)(0.5) – (5) – (0.8)(2)]
= 1962 Pa

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CBB 1033 Chem. Eng. Fluid Mechanics January 2011

7. Oil of specific gravity 0.85 is flowing in a pipeline as shown below. A manometer containing water
is connected as shown. Calculate the pressure in the pipeline.

Water

150 mm
100 mm

Oil

Solution:

Assumption: All liquids are incompressible fluids so that the densities are constant.

Taking P2 at the manometer entry at the pipe wall, and P1 = Patm

P2 = P1 + watergh + oilgh
= 0 + (1000)(9.81)(0.150 – 0.100) + (0.85)(1000)(9.81)(0.100)
= 1324.4 Pa

8. In the system shown on the next page, the pressure gage reading at A is 2 kPa. Specific gravity of
oil is 0.8. Calculate:
a. The length of the water column Y in the open piezometer tube B.
b. The difference of the mercury columns, h, in the U-tube manometer. (SGmercury = 13.6)

Solution:

a. Assumption: Air in the tank acts in all directions. All liquids are incompressible fluid with
constant densities.

Pgage + Poil + Pwater – Pwater = Patm

2000 + (0.8)(1000)(9.81)(0.5) + (1000)(9.81)(0.8) – (1000)(9.81)(Y) = 0

Y = 1.4 m

b. Taking the opening of tube as P1 and opening of piezometer tube as P2

P1 + (13.6)(1000)(9.81)(h) – (1000)(9.81)(1.4+ 0.6) = P2
h = 0.147 m

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CBB 1033 Chem. Eng. Fluid Mechanics January 2011

A
B

Air

0.5 m Oil

Y
Water
0.8 m

h 0.6 m

9. Two pipes A and B carry water and oil, respectively. A differential manometer is connected as
shown. The relevant measurements are shown in the figure. Find the difference of pressure in the
pipes A and B. Specific gravity of oil is 0.6 and that of mercury is 13.6.

Water Air
Oil

0.75 m 0.6 m
0.65 m 0.7 m

0.5 m Mercury

Solution:

PA + (1000)(9.81)(0.75 – 0.5) – (13.6)(1000)(9.81)(0.65 – 0.6) – (0.6)(1000)(9.81)(0.7 – 0.65) = PB

PB – PA = (1000)(9.81)[0.75 – 0.5 – (13.6)(0.65 – 0.6) – (0.6)(0.7 – 0.65)]
= – 4512.6 Pa

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CBB 1033 Chem. Eng. Fluid Mechanics January 2011

10. A U-tube manometer containing water is connected to two tanks. Find the pressure difference in
the air in the two tanks.

Air Air

0.8 m
Oil Liquid A 0.5 m
(SG = 0.9) (SG = 0.8)

1.2 m
Tank X Tank Y
0.8 m

Solution:

Px + (0.9)(1000)(9.81)(0.8+1.2) – (1000)(9.81)(0.8) – (0.8)(1000)(9.81)(0.5 + (1.2 – 0.8)) = PY

PY – PX = 2746.8 Pa

11. An inverted U-tube manometer is used to measure the difference of water pressure between two
points in a pipe.
a. Find the difference of pressure between the points.
b. If the pressure at one point is reduced by 2.5 kPa, what will be the new difference of levels
of water in the manometer?

Solution:

a. PA + (1000)(9.81)(x) – (1000)(9.81)(0.45 + x + 0.23) = PB

PB – PA = (1000)(9.81)(0.45 + 0.23)
= 6670.8 Pa

b. Say New PA = PA – 2500 Pa

PA – 2500 Pa + (1000)(9.81)(x) – (1000)(9.81)(y + x + 0.23) = PB

PB – PA + 2500 Pa = (1000)(9.81)(y + 0.23)
6670.8 + 2500 = (1000)(9.81) y + 2256.3
y = 0.705 m

Say new PB = PB – 2500

PA + (1000)(9.81)(x) – (1000)(9.81)(y + x + 0.23) = PB – 2500 Pa
PB – PA – 2500 Pa = (1000)(9.81)(y + 0.23)
6670.8 – 2500 = (1000)(9.81) y + 2256.3
y = 0.195 m

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CBB 1033 Chem. Eng. Fluid Mechanics January 2011

Air

0.45 m

Water
0.23 m
Water
Pipe A Pipe B

12. X and Y are two pipes carrying water. Inverted U-tube manometer containing oil is connected as
shown. Find the difference of pressure, px – py.

Oil (SG = 0.85)

200 mm

Pipe Y
600 mm

+
Pipe X

Solution:

Px – (1000)(9.81)(0.6 + a + 200) + (0.85)(1000)(9.81)(0.2) + (1000)(9.81)(a) = PY

PX – PX = (1000)(9.81)(0.6 + a + 0.2) – (0.85)(1000)(9.81)(0.2) – (1000)(9.81)(a)
= 6180.3 Pa

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CBB 1033 Chem. Eng. Fluid Mechanics January 2011

13. In the compound U-tube manometer shown, find the specific gravity of the gauge liquid B. The
gage pressure at A is –10 kPa and the liquid in pipe A is water.

Air

400
mm
Pipe A

500 mm

Liquid B

Solution:

Assumption: density of air is very low compared to manometer liquids, so the pressure exerted by air in
the tube is relatively negligible compared to the pressure exerted by the manometer liquids.

PA + wgh500mm - airgh + Bgh400mm = Patm

– 10  103 + (1000)(9.81)(500 10-3) + B (9.81)(400 10-3) = 0

10  10 3  1000 (9.81)(0.5)
B = = 1298.4 kg/m3
(9.81)(0.4)
Specific gravity, SG = 1.298