Fluid Mechanics Fundamentals

Theory and Applications

What you'll learn

How to apply basic concepts of fluid statics to problems involving fluids at rest

An understanding of the concepts of conservation of mass, momentum, and energy to problems in fluid dynamics

An ability to utilize control volume analysis to solve problems in fluid dynamics

An ability to compute pressure drops and pumping requirements for fluid flow through piping systems

Basic understanding of the Navier-Stokes equations

Requirements

Students should have a basic understanding of statics, 1st year calculus, and ordinary differential equations.

Description

This course is an introduction to fluid mechanics, and emphasizes both fundamental concepts and problem-solving techniques. Topics currently covered include fluid properties, fluid statics, stability of floating bodies, fluid kinematics, conservation of mass, momentum, and energy, the Bernoulli equation, control volume analysis, dimensional analysis, internal flows (i.e., laminar and turbulent pipe flows), and the Navier-Stokes equations. Topics to be added in the future may include approximations such as creeping flow, potential flow, and boundary layers, and external flows including lift and drag over airfoils. The course is based on much of the material within, and at the level of, a one semester first course in fluid mechanics taught at the junior level in an engineering department. Recommended prerequisites include a basic understanding of statics, thermodynamics, 1st year calculus including integration and differentiation, and ordinary differential equations. Elementary scientific programming skills are also helpful but not absolutely necessary. The approach taken in this course is to first introduce the relevant theory, followed by example problems where appropriate. Every attempt is made to fully explain and carry out all important steps in the derivation of important equations. In addition to undergraduate engineering students, the course would also be of value to practicing engineers wishing to review material, and as a prerequisite to most courses in computational fluid dynamics.

Overview

Section 1: Introduction

Lecture 1 Introduction

Lecture 2 Fluid Properties

Lecture 3 Energy, Compressibility

Lecture 4 Viscosity

Lecture 5 Surface Tension

Section 2: Fluid Statics

Lecture 6 Pressure

Lecture 7 Manometers

Lecture 8 Forces on Submerged Bodies Part 1

Lecture 9 Forces on Submerged Bodies Part 2

Lecture 10 Centroids of Composite Shapes

Lecture 11 Hydrostatic Forces on Curved Surfaces

Lecture 12 Stability of a Floating Body

Section 3: Fluid Kinematics

Lecture 13 Lagrangian and Eulerian Descriptions

Lecture 14 Flow Visualization

Lecture 15 Fundamental Fluid Element Motions and Deformations

Lecture 16 Vorticity and Rotation

Section 4: RTT, Mass, Energy, Bernoulli, and Momentum

Lecture 17 Reynolds Transport Theorem

Lecture 18 Mass Conservation

Lecture 19 Mass Conservation Example Problems

Lecture 20 Energy Equation

Lecture 21 Energy Equation Example Problems

Lecture 22 More Energy Equation Examples

Lecture 23 Bernoulli Equation

Lecture 24 Momentum Equation

Lecture 25 Momentum Equation Example Problems

Lecture 26 More Momentum Equation Examples

Section 5: Dimensional Analysis

Lecture 27 Nondimensionalization of Equations

Lecture 28 Similarity and the Buckingham Pi Theorem

Lecture 29 Incomplete Similarity

Lecture 30 Ship Wave Drag

Section 6: Flow Through Pipes and Fittings

Lecture 31 Introduction and Laminar Flow

Lecture 32 Laminar Flow Analytic ODE Solution

Lecture 33 Darcy Friction Factor

Lecture 34 Turbulent Pipe Flow I

Lecture 35 Turbulent Pipe Flow II

Lecture 36 Power Law Profile

Lecture 37 Turbulent Pipe Flow Examples

Lecture 38 Minor Losses due to Pipe Fittings

Lecture 39 More Piping Examples

Lecture 40 Branched Piping Systems

Section 7: Differential Analysis of Fluid Flow

Lecture 41 Conservation of Mass: The Continuity Equation

Lecture 42 Stream Function

Lecture 43 Stream Function Example

Lecture 44 Momentum Equation

Lecture 45 Navier-Stokes Equations

Lecture 46 Couette Flow Example

Lecture 47 Modified Pressure

Students entering an undergraduate course in fluid mechanics. Professionals wishing to review the fundamentals of fluid dynamics.