Category: 5. Computations in Fluid Flow

CFD employs numerical methods to solve the governing equations of fluid mechanics (Navier-Stokes equations), allowing engineers to simulate fluid flow, heat transfer, and mass transfer in complex geometries under various operating conditions.

Chemical engineers encounter problems ranging in complexity from simple arithmetic calculations to highly involved ones requiring programming. The following examples present of a few of these problems along with solution techniques using Excel and Mathcad. Example 5.1 Friction Factor for Pipe Flow Calculate the Fanning friction factor using the Nikuradse equation for the flow of…

As mentioned previously, one of the major responsibilities of a chemical engineer involves determination of power and energy requirements for the flow of fluids. This requires understanding the energy balance for the fluid flow, presented in section 5.2.1. 5.2.1 Energy Balance for Fluid Flow The energy balance for systems involving a simple flow of a fluid…

Consider a pipe closed at both ends and filled with a liquid. The liquid is composed of a very large number of molecules, each one of which occupies a certain position in the stagnant body of the liquid. The position of the molecule is not completely fixed, as it would be in the case of…