Abstract: This laboratory investigates how the drag coefficient changes with respect to Reynolds number Cd(Re) for a smooth sphere and a sphere with bumps. The bumps on the sphere were modeled by adding a rubber band on the sphere. The sphere was placed in a wind tunnel which carefully controls and monitors the airflow so…
Abstract: The purpose of this lab was to determine the effect of stirring and the hot water flow rate on the overall heat transfer coefficient. Based on the law of thermodynamics heat always travels from hot to cold but the rate of heat transfer is expected to be enhanced by the introduction of stirring. During…
Abstract The purpose of this lab was to determine the thermal conductivity k of the disk material by measuring the temperature distribution for transient and steady-state heat conduction in a cylindrical wall. To conduct this experiment cooling water was pumped though the HT10X Heat Transfer service Unit at approximately 1.5 liters/min. Initially the heating power…
Background and Theory This experiment attempts to determine how volumetric flow rate effects changes in head, shaft power and the efficiency of the pump. To simplify this experiment, some assumption/idealizations were made. During this experiment the system is treated as slow speed, steady state with incompressible flow, the pipe and machine walls are solid so…
Background and Theory This experiment looks at how different obstructions affect the force exerted by a water jet. To obstruct the flow of fluid vanes were used. A vane as defined by Webster’s dictionary is “a thin flat or curved object that is rotated about an axis by a flow of fluid or that rotates…
Background and Theory This laboratory aims to recreate the Moody diagram. Moody plotted the Moody Diagram in 1944, and it is now most famous and useful tool in fluid mechanics. The accuracy of the Moody chart is +/- 15 percent [1]. “The Moody Chart gives a good visual summary of laminar and turbulent pipe friction…
Background and Theory This laboratory experiment investigates the surface tension of different working fluids and how contamination can drastically affect surface tension. Surface tension is a result of the molecules deep within the fluid repelling each other while the molecules at the surface attract each other [1]. Introducing contaminates like detergents into the surface of…
Background and Theory The object is to determine how the density, kinematic viscosity and dynamic viscosity of a sucrose solution, as the concentration of the solution are varied. Density is defined as ratio between the mass over the volume. [1] The expected outcome of this experiment is that there will be a correlation between concentration…
Buckling is a physical occurrence observed in slender structures, such as columns, beams, rods or panel; when it undergoes bending due to applied loads, leading to eventual buckling. This phenomenon can result in the complete failure of the structure. Buckling occurs when the applied load surpasses the structure’s buckling load, which represents the maximum load…
What is the importance of beams? The primary function of beams, regardless of the application, is to act as structural elements that transfer loads. In the civil engineering field, beams refer to horizontal elements which symmetrical sections, such as an i-beam. For example, in a building, beams support the weight of a building’s floors above, ceilings,…