Reynolds friction

The coefficient of friction between two unlubricated solids is generally in the range of 0.5-1.0, and it has therefore been a matter of considerable interest that very low values, around 0.03, pertain to objects sliding on ice or snow. The first explanation, proposed by Reynolds in 1901, was that the local pressure caused melting, so that a thin film of water was present. Qualitatively, this explanation is supported by the observation that the coefficient of friction rises rapidly as the remperarure falls, especially below about -10°C, if the sliding speed is small. Moreover, there is little doubt that formation of a water film is actually involved [3,4]. 

Pressure Drop. The prediction of pressure drop in fixed beds of adsorbent particles is important. When the pressure loss is too high, cosdy compression may be increased, adsorbent may be fluidized and subject to attrition, or the excessive force may cmsh the particles. As discussed previously, RPSA rehes on pressure drop for separation. Because of the cychc nature of adsorption processes, pressure drop must be calculated for each of the steps of the cycle. The most commonly used pressure drop equations for fixed beds of adsorbent are those of Ergun (143), Leva (144), and Brownell and co-workers (145). Each of these correlations uses a particle Reynolds number (Re = G///) and friction factor (f) to calculate the pressure drop (AP) per... 

The transition from laminar to turbulent flow occurs at Reynolds numbers varying from ca 2000 for n > 1 to ca 5000 for n = 0.2. In the laminar region the Fanning friction factor (Fig. 2) is identical to that for Newtonian fluids. In the turbulent region the friction factor drops significantly with decreasing values of producing a family of curves. 

For laminar flow (Re < 2000), generally found only in circuits handling heavy oils or other viscous fluids, / = 16/Re. For turbulent flow, the friction factor is dependent on the relative roughness of the pipe and on the Reynolds number. An approximation of the Fanning friction factor for turbulent flow in smooth pipes, reasonably good up to Re = 150,000, is given by / = (0.079)/(4i e ). 

The dimensionless group hD/k is called the Nusselt number, Nn , and the group Cp i./k is the Prandtl number, Np. . The group DVp/ i is the familiar Reynolds number, encountered in fluid-friction problems. These three... 

The dimensionless relations are usually indicated in either of two forms, each yielding identical resiilts. The preferred form is that suggested by Colburn ran.s. Am. In.st. Chem. Eng., 29, 174—210 (1933)]. It relates, primarily, three dimensionless groups the Stanton number h/cQ, the Prandtl number c Jk, and the Reynolds number DG/[L. For more accurate correlation of data (at Reynolds number <10,000), two additional dimensionless groups are used ratio of length to diameter L/D and ratio of viscosity at wall (or surface) temperature to viscosity at bulk temperature. Colburn showed that the product of the Stanton number and the two-thirds power of the Prandtl number (and, in addition, power functions of L/D and for Reynolds number <10,000) is approximately equal to half of the Fanning friction fac tor//2. This produc t is called the Colburn j factor. Since the Colburn type of equation relates heat transfer and fluid friction, it has greater utility than other expressions for the heat-transfer coefficient. 

Rothfus, Monrad, Sikchi, and Heideger [Ind. Eng. Chem., 47, 913 (1955)] report that the friction factor/g for the outer wall bears the same relation to the Reynolds number for the outer portion of the anniilar stream 2(r9 — A, )Vp/r9 l as the fricBon factor for circular tubes does to the Reynolds number for circular tubes, where / is the radius of the outer tube and is the position of maximum velocity in... 

Friction Factor and Reynolds Number For a Newtonian fluid in a smooth pipe, dimensional analysis relates the frictional pressure drop per unit length AP/L to the pipe diameter D, density p, and average velocity V through two dimensionless groups, the Fanning friction factor/and the Reynolds number Re. 

For smooth pipe, the friction factor is a function only of the Reynolds number. In rough pipe, the relative roughness /D also affects the friction factor. Figure 6-9 plots/as a function of Re and /D. Values of for various materials are given in Table 6-1. The Fanning friction factor should not be confused with the Darcy friction fac tor used by Moody Trans. ASME, 66, 671 [1944]), which is four times greater. Using the momentum equation, the stress at the wall of the pipe may be expressed in terms of the friction factor ... 

For turbulent flow in smooth tubes, the Blasius equation gives the friction facdor accurately for a wide range of Reynolds numbers. 

FIG. 6-9 Fanning Friction Factors. Reynolds niimher Re = DVp/ i, where D = pipe diameter, V = velocity, p = fluid density, and i = fluid viscosity. (Based on Moody, Trans. ASME, 66, 671 [1.944].)... 

In laminar flow,/is independent of /D. In turbulent flow, the friction factor for rough pipe follows the smooth tube curve for a range of Reynolds numbers (hydrauhcaUy smooth flow). For greater Reynolds numbers,/deviates from the smooth pipe cui ve, eventually becoming independent of Re. This region, often called complete turbulence, is frequently encountered in commercial pipe flows. The Reynolds number above which / becomes essentially independent of Re is (Davies, Turbulence Phenomena, Academic, New York, 1972, p. 37) 20[3.2-2.46ln( /D) ... 

Noncircular Channels Calciilation of fric tional pressure drop in noncircular channels depends on whether the flow is laminar or tumu-lent, and on whether the channel is full or open. For turbulent flow in ducts running full, the hydraulic diameter shoiild be substituted for D in the friction factor and Reynolds number definitions, Eqs. (6-32) and (6-33). The hydraiilic diameter is defined as four times the channel cross-sectional area divided by the wetted perimeter. For example, the hydraiilic diameter for a circiilar pipe is = D, for an annulus of inner diameter d and outer diameter D, = D — d, for a rectangiilar duct of sides 7, h, Dij = ah/[2(a + h)].T ie hydraulic radius Rii is defined as one-fourth of the hydraiilic diameter. 

The hydrauhc diameter method does not work well for laminar flow because the shape affects the flow resistance in a way that cannot be expressed as a function only of the ratio of cross-sectional area to wetted perimeter. For some shapes, the Navier-Stokes equations have been integrated to yield relations between flow rate and pressure drop. These relations may be expressed in terms of equivalent diameters Dg defined to make the relations reduce to the second form of the Hagen-Poiseulle equation, Eq. (6-36) that is, Dg (l2SQ[LL/ KAPy. Equivalent diameters are not the same as hydraulie diameters. Equivalent diameters yield the correct relation between flow rate and pressure drop when substituted into Eq. (6-36), but not Eq. (6-35) because V Q/(tiDe/4). Equivalent diameter Dg is not to be used in the friction factor and Reynolds number ... 

For laminar flow, data for the frictional loss of valves and fittings are meager. (Beck and Miller,y. Am. Soc. Nav. Eng., 56, 62-83 [194fl Beck, ibid., 56, 235-271, 366-388, 389-395 [1944] De Craene, Heat. Piping Air Cond., 27[10], 90-95 [1955] Karr and Schutz, j. Am. Soc. Nav. Eng., 52, 239-256 [1940] and Kittredge and Rowley, Trans. ASME, 79, 1759-1766 [1957]). The data of Kittredge and Rowley indicate that K is constant for Reynolds numbers above 500 to 2,000, but increases rapidly as Re decreases below 500. Typical values for K for laminar flow Reynolds numbers are shown in Table 6-5. 

Curved Pipes and Coils For flow through curved pipe or coil, a secondary circiilation perpendicular to the main flow called the Dean effect occurs. This circulation increases the friction relative to straight pipe flow and stabilizes laminar flow, delaying the transition Reynolds number to about... 

For commercial steel pipe, with a roughness of 0.046 mm, the friction factor for fully rough flow is about 0.0047, from Eq. (6-38) or Fig. 6-9. It remains to be verified that the Reynolds number is sufficiently large to assume fully rough flow. Assuming an abrupt entrance with 0.5 velocity heads lost,... 

For condensing vapor in vertical downflow, in which the hquid flows as a thin annular film, the frictional contribution to the pressure drop may be estimated based on the gas flow alone, using the friction factor plotted in Fig. 6-31, where Re is the Reynolds number for the gas flowing alone (Bergelin, et al., Proc. Heat Transfer Fluid Mech. Inst., ASME, June 22-24, 1949, pp. 19-28). 

For commercial pipe with roughness e = 0.046 mm, the friction factor is about 0.0043. Approaching the last hole, the flow rate, velocity and Reynolds number are about one-tenth their inlet values. At Re = 16,400 the friction factor/is about 0.0070. Using an average value of/ = 0.0057 over the length of the pipe, 4/Z73D is 0.068 and may reasonably be neglected so that Eq. (6-151) may be used. With C, = 0.62,... 

Figure 6-40 shows power number vs. impeller Reynolds number for a typical configuration. The similarity to the friction factor vs. Reynolds number behavior for pipe flow is significant. In laminar flow, the power number is inversely proportional to Reynolds number, reflecting the dominance of viscous forces over inertial forces. In turbulent flow, where inertial forces dominate, the power number is nearly constant. 

For banks of staggered tubes, the friction factor for isothermal flow is obtained from Fig. (6-42). Each fence (group of parametric curves) represents a particular Reynolds number defined as... 

At high Reynolds numbers the friction factor becomes nearly constant, approaching a value of the order of unity for most packed beds. In terms of S, particle surface area per unit volume of bed,... 

Flow coefficients and pressure coefficients can be used to determine various off-design characteristics. Reynolds number affects the flow calculations for skin friction and velocity distribution. 

The heat transfer coefficient is best based on the Reynolds-Colbum analogy using a modified friction factor/ ... 

Determination of friction factors for some fluid flow applications can involves a trial-and-error procedure because the friction factor is not a simple function of the Reynolds number. Process engineers, therefore, refer to a Moody chart that has been developed using the following relationships ... 

In theses equations f is the friction factor, Re the Reynolds number, and e/D is the relative roughness of the conduit. Inspection of the second equation reveals that for... 

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