Fluid Mechanics : Basics

Duration

20h Th, 30h Pr, 25h Proj.

Number of credits

Lecturer

Michel Pirotton

Language(s) of instruction

French language

Organisation and examination

Teaching in the second semester

Units courses prerequisite and corequisite

Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program

Learning unit contents

The course introduces the basic concepts and mathematical models used in various fields of application of fluid mechanics. A particular attention is paid to the understanding of the physical processes.
Theory

• Definition of fluid vs solid
• General conservation principles
• Hydrostatics, buoyancy, stability
• Eulerian vs Lagrangian movement
• Euler, Navier-Stokes and Bernoulli equations
• Notions of viscosity and viscous tensions (Couette, Poiseuille flow, etc.)
• Pi theorem, adimensional numbers and similarity laws
• Potential flows
• Lift force, drag effects, d'Alembert's paradox
• Real fluid: laminar flow, stability of flow, turbulent flow
• Local head loss and in length

• Hydrostatics
• Conservation principles
• Irrotational and potential flows
• Viscous flows (velocity profile, limit speed, etc.)
• Lift and drag
• Pipe flow

Learning outcomes of the learning unit

This course establishes a link between general courses in maths, physics, thermodynamics, numerical analysis, etc., and a particular domain of engineering sciences: fluid mechanics. It has a double objective:
* to teach students to use the notions studied in these general courses in order to approach a new discipline, which involves "crossing" these notions and developing a synthetic and applied approach * to provide students with the bases in fluid mechanics and to teach them to apply them to a number of concrete cases.
For engineering students who are going to specialise in the domains of construction, geology, mechanics, aeronautics, and applied physics, this course will serve as a foundation for a series of more specialised courses such Fluid Mechanics, Hydraulics, Applied and Environmental Hydraulics, Hydrogeology, the study of Pumps and Turbines, Hemodynamics, etc. For the others, this course is about training future engineers in a scientific approach while providing the "basic vocabulary" that will allow them to interact with specialists.
Particular attention is paid to fluid resistance, flows in pipes in continuous and discontinuous movements, the flow of a inviscid fluid and to applications of the moment equation.

Prerequisite knowledge and skills

General Physics course, Mathematical Analysis course, Numerical Analysis course

Planned learning activities and teaching methods

Practice (2 hrs/week).
Work carried out in groups, numerical or in the Construction Hydraulics Laboratory on the 2 main notions of the class :

• potentional flows;
• pipe flows.

Mode of delivery (face-to-face ; distance-learning)

2nd semester Ex-cathedra classes. Oral questions to be asked after class or during the break. Written questions to be asked on the forum.
Active participation during practical classes, mandatory exercise to be made at the end of each session. All sessions are held at the Sart Tilman campus.

Recommended or required readings

• Slides available on eCampus for the beginning of the course
• Course notes available at AEES for the practical part.
• Reference works: Mécanique des fluides  (C. Ancey) - - Fundamentals of Fluid Mechanics (Wiley & Streeter)- Mécanique des Fluides (M. Fermigier)
• Compulsory reading: NO
• Compulsory reading: Mécanique des fluides  (C. Ancey)

Assessment methods and criteria

Handling in practical works reports is mandatory in order to take examinations and leads to an individual mark.
Exercices organised at the end of each practical class are mandatory in order to take the exam. 
A written examination is organized for the whole of the course during the June or August/September examination period. It counts for a theoretical and exercises parts.
The theoretical examinations are organized without any support, based on a list of questions suggested in the beginning of the course.
The practical examinations can be solved using the course support.
The final mark results from a balance between the partial marks; 20% for the reports of practical works, and 80% for the written examination.

Work placement(s)

Organizational remarks

Contacts

Professor : Pr. Michel Pirotton, +32 (0)4 366 95 36, michel.pirotton@ulg.ac.be
Assistant : ir. Louis Goffin, +32 (0)4 366 90 04, l.goffin@ulg.ac.be