Paper 1, Section I, A

Fluid Dynamics
Part IB, 2012

Viscous fluid, with viscosity μ\mu and density ρ\rho flows along a straight circular pipe of radius RR. The average velocity of the flow is UU. Define a Reynolds number for the flow.

The flow is driven by a constant pressure gradient G>0-G>0 along the pipe and the velocity is parallel to the axis of the pipe with magnitude u(r)u(r) that satisfies

μrddr(rdu dr)=G,\frac{\mu}{r} \frac{\mathrm{d}}{\mathrm{d} r}\left(r \frac{\mathrm{d} u}{\mathrm{~d} r}\right)=-G,

where rr is the radial distance from the axis.

State the boundary conditions on uu and find the velocity as a function of rr assuming that it is finite on the axis r=0r=0. Hence, show that the shear stress τ\tau at the pipe wall is independent of the viscosity. Why is this the case?