Recommend a fluid mechanics book

In summary, the conversation is about finding a book that covers the syllabus of a fluid flow module in a chemical engineering degree, with plenty of worked examples. Recommendations include Schaum's Outlines, The Pump Handbook, and Denn's Process Fluid Mechanics. Additional suggestions include Batchelor's book, Fluid Dynamics/Fluid Mechanics texts, and the eFunda.com website. The book Fluid Flow for Chemical Engineers by Holland and Bragg is also mentioned as a strong and affordable option, while the Potto project book is recommended for its chapter on hydrostatics.
  • #1
bruceflea
11
0
As part of my chemical engineering degree I have to do a module called fluid flow. Turns out I'm pretty bad at it. I'm trying to find a book which covers as much of the module as possible, with plenty of worked examples.


The syllabus:

Introductory concepts of fluids, units & dimensions, hydrostatics.

Flow, flow regimes, conservation of mass and energy, Bernoulli's equation,
flow measurement.

Conservation of momentum, force-momentum balances, forces on pipework, friction in pipe flows, friction factor, The Moody chart,
rating & designing pipelines.

Flow around objects.
Drag.
Laminar flow, Newton's law of viscosity, Hagen-Poiseuille equation, Pumps, Types, selection,characteristic curves, NPSH.



Can anyone recommend a book or books?
 
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  • #2
That's pretty much covered in any Fluid Mechanics text. If you need practice examples, I'd look into Schaum's Outlines. They briefly cover theory and have a lot of problems worked out. If you do some searching on Google you'll find that there are a lot of engineering fluids references on line, in web sites.

As another thought, in regards to pumps, if you want to get deep into the theory behind pumps, especially centrifugals, you may consider a separate book for that. Something along the lines of The Pump Handbook by Karassik, Krutzsch, Fraser and Messina.
 
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  • #3
You're basically after a slightly more engineering-oriented textbook than a "theoretical" one.
For example, a good "theoretical" book that will be of minor use to you is Batchelor's book; so take care to see that the book you're after covers the topics you want.
 
  • #4
How do you guys feel about Denn's Process Fluid Mechanics? It is being used in my next undergraduate course and it seems a bit small, should I be looking for a supplement?

thx.
 
  • #5
arildno said:
You're basically after a slightly more engineering-oriented textbook than a "theoretical" one.
For example, a good "theoretical" book that will be of minor use to you is Batchelor's book; so take care to see that the book you're after covers the topics you want.

...and keep in mind that although that Batchelor's book is entitled as "Introductory Fluid Mechanics", it is NOT as introductory as one might expect...
 
  • #6
Clausius2 said:
...and keep in mind that although that Batchelor's book is entitled as "Introductory Fluid Mechanics", it is NOT as introductory as one might expect...
Well, it DOES start out from the "basics" like thermodynamics and so on..:wink:
 
  • #7
Here are two lists of books on Fluid Dynamics/Fluid Mechanics.

1. Batchelor, G.K. Introduction to Fluid Dynamics, Cambridge Univsrsity Press 1967
2. Landau and Lifsh!tz, Fluid Mechanis (2nd Ed.), Pergamon Press 1987.
3. Milne-Thomson, L.M. Theoretical Hydrodynamics, McMillan (3rd or 5th Ed.) 1955 (3rd).
4. Lighthill, M.J. An Informal Introduction to Theoretical Fluid Mechanics, Clarendon Press 1986.
5. Prandtl, L. Essential of Fluid Dynamics, Hafner 1952.
6. Lamb, Hydrodynamics (6th Ed.), Cambridge University Press 1932
7. Courant and Freidrichs, Supersonic Flow and Sock Waves, Interscience 1948.
8. Meyer, An Introduction to Mathematical Fluids Dynamics, Dover 1971.


Pedlosky, J., Geophysical Fluid Dynamics, Springer Verlag
(complements Gill, emphasizing QG dynamics, Rossby waves, baroclinic instability, non-dimensional scaling)
James, I.N. Introduction to Circulating Atmospheres, Oxford Univ. Press (good basic discussion of modern atmospheric circulation dynamics)
many good review papers on GFD of A and O can be found in Annual Reviews of Fluid Mechanics, a yearly hard-bound collection.
Meteorology at the Millenium, R.B.Pearce Ed., Academic Press (a recent collection of review papers on atmospheric circulation some with a GFD emphasis).
Large-Scale Dynamical Processes in the Atmosphere. Academic Press, Hoskins and Pearce Eds. (an old (1983) yet still excellent set of review papers on basic circulation)
Evolution of Physical Oceanography MIT Press,Warren and Wunsch Eds. (also old, ca. 1981, yet excellent review papers on physical oceanography, general circulation).
Acheson, D. Elementary Fluid Mechanics, Oxford Univ. Press (excellent, terse introduction to classical fluid mechanics)

Lighthill, M.J., An informal introduction to theoretical fluid mechanics. Oxford Univ. Press (especially expert discussion by a master of vorticity, and of sound propagation)
Lighthill, M.J., Waves in Fluids. Cambridge Univ. Press (basic wave mathematics, of non-dispersive and dispersive wave types; ray-tracing; internal and Rossby waves).
Whitham, G.B. Linear and Nonlinear Waves. Wiley and Sons (a remarkable presentation of non-dispersive and dispersive waves from a fundamental mathematical point of view).
Salmon, R., Lectures on Geophysical Fluid Dynamics, Oxford Univ. Press (another remarkable, recent text treating mostly large-scale QG oceanic GFD but with

fundamental ideas about fluid dynamics based on Hamilton’s principle)
James, I., Introduction to Circulating Atmospheres (readable discussion of basic GFD of the large-scale atmosphere)
Batchelor,G.K., An Introduction to Fluid Dynamics, Cambridge Univ. Press (impeccable reference on basic incompressible fluids, vorticity, strain, boundary layers)
Kundu,P. Fluid Dynamics, Academic Press (includes sections on elementary GFD)
Tritton, D., Physical Fluid Dynamics (basic fluids from a GFD point of view).
Van Dyke,M. An Album of Fluid Motion, Parabolic Press (amazing photographs of basic fluid dynamics).

Landau and Lifsh!tz, Fluid Mechanics, Second Edition : Volume 6 (Course of Theoretical Physics) Not too expensive, and it seems reasonably comprehensive.
 
  • #8
arildno said:
Well, it DOES start out from the "basics" like thermodynamics and so on..:wink:

Also a vertical wall has a beginning just in its junction with the floor.:cool:
 
  • #9
Check out the eFunda.com web site.
Thanks,
Gordan
 
  • #10
Look through the list of contents and see what you think.

http://books.mcgraw-hill.com/search.php?PHPSESSID=039d8495b305580698313699902e52d3&keyword=fluid+mechanics&template=&subjectarea=ALL [Broken]
 
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  • #11
I used Fluid Flow for Chemical Engineers by Holland and Bragg.
It was pretty strong. And cheap.
 
  • #12
I wold suggest that can use potto project book.
It is very good.
Probably it is the best chapter on hydrostatics.
you can it for free at www.potto.org
 
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Likes potto

1. What is the best fluid mechanics book for beginners?

There are many great fluid mechanics books for beginners, but one highly recommended option is "Introduction to Fluid Mechanics" by Robert W. Fox, Alan T. McDonald, and Philip J. Pritchard. It provides a solid foundation in the fundamentals of fluid mechanics and is easy to understand for those new to the subject.

2. Are there any fluid mechanics books specifically for engineers?

Yes, there are several fluid mechanics books tailored for engineers. One popular choice is "Fluid Mechanics for Engineers" by David A. Chin. It covers the basic principles of fluid mechanics and also includes real-world engineering applications and examples.

3. What is the most comprehensive fluid mechanics book?

The most comprehensive fluid mechanics book is "Fluid Mechanics" by Frank M. White. This text covers all aspects of fluid mechanics, from fundamentals to advanced topics, and is widely used in university courses.

4. Is there a fluid mechanics book that focuses on computational methods?

Yes, "Computational Fluid Mechanics and Heat Transfer" by Tannehill, Anderson, and Pletcher is a popular choice for those interested in the computational aspects of fluid mechanics. It covers numerical methods and their applications in solving fluid flow problems.

5. Can you recommend a fluid mechanics book with practical applications?

"Practical Fluid Mechanics for Engineering Applications" by Bloomer and Goharian is a great option for those looking for a practical approach to fluid mechanics. It includes real-world examples and exercises to help readers apply the concepts to engineering problems.

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