Use viscosity/shear stress relations to find torque needed to rotate disk

In summary, the problem involves finding the torque needed to rotate a disk separated by a viscous fluid from a stationary boundary. Two different methods were used, one involving momentum and the other involving integration with respect to r. The latter approach was found to be more accurate.
  • #1
rcummings89
19
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The problem asks for an approximation for the torque needed to rotate a disk that is separated from a stationary boundary by a viscous fluid, given that [itex]\tau = \mu \frac{U}{H}[/itex].

I did it first using like this:
[itex]T = F R[/itex]
[itex]F = \tau A = \mu \frac{U}{H} \pi R^2[/itex] where [itex]U = \Omega R[/itex]
And thus [itex]T = \mu \frac{\Omega \pi R^4}{H}[/itex]

Now making the following assumptions...
Flow is steady
Flow is a function of height (z) only
Film is thin enough that the pressure gradient is negligible
...I started with momentum:

[itex]\rho \frac{du}{dt} = -\nabla p + \mu \nabla^2 u[/itex] which reduces to [itex]0 = 0 + \mu \nabla^2 u(z)[/itex]
Where [itex]u(z) = \frac{C_1 z}{\mu} + C_2[/itex]
Using the boundary conditions
[itex]u(0) = 0[/itex] and [itex]u(H) = U[/itex] yields [itex]C_1 = \mu \frac{U}{H} = \tau[/itex] and [itex]C_2 = 0[/itex] so that
[itex]u(z) = \tau \frac{z}{\mu} = \frac{U z}{H} = \frac{R \Omega z}{H}[/itex]

Here is where I have trouble; a classmate told me to square the velocity and multiply it with mass
[itex]T = M u(z)^2 = M \frac{\Omega^2 R^2 z^2}{H^2}[/itex] and let z = R and [itex]\mu = M \frac{\Omega}{H}[/itex] so that the equation becomes
[itex]T = \mu \frac{\Omega R^4}{H}[/itex]
Which is the same as I got before, but without the constant [itex]\pi[/itex]
I'm note very comfortable with this because it takes the same form as kinetic energy [itex](\frac{1}{2}Mv^2)[/itex] but it does seem to yield the correct answer. Is this true? Another problem I have is keeping track of the vectors vs. scalars but I'll get into that later on. Any help is greatly appreciated.
 
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  • #2
This is not done correctly, because the shear stress on the disk is a function of radial location. The calculation needs to involve an integration with respect to r, over annular increments.

Chet
 
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1. What is viscosity?

Viscosity is a measure of a fluid's resistance to flow. It is a property of the fluid that describes how thick or thin it is. The higher the viscosity, the more resistant the fluid is to flow.

2. How is shear stress related to viscosity?

Shear stress is the force per unit area required to cause a fluid to flow, and it is directly proportional to the viscosity of the fluid. This means that a higher viscosity fluid will require a higher shear stress to flow, while a lower viscosity fluid will require a lower shear stress.

3. What is the formula for calculating shear stress?

The formula for calculating shear stress is: τ = μ(du/dy), where τ is the shear stress, μ is the viscosity of the fluid, and du/dy is the velocity gradient (rate of change of velocity with respect to distance).

4. How can viscosity and shear stress be used to find the torque needed to rotate a disk?

To find the torque needed to rotate a disk, you can use the formula: T = μA(du/dy), where T is the torque, μ is the viscosity of the fluid, A is the area of the disk, and du/dy is the velocity gradient. This formula is derived from the relationship between shear stress and viscosity, and it helps determine the amount of force needed to rotate the disk.

5. Are there any other factors that can affect the torque needed to rotate a disk?

Yes, there are other factors that can affect the torque needed to rotate a disk, such as the size and shape of the disk, the speed of rotation, and the properties of the fluid (such as temperature and pressure). In addition, the presence of any external forces or friction can also affect the required torque. It is important to consider these factors when using viscosity and shear stress to determine the torque needed to rotate a disk.

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