Mechanic Engineering : Fluid Mechanics1

Our experience as teachers over many years has shown that fluid mechanics is not easily mastered. Indeed, this subject requires a solid foundation in mathematics (such as mathematical operators, tensor calculus, and complex potentials), as well as a strong grounding in fundamental physics, including dimensional analysis, similarity theory, buoyancy (Archimedes’ principle), Bernoulli’s equation, and pressure losses. With this in mind, this book of solved and annotated exercises, together with concise course summaries, has been prepared for students in the “Science and Technology” field, particularly those specializing in Mechanical Engineering, Energy Engineering, and Mechanical Construction. It is also intended for third-year students in the “Materials Science” field, specializing in Energy Physics. The authors have organized the book into eight chapters. The first chapter covers definitions, fluid properties (density, viscosity, compressibility, surface tension), and vectorial quantities (stress and velocity gradients). The second chapter deals with the fundamental principles of fluid statics. Horizontal and vertical pressure forces (including Archimedes’ principle) are addressed in the third chapter. The fourth chapter focuses on the dynamics of ideal (inviscid) fluids, where Bernoulli’s equation (conservation of total mechanical energy) and the continuity equation (conservation of mass) are applied. Various applications of Bernoulli’s theorem, such as flow rate calculation, drainage, and momentum analysis, are also presented. The fifth chapter is devoted to the dynamics of real fluids, addressing the determination of flow regimes and the calculation of head losses. The sixth chapter covers fluid kinematics, including two-dimensional, steady, incompressible, rotational, and irrotational flows, as well as complex potentials. The seventh chapter focuses on dimensional analysis and the similarity theorem as applied to fluid mechanics. The eighth chapter addresses the concept of the boundary layer in both laminar and turbulent flows. The authors have endeavoured to provide detailed solutions to the exercises and have included explanatory comments that help students clearly understand the link between theory and practice. Most of the exercises in this book are based on real-world fluid mechanics problems. The authors warmly welcome any criticism or suggestions regarding the level, presentation, and selection of exercises included in this boo