PROBLEM SET IN FLUID MECHANICS

Deadline: On or Before May 15, 2026

ROTATING VESSEL

1. Determine the rpm required for an open 100-cm Ø cylindrical tank 250 cm high,
containing water 150 cm deep, so that:
a. Water could just reach the rim of the tank.
b. The depth of water at center is zero.
c. There is no water at the bottom within 20 cm from the axis of rotation.

2. An open cylindrical tank 800 mm in diameter and 2000 mm high contains water to a
depth of 1.6 m. It is rotated about its vertical axis at 13 rad/s. How many liters of water
are spilled?

3. A 1-m Ø closed cylindrical vessel with vertical axis is 3 m high. It is filled with water with
a pressure of 290 kPa at the top. The wall is 4 mm thick. If the vessel is rotated at 360
rpm:
a. Determine the total pressure against the top.
b. Determine the maximum intensity of hoop tension.
c. Determine the force of water against the wall.

4. A closed cylinder 1.0 mØ and 2.0 m high contains water 1.5 m deep, the remaining air
space being under a pressure of 120 kPa.
a. Compute the pressure at the center of the bottom if ω = 12 rad/s.
b. Compute the pressure at the circumference of the bottom.
c. What ω will just zero the depth of water at the center.
d. How much area of the bottom is not covered with water if ω = 20 rad/s?

5. An open 1-m diameter tank contains water at a depth of 0.7 m when at rest. As the tank
is rotated about its vertical axis, the center of the fluid surface is depressed. At what
angular velocity will the bottom of the tank first be exposed? No water is spilled from
the tank.

6. An open, 0.60-m-diameter tank contains water to a depth of 1.0 m when at rest. If the
tank is rotated about its vertical axis with an angular velocity of 180 rev/min, what is the
minimum height of the tank walls to prevent water from spilling over the sides?
7. A closed, 0.4-m-diameter cylindrical tank is completely filled with oil (SG = 0.9) and
rotates about its vertical longitudinal axis with an angular velocity of 40 rad/s.
Determine the difference in pressure just under the vessel cover between a point on the
circumference and a point on the axis.

8. The three-legged manometer shown is filled with water to a depth of 20 cm. All tubes are
long and have equal small diameters. If the system spins at angular velocity of 120 rpm
about the central tube:
a. Find the height in cm in the central tube.
b. Find the height in cm in the outer tube.

9. An open cylindrical tank, 1.0 m in diameter and 2.0 m high has 1.5 m water:
a. What constant rpm can be given to the cylinder without causing any water to spill?
b. What is the pressure at the center of the bottom of the tank when it is rotated at 57.3
rpm?
c. What is the pressure at the circumference of the bottom of the tank when it is rotated
at 57.3 rpm?

FUNDAMENTALS OF FLUID FLOW

1. A 250 mm Ø pipe 2750 m long supplies water at a velocity of 2.4 m/s.

a. What is the discharge in gpm?
b. What is the discharge in mgd?
c. What is the weight flux?
d. What is the mass flux?
e. Calculate the slope of the energy grade line if the head loss 20 times the velocity head.
f. Estimate the population that can be served assuming a per capita consumption of 150
liters per day.
2. The head loss from section 1 to section 2 in the pipe system shown is 2.1 m and the head
loss from section 2 to 3 is 4.9 m. If the velocity of flow at 1 is 1.8 m/s and the pressure is
180 kPa.
a. Find the discharge.
b. Find the velocity at point 3.
c. Find the pressure at point 3.
d. Weight flow rate.
e. Mass flow rate.

3. A 50-mm-diameter siphon is drawing oil (s.g. = 0.82) from an oil reservoir, as shown. The
head loss from point 1 to point 2 is 1.50 m and from point 2 to point 3 is 2.40 m.
a. Calculate the exit velocity.
b. What is the discharge?
c. Calculate the pressure at point 2.
 4. Pump BC shown brings oil, sg = 0.72 to reservoir D at 170 liters per second. The energy
lost from A to B is 1.1 J/N and from C to D is 4.7 J/N.
a. How many hp does the pump supply?
b. If the pump is 80% efficient, how much power is needed?
c. What is the elevation of the energy grade line just after the pump?

5. Water flows through the turbine shown at a rate of 0.386 m³/s. The pressures at A and B are
161.2 kPa and - 19.6 kPa, respectively. How many kW are delivered by the water to the
turbine?

6. Assume the conduit shown has diameters of 300 mm and 450 mm at sections 1 and 2,
respectively. If water is flowing in the conduit at a velocity of 5 m/s at section 2, find the ff:
a. Velocity at section 1.
b. Flow rate at section 1.
c. Flow rate at section 2.
d. Weight flow rate.
e. Mass flow rate.
7. The pump shown delivers 115 li/s of oil, sg = 0.84, to reservoir D at elevation 72 m. The
energy lost in the suction line is 3.2 J/N and in the discharge line is 7.6 J/N.
a. Compute the total head added by the pump.
b. How many kW does the pump supply the system?
c. If the pump is 85% efficient, how much power does it need?

8. The 600-mm Ø pipe shown conducts water from reservoir A to a pressure turbine which
discharges through another 600-mm Ø pipe into the tail-race at B. The loss of head from
A to 1 is 5 times the velocity head in the pipe and the loss of head from 2 to B is 0.2 times
the velocity head in the pipe. If the discharge is 700 li/s.
a. Compute the hp given up by the water to the turbine.
b. Compute the pressure head at 1.
c. Compute the pressure head at 2.
9. A 150-mm-diameter jet of water is discharging from a nozzle into the air at a velocity of
36.0 m/s. Find the power in the jet with respect to a datum at the jet.

10. A pipe carrying oil with specific gravity 0.877 changes in size from 150 mm at section R
to 450 mm at section I. Section R is 3.6 m lower than I, and the pressures are 90 kPa and
60 kPa, respectively. If the discharge is 150 liters/sec, determine the lost head and the
direction of flow.

HEAD LOSSES & 3-RESERVOIR PROBLEM

1. Calculate the head loss in a 250-mm Ø pipe 500 m long when water flows at 115 liters per
second using:
a. Darcy-Weisbach formula, f = 0.02.
b. Manning formula, n = 0.012.
c. Hazen-Williams formula, C = 100.

2. The loss of head in a 1200 mm x 600 mm pipe conveying water is estimated at 0.04 m per
meter length. f = 0.032. What is the discharge?

3. From the given figure, the rate of flow from reservoir A is 0.2 m³/s.
a. Compute the head loss in pipe B.
b. Compute the discharge in pipe C.
c. Compute the diameter of pipe C.
4. The elevations of reservoirs 1, 2, and 3 are 30 m, 18 m, and 0 respectively. Pipes 1, 2, and
3 are 900 m of 60 cm, 300 m of 45 cm, and 1200 m of 40 cm. f = 0.02.
a. What is the flow rate in pipe 1?
b. What is the flow rate in pipe 2?
c. What is the flow rate in pipe 3?

5. Find the approximate flow rate at which water will flow in a conduit shaped in the form
of an equilateral triangle if the head lost is 4 m per kilometer length. The cross-sectional
area of the duct is 0.075 m². Assume f = 0.0155.

6. A 25 mm diameter commercial steel pipe, 50 m long is used to drain an oil tank.

Determine the discharge when the oil level in the tank is 5 m above the exit of the pipe.
Neglect minor losses and assume f = 0.12.

7. Water flows from a tank through 22 meters of 150 mm diameter pipe and then
discharges into air as shown in Figure 20. The flow of water in the pipe is 120 liters/sec.
Assume n = 0.013 and neglect minor losses.
a. Find the velocity of flow in the pipe in m/s.
b. Determine the total head loss in the pipe in meters.
c. Calculate the pressure at the top of the tank in kPa.

8. Three reservoirs 1, 2, and 3 meet at junction x. Reservoir 1, 25 m above reservoir 3, is at

elevation 282 m. If the rate of flow from the highest reservoir 2 is 605 li/s, calculate the
following.
 a. Discharge through pipe 1.
b. Discharge through pipe 3.
c. Elevation of reservoir 2.

9. Three reservoirs are interconnected as shown. Calculate the discharge in each pipe.

PIPES IN SERIES & PARALLEL / WATER HAMMER

1. Water flows at a rate of 0.020 m³/s from reservoir A to reservoir B through three concrete
pipes connected in series, as shown in the figure. Find the difference in water-surface
elevations in the reservoirs. Neglect minor losses. f = 0.02.

2. A pipe 977 m long branches into 3 pipes at junction A. The three pipes span 1046 m, 885
m, and 796 m. They come together at junction B and continue as a single pipe for 1224 m.
All pipes are 300 mm in size except the shortest one which is 250 mm. The pressure drop
between the junctions is 260 kPa. Friction factor "f" can be assumed 0.02 in the entire
system. Calculate the rates of flow in the branching pipes.

3. Oil (sg = 0.85), bulk modulus 1723.75 MPa, is flowing in a 600-mm steel pipe at 0.65 m³/s.
The rigid pipeline is 2500 m long.
 a. If a valve is located at the end of the line, what is the minimum closure time in order
to avoid a maximum pressure surge?
b. Find the water hammer pressure developed by closure of a valve at the end of the line
if the closure time is 1.8 s.
c. Find the water hammer pressure developed by closure of a valve at the end of the line
if the closure time is 6 s?

4. A non-rigid steel pipe 600 mm in diameter is to carry a maximum static head of 350 m of
water and additional pressure due to water hammer when quick closing valve stops a
flow of 0.85 m³/s. The pipe has a thickness of 18 mm, EB = 2068.5 MPa, E = 200 GPa for
steel.
a. What is the composite modulus of elasticity?
b. Determine the water hammer pressure.
c. What is the maximum stress acting on the pipe?

5. Oil with p = 950 kg/m³ and v(nu) = 0.00002 m²/s flows through a 30-cm Ø pipe 100 m long
at 5 m/s. ε = 0.00194.
a. What is the Reynolds number?
b. What is the friction factor?
c. What is the total head loss?

6. An oil with p = 900 kg/m³ and u = 0.18 kg/(m s) flows through an inclined pipe as shown.
Assuming steady laminar flow:
a. Is the flow upward or downward?
b. Determine the flow rate.
c. Determine the head loss between section 1 and section 2.
7. A fluid flows at 0.002 m³/s through a 150 mm diameter pipe. Determine whether the flow
is laminar or turbulent if the fluid is:
a. Air (ν = 1.48 × 10-5 m2/s)
b. Water (µ = 8.90 × 10-4 Pa-s)
c. Mercury (µ = 1.53 × 10-3 Pa-s)
d. Glycerin (ν = 1.18 × 10-3 m2/s)
e. Gasoline (ν = 4.06 × 10-7 m2/s)

8. Water flow at the rate of 250 liters/sec through a 150 - m horizontal pipe having a
diameter of 300 mm. Determine the friction factor if the pressure difference between
the end points is 360 mm Hg.

9. Two concrete pipes are connected in series. The flow rate of water through the pipes is
0.14 m³/s with a total friction loss of 14.10 m for both pipes. Each pipe has a length of
300 m. If one pipe has a diameter of 300 mm, what is the diameter of the other one?
Neglect minor losses. Use f = 0.021.

10. A 0.75-m Ø pipe 1162 m long carrying 2.4 m³/s of water branches into 2 pipes 450-mmØ
and 600mmØ at junction A. The 450 mm pipe is 1254 m long and the 600 mm one is 1186
m. They come together at junction B and continue as a single pipe 750 mm in diameter
and 866 m long. Assuming the values of "f" are 0.017, 0.019, 0.020 respectively for the
750, 600, and 450 mm pipe:
a. What is Q in the 450 mm pipe?
b. What is Q in the 600 mm pipe?
c. What is the pressure head at junction B if the pressure at A is 116 m?

11. The total head loss from A to D in the looping pipe system below is 9 m. Assuming C =
120 in all pipes, determine the following if 50 liters per second of water enters at A:
a. Head loss in pipe 2.
b. Amount of flow in pipe 2.
c. Diameter of pipe 3.
12. Glycerin, sg = 1.26 and u = 1.49 Pa-s, flows through a 600-mm Ø pipe at 85 liters per
second.
a. What is the Reynolds number?
b. What is the friction factor?
c. What is the critical velocity?

ORIFICE

1. An orifice on a vertical wall has a head of 1.13 m of oil (sg = 0.89). It discharges 6192 N of
oil in 88 seconds. The trajectory measures yield x = 2.4 m and y = 1.37 m. Assuming the
area of the opening is 25 cm².
a. Calculate Cv.
b. Calculate Cc.
c. Calculate C.

2. A jet is issued from the side of a tank under a constant head as shown. The side of the
tank has an inclination of 1H to 1V. The total depth of water in the tank is h1 = 6.70 m
and the orifice is located h2 = 3.7 m above the bottom of the tank. Neglecting air
resistance and assuming Cv = 1.0 determine the following:
a. The maximum height to which the jet will rise above the orifice.
b. The point "x" the jet will strike a horizontal plane 1.20 m below the bottom of the
tank.
c. The time it takes for the jet to strike a horizontal plane 1.20 m below the bottom of
the tank.
3. A cylindrical tank contains three liquids of specific gravities 0.80, 1.0, and 1.50. Each
liquid has a thickness of 0.60 m and the tank is 1.20 m in diameter. If a circular orifice
100 mm in diameter and with C = 0.650 drains the liquid, determine the time to:
a. remove the first liquid.
b. remove the second liquid.
c. to drain the tank completely.

4. The tank shown has the form of a frustum of a cone. How long will it take to empty the
tank from full capacity? Orifice diameter is 0.1 m (C = 0.6).

5. The figure describes the elevation of the water surface at the short tube (A = 0.004 m², C
= 0.6).
a. What is the initial discharge?
b. When will the water surface become to the same level following a quick opening of
the tube?
c. When will the water surface be 4m apart?
6. Water flows from a garden hose nozzle with a velocity of 15 m/s. What is the maximum
height that it can reach above the nozzle?

7. Water flows through a hole in the bottom of a large open tank with a speed of 8 m/s.
Determine the depth of water in the tank.

8. The 75-mm orifice shown has Cc = 0.65 and Cv = 0.98. The depth h = 1.83 m.
a. Compute the required air pressure (kPa) above the water to cause the jet to rise 12.2
m.
b. Determine the discharge in m³/s.
c. Determine the loss of head through the orifice in meters.
OPEN CHANNELS

1. A rectangular channel 1.8 m wide conveys water at a depth of 1.2 m.

a. What is the velocity of flow if it is laid on a slope of 0.002 and n = 0.012?
b. What is the discharge if the channel slopes 0.1° and n = 0.016? Use Kutter's formula
for C.
c. What is the velocity of flow if S = 0.000263 and f = 0.02?

2. The figure shows a natural channel flow consisting of the main channel and two equal
flood plains on the sides. Assume the slope of the channel is 0.0002, n = 0.02 for the main
and n = 0.04 for the flood plains.
a. What is the estimated discharge in the main channel?
b. What is the total discharge?
c. If the total discharge is to be contained in an asphalt-lined semicircular channel with
n = 0.016, what diameter is required?

3. An open channel is to be designed to carry 2.6 m³/s of water at a slope of 0.0009. The
channel material has n = 0.014.
a. Compute the depth for a semi-circular section.
b. Compute the depth for a rectangular section.
c. Compute the depth for a trapezoidal section.

4. A trapezoidal canal has bottom width of 5 m and side slopes of 1H to 2V. The flow is 30
m³/s when the depth of flow is 1.20 m. Use n = 0.013.
a. Calculate the specific energy.
b. What is the slope of the channel bed?
c. Calculate the boundary shearing stress.

5. Water flows in a brickwork rectangular channel (n = 0.015) 2 m wide, on a slope of 5

m/km.
a. Find the flow rate when the normal depth is 50 cm.
 b. If the normal depth remains 50 cm, find the channel width which will triple the flow
rate.

6. The trapezoidal channel is made of brickwork (n = 0.015) and slopes at 1:500. Determine
the flow rate if the normal depth is 80 cm.

7. The finished concrete channel shown in the figure is designed, without the barrier, for a
flow rate of 6 m³/s at a normal depth of 1 m. For finished concrete, n = 0.012.
a. Determine the design slope of the channel.
b. Determine the percentage reduction in flow if the channel is divided in the center by
the proposed barrier.

VARIED FLOW

1. Water flows in a rectangular channel at a depth of 1.0 m and a velocity of flow of 4 m/s.
a. What is the discharge?
b. What is the critical depth?
c. What is the Froude number?
d. Is the flow sub or super-critical?
e. What is the alternate depth?
2. A riveted-steel triangular duct, n = 0.015, flows partly full as shown. If the critical depth
is 60 cm, compute:
a. Critical flow rate.
b. Critical velocity.
c. Critical slope.

3. Find the critical depth in the trapezoidal channel shown conveying water at 19 m³/s.
Side slope 1V:3H, n = 0.012.

4. A rectangular planed timber flume (n = 0.012) 3 m wide is laid on a slope of 0.0011. For a
depth of flow of 0.90 m:
a. What is the Manning's C?
b. What is the uniform flow?
c. What smallest amount of energy can give the same amount of flow?

5. A 3.1m wide rectangular flume carries water at 5.60 m³/s. The bed slope is 0.00078 and n
= 0.010. At a certain section, the depth is 92 cm.
a. How far therefrom is the depth 80 cm?
b. What is the slope of the egl?
c. What is the headloss?
6. Water is flowing in a 12-m wide rectangular channel at 10.5 m³/s and a depth of 1.1 m.
a. What is the specific energy?
b. What is the critical depth?

7. The flow rate per unit width in a wide channel is q = 2.3 m³/s per m width. Is the flow
subcritical or supercritical if the depth is:
a. 0.2 m.
b. 0.8 m.
c. 2.5 m.

8. A rectangular channel 3 m wide carries 10 m³/s at a depth of 2 m.

a. Is the flow subcritical or supercritical?
b. For the same flow rate, what depth will give critical flow?

9. Water flows in a 10m wide open channel with a flow rate of 5 m³/s. Determine the two
possible depths if the specific energy of the flow is E = 0.6 m.

10. A discharge of 4.5 m³/s occurs in a rectangular channel 1.83 m wide with S = 0.002 and n
= 0.012.
a. Find the normal depth for uniform flow.
b. Determine the critical depth.
c. Is the flow subcritical or supercritical?

11. Compute the critical depth for a flow at 0.4 m³/s through a 60° V-notch channel.

12. Water flows through an almost level channel 3 m. wide at 12 m³/s. The depth gradually
increases form 1.0 m to 1.1 m for a length of flow of 5m.
a. What is the head loss?
b. What is the slope of the energy gradient?
c. Compute the value of the roughness coefficient.

HYDRAULIC JUMP & WEIRS

1. A stream having a width of 5.4 m carries 16.5 m³/s at a velocity of 4.2 m/s.
a. What is the Froude number?
 b. If hydraulic jump occurs, what is the depth of water downstream?
c. How much energy is dissipated by the jump?

2. Water is flowing in a 90° triangular channel at a depth of 39 cm. A hydraulic jump occurs.
The depth after the jump is 126 cm.
a. What is the discharge?
b. What is the decrease in specific energy caused by the jump?
c. What is the head loss in kW?

3. A contracted weir 1.31 m long and 1.26 m high is to be installed in a channel 2.45 m wide.
The depth of water back of the weir is 2.14 m.
a. What is the amount of flow neglecting the velocity of approach?
b. What is the amount of flow considering the velocity of approach?
c. What is the velocity of approach?

4. The rate of flow of water through an open channel is known at 8 li/s.

a. What is the head if an 80° V-notch weir is used? C = 0.60.
b. What is the weir factor?
c. Calculate the percentage error in discharge that would result if the error in head
measurement is 5 mm.

5. A rectangular flume, 15 m long and 3 m wide, feeds a suppressed weir under a head of
0.30 m. If the supply to the flume is cut off, how long will it take for the head on the weir
to decrease to 0.1 m?

6. Over a hydraulic drop structure in a river 22.8m wide flows 170 m³/s. On the level apron
of the structure the water flows 0.60 m deep in the rapid state. A hydraulic jump is to
take place in the apron.
a. What is the depth downstream?
b. What will be the critical depth?
c. What is the energy lost in hp?
d. What is the Froude number upstream?

7. A trapezoidal weir 1.5 m long has sides making an angle of 75°57'50" with the horizontal.
What is the amount of flow if the weir head is 1.0 m?
8. The given figure shows the geometry of a triangular weir. Calculate the discharge. C =
0.589.

9. The rectangular channel is fitted with a 90° triangular weir plate. If the upstream depth
of the water within the channel is 2 m and the bottom of the weir plate is 1.5 m from the
bottom of the channel, determine the flow rate.

10. The rectangular channel has a width of 3 m and the depth of flow is 1.5 m. Determine
the volumetric flow of water over the rectangular sharp-crested weir. Take C = 0.83.
11. A rectangular, sharp-crested weir with end contractions is 1.4 m long. How high should
it be placed in a channel to maintain an upstream depth of 2.35 m for 0.40 m³/s flow?

HYDRODYNAMICS

1. A jet of water 50 mm Ø and having a velocity of 25.4 m/s strikes against a plate at right
angles.
a. Determine the force on the plate if the plate is stationary.
b. Determine force on the plate if the plate is moving in the same direction as the jet at a
speed of 12 m/s.
c. Determine force on the plate if the plate is moving towards the nozzle at a velocity of
12 m/s.

2. A reducer connects two horizontal pipes, 600 mm and 300 mm. The amount of pressure
in the bigger pipe is 200 kPa and the velocity of flow in the smaller pipe is 12.72 m/s.
a. What is the velocity of flow in the larger pipe?
b. Determine the amount of pressure in the smaller pipe.
c. What is the amount of water thrust on the reducer?

3. The discharge of water through a 130 ° bend is 30 liters/sec. The bend is lying in the
horizontal plane and the diamaters at the entrance and exit are 200 mm and 100 mm
respectively. The pressure measures at the entrance is 100 kN/m2.
a. Determine the amount of pressure in the smaller pipe.
b. What is the magnitude of the force exerted by the water on the bend?
c. Determine the direction of the force exerted by the water on the bend.
4. A 50-mm Ø jet of water flowing horizontally is deflected by a 135° curve vane at a
velocity of flow of 20 m/s. Compute the force needed to hold the vane in position.
Assume that there is no friction.

5. The 75-mm horizontal jet of water enters the moving blade at 12 m/s. The blade is
deflected 60°. If blade moves in the same direction at 4.8 m/s, what is the amount of
force of water on the blade?

6. A jet of water 50 mm in diameter and a plate strikes each at a right angle. When the plate
is moving towards the jet at a certain speed, the plate experiences a force that is 2688 N.
When that plate is moving away from the jet at the same speed, the plate experiences a
force that is 332 N.
a. What is the velocity of the water?
b. What is the velocity of the plate?
c. What is the force if the plate stopped moving?

7. The jets from a garden sprinkler are 25 mm in diameter and are normal to the 0.60-m
radius. Cv = 0.80 and Cc = 1.0. If the pressure at the base of the nozzle is 360 kPa,
a. Compute the velocity of the jet.
b. Compute the force on the jet.
c. What force must be applied on each sprinkler pipe 0.3m from the center of rotation to
maintain equilibrium?

8. A pipe, 200 mm in diameter, carries oil at a velocity of 15 m/s will under go a 90° bend.
Assume that the pipe bend is lying horizontally and that the oil inside the pipe has
pressure of 120 kPa.
a. Determine the resultant along x.
b. Determine the resultant along y.
c. Determine the magnitude of the resultant.