Basic Fluid Mechanics

Book excerpt: BASIC Fluid Mechanics combines the application of BASIC programming with fluid mechanics. Topics covered in this book include the fundamentals of the BASIC computer language, properties of fluids, fluid statics, kinematics, and conservation of energy. Force and momentum, viscous flow, flow measurement, and dimensional analysis and similarity are also considered. This book is comprised of nine chapters and begins with a brief introduction to the application of BASIC. The discussion then turns to the various properties of a fluid and the differences between fluids and solids. The chapters that follow explore fluid statics, kinematics, and conservation of energy. The Euler and Bernoulli equations that are used to express the principle of conservation of energy when applied to fluids are highlighted, and calculations for force and momentum are presented. The text also considers laminar flow between parallel plates and in circular tubes, as well as the techniques for measuring flow. The final chapter describes the principles of dimensional analysis and similarity methods. Worked examples developing programs for the solution of typical problems are provided at the end of each chapter. This monograph will be useful to students in an undergraduate program and practicing engineers who are attempting to get to grips with modern computational procedures.