Course syllabus
010313106-66 กลศาสตร์ของไหลสำหรับวิศวกรเคมี (Fluid Mechanics for Chemical Engineers)
Course Syllabus
Data entry : Prof. Dr.Chantaraporn Phalakornkule
1. Course number and name
010313106-66 กลศาสตร์ของไหลสำหรับวิศวกรเคมี (Fluid Mechanics for Chemical Engineers)
2. Credits and contact hours
3(3-0-6)
3. Instructor’s or course coordinator’s name
Prof. Dr.Chantaraporn Phalakornkule
4. Text book, title, author, and year
- Munson, B.R., Young, D.F., Okiishi, T.H., Huebsch, W.W. (2010), Fundamentals of Fluid Mechanics, John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
- Fox, R.W., McDonald, A.T. and Pritchard, P.J. (1985) Introduction to Fluid Mechanics. Vol. 7, John Wiley & Sons, New York.
5. Specific course information
- brief description of the content of the course (catalog description)
This class provides students with an introduction to principal concepts and methods of fluid mechanics. Topics covered in the course include pressure, hydrostatics, and buoyancy; open systems and control-volume analysis; mass and momentum conservation for moving fluids; viscous fluid flows and flow through pipes; dimensional analysis; boundary layers; and lift and drag on objects. - prerequisites or co-requisites
010313105-66 Material and Energy Balance - indicate whether a required, elective, or selected elective (as per Table 5-1) course in the program
Required : Prerequisite: 010313105 Material and Energy Balance
6. Specific goals for the course
- specific outcomes of instruction (e.g. The student will be able to explain the significance of current research about a particular topic.)
- CLO1 the ability to formulate the models necessary to study, analyze, and design fluid systems (e.g., flow through pipes; boundary layers, and lift and drag on objects) using the principles of mass conservation and momentum conservation for moving fluids. In addition, the ability to scale up and down fluid systems based on dimensional analysis, similitude, and modeling.
- explicitly indicate which of the student outcomes listed in Criterion 3 or any other outcomes are addressed by the course.
ABET Student Outcome (SO) Listed in Criterion 3 Course learning outcome (CLO) SO1 an ability to identify, formulate, and solve complex engineering problems by applying principles of engineering, science, and mathematics. - CLO1 the ability to formulate the models necessary to study, analyze, and design fluid systems (e.g., flow through pipes; boundary layers, and lift and drag on objects) using the principles of mass conservation and momentum conservation for moving fluids. In addition, the ability to scale up and down fluid systems based on dimensional analysis, similitude, and modeling.
7. Brief list of topics to be covered
| Week | Topic | Details | Activities |
|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Course overview | The first week of a Fluid Mechanics course serves as a critical transition from general physics to the specialized analysis of continuous media. It begins by establishing the Continuum Hypothesis, which allows engineers to treat fluids—both liquids and gases—as a continuous distribution of matter rather than a collection of discrete molecules. This foundational assumption is what permits us to define properties like density and pressure at any specific point in space. The week’s primary goal is to define a fluid not by what it is, but by how it behaves: unlike a solid, a fluid is a substance that deforms continuously when subjected to any amount of shear stress, no matter how small. Central to this introduction is the study of Viscosity, which represents a fluid's internal resistance to flow. Students explore Newton’s Law of Viscosity, learning how the velocity gradient between fluid layers creates a shear stress that opposes motion. This is the stage where the distinction between Newtonian fluids, like water | |
| Week 4-5 | Finite Control Volume Analysis (Chapter 5) | Chapter 5, Finite Control Volume Analysis, represents a pivotal shift in fluid mechanics from the microscopic study of individual fluid particles to the macroscopic analysis of a fixed region in space. This "big picture" approach is the primary tool used by engineers to design complex systems—such as jet engines, hydroelectric dams, and municipal piping networks—without needing to track the chaotic path of every single molecule. By defining a Control Volume (CV) and a Control Surface (CS), one can treat a physical device as a "black box" and determine the forces, power, and mass flow rates simply by monitoring what crosses the boundaries. The mathematical foundation of this chapter is the Reynolds Transport Theorem (RTT), which serves as the analytical bridge between the Lagrangian perspective (following a fixed mass) and the Eulerian perspective (observing a fixed window). The RTT allows us to take the fundamental laws of physics—originally written for a fixed system of mass—and re-express them for a flowin | |
| Week 6 | Fluid Kinematics (Chapter 4) | Chapter 4, Fluid Kinematics, is the study of fluid motion without necessarily considering the forces that cause that motion. It serves as the "language" of fluid dynamics, providing the tools to describe how fluid flows, deforms, and rotates. This chapter moves away from the static equilibrium of Chapter 2 and prepares the groundwork for the complex force and energy balances found in later chapters.The most fundamental concept in this chapter is the distinction between the Lagrangian and Eulerian descriptions of flow. The Lagrangian approach follows an individual fluid particle as it moves through space and time—much like tracking a single car in traffic. In contrast, the Eulerian approach—which is the standard for most engineering applications—focuses on a fixed point or region in space and describes the velocity and properties of the fluid as it passes through that point. This shift in perspective leads to the concept of the Velocity Field, where velocity is defined as a function of both position and time: | |
| Week 7-9 | Differential Analysis of Fluid Flow (Chapter 6) | Chapter 6, Differential Analysis of Fluid Flow, takes a "microscopic" look at fluid motion. While the previous chapter used finite control volumes to see the big picture (like the total force on a pipe), differential analysis examines what happens at every single point within the flow. By applying the laws of physics to an infinitesimally small fluid element, we derive the governing partial differential equations that describe the entire flow field.The foundation of this chapter is the Continuity Equation, which is the differential form of the conservation of mass. By analyzing the mass flux through a tiny rectangular or cylindrical element, we arrive at a mathematical statement: the net rate of mass flow out of the element must equal the rate of decrease of mass inside it. For incompressible fluids, this simplifies to the requirement that the velocity field must be "divergence-free," meaning the fluid cannot be squeezed into a smaller volume.The core challenge of this chapter is the Navier-Stokes Equations, | |
| Week 10 | Bernoulli Equations (Chapter 3) | Chapter 3, The Bernoulli Equation, introduces the most famous and widely used relationship in fluid mechanics. While previous chapters focused on fluids at rest, this chapter explores the dynamics of "ideal" fluids—those where friction is negligible. The Bernoulli equation is essentially a statement of the Conservation of Energy along a streamline, relating the pressure, velocity, and elevation of a moving fluid particle. It explains how a fluid can trade its "static" pressure for "dynamic" speed, or its potential energy for kinetic energy, as it moves through a system. To use the Bernoulli equation correctly, students must understand its four strict constraints: the flow must be steady, incompressible, frictionless (inviscid), and analyzed along a single streamline. When these conditions are met, the sum of the pressure head, velocity head, and elevation head remains constant. This principle explains a wide range of physical phenomena, from how the curved shape of an airplane wing creates lower pressure to | |
| Week 11 | Viscous Flow in Pipes | This chapter, Viscous Flow in Pipes, transitions from the idealized, frictionless world of the Bernoulli equation to the complex reality of fluid flow in engineering systems. In real-world piping, energy is continuously dissipated as heat due to the internal friction between fluid layers and the "no-slip" condition at the pipe walls. This chapter focuses on quantifying these energy losses, which is the primary task for engineers designing water distribution networks, oil pipelines, and chemical processing plants.The most critical distinction in this analysis is the transition between Laminar and Turbulent Flow. Using the Reynolds Number ($Re$), students learn to identify whether a flow is orderly and predictable (Laminar, $Re < 2100$) or chaotic and mixing (Turbulent, $Re > 4000$). While laminar flow can be solved analytically using the Hagen-Poiseuille equation, turbulent flow—which is far more common in engineering—requires empirical data. The velocity profile shifts significantly between these regimes: lam | |
| Week 12 | Dimensional Analysis, Similitude, and Modelling (Chapter 7) | Chapter 7, Dimensional Analysis, Similitude, and Modeling, introduces the powerful mathematical techniques used to simplify complex engineering problems and bridge the gap between small-scale laboratory experiments and full-scale industrial applications. Instead of dealing with numerous individual variables like velocity, density, and viscosity, dimensional analysis allows engineers to group these variables into a smaller set of dimensionless parameters. This process not only reduces the number of experiments required to understand a physical phenomenon but also reveals the underlying scaling laws that govern fluid behavior.The cornerstone of this chapter is the Buckingham Pi Theorem, a systematic method for determining the number of independent dimensionless groups (often called "Pi terms") needed to describe a physical system. By identifying the fundamental dimensions—Mass ($M$), Length ($L$), and Time ($T$)—students learn to transform a complex functional relationship into a concise equation involving dime | |
| Week 13-14 | Flow over Immersed Bodies (Chapter 9) | Chapter 9, Flow over Immersed Bodies, examines the interaction between a moving fluid and a solid object submerged within it. This study of External Flow is essential for calculating the forces on everything from aircraft wings and automobiles to skyscrapers and bridge piers. Unlike internal flow in pipes, external flows are often dominated by the development of a thin layer of fluid near the body’s surface where viscous effects are concentrated, known as the Boundary Layer.The concept of the Boundary Layer, introduced by Ludwig Prandtl, is a core theme of this chapter. It explains how a fluid’s velocity transitions from zero at the solid surface (the no-slip condition) to the full free-stream velocity over a very short distance. Students learn to distinguish between Laminar and Turbulent Boundary Layers and how this transition affects the friction experienced by the body. A critical phenomenon discussed here is Flow Separation, which occurs when the fluid can no longer follow the curvature of a body, leading | |
| Week 2-3 | Fluid Statics | Fluid Statics (or Hydrostatics) is the branch of fluid mechanics that deals with fluids in a state of static equilibrium. The Nature of Pressure: Students explore how pressure behaves as a scalar quantity, acting equally in all directions (Pascal’s Law). The curriculum emphasizes the linear relationship between depth and pressure, teaching students to calculate how weight builds up in both incompressible liquids and compressible gases. Engineering Measurement: A significant portion of the module is dedicated to Manometry. Students learn to "read" fluid columns to determine unknown pressures in pipes and tanks, a skill essential for laboratory work and industrial monitoring. Structural Interaction: The course moves into the calculation of Hydrostatic Forces. Students will learn to determine the magnitude and, crucially, the Center of Pressure (the exact point where the resultant force acts) for both flat and curved submerged surfaces. This is the mathematical basis for ensuring that underwater structures do no |
8. Course Assessment
| Course assessment | Weight score (%) | Assessment tools | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Formative 1 | 10 | assignment | 01 Dec 2025 - 20 Mar 2026 |
| Formative 2 | 10 | quiz, group discussion | 01 Dec 2025 - 20 Mar 2026 |
| Formative 3 | 40 | midterm examination | 22 Jan 2026 |
| Summative | 40 | final examination | 20 Mar 2026 |
The grading table
| Grading | Rank |
|---|---|
| >= 80% | A |
| 75% - 79.99% | B+ |
| 70% - 74.99% | B |
| 65% - 69.99% | C+ |
| 60% - 64.99% | C |
| 55% - 59.99% | D+ |
| 50% - 54.99% | D |
| 0% - 49.99% | F |
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