Reviewer for Chemical Engineering Chemical Engineering

Licensure Examinations, 2nd Edition Dimensional Analysis

21. DIMENSIONAL ANALYSIS

THEORY AND EQUATIONS

Dimensions are names given to physical quantities. Some examples of dimensions are
length (L), time (t), mass (M), force (F), volume (V), velocity (v), and Temperature (T).

A unit is a definite standard or measure of a dimension. Examples are foot, meter, and
Angstrom are all different units of length; pound and kilogram are standard units of mass,
°C and kelvin (K) are units of temperature, etc.

Four Systems of International Units:

1. International System (SI) – meter (m), second (s), kilogram (kg), Newton (N)
2. English Engineering System – feet (ft), second (s), pound mass (lbm), pound force
(lbf)
3. Absolute Engineering System – ft, s, lbf, slug
4. Absolute Metric System – centimeter (cm), gram (gm), second (s), dyne

For detailed listing of variables, properties, derived physical parameters see Units and
Conversions at the end of this book.

Force and mass are related by Newton’s second law of motion

F  Ma or F  MLt 2

Example of Variables expressed in terms of Primary Dimensions M, L, t, T

Variable Symbol Dimension

Mass M M
Length L L
Time t T
Velocity v Lt-1
Temperature T T
Gravitational Acceleration g Lt-2
Force F MLt-2
Pressure P MLt-2
Density  ML-3
Viscosity  ML-1t-1
Surface Tension  Mt-2
Thermal Conductivity k MLt-3T-1
Thermal Diffusivity  L2t-1
Heat Transfer Coefficient hc Mt-3T-1
Mass Transfer Coefficient kc Mt-1L-2

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Reviewer for Chemical Engineering Chemical Engineering
Licensure Examinations, 2nd Edition Dimensional Analysis

Dimensional Analysis is a procedure of grouping variables into meaningful dimensionless

groups for the purpose of reducing the number of parameters involved in the experimental
investigation of a physical phenomenon.

Methods of Dimensional Analysis

Method 1. Direct Method

Example 1. Establish the Reynolds number relation by dimensional analysis.

Solution: Consider the Reynolds number of a fluid flowing in a closed circular

conduit to be a function of fluid density, fluid viscosity, velocity and
diameter’
N Re  f  ,  , , D
N Re  K a  b c D d

In terms of primary dimensions of Force, F, length L, time T

M FT 2 L1
 3
 3
 FT 2 L 4
L L
FT
  2  FTL 2
L
L
   LT 1
T
DL

Substituting:

N Re  FT 2 L 4  FTL  LT  L
a 2 b 1 c d

 F a  bT 2a  b c L4a  2b  c  d

Since we want N Re to be dimensionless, thus the exponents must all be zero,

i.e.,
ab  0
2a  b  c  0
4a  2b  c  d  0

Solving in terms of b:
 a  b ; a  b ; d  b ; c  b

Substituting:
N Re  K b  b b D b
b
  
 K  
 Dv  

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Reviewer for Chemical Engineering Chemical Engineering
Licensure Examinations, 2nd Edition Dimensional Analysis

or appropriately,
b
 D 
N Re  K  
  
From experiment, K  1 , b  1

Method 2. Buckingham Pi Theorem

Example 2. An incompressible fluid is flowing inside a circular tube of inside
diameter D. The significant variables are pressure drop p, velocity v, Diameter
D, tube length L, viscosity  and density .

Solution:

Variables Units In terms of MLt

Pressure drop, p N/m2 ML-1t-2
Velocity, v m/s Lt-1
Diameter, D m L
Tube length, L m L
Viscosity,  kg/m-s ML-1t-1
Density,  kg/m3 ML-3

Total number of variables, Q  6

Number of dimensions, S  3
Number of dimensionless groups or  ’s is N  Q  S  6  3  3
Thus, 1  f  2 ,  3 

Select a core group of 3 variables to appear in each  group. The variables must contain all
fundamental dimensions and no two variables must have the same dimensions.

p is isolated since we would like to determine the effect of the other variables on p .
Only one of L or D can be chosen. We choose D, v, and 
 1  D a b  c p1
 2  D d e  f L1
 3  D g h  i  1

Consider the 1 group,

  b

c
 1  La Lt 1 ML3 ML1 t  2 
exponent of L: a  b  3c  1  0
M: c  1  0
t: b  2  0

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Reviewer for Chemical Engineering Chemical Engineering
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Solving, a  0 , b  2 , c  1
p
 1  D 0  2  1p  2
 
Consider the  2 group,
  e
 2  Ld Lt 1 ML3 L1  f

exponent of M: f  0
L : d  e  3 f 1  0
t : e  0

Solving: d  1 , e  0 , f  0
L
 2  D 1 0  0 L 2   
 D
D 
repeating the procedure for  3 ,  3 

p  L D  
substituting,  f  , 
  2
D  

which is a form of the Fanning – Darcy Equation for straight conduits.

SELECTED DIMENSIONLESS GROUPS:

Dimensionless Group Defining Expression Meaning or Application

DV VL Ratio of Inertia and Viscous
,
Reynolds Number, Re  v forces
P Dimensionless pressure drop
Friction factor, f 
L / D  V 2 / 2  for internal flow
Cp v Ratio of momentum and
Prandtl Number, Pr  thermal diffusivities
k 
hL Dimensionless temperature
Nusselt Number, Nu kf gradient at the surface
hL Ratio of the solid’s internal
Biot Number, Bi ks thermal resistance to the
fluid’s thermal resistance
C p Ts  Tsat  Ratio of sensible to latent heat
Jacob Number, Ja absorbed during evaporation
h fg
or condensation
kL Dimensionless concentration
Sherwood Number, Sh D AB gradient at the surface

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 Ratio of momentum and mass

Schmidt Number, Sc diffusivities
DAB
vL Dimensionless independent
 Re L Pr
Peclet Number, Pe  heat transfer parameter
 Ratio of thermal and mass
Lewis Number, Le D AB diffusivities

g Ts  T L3 Ratio of buoyancy to viscous

Grashof Number, Gr forces
v2

Bond Number, Bo

g  f   v L2 Ratio of gravitational and
surface tension forces

V 2 L Ratio of inertia to surface
Weber Number, We tension forces

h Nu L Modified Nusselt Number

Stanton Number, St Vc p Re L Pr
V Ratio of the speed of fluid
Mach Number, Ma c flowing and that of sound
measured at the same
conditions

REVIEW QUESTIONS AND PROBLEMS

1. The repeating variables in a dimensional analysis should
a. include the dependent variable
b. have two variables with the same dimensions if possible
c. exclude one of the dimensions from each variable if possible
d. include those variables not considered very important factors
e. satisfy none of these answers.

2. The Reynolds number may be defined as the ratio of

a. viscous forces to inertial forces
b. viscous forces to gravity forces
c. gravity forces to inertial forces
d. elastic forces to pressure forces
e. none of these answers.

3. Assuming that the efficiency of mixing of a rotary drum mixer is dependent on the
diameter of the drum, the speed of rotation, the density and viscosity of the liquid,
determine the speed of an actual mixer to mix SAE oil (density = 917 kg/m3,
viscosity = 0.29 kg/m-s) efficiently. A laboratory prototype one-fourth the size of the
actual mixer required ½ rpm to mix ethyl alcohol (density = 789 kg/m3,
viscosity = 1.2 x 10-3 kg/m-s) efficiently.
a. 13 rpm c. 20 rpm
b. 6.5 rpm d. 4 rpm
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Reviewer for Chemical Engineering Chemical Engineering
Licensure Examinations, 2nd Edition Dimensional Analysis

4. The Brinkman number is often used in the analysis of organic liquid flows. This
dimensionless number is proportional to viscosity, . Derived the Brinkman number if
it depends on the viscosity, velocity of flow, V, thermal conductivity, k, and fluid
temperature, T.
a. k/VT c. kT/V2
b. V /kT
2
d. TV2/K

5. A pendulum bob of weight W is connected to a weightless string of length L. If the

weight of the bob is doubled and the length of the string is cut to one-half, the period
or time of a complete swing becomes ______ the original period.
a. ½ c. 0.707 times
b. twice d. 1.41 times

6. It is a measure of inertial forces to gravitational forces.

a. Froude number c. Grashof number
b. Reynolds number d. Rayleigh number

7. It is essentially the ratio of buoyancy forces to viscous forces.

a. Nusselt number c. Prandtl number
b. Peclet number d. Grashof number

8. States that if two models are geometrically, kinematically and dynamically similar, all
velocities and forces are in constant relationship at counterpart positions
a. scale model c. dimensional theory
b. model theory d. transport model

9. This exists in a geometrically similar system of models of different size if all velocities
at counterpart positions bear a constant ratio.
a. geometric similarity c. kinematic similarity
b. dynamic similarity d. dimensional analysis

10. For centrifugal pumps of a given design (that is, those that are geometrically similar),
there exists a functional relationship of the form:
 (Q, P, , N, D) = O
where P is the power required to drive the pump (with dimensions ML2/T3), Q is
the volumetric flow rate (L3/T),  is the density of the fluid being pumped (M/L3), N is
the rotational speed of the impeller (T-1), and D is the impeller diameter (L).
By choosing  , N, and D as the primary quantities we wish to establish two
groups, one for Q and the other for P, that can be used for representing data on all
pumps of the given design.

A one-third scale model pump (D1 = 0.5 ft) is to be tested when pumping Q1 = 100
gpm of water (  1= 62.4 lbm/ft3) in order to predict the performance of a proposed
full-size pump (D2 = 1.5 ft) that is intended to operate at N2 = 750 rpm with a flow
rate of Q2 = 1,000 gpm when pumping an oil of density  2 = 50 lbm/ft3.

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Reviewer for Chemical Engineering Chemical Engineering
Licensure Examinations, 2nd Edition Dimensional Analysis

If dynamical similarity is to be preserved (equality of dimensionless groups), the

rotational speed N1, rpm that the scale model should be driven is ___________.

a. 750 rpm c. 1750 rpm

b. 2025 rpm d. 2205 rpm

11. In problem no. 10, the scale model needs P1 = 1.2 Hp to drive it, the power P2 that will
be needed for the full-size pump is
a. 11.87 Hp c. 2.1 Hp
b. 18.17 Hp d. 1.2 Hp

12. The dimensionless drag coefficient on a sphere is dependent in the Reynolds number
for the fluid and is expressed as follows:
F  VD 
CD  1 D2  f   
2
 A   
where  is the density and  is the viscosity. If the drag coefficient for a sphere,
1
which has a diameter that is the length of the diameter of the sphere of interest,
10
is found to have the same drag coefficient as the sphere of interest, then what is
the ratio of the speed of the smaller sphere to the larger sphere?
a. 10:1 c. 100:1
b. 1:10 d. 1:100

13. Which of the following is the dimensional formula for the quantity of water flowing in
unit time?
a. Mt c. M3t-1
3
b. L t d. L3t-1

14. The capillary rise h of a liquid in a tube is dependent on the surface tension  , the
fluid density  , gravity g, and the contact angle  . A dimensional analysis gives us a
relation for the capillary rise as
h   
 F  , 
 gd
2
d 
If the capillary rise h1 is known for a given experiment, what will h2 be in a
similar case if the diameter d and surface tension  are reduced by half of the original
value and the density  is doubled and the contact angle  remains the same?
a. h2 = ½ h1 c. h2 = h1
b. h2 = 2h1 d. h2 = ¼ h1

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Reviewer for Chemical Engineering Chemical Engineering
Licensure Examinations, 2nd Edition Dimensional Analysis

15. A liquid flows in a circular tube at constant temperature with a Reynold’s number of
1,000. In a dynamically similar situation, the same liquid flows through a tube whose
radius is twice as long as the radius of the first tube. If  is the kinematic viscosity of
the fluid at that particular temperature, then the product of the velocity of fluid and the
tube radius in the second tube is ___________.
a. 1000 c. 1000 
b. 500  d. 2000 

16. Which of the following correctly identifies the expression of Reynolds number for a
flat plate ?
v VL
a. N RE  c. N RE 
 
PL L
b. N RE  d. N RE 
 

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