CHAPTER TWO
One-Dimensional Isentropic Flow
An isentropic process provides the useful standard for comparing various types of flow with that
of an idealized one. Essentially, it is the process where all types of frictional effects are neglected
and no heat addition takes place. Thus, the process is considered as reversible and adiabatic.
Stagnation/Total Conditions
When a moving fluid is decelerated isentropically to reach zero speed, then the thermodynamic
state is referred to as stagnation/total condition/state. In a real flow field, if the actual conditions
of pressure (p ), temperature (T ), density (ρ ), enthalpy (h ), internal energy (e ), entropy ( s),etc.
are referred to as static conditions while the associated stagnation parameters are denoted as po,
To, ρo, ho, eo and so respectively. The actual state, actual stagnation state, and isentropic stagnation
state of a fluid on an h-s diagram.
Consider a steady flow through a duct (no shaft work, heat transfer etc).The steady flow
energy equation for this is: h1+ V12/2 = h2+ V22/2
or, h01=h02
• When the fluid is approximated as an ideal gas with constant specific heats,
CpT0= CpT +V2/2
or, T0= T +V2/2Cp
T0 is called the stagnation temperature and represents the temperature an ideal gas attains when it
is brought to rest adiabatically.
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The pressure a fluid attains when brought to rest isentropically is called the stagnation pressure,
Po.
For ideal gases, from isentropic relations,
Variation of fluid velocity with flow area
Consider mass balance for a steady flow process:
𝜕𝜌 1
Since it is known that, ( )𝑠 = , rearranging,
𝜕𝑃 𝑎2
………………………………………..(1)
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…………………..(2)
Eq.(1) is an important relation for isentropic flow in ducts since it describes the variation of
pressure with flow area.
We note that A, ρ, and V are positive quantities. For subsonic flow (M < 1), the term (1
– M2 ) is positive; and thus dA and dP must have the same sign.
That is, the pressure of the fluid must increase as the flow area of the duct increases and
must decrease as the flow area of the duct decreases.
Thus, at subsonic velocities, the pressure decreases in converging ducts (subsonic
nozzles) and increases in diverging ducts (subsonic diffusers).
In supersonic flow (Ma > 1), the term 1 – M2 is negative, and thus dA and dP must have
opposite signs.
That is, the pressure of the fluid must increase as the flow area of the duct decreases and
must decrease as the flow area of the duct increases.
Thus, at supersonic velocities, the pressure decreases in diverging ducts (supersonic
nozzles) and increases in converging ducts (supersonic diffusers).
Another important relation for the isentropic flow of a fluid is eq.(2)
This equation governs the shape of a nozzle or a diffuser in subsonic or supersonic
isentropic flow. Noting that A and V are positive quantities, we conclude the following:
Thus the proper shape of a nozzle depends on the highest velocity desired relative to the
sonic velocity. To accelerate a fluid, we must use a converging nozzle at subsonic
velocities and a diverging nozzle at supersonic velocities.
The velocities encountered in most familiar applications are well below the sonic
velocity, and thus it is natural that we visualize a nozzle as a converging duct.However,
the highest velocity we can achieve with a converging nozzle is the sonic velocity, which
occurs at the exit of the nozzle.
If we extend the converging nozzle by further decreasing the flow area, in hopes of
accelerating the fluid to supersonic velocities, as shown in Fig. below,
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Now the sonic velocity will occur at the exit of the converging extension, instead of the
exit of the original nozzle, and the mass flow rate through the nozzle will decrease
because of the reduced exit area.
• To accelerate a fluid to supersonic velocities, we must add a diverging section to a converging
nozzle to accelerate a fluid to supersonic velocities. The result is a converging– diverging nozzle.
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b)Supersonic flow
Mach number relations; Property Relations for Isentropic Flow of Ideal
Gases
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• The above equations relate the stagnation properties with the corresponding static properties
through the Mach number.
Critical conditions
The critical condition are those that would exist if the flow was isentropically accelerated or
decelerated until the Mach number is unity (M = 1). The values at these critical conditions are
usually denoted by an asterisk (*). By setting M=1
For the case of air flow (𝛾 = 1.4), these equations give:
𝑇∗ 𝑃∗ 𝜌∗
= 0.888 , = 0.528 , = 0.634
𝑇 𝑃 𝜌
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