Bernoulli's Principle
Fluid Dynamics
Bernoulli's Principle is used to describe the flow of fluids inside pipes of different
pressures and different elevations; firstly, the fluid must be:
- Incompressible: The fluid's density doesn't change with pressure
- Non-Viscous: The fluid isn't thick and flows easily
- Achieves Laminar Flow: The flow of the liquid isn't turbulent
A perfect example of a fluid that satisfies all three rules is: Water
Bernoulli's Principle is based on the Conservation of Energy, it states that the sum of energy
(Kinetic + Potential + Internal) of a moving fluid at all points is constant,
thus a change in the speed of a fluid's flow inside a container must be accompanied by a change in
either the Pressure, or the Height:
P1 + 0.5 × raw × v1 ^ 2 + raw × g × h1
=
P2 + 0.5 × raw × v2 ^ 2 + raw × g × h2
Where P is the pressure, raw is the fluid's density, v is the fluid's velocity, g is the gravitational potential,
and h is the height / elevation of the tube.
Bernoulli's Equation states that:
If: V1 > V2, Then: P1 < P2, Or: H1 < H2
Additionally, the area of the container plays a role in the change of the fluid's speed,
the principle known as the Continuity Equation, which is based on the Conservation of Mass:
The Continuity Equation states that for an Incompressible, Non-Viscous, Fluid that is in Laminar Flow,
The mass of fluid that moves in a certain time inside an area of the container is always constant:
A1 × V1 = A2 × V2
Where A is the area of the container, and v is the velocity of the fluid.
The Continuity Equation states that:
If: A1 > A2, Then: V1 < V2
Applications of Bernoulli's Principle and the Continuity Equation Include:
The Design of Aircraft Wings, and Pitot Tubes.