Fluid is a wonderful thing and is essential to our daily lives. It occurs in many ways and is essential to both ecosystems and man-made systems. From the water we drink to the moisture in the air we breathe, moisture is all around us and affects our lives in many ways. This blog reveals its properties, types, and applications.
Fluid:
Fluids are substances that change shape easily and continuously as external forces are applied. Fluids are, therefore, substances that have no strength.
Types of Fluid:
Fluids are very important for the sediment transportation process. Three types of fluid can be defined depending on the extent to which dynamic viscosity changes with the shear or strain rate.
Newtonian Fluid:
Newtonian Fluids have no strength and don’t undergo any changes in viscosity as the shear rate increases. Thus, water that does not change viscosity as it is stirred is a Newtonian Fluid.
Non-Newtonian Fluid:
Newtonian Fluids also have no strength but show variable viscosity with the change in shear rate. Water containing dispersions of sand, in concentrations greater than 30% by volume or lower concentrations of cohesive clay, behaves as a non-Newtonian fluid.
Bingham Plastic:
Some extremely concentrated sediment dispersions may behave as plastic substances. If some plastic materials behave as a substance with constant viscosity, they are called Bingham plastic.
Debris flow, in which large cobbles or boulders are strongly supported in a matrix of interstitial fluid and fine sediments, is an example of a natural substance that behaves like Bingham plastic.
Characteristics of Fluids:
Fluids have a special property that distinguishes them from solids and other substances:
- Density: Mass per unit volume of a liquid is important for shielding and flow analysis.
- Viscosity: A measure of the resistance of water to flow, called its thickness.
- Compressibility: The ability of fluid to reduce volume under pressure.
- Surface Tension: The combined forces on the surface of fluid give rise to phenomena such as water droplets.
- Flowability: The ability of fluid to move and spread.
Physical Properties of Fluid:
Air and water are the two fluids of the most significant geological importance, especially sedimentological importance. They differ substantially in density and dynamic viscosity, with some water 800 times denser than air and having a much larger dynamic viscosity.
Therefore, the two fundamental physical properties of fluids that are very important to us are
- Density and
- Dynamic Viscosity.
Density:
Density is defined as mass per unit volume (M/L3). Fluid density affects the magnitudes of forces. Density increases with decreasing temperature of a fluid. The density of water is 0.998 gl/mL at 200 C. Differences in the densities of fluids influence the relative abilities of water and air to transport sediment.
Dynamic Viscosity:
Fluid viscosity describes the ability of fluids to flow; that is, fluids with low viscosity flow rapidly. Dynamic viscosity measures a substance’s change in shape, which occurs at finite speeds during flow. It is identified as the ratio of shear stress to the deformation rate.
Applications of Fluids:
Fluid plays a vital role in many fields, greatly impacting areas such as science, medicine, and industry.
- In engineering, it is essential for improving hydraulic systems, studying fluid mechanics and optimizing aerodynamics.
- In the medical field, advances in the understanding of blood circulation and infusion therapy have paved the way for major advances in medicine.
- Environmental scientists study ocean currents and weather patterns to improve predictions of climate change.
- In the transportation sector, recent developments aim to improve fuel-air synergy and thereby increase the efficiency of engines and aircraft.
Conclusion:
Fluid is more than just a moving object. It plays a key role in unlocking nature’s secrets and advancing technology. Studying its properties, behavior and applications can drive innovation and more efficiently address global challenges.
