DESCRIPTION

Technical Description

The Osborne Reynolds experiment is used to display laminar and turbulent flows. During the experiment it is possible to observe the transition from laminar to turbulent flow after a limiting velocity. The Reynolds number is used to assess whether a flow is laminar or turbulent.

With HM 150.18 the streamlines during laminar or turbulent flow are displayed in colour with the aid of an injected contrast medium (ink). The experimental results can be used to determine the critical Reynolds number. 

The experimental unit consists of a transparent pipe section through which water flows, with flow-optimised inlet. A valve can be used to adjust the flow rate in the pipe section. Ink is injected into the flowing water. A layer of glass beads in the water tank ensures an even and low-turbulence flow.

The experimental unit is positioned easily and securely on the work surface of the HM 150 base module. The water is supplied and the flow rate measured by HM 150. Alternatively, the experimental unit can be operated by the laboratory supply. 

The well-structured instructional material sets out the fundamentals and provides a step-by-step guide through the experiments.

Learning Objectives / Experiments
- visualisation of laminar flow
- visualisation of the transition zone
- visualisation of turbulent flow
- determination of the critical Reynolds number