BSL Transport Phenomena 2e Revised: Chapter 2 - Problem 2C.

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Problem 2C.5
Falling film on a conical surface (see Fig. 2C.5).7 A fluid flows upward through a circular
tube and then downward on a conical surface. Find the film thickness as a function of the
distance s down the cone.

(a) Assume that the results of §2.2 apply approximately over any small region of the cone
surface. Show that a mass balance on a ring of liquid contained between s and s + ∆s gives:
d d
(sδhvi) = 0 or (sδ 3 ) = 0 (2C.5-1)
ds ds

(b) Integrate this equation and evaluate the constant of integration by equating the mass rate
of flow w up the central tube to that flowing down the conical surface at s = L. Obtain the
following expression for the film thickness:
s  
3 3µw L
δ= 2
(2C.5-2)
πρ gL sin 2β s

Solution
7
R. B. Bird, in Selected Topics in Transport Phenomena, CEP Symposium Series #58, 61, 1-15 (1965).

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BSL Transport Phenomena 2e Revised: Chapter 2 - Problem 2C.5 Page 2 of 4

Part (a)

Figure 1: It’s a bit difficult to visualize, but the shell under consideration here is exterior to the
conical surface, above the conical frustum at s + ∆s, and below the conical frustum at s.

The law of conservation of mass states that matter is neither created nor destroyed. The same
amount of fluid that enters a shell per unit time must leave at that same rate; otherwise, fluid will
build up or accumulate within the shell. The mathematical expression for this idea, a mass
balance, is as follows.

rate of mass in − rate of mass out = rate of mass accumulation

Assuming that no fluid accumulates on the conical surface, the right-hand side is zero.

rate of mass in − rate of mass out = 0

Mass flows down the conical surface, so mass flows into the shell at s and out of the shell at
s + ∆s.
dm dm
− =0
dt s dt s+∆s
Mass is density ρ times volume V .

d(ρV ) d(ρV )
− =0
dt s dt s+∆s

Assuming density is constant, it can be pulled out and cancelled from both sides.

dV dV
− =0
dt s dt s+∆s

The volumetric flow rate is average velocity times the cross-sectional area that the fluid flows
through.
(hviA)|s − (hviA)|s+∆s = 0

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BSL Transport Phenomena 2e Revised: Chapter 2 - Problem 2C.5 Page 3 of 4

To obtain the cross-sectional area we multiply the circumference of the circle at s or s + ∆s by

the film thickness δ(s) or δ(s + ∆s), respectively. For the average velocity we use the result for a
falling film on an inclined surface in §2.2.

ρgδ 2 cos β
hvi =
3µ
The mass balance becomes
ρg[δ(s)]2 cos β ρg[δ(s + ∆s)]2 cos β
· 2πrs δ(s) − · 2πrs+∆s δ(s + ∆s) = 0.
3µ 3µ

Divide both sides by ρg cos β · 2π/3µ.

rs [δ(s)]3 − rs+∆s [δ(s + ∆s)]3 = 0

The relationship between r and s is r = s sin β, so

rs = s sin β
rs+∆s = (s + ∆s) sin β.

Substitute these results into the mass balance.

s sin β[δ(s)]3 − (s + ∆s) sin β[δ(s + ∆s)]3 = 0

Divide both sides by −(sin β)∆s.

(s + ∆s)[δ(s + ∆s)]3 − s[δ(s)]3

=0
∆s
Take the limit as ∆s → 0.
(s + ∆s)[δ(s + ∆s)]3 − s[δ(s)]3
lim =0
∆s→0 ∆s

This is how the first derivative of s[δ(s)]3 is defined. Therefore,

d
(sδ 3 ) = 0.
ds
Part (b)

Integrate both sides of this differential equation with respect to s.

sδ 3 = C1

Solve this for δ 3 .

C1
δ3 =
s
At s = L, we have
C1
δ3 = . (1)
L

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BSL Transport Phenomena 2e Revised: Chapter 2 - Problem 2C.5 Page 4 of 4

In §2.2 the mass flow rate w of a film falling down an incline is given in Eq. 2.2-21.

ρ2 gW δ 3 cos β
w= (2.2-21)
3µ
To adapt this result to a film falling down a conical surface, set the width of the film W equal to
2πr, or 2πs sin β.

ρ2 g(2πs sin β)δ 3 cos β

w=
3µ
Use the trigonometric identity 2 sin β cos β = sin 2β.

πρ2 gs(sin 2β)δ 3

w=
3µ
To determine C1 we use the condition that the mass flow rate up the circular tube w is equal to
the mass flow rate down the conical surface at s = L. That is,

dm
w=
dt
 2s=L
πρ gs(sin 2β)δ 3

=
3µ s=L
πρ2 gL(sin 2β)δ 3
= .
3µ

Solve this equation for δ 3 .

3µw
δ3 = (2)
πρ2 gL sin 2β
Set equations (1) and (2) equal to each other to solve for C1 .

C1 3µw 3µw
= 2
→ C1 =
L πρ gL sin 2β πρ2 g sin 2β
Now that C1 is determined, the film thickness is known.
3µw 1
δ3 =
πρ2 g sin 2β s
 
3µw L
=
πρ2 gL sin 2β s

Therefore, s  
3 3µw L
δ= 2
.
πρ gL sin 2β s

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