Skip to main content

Upward force on rotating drum top

Short answer

Integrating pressure p = ρgh + ½ρω²r² over the annulus from pipe radius to drum radius yields an upward force of 13 265 N ≈ 13.3 kN.

A pipe 25 mm in diameter is connected to the centre of the top of a drum 0.5 m in diameter, the cylindrical axis of the pipe and the drum being vertical. Water is poured into the drum through the pipe until the water level stands in the pipe 0.6 m above the top of the drum. If the drum and pipe are now rotated about their vertical axis at 600 rev/min what will be the upward force exerted on the top of the drum.

Data: drum radius R=0.25R=0.25 m, pipe diameter 25 mm so r0=0.0125r_0=0.0125 m, water level in the pipe h=0.6h=0.6 m above the drum top, N=600N=600 rpm so ω=2π×60060=62.83\omega=\dfrac{2\pi\times600}{60}=62.83 rad/s, ρ=1000 kg/m3\rho=1000\ \text{kg/m}^3.

        |  | <- water, 0.6 m above top
        |  |
    ____|  |____   drum top
   |             |
   |   water     |   0.5 m dia
   |_____________|

The drum is full and the free surface lies in the pipe on the axis, so on the underside of the drum top (gauge pressure) at radius rr:

p=ρgh+12ρω2r2p=\rho g h+\tfrac{1}{2}\rho\omega^{2}r^{2}

The upward force on the top (annulus from r0r_0 to RR):

F=∫r0Rp 2πr dr=ρgh π(R2−r02)+πρω24(R4−r04)F=\int_{r_0}^{R}p\,2\pi r\,dr=\rho g h\,\pi\left(R^{2}-r_0^{2}\right)+\frac{\pi\rho\omega^{2}}{4}\left(R^{4}-r_0^{4}\right)

Static part:

F1=1000(9.81)(0.6) π(0.252−0.01252)=1152.8 NF_1=1000(9.81)(0.6)\,\pi\left(0.25^{2}-0.0125^{2}\right)=1152.8\ \text{N}

Rotational part:

F2=π(1000)(62.83)24(0.254−0.01254)=12 111.8 NF_2=\frac{\pi(1000)(62.83)^{2}}{4}\left(0.25^{4}-0.0125^{4}\right)=12\,111.8\ \text{N} F=F1+F2=13 264.6 NF=F_1+F_2=13\,264.6\ \text{N}

Answer: upward force on the drum top ≈13.3\approx13.3 kN (13.27 kN if the small pipe area is ignored). Rotation contributes about 91 % of it.

✓ Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort)

All Fluid Mechanics chapter 2 questions →