The Weber number is a dimensionless number in fluid mechanics that is often useful in analysing fluid flows where there is an interface between two different fluids, especially for multiphase flows with strongly curved surfaces. It can be thought of as a measure of the relative importance of the fluid's inertia compared to its surface tension. The quantity is useful in analyzing thin film flows and the formation of droplets and bubbles.
It is named after Moritz Weber (1871–1951) and may be written as:
where
- is the density of the fluid (kg/m3).
- is its velocity (m/s).
- is its characteristic length, typically the droplet diameter (m).
- is the surface tension (N/m).
The modified Weber number,
equals the ratio of the kinetic energy on impact to the surface energy,
- ,
where
and
- .
Read more about Weber Number: Applications
Famous quotes containing the words weber and/or number:
“One can say that three pre-eminent qualities are decisive for the politician: passion, a feeling of responsibility, and a sense of proportion.”
—Max Weber (1864–1920)
“Nothing ever prepares a couple for having a baby, especially the first one. And even baby number two or three, the surprises and challenges, the cosmic curve balls, keep on coming. We can’t believe how much children change everything—the time we rise and the time we go to bed; the way we fight and the way we get along. Even when, and if, we make love.”
—Susan Lapinski (20th century)