Laminar and Turbulent Flow

The characteristics of laminar and turbulent flow are very dissimilar. To understand why turbulent or laminar flow is enviable in the operation of a specific system, it is essential to understand the characteristics of laminar and turbulent flow.

Laminar Flow:

The Laminar flow is also termed to as streamline or viscous flow. Such terms are explanatory of the flow since, in laminar flow, layers of water flowing above one another at various speeds with virtually no mixing among layers, and the fluid particles move in specific and observable paths or streamlines, and the flow is feature of viscous (i.e., thick) fluid or is one in which viscosity of the fluid plays an important portion.

Turbulent Flow:

The turbulent flow is characterized by the irregular movement of particles of the fluid. There is no specific frequency as there is in wave motion. The particles travel in asymmetrical paths with no noticeable pattern and no specific layers.