The flow regime is often determined using the Reynolds number (Re), a dimensionless number that quantifies the ratio of inertial forces to viscous forces. For a cylindrical pipe, the flow is typically laminar if Re 4000, and transitional in between. The Reynolds number is calculated using the formula:
Re = (ρ * v * D) / μ
where ρ is the fluid density, v is the fluid velocity, D is the characteristic length (e.g., pipe diameter), and μ is the dynamic viscosity.
