The apparatus works with a steady, air-free water supply and suitable drain. The equipment consists of a channel formed between two plates. Water flows along the channel at a low Reynolds number, so the inertia forces are not important.

Hele-Shaw produces a streamline in a steady stream. It allows students to study various sources and sink arrangements, and to look at an unlimited variety of models. The apparatus can be represented by the two-dimensional Laplace equation in two dimensions. Thus lecturers can also use it to represent in other branches of engineering, such as aerodynamics or electricity and heat flow.

To perform experiments, students start the water flow and open a dye valve just enough to produce easily visible streamlines. They may use a sink or a sink, or various combinations of flow or sink points. The vacuum pump strengthens the sink points.

To incorporate models into the free stream of the apparatus and the study of the streamlines, the students cut the shapes (supplied). They then sandwich the model between the two plates of the apparatus and start the flow.

To provide a constant head and smooth, offers the optional Header Tank (H9a).

A dye flowing through several small holes at the end stream end streamlines. The removable top of the grid. The apparatus comes with a rubber sheet from which to cut out various shapes of models. When placed between the two plates, students can see the streamline patterns flowing around the models. Also, valves and a vacuum pump allow students to connect two sources and two sinks (or any combination of both).

Key Features:

Ideal for individual and group work demonstrations

Compact and free-standing

Models easily cut from sheet (included) – almost any shape possible

Visually effective demonstration of a wide variety of flow patterns around different shapes

Ideal introduction to incompressible potential flow (aerodynamics)

Source and sink points provided

Can show soil seepage problems.

Learning outcomes

Various flow visualization experiments in two dimensions,

Doublet in a uniform stream

Flow around a cylinder (disc) and an aero foil

Flow through an orifice and a diffuse

Sources and sinks in a uniform stream

Flow through a heat exchanger

The momentum equation

Mean velocity equations (including seepage in soils)

Laminar for relationship between two parallel platforms.