fluid mechanics Fluid mechanics is the branch of physics concerned with the mechanics of fluids (liquids, gases, and plasmas) and the forces on them. It has applications in a wide range of disciplines, including mechanical, aerospace, civil, chemical and ...

, internal flow is a flow wherein the

fluid In physics, a fluid is a liquid, gas, or other material that continuously deforms (''flows'') under an applied shear stress, or external force. They have zero shear modulus, or, in simpler terms, are substances which cannot resist any shea ...

is completely confined by inner surfaces of an item (e.g. a tube). Hence the

boundary layer In physics and fluid mechanics, a boundary layer is the thin layer of fluid in the immediate vicinity of a bounding surface formed by the fluid flowing along the surface. The fluid's interaction with the wall induces a no-slip boundary cond ...

is unable to develop without eventually being constrained. The internal flow configuration represents a convenient geometry for heating and cooling fluids used in chemical processing, environmental control, and energy conversion technologies. An example includes flow in a pipe.

References

* Fluid mechanics {{Fluiddynamics-stub