LECTURE 1

INTRODUCTION TO DIFFERENTIAL ANALYSIS OF

FLUID MOTION
5.1. Review of the Field Concept.
The property fields are defined by continuous functions of the space coordinates and time.
a scalar field [ = (x, y, z, t].
a vector field
( )
1
]
1

t z y x V V , , ,
or a tensor field (the stress field).
5.2. The Continuity Equation.
We shall drive the differential equation for the conservation of mass in both rectangular
and cylindrical coordinates. In both cases the derivation is carried out by applying
conservation of mass to a differential control volume.
5.2.1 Rectangular Coordinate System
In rectangular coordinates, the control volume chosen is an infinitesimal cube with sides
of length dx, dy, dz as shown in Figure 1. The density at the center, O, of the control
volume is and the velocity there is
w k v j u i V

+ +
.
To determine the values of the properties at each of the six faces of the control
surface, we must use a Taylor series expansion of the properties about the point O. For
example, at the right face,
) ..........
2 ! 2
1
2
2
2
2
2 /
+

,
_

,
_

,
_

+
+
dx
x
dx
x
dx x


Neglecting higher order terms, we can write
)
2
2 /
dx
x
dx x

,
_

+
+

Similarly,
)
2
2 /
dx
x
u
u u
dx x

,
_

+
+
The corresponding terms at the left face are
)
2 2
2 /
x
x
dx
x
dx x

,
_

,
_

,
_

)
2 2
2 /
dx
x
u
u
dx
x
u
u u
dx x

,
_

,
_

,
_

Fig. 5.1 Differential control volume in rectangular coordinates

A word statement of the conservation of mass is
0
volume control the inside
mass of change of rate
surface control e through th
eflux mass of rate net

1
]
1

+
1
]
1

To evaluate the first term in this equation, we must consider the mass flux through each
of six surfaces of the control surface, that is, we must evaluate

CS
A d V . The details of
this evaluation are shown in the table 5.1.
We see that the net rate of mass efflux through the control surface is given by
dxdydz
z
w
y
v
x
u
1
]
1

The mass inside the control volume at any instant is the product of the mass per unit
volume, , and the volume, dx dy dz. Thus the rate of change of mass
x
z
y
dx
dz
dy
Control Volume
O
u
v
w
Table 5.1 Mass Flux through the Control Surface of a Rectangular Differential Control Volume
Inside the control volume is given by
dx dy dz
t

In rectangular coordinates the deferential equation for the conservation of mass is then
0

t z
w
y
v
x
u
(5.1a)
Equation 5.1a may be written more compactly in vector notation, since

V
z
w
y
v
x
u

where in rectangular coordinates is given by
z
k
y
j
x
i

Then the conservation of mass may be written as
0

+

t
V

(5.1b)
Two flow cases for which the differential continuity equation may be simplified
are worthy of note. For incompressible flow, = constant; that is, the density is neither a
function of space coordinates, nor time. For incompressible flow, the continuity equation
simplifies to
0

z
w
y
v
x
u
or
0

V
Thus the velocity field,
( ), t z, y, x, V

for incompressible flow must satisfy

0

V
.
For steady flow, all fluid properties are, by definition, independent of time. Thus
at most ( ) z y, x, , and for steady flow, the continuity equation can be written as
0

z
w
y
v
x
u
or
0

V
Fig. 5.2 Differential control volume in cylindrical coordinates
5.2.2 Cylindrical Coordinate System
In cylindrical coordinates, a suitable differential control volume is shown in Fig. 5.2. The
density at the center, 0, of control volume is and the velocity there is
z z r r
V i V i V i V + +

, where
z r
i i i , ,

are unit vectors in the r, , and z directions,
continuity
Mass conservation
respectively, and V
r
, V

, and V
z
are the velocity components in the r, , and z directions,
respectively.
The conservation of mass states that:
0
volume control the inside
mass of change of rate
surface control e through th
efflux mass of rate net

1
]
1

+
1
]
1

To evaluate the first term in this equation, we must consider the mass flux through each of six
faces of control surface; that is, we must evaluate

CS
A d V . The properties at each of the
six faces of control surface are obtained from a Taylor series expansion of properties
about the point O. The details of the mass flux evaluation are shown in table 5.2.
Table 5.2 Mass Flux through the Control Surface of a Cylindrical Differential Control Volume
We see that the net rate of mass efflux through the control surface is given by
dz d dr
z
V
r
V
r
V
r V
z r
r

1
]
1

+
The mass inside the control volume at any instant is the product of mass per unit volume,
, and the volume, r d dr dz. Thus the rate of change of mass inside the control volume
is given by
dz dr d r
t

In cylindrical coordinates the differential equation for the conservation of mass is then
0

+
t
r
z
V
r
V
r
V
r V
z r
r

Dividing by r gives
0
1

+
t z
V V
r r
V
r
V
z r r

or
0
1 1

t z
V V
r r
V r
r
z r

(5.2)
In cylindrical coordinates the vector operator, , is given by
z
i
r
i
r
i
z r

1
Thus in vector notation the conservation mass may be written
0

+

t
V

For incompressible flow, = constant, and Eq. 5.2 reduces to

0
1 1

z
V V
r r
rV
r
z r

For steady flow, Eq 5.2 reduces to

0
1 1

z
V V
r r
V r
r
z r

Example 5.1
For a two-dimensional flow, the x component of velocity is given by u = ax
2
bx +by.
Determine a possible y component for steady, incompressible flow. How many possible y
components are there?
Solution:
Basic equation: 0

+

t
V

(mass conservation)
For incompressible flow, = constant, and we can write
0

V
. In rectangular
coordinates
0

z
w
y
v
x
u
Assume two-dimensional flow in the xy plane. Then partial derivatives with respect to z
are zero, and
0

y
v
x
u
Then
b ax
x
u
y
v
+

2
where: u = ax
2
bx +by.
{ } component x holding v of change of rate for the expression an gives This
This equation can be integrated to obtain an expression for v. On integrating , we obtain
for steady flow.
( ) x f by axy v + + 2

'

y to respect with v of derivative partial the had we

because appears x f x of function the

), ( ,
Since any function f(x) is allowable, any number of expressions for v could satisfy the
deferential continuity equation under the given conditions. The simplest expression for v
would be obtained by setting f(x) = 0, that is,
by axy v + 2
Example 5.2
A compressible flow field is described by
[ ]
kt
e bxyj axi V

Where x and y are coordinates in meters, t is time in seconds, and a, b, and k are constants
with appropriate units so that and

V
are in kg/m
3
and m/sec, respectively. Calculate the
rate of change of density per unit time at the point x = 3 m, y = 2 m, z = 2 m, for t = 0.
Solution:
Basic equation: 0

+

t
V

[ ]
kt
e bxyj axi
z
w
k
y
v
j
x
u
i V
t

1
]
1

[ ] ( )
kt kt
e a bx e bx a
t

For t = 0, at the point (3,2,2)

( )
( )
sec
3
sec

sec

3
3
0
3 4
m
kg
a b e
m
kg a
m
kg b
m
t
k

,
_