DERIVATION OF THE NAVIER STOKES EQUATION

1. CAUCHYS EQUATION
First we derive Cauchys equation using Newtons second law.
We take a differential fluid element. We consider the element as a material element ( instead of a
control volume) and apply Newtons second law

or since ( ) =

( )

1)

We express the total force as the sum of body forces and surface forces
=

. Thus (

1) can be written as

Body forces:
Gravity force
Electromagnetic forse
Centrifugal force
Coriolis force

2)

Surface forces:
Pressure forces
Viscous forces

We cosider the x-component of (Eq 2).

Since

and = ( , , ) we have

We denote the stress tensor

=

( pressure forces+ viscous forces)

3)

the viscous stress tensor

=
where

and strain ( deformation) rate tensor

1 v u
+
=
2 x y

1 w + u
2 x z

Let
=( ,
,
) , = ( ,
perpendicular to the coordinate axes.

1 u w
+

2 z x
1 v w

+
2 z y

1 u v
+
2 y x
v
y
1 w v
+

2 y z

),

=(

) be stress vectors on the planes

x
yz- plane

Then the stress vector

xz-plane

xy-plane

at any point associated with a plane of unit normal vector

can be expressed as

=(

=(

We consider the x-component of the net surface force

using the figure below.

Using Taylors formula we get

1=

3=

5 = (

=(

4=

6=

)
)

Thus
=

=(

3)

If we assume that the only body force is the gravity force, we have
=

Now from (

g =

3)

we have

We divide by

g + (

and get the equation for the x-component:

= g +

or
(

) = g +

eq x

In the similar way we derive the following equations for

y component:
(

) = g +

eq y

eq z

z component:
(

) = g +

Equations eq x,y,z, are called Cauchys equations.

THE NAVIER STOKES EQUATION

When considering

we can separate x components of pressure forces

and viscous forces:

=

In the similar way we can change y-component and z-component

Thus Cauchys equations become
(

) = g

eq A

In the similar way we derive the following equations for

y component:
(

) = g

eq B

eq C

z component:
(

) = g

According o the NEWTONS LOW OF VISCOSITY the viscous stress components are related ( throw a
linear combination) to the ( first) dynamic viscosity and the second viscosity .
=2

= (

= (

,
) ,

=2

),

= (

(*)

= (

(**)

= (

) ,

= (

We substitute this values

=2

(***)

in to Cauchys equations eq A, B, C and get

THE NAVIER STOKES EQUATIONS for the compressible flow:

x-component:
(

= g

) +

y-component:
(

= g

) +

z-component:
(

= g

)
+

) +

) +

= 0 and hence from (*), (**) and (***)

Remark: For an incompressible flow we have

=2

where

is the strain rate tensor for the velocity field V = (u, v, w) in Cartesian coordinates:

1 v u
ij = 2 ij = 2 +
2 x y

1 w + u
2 x z

1 u v
+
2 y x
v
y
1 w v
+

2 y z

1 u w
+

2 z x
1 v w

+
2 z y

u v
u
u w
+ +

2
x
z x
y x

v w
v
v u
+
= +
2
.
x y
y
z y

w
w + u w + v
2
y z
x z
z

In the case when we consider an incompressible , isothermal Newtonian flow (density =const,

viscosity =const), with a velocity field V = (u ( x,y,z) , v( x,y,z) , w ( x,y,z))

we can simplify the Navier-Stokes equations to his form:

x component:

u
u
u
u
P
2u 2u 2u
+u
+v
+ w =
+ g x + ( 2 + 2 + 2 )
x
y
z
x
x
y
z
t

y- component:

v
v
v
v
P
2v 2v 2v
+ g y + ( 2 + 2 + 2 )
+ u + v + w =
x
y
z
y
x
y
z
t
z component:

w
w
w
w
P
2w 2w 2w
+u
+v
+ w =
+ g z + ( 2 + 2 + 2 )
x
y
z
z
x
y
z
t

[ The vector form for these equations:

r
r
r
DV

= P + g + 2 V ]
Dt