NAVIER-STOKES

Derivation of NavierStokes Equation

Using cylindrical co-ordinates (r, , z)
Year 2012

PRAXIE

This document provides a step-by-step guide to deriving the NS equation using

cylindrical co-ordinates. The steps have been collected from different documents
available on the web; frankly speaking, this document just assembles them into a
single file. Although the derivation is not the most detailed one can go for, it
certainly helps the user to have a feel of the derivation process and proceed in a
more detailed fashion if one decides to. Thank You :-)

NOTE: The derivation has been divided into five steps, with each
step collected from a different pdf, the necessary pages of which
have been attached herein and the required figures and terms
either clouded out or highlighted in yellow.
Remember, no detailed calculations have been shown in this
document, only the superficial things necessary for one to derive the
NS equation!!! U r highly encouraged to do the detailed derivation
and share it on the web for others to learn and use. Cheers

STEP I (Pgs. 3-5)

Using the figures highlighting
stresses in r, and z directions, we
find out the equilibrium equations
in terms of normal and shear
stresses.

STEP III (Pg. 9)

Substituting the acceleration
terms from step II in the
equilibrium equations calculated
in step I, we find out the r, and
z components of the momentum
equation.

STEP II (Pgs 6-8)

The material derivative or
acceleration terms are derived
in terms of cylindrical
coordinates (r, , z).

STEP IV (Pg. 10)

The normal and shear stresses
are shown in cylindrical
coordinates; no derivation has
been done over here!

STEP V (Pg. 11)

Substituting the normal and shear stresses
from step IV into the momentum equation
derived in step III and using the continuity
equation (in cylindrical coordinates) for
simplification, we finally get the NavierStokes equation in r, and z directions

Page 3
16

2. Governing Equations

r +

r +

zr +

rr

zr
z
z

r
r
r
rr +

rr
r
r

r
r

FIGURE 2.2. Stresses in the r and Directions.

of stress, strain, and displacement in cylindrical coordinates. The following sections provide a succinct review of essential topics needed for the
establishment of the governing elasto-dynamic equations.

2.1 State of Stresses at a Point

A three dimensional state of stress in an infinitesimal cylindrical element
is shown in the following three figures. Figure 2.1 depicts such an element
with direct stresses, dimensions, and directions of the cylindrical coordinate. Figure 2.2 represents the direct and shear stresses in the radial and
transverse directions (r and ), and the variation of direct and shear stresses
in these two directions. Figure 2.3 shows direct and shear stresses associated with the planes perpendicular to the r and z directions, as well as
their variations along these directions.
In the above graphical representations the changes in direct and shear
stresses are given by considering the first order infinitesimal term used in
Taylor series approximation. The series approximation has been truncated
after the second term. Further terms within the series representation contain terms of an infinitesimal length squared. Assuming that the second

Page 4
2. Governing Equations

zz +
rr

17

zz
z
z
z

zr + zr r
r
Fr

z +
z

r r
z

rr +

rr
r
r

r
FIGURE 2.3. Stresses in the plane perpendicular to r and z direction.

order terms are very small, they can be neglected. Therefore, the change
in stress across the element is considered very small.

2.2 Equilibrium Equations in Terms of Stress

Utilizing Newtons second law and the graphical representation of the state
of stress, the equilibrium equations for an infinitesimal element in a cylindrical coordinates will be developed. By examining the state of stress on
the element shown in section 2.1, the following equilibrium equation in the
r direction is given.

rr
r
r (r + r) z + r +
rz cos
rr +
r

r
rz
z
r+
r + Fr rz
+ rz +
z
2

= rr rz + r rz cos
+ rz r +
r +
2
2

+ +
rz sin
+ rz sin
(2.1)

2
2

Page 5
18

2. Governing Equations

Canceling appropriate terms from both sides of the equation and after
simplifying, it yields:
1 r
rz
rr
rr
+
+
+
+ Fr = 0
r
r
z
r

(2.2)

Similarly, the equilibrium equation for the direction yields:

1
z
2
r
+
+
+ r + F = 0
r
r
z
r

(2.3)

and finally, for the z direction one may write:

1 z
zz
1
rz
+
+
+ rz + Fz = 0
r
r
z
r

(2.4)

In the above simplifications, due to very small angle of , the following

approximations were used:
cos

1
2

sin

2
2

(2.5)

In addition to the stresses, body forces acting throughout the element have
been considered for each direction. These are denoted by Fr , F , and Fz
which are introduced as forces in the r, , and z direction per unit of
volume. Due to the cancellation of the moments about each of the three
perpendicular axes, the relations among the six shear stress components
are presented by the following three equations:
r = r

z = z

zr = rz

(2.6)

Therefore, the stress at any point in the cylinder may be accurately described by three direct stresses and three shear stresses.

2.3 Stress-Strains Relationships

The constitutive relation between stresses and strains for a homogeneous
and isotropic material can be expressed by Hookes law. By definition, a
homogeneous and isotropic material has the same properties in all directions. From this, the following three equations for direct strain in terms of
stress are presented:
err E
e E
ezz E

= rr ( + zz )
= (zz + )
= zz ( rr + )

(2.7)
(2.8)
(2.9)

Page 6

2. The Material Derivative in Cylindrical Coordinates

This one a little bit more involved than the Cartesian derivation. The
reason for this is that the unit vectors in cylindrical coordinates change
direction
when
the
particle
is
moving.
In the Lagrangian reference, the velocity is only a function of time.
When we switch to the Eulerian reference, the velocity becomes a
function of position, which, implicitly, is a function of time as well as
viewed from the Eulerian reference. Then

(Eq. 1)
and the material derivative is written as (with the capital D symbol to
distinguish it from the total and partial derivatives)

(Eq. 2)
Special attention must be made in evaluating the time derivative in Eq.
2. In dynamics, when differentiating the velocity vector in cylindrical
coordinates, the unit vectors must also be differentiated with respect to
time. In this case, the partial derivative is computed at a fixed position
and therefore, the unit vectors are "fixed" in time and their time
derivatives are identically zero. Then, we have

(Eq. 3)
we can now evaluate the remaining terms in Eq. 2 as follows

Page 7

(Eq. 4)
and

(Eq. 5)
finally

Page 8

(Eq. 6)
When these are put together, the material derivative in cylindrical
coordinates becomes

Page 9

5.7 Basic Equations in different Coordinate Systems

143

x2 Component:

U2
U2
U2
U2
P
+ U2
+ U2
+ U3
=
t
x1
x2
x3
x2
 2

U2
2 U2
2 U2
+
+
+
+ g2
x21
x22
x23
(5.110)

x3 Component:


U3
U3
U3
U3
P
+ U1
+ U2
+ U3
=
t
x1
x2
x3
x3
 2

U3
2 U3
2 U3
+
+
+
+ g3
x21
x22
x23
(5.111)

Momentum Equations in Cylindrical Coordinates

- Momentum equations with ij terms:
!
U2
Ur
Ur
U Ur
Ur
P
+ Ur
+

+ Uz
=
t
r
r
r
z
r


1
1 r

rz

(rrr ) +

+
+ gr
r r
r
r
z
(5.112)

rComponent:

Component:

zComponent:


U
U
U U
Ur U
U
+ Ur
+
+
+ Uz
t
r
r
r
z


1 P
1 2
1
z
=

(r

)
+
+
+ g
r
r
r2 r
r
z
(5.113)


Uz
Uz
U Uz
Uz
P
+ Ur
+
+ Uz
=
t
r
r
z
z


1
1 z
zz

(rrz ) +
+
+ gz
r r
r
z
(5.114)

- Navier-Stokes equations for and equally constant:

!
U2
Ur
Ur
U Ur
Ur
rComponent:
+ Ur
+

+ Uz
(5.115)
t
r
r
r
z
 


1
1 2 Ur
2 U 2 Ur
P
=
+
(rUr ) + 2

+
+ gr
r
r r r
r 2
r2
z 2

Page 10
26

FLUID MECHANICS
1 v x vz
+
+
2 z
x

!2

!2
1 vy vz
+
+
.
2 z
y

(2.141)

In the above, , , , and M are treated as uniform constants.

2.19 Fluid Equations in Cylindrical Coordinates

Let us adopt the cylindrical coordinate system, r, , z. Making use of the results quoted in Section C.3, the components
of the stress tensor are
rr

zz

r = r

rz = zr

z = z

vr
,
r
!
1 v vr
p + 2
+
,
r
r
p + 2

vz
,
z
!
1 vr v v

,
r
r
r
!
vr vz

+
,
z
r
!
1 vz v

+
,
r
z

p + 2

(2.142)
(2.143)
(2.144)
(2.145)
(2.146)
(2.147)

whereas the equations of compressible fluid flow become

D
Dt
Dvr v2

Dt
r

Dv vr v
+
Dt
r

1 p

r
r

!
2
vr
2 v 1
vr 2 2
+
,

r
r 3 r

1 p 1

r r

!
2
2 vr v
1
v + 2
2+
,

3r
r r
!
1 p 2
1

+
vz +
,
z
z

3 z
!
M 2 p
+

,
R

Dvz
=
Dt
!
1
D p D

=
1 Dt
Dt

(2.148)

(2.149)

(2.150)
(2.151)
(2.152)

where
=
D
Dt

1 (r vr ) 1 v vz
+
+
,
r r
r
z

+ vr
+
+ vz ,
t
r
r
z
!
2
1

1
2
r
+ 2 2 + 2,
r r r
r
z

(2.153)
(2.154)
(2.155)

Page 11
Navier - Stokes equation:

We consider an incompressible , isothermal Newtonian flow (density =const, viscosity

r
=const), with a velocity field V = (u ( x,y,z) , v( x,y,z) , w ( x,y,z))
Incompressible continuity equation:
u v w
+
+
=0
eq1.
x y z

Navier - Stokes equation:

r
vector form:

r
r
DV
= P + g + 2 V
Dt

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
+ u + v + w =
+ g y + ( 2 + 2 + 2 )
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

eq2.

eq3.

eq4.

Cylindrical coordinates (r , , z ) :
We consider an incompressible , isothermal Newtonian flow (density =const, viscosity
r
=const), with a velocity field V = (u r , u , u z ).
Incompressible continuity equation:
1 (ru r ) 1 (u ) u z
+
+
=0
eq a)
r r
r
z
r-component:
u
u u
u2
u
u
r + u r r + r + u z r
r
r
r
z
t
eq b)
1 u r u r
P
1 2ur
2 u 2 u r
=
+ g r +

+
r
2 + 2

r
r 2 r 2
z 2
r r r r

-component:

u u
uu
u
u
u
+ ur + + r + u z
r
r
r
z
t
1 u u
1 P
1 2 u
2 u r 2 u
+
+
+ g +
=
r
2 + 2

r
z 2
r 2 r 2
r r r r

z-component:
u u
u
u
u
z + ur z + z + u z z
r
z
r
t
1 u z 1 2 u z 2 u z
P
+ g z +
+
=
r
+ 2

2
z
z 2
r r r r

eq d)

eq c)