Exact Solutions to the Navier-Stokes Equation

Unsteady Parallel Flows (Plate Suddenly Set in Motion)

Consider that special case of a viscous fluid near a wall that is set suddenly in
motion as shown in Figure 1. The unsteady Navier-Stokes reduces to
u
2u
= 2
t
y

(1)

y
Viscous Fluid

x
Uo
Figure 1. Schematics of flow near a wall suddenly set in motion.
The boundary conditions are:
At y = 0

u = U0

at y = ,

(2)

u=0

(3)

The corresponding initial condition for the fluid that starts from rest is given as
at t = 0

u = 0.

(4)

Similarity Solution (Group Theory)

Let
t ~ t1 ,

y ~ ta ,

(5)

1
,
2

(6)

Equation (1) implies that

1 = 2a ,

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a=

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Thus,
1

y ~ t2

(7)

Now introducing the similarity variables

=

y
2 t

u
= f () ,
U0

(8)

2u 2u 1
=
y 2 2 4t

(9)

we find
u u 1
,
=
y 2 t

u u y 1
u
=
.
=
t 2 t 2 t
2t

(10)

Substituting (9) and (10) in Equation (1), we find

= f
,
2t
4t

(11)

or
f + 2f = 0

(12)

Boundary and initial conditions (2)-(4) in terms of the similarity variables become
f (0) = 1 ,

f ( ) = 0 .

(13)

From Equation (12), it follows that

f
= 2 ,
f

or

ln f = ln c 2

(14)

or
2

f = ce ,

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and

f = c e 1 d1 + 1 ,
0

(15)

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where the first boundary condition in (13) is used. The second boundary condition
implies that

f ( ) = 0 = 1 + c e 1 d1
2

or c =

12

d1

(16)

Equation (15) then becomes

2

f = 1

e 1 d1 = 1 erf ()
2

(17)

or
f = erfc ,

y
u = U 0 erfc

2 t

(18)

Time variations of the velocity profile as predicted by Equation (18) are shown in
Figure 2.

1.0
t=4

u/Uo

0.8
t=1

0.6

t =0.25

0.4

t=0.062
t=0.0025

0.2
0.0
Transform Method

0.5

1.5

2.5

y
Figure 2. Time variations of velocity profile.

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An alternative is to use the transform method. Taking Laplace transform of

Equation (1), it follows that
2u
su = 2
y

(19)

s
u u=0

(20)

or

The solution to (20) is

u = Ae

s
y

+ Be

s
y

(21)

Boundary conditions (2) and (3) imply that

A=

U0
,
s

B=0

(22)

Thus, the solution in the transform domain is given by

u=

U0
e
s

s
y

(23)

Inverse Laplace transform of (23) gives

y
u = U 0 erfc
.
2 t

(24)

Oscillating Plate

Consider that case of a viscous fluid near an oscillating wall as shown in Figure 3.
The unsteady Navier-Stokes reduces to
u
2u
= 2
t
y

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(25)

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y
Viscous Fluid

x
Uo cost
Figure 2. Schematics of flow near an oscillating wall.
The boundary conditions are:
u = U 0 cos t

at y = 0

(26)

u=0

at y =

(27)

Let

Then

u = U 0 e ky cos(t ay ) .

(28)

u
= U 0 e ky sin (t ay )
t

(29)

u
= U 0 e ky ( k cos(t ay ) + a sin (t ay ))
y

(30)

2u
= U 0 e ky (k 2 cos 2ka sin a 2 cos ), = t ay
2
y

(31)

Substituting (29)-(31) into Equation (25) it follows that

sin = ((k 2 a 2 )cos 2ak sin )

(32)

or

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a2 = k2

(33)

= 2ak = 2k 2

(34)

k=

=a
2

(35)

Thus, the velocity profile is given as

u = U 0 e ky cos(t ky ) ,

k=

.
2

(36)

Unsteady Flow in a Tube

Consider flow in a circular tube subject to a step change in pressure as shown in

Figure 4. The Navier-Stokes equation reduces to
v z
1 dP
1 v z
=
+
r

t
dz
r r r

(37)

Introducing dimensionless variables,

=

r
t
t
, =
= 2,
2
R
R
R

vz =

1 dP 2
R ( ) ,
4 dz

(38)

we find

1
.
= 4+

(39)

z
R

Figure 4. Schematics of flow in a tube subject to step change in pressure.

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The boundary condition is

= 0 at = 1 ,

(40)

with the initial conditions

= 0 at = 0 .

(41)

= 1 2 ,

(42)

Let

Equation (39) reduces to

1
=

(43)

The boundary and initial conditions (40) and (41) now become
At = 1 ,

= 0.

(44)

At = 0 ,

= 1 2 .

(45)

To find the solution the method of separation of variable is used. That is let
= F( )T( )

(46)

Equation (43) then becomes

T&
1 d dF
= 2 .
=
T F d d

(47)

From Equation (47), it follows that

T& + 2 T = 0 ,

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(48)

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d 2F
dF
+ + 22F = 0 .
2
d
d

(49)

The solutions to Equations (48) and (49) are given as

2

T = Ce

(50)

F = AJ 0 ( ) + BY0 ( ) ,

(51)

where J 0 () and Y0 () are Bessel function of first and second kind of zeroth order.
The boundary conditions are
F(0 ) ~ finite B = 0

since Y0 (0) .

(52)

and
F(1) = 0 J 0 ( ) = 0 .

(53)

Equation (53) is a characteristic equation. The corresponding eigenvalues, n , are given

as

1 = 2.405 , 2 = 5.52 , 3 = 8.654 ,

(54)

The general solution for Equation (43) then is given by

= A n e n J 0 ( n )
2

(55)

Using the initial condition

1 2 = A n J 0 ( n )

(55)

then

(1 )J ( )d = 4J ( ) /
=
0.5J ( )
J ( )d
1

An

2
0

n
2
1

3
n

(56)

or
An =

J ( n )
3
n 1

(57)

Hence,
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e n J 0 ( n )
,
= 8
3n J 1 ( n )
n
2

(58)

and
= 1 2 8
n

J 0 ( n ) n
e
3n J 1 ( n )

(59)

Variation of the velocity profile in the pipe is shown schematically in Figure 5.

Figure 5. Variations of velocity field in a tube subject to a step change in pressure.

Noncircular Pipe Flows

Consider steady state viscous flows in a pipe with arbitrary cross section under a
constant pressure gradient as shown in Figure 6. The Navier-Stokes equation is given as

2W =

1 dP
= const .
dz

(60)

The corresponding boundary condition is

W=0

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on

S.

(61)

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Figure 6. An arbitrary cross-section pipe subject to a constant pressure gradient.

Elliptical Pipes

Consider an elliptical cross-section pipe shown in Figure 7 with its boundary

given as
2

x y
+ = 1.
a b

(62)

We assume that the velocity field is given by

x 2 y2
w = A1 2 2 .
a
b

(63)

y
x
z

Figure 7. Elliptical cross-section pipe subject to a constant pressure gradient.

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2
2A (a 2 + b 2 ) 1 dP
2
2 w = A 2 + 2 =
=
b
a 2 b2
dz
a

(64)

Hence
1 dP a 2 b 2
2 dz a 2 + b 2

A=

x 2 y2
1 2 2
b
a

(65)

The flow rate is given as

Q = wdxdy .

(66)

After integration, it follows that

Q=

dP a 3 b 3
.
4 dz a 2 + b 2

(67)

Triangular Pipes

Consider a pipe as shown in Figure 8 whose cross section is an equilateral

triangle. The equation of the section is given as

)(

f (x, y ) = (x a ) x 3y + 2a x + 3y + 2a = 0 .

(68)

Assuming
w = Af (x , y )

(69)

Then
2 w = A 2 f (x, y ) = 12aA =

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1 dP
.
dz

(70)

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y
x 3y + 2a = 0

x + 3y + 2 a = 0

2a
Figure 8. A triangular pipe subject to a constant pressure gradient.

Thus,
A=

1 dP
12a dx

(71)

Hence,
w=

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)(

1 dP
(x a ) x 3y + 2a x + 3y + 2a
12a dx

12

(72)

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