The Equation of Continuity and the Equation of Motion in Cartesian,

cylindrical, and spherical coordinates

CM3110 Fall 2011 Faith A. Morrison
Continuity Equation, Cartesian coordinates

+ vx
+ vy
+ vz
t
x
y
z


vz
vx vy
+
+
x
y
z

= 0

Continuity Equation, cylindrical coordinates

1 (rvr ) 1 (v ) (vz )
+
+
+
t
r r
r
z

= 0

Continuity Equation, spherical coordinates

1 (r 2 vr )
1 (v sin )
1 (v )
+ 2
+
+
t
r
r
r sin

r sin

= 0

Equation of Motion for an incompressible fluid, 3 components in Cartesian coordinates

xx yx zx
vx
vx
vx
P
vx
+ vx
+ vy
+ vz
+
+
+
=
+ gx

t
x
y
z
x
x
y
z




vy
xy
vy
vy
vy
yy
zy
P

+ vx
+ vy
+ vz
+
+
+
=
+ gy
t
x
y
z
y
x
y
z




xz
vz
vz
vz
yz
zz
P
vz
+ vx
+ vy
+ vz
+
+
+
=
+ gz

t
x
y
z
z
x
y
z


Equation of Motion for an incompressible fluid, 3 components in cylindrical coordinates

vr
vr
v vr
v2
vr
+ vr
+
+ vz
t
r
r
r
z

P
+
=
r

v
v
v v
v vr
v

+ vr
+
+
+ vz
t
r
r
r
z

1 P
+
=
r

vz
v vz
vz
vz
+ vr
+
+ vz
t
r
r
z

P
+
z

1 (r
rr ) 1 r
zr
+

+
r r
r
r
z

+ gr

1 (r 2 r ) 1
z
r r
+
+
+
r 2 r
r
z
r
rz ) 1 z
1 (r
zz
+
+
r r
r
z

+ gz

Equation of Motion for an incompressible fluid, 3 components in spherical coordinates

v2 + v2
v vr
vr
v vr
vr
+ vr
+
+

t
r
r
r sin
r
P
=
+
r

1 P
+
=
r

1 (r 2 rr )
r sin )
1 (
1 r
+
+
+

2
r
r
r sin

r sin
r
v2 cot
v v
v
v
v v
vr v
+ vr
+
+
+

t
r
r
r sin
r
r

+ gr

cot
1 (r 3 r )
sin )
1 (
1
r r
+
+
+

3
r
r
r sin

r sin
r
r

+ g

v v v
v v vr v v v cot
v
+ vr
+
+
+
+

t
r
r
r sin
r
r
!
3
sin )
1 (r r )
1 (
1 r r cot
1 P
+
+
+
+
+
=
+ g
r sin
r3
r
r sin

r sin
r
r


+ g

Equation of Motion for incompressible, Newtonian fluid (Navier-Stokes equation) 3 components in Cartesian
coordinates
vx
vx
vx
vx
+ vx
+ vy
+ vz

t
x
y
z

2 vx 2 vx 2 vx
P
+
+
+
=
x
x2
y 2
z 2

+ gx

vy
vy
vy
vy

+ vx
+ vy
+ vz
t
x
y
z

2 vy
2 vy
2 vy
P
+
+
+
=
y
x2
y 2
z 2

+ gy

vz
vz
vz
vz
+ vx
+ vy
+ vz

t
x
y
z

2 vz
2 vz
2 vz
P
+
+
+
=
z
x2
y 2
z 2

+ gz

Equation of Motion for incompressible, Newtonian fluid (Navier-Stokes equation), 3 components in cylindrical coordinates
vr
vr
v vr
v2
vr
+ vr
+
+ vz
t
r
r
r
z

P
+
=
r
r

v
v v
vr v
v
v
+ vr
+
+
+ vz

t
r
r
r
z

1 P
+
=
r

vz
vz
v vz
vz

+ vr
+
+ vz
t
r
r
z

1
P
vz
+
=
r
z
r r
r

1 (rvr )
r r



2 v
2 vr
1 2 vr

+
+ 2
r 2
r 2
z 2

2 v
2 vr
1 (rv )
1 2 v
+
+
+ 2
r r
r 2
r 2
z 2


2 vz
1 2 vz
+
+ 2
r 2
z 2

+ gr
!

+ g

+ gz

Equation of Motion for incompressible, Newtonian fluid (Navier-Stokes equation), 3 components in spherical
coordinates
v2 + v2
vr
v vr
v vr
vr
+ vr
+
+

t
r
r
r sin
r




2 vr

1  2 
1
vr
1
+
r
v
sin

+
r
2
r 2 r
r 2 sin

r 2 sin 2


2 v
2
(v sin ) 2
2
+ gr
r sin
r sin
!
v2 cot
v v
v
v
v v
vr v

+ vr
+
+
+

t
r
r
r sin
r
r

P
+
r

1 P
+
=
r

v v v
v
+ vr
+
t
r
r
=

1 P
r sin

2 v
1
1
(v sin ) + 2 2
sin
r sin 2

2 vr
2 cot v
+ 2
2
+ g
r
r sin

v v vr v v v cot
+
+
+
r sin
r
r




2 v
v
1
1
1
1
+ 2
(v sin ) + 2 2
r2
+ 2
r r
r
r sin
r sin 2

2 cot v
2 vr
+ 2
+ 2
+ g
r sin
r sin
1
v
r2
r 2 r
r


1
+ 2
r

Note: the r-component of the Navier-Stokes equation in spherical coordinates may be simplified by adding 0 =
2
r v to the component shown above. This term is zero due to the continuity equation (mass conservation). See
Bird et. al.
References:
1. R. B. Bird, W. E. Stewart, and E. N. Lightfoot, Transport Phenomena, 2nd edition, Wiley: NY, 2002.
2. R. B. Bird, R. C. Armstrong, and O. Hassager, Dynamics of Polymeric Fluids: Volume 1 Fluid Mechanics,
Wiley: NY, 1987.