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
   
+ vx + vy + vz + + + = 0
t x y z x y z
Continuity Equation, cylindrical coordinates

1 (rvr ) 1 (v ) (vz )
+ + + = 0
t r r r z
Continuity Equation, spherical coordinates

1 (r 2 vr ) 1 (v sin ) 1 (v )
+ 2 + + = 0
t r r r sin r sin
Equation of Motion for an incompressible fluid, 3 components in Cartesian coordinates
vx vx vx vx P xx yx zx
   
+ vx + vy + vz = + + + + gx
t x y z x x y z
vy vy vy vy P xy yy zy
   
+ vx + vy + vz = + + + + gy
t x y z y x y z
vz vz vz vz P xz yz zz
   
+ 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 P 1 (rrr ) 1 r zr
 
+ vr + + vz = + + + + gr
t r r r z r r r r r z
!
v v v v v vr v 1 P 1 (r 2 r ) 1 z r r
 
+ vr + + + vz = + + + + + g
t r r r z r r 2 r r z r
vz vz v vz vz P 1 (rrz ) 1 z zz
   
+ vr + + vz = + + + + gz
t r r z z r r r z
Equation of Motion for an incompressible fluid, 3 components in spherical coordinates

v2 + v2
!
vr vr v vr v vr
+ vr + +
t r r r sin r
!
P 1 (r 2 rr ) 1 (r sin ) 1 r +
= + 2
+ + + gr
r 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
!
1 P 1 (r 3 r ) 1 ( sin ) 1 r r cot
= + 3
+ + + + g
r r r r sin r sin r r
v v v v v v vr v v v cot
 
+ vr + + + +
t r r r sin r r
!
3
1 P 1 (r r ) 1 ( sin ) 1 r r cot
= + + + + + + g
r sin r3 r r sin r sin r r
 Equation of Motion for incompressible, Newtonian fluid (Navier-Stokes equation) 3 components in Cartesian
coordinates
!
vx vx vx vx P 2 vx 2 vx 2 vx
 
+ vx + vy + vz = + + + + gx
t x y z x x2 y 2 z 2
!
vy vy vy vy P 2 vy 2 vy 2 vy
 
+ vx + vy + vz = + + + + gy
t x y z y x2 y 2 z 2
!
vz vz vz vz P 2 vz 2 vz 2 vz
 
+ vx + vy + vz = + + + + gz
t x y z z x2 y 2 z 2

Equation of Motion for incompressible, Newtonian fluid (Navier-Stokes equation), 3 components in cylin-
drical coordinates
! !
vr vr v vr v2 vr P 1 (rvr ) 1 2 vr 2 v 2 vr
 
+ vr + + vz = + + 2 + + gr
t r r r z r r r r r 2 r 2 z 2
!
v v v v vr v v 1 P 1 (rv ) 1 2 v 2 vr 2 v
   
+ vr + + + vz = + + 2 + + + g
t r r r z r r r r r 2 r 2 z 2
!
vz vz v vz vz P 1 vz 1 2 vz 2 vz
   
+ vr + + vz = + r + 2 + + gz
t r r z z r r r r 2 z 2

Equation of Motion for incompressible, Newtonian fluid (Navier-Stokes equation), 3 components in spherical
coordinates
v2 + v2
!
vr vr v vr v vr
+ vr + +
t r r r sin r
P 1  2 
1 vr 1 2 vr
   
= + r v r + sin + 2
r r 2 r
r r 2 sin r 2 sin 2
2 2 v

2 (v sin ) 2 + gr
r sin r sin
v2 cot
!
v v v v v v vr v
+ vr + + +
t r r r sin r r
1 P 1 v 1 1 1 2 v
   
= + r2 + 2 (v sin ) + 2 2
r r 2 r r r sin r sin 2
2 vr 2 cot v

+ 2 2 + g
r r sin
v v v v v v vr v v v cot
 
+ vr + + + +
t r r r sin r r
1 P 1 v 1 1 1 2 v
   
= + 2 r2 + 2 (v sin ) + 2 2
r sin r r r r sin r sin 2
2 vr 2 cot v

+ 2 + 2 + g
r sin r sin
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.