C

Basic Equations in Rectangular,

Cylindrical, and Spherical
Coordinates

Table C.1 Equation of Continuity

Rectangular coordinates (x, y, z):
∂ρ ∂ ∂ ∂
+ (ρvx ) + (ρvy ) + (ρvz ) = 0
∂t ∂x ∂y ∂z
Cylindrical coordinates (r, θ, z):
∂ρ 1 ∂ 1 ∂ ∂
+ (ρrvr ) + (ρvθ ) + (ρvz ) = 0
∂t r ∂r r ∂θ ∂z
Spherical coordinates (r, θ, φ):
∂ρ 1 ∂ 1 ∂ 1 ∂
+ 2 (ρr 2 vr ) + (ρvθ sin θ) + (ρvϕ ) = 0
∂t r ∂r r sin θ ∂θ r sin θ ∂φ
Source: Adapted from Bird et al. (2007) by permission of John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

833
Table C.5 Momentum Equations for a Newtonian Fluid with Constant Density (ρ) and Constant Viscosity (μ)
Rectangular coordinates (x, y, z):
 

∂vx ∂v ∂v ∂v ∂ 2 vx ∂ 2 vx ∂ 2 vx ∂p
ρ + vx x + vy x + vz x =μ 2
+ 2
+ − + ρgx
∂t ∂x ∂y ∂z ∂x ∂y ∂z2 ∂x
 

∂vy ∂vy ∂vy ∂vy ∂ 2 vy ∂ 2 vy ∂ 2 vy ∂p
ρ + vx + vy + vz =μ + + − + ρgy
∂t ∂x ∂y ∂z ∂x 2 ∂y 2 ∂z2 ∂y
 

∂vz ∂vz ∂vz ∂vz ∂ 2 vz ∂ 2 vz ∂ 2 vz ∂p
ρ + vx + vy + vz =μ + + − + ρgz
∂t ∂x ∂y ∂z ∂x 2 ∂y 2 ∂z2 ∂z

Cylindrical coordinates (r, θ, z):

    
∂vr ∂vr vθ ∂vr vθ2 ∂vr ∂ 1 ∂  1 ∂ 2 vr ∂ 2 vr 2 ∂vθ ∂p
ρ + vr + − + vz =μ rvr + 2 + − 2 − + ρgr
∂t ∂r r ∂θ r ∂z ∂r r ∂r r ∂θ 2 ∂z2 r ∂θ ∂r
     
∂vθ ∂v v ∂v v v ∂v ∂ 1 ∂  1 ∂ 2 vθ ∂ 2 vθ 2 ∂vr 1 ∂p
ρ + vr θ + θ θ + r θ + vz θ = μ rvθ + 2 + + − + ρgθ
∂t ∂r r ∂θ r ∂z ∂r r ∂r r ∂θ 2 ∂z2 r 2 ∂θ r ∂θ
    
∂vz ∂v v ∂v ∂v 1 ∂ ∂v 1 ∂ 2 vz ∂ 2 vz ∂p
ρ + v r z + θ z + vz z = μ r z + 2 + − + ρgz
∂t ∂r r ∂θ ∂z r ∂r ∂r r ∂θ 2 ∂z2 ∂z

Spherical coordinates (r, θ, φ):


∂vr ∂v v ∂v vφ ∂vr vθ2 + v 2φ
ρ + vr r + θ r + −
∂t ∂r r ∂θ r sin θ ∂φ r
     
∂ 1 ∂  1 ∂ ∂vr 1 ∂ 2 vr 2 ∂ 2 ∂vφ ∂p
=μ r 2
vr + sin θ + − (v sin θ) − − + ρgr
∂r r 2 ∂r r 2 sin θ ∂θ ∂θ r 2 sin2 θ ∂φ 2 r 2 sin θ ∂θ θ r 2 sin θ ∂φ ∂r


∂vθ ∂v v ∂v vφ ∂vθ v v v 2φ cot θ
ρ + vr θ + θ θ + + r θ −
∂t ∂r r ∂θ r sin θ ∂φ r r
    
1 ∂ ∂v 1 ∂ 1 ∂  1 ∂ 2 vθ 2 ∂vr 2 cot θ ∂vφ 1 ∂p
=μ 2 r2 θ + 2 vθ sin θ + + − − + ρgθ
r ∂r ∂r r ∂θ sin θ ∂θ r 2 sin2 θ ∂φ 2 r 2 ∂θ r 2 sin θ ∂φ r ∂θ
 
∂vφ ∂vφ v ∂vφ vφ ∂vφ vφ vr vθ vφ
ρ + vr + θ + + + cot θ
∂t  ∂r r ∂θ r sin θ ∂φ r r 
    
1 ∂ ∂v φ 1 ∂ 1 ∂ 1 ∂ 2 vφ 2 ∂vr 2 cot θ ∂vθ 1 ∂p
=μ 2 r2 + 2 vφ sin θ + + + − + ρgφ
r ∂r ∂r r ∂θ sin θ ∂θ r 2 sin2 θ ∂φ 2 r 2 sin θ ∂φ r 2 sin θ ∂φ r sin θ ∂φ

837