Chapter 4 – Potential flows 31

4.4 Properties of Laplace’s equation

4.4.1 Identity from vector calculus
Let f (x) be a function defined in a simply connected domain V with boundary S. From
vector calculus,

∇ · (f ∇f ) = f ∇2 f + |∇f |2
S Z Z Z
n ⇒ ∇ · (f ∇f ) dV = f ∇2 f dV + |∇f |2 dV.
V V V
V So, using the divergence theorem
Z Z Z
2
f (∇f ) · n dS = f ∇ f dV + |∇f |2 dV. (4.7)
S V V

4.4.2 Uniqueness of solutions of Laplace’s equation

Given the value of the normal component of the fluid velocity, u · n, on the surface S (i.e. the
boundary condition), there exists a unique flow satisfying both ∇ · u = 0 and ∇ × u = 0 (i.e.
incompressible and irrotational).

Proof. Suppose there exists two distinct solutions to the boundary value problem, u1 = ∇φ1
and u2 = ∇φ2 . Let f = φ1 − φ2 , then

∇2 f = ∇2 φ 1 − ∇ 2 φ 2 = 0

in the domain V and

(∇f ) · n = (∇φ1 ) · n − (∇φ2 ) · n = u1 · n − u2 · n = 0

Z
on the boundary S. Hence, from identity (4.7), |∇φ1 − ∇φ2 |2 dV = 0. However, since
V
|∇φ1 − ∇φ2 |2 ≥ 0 one must have ∇φ1 = ∇φ2 everywhere. Therefore u1 = u2 and the
solution to the boundary value problem is unique. 

4.4.3 Uniqueness for an infinite domain

S′
The proof above holds for flows in a finite
n
domain. What about flows in an infinite V
11
00
domain — e.g. flow around an obstacle?
00
11
00
11
S

The above argument holds by considering the 00

11
volume V as shown and letting S ′ → ∞. (See,
e.g. Patterson p. 211.)