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Integro-differential equation method in the hydrodynamics of an

incompressible viscous fluid

Article  in  Journal of Experimental and Theoretical Physics · October 1997

DOI: 10.1134/1.558359

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Integro-differential equation method in the hydrodynamics of an incompressible
viscous fluid
A. B. Petrin*)
Institute of High Temperatures, Russian Academy of Sciences, 127412 Moscow, Russia
~Submitted 18 February 1997!
Zh. Éksp. Teor. Fiz. 112, 1332–1339 ~October 1997!
An integro-differential equation method is proposed to describe the motion of an incompressible
viscous fluid. The method uses an analogy between the hydrodynamic equations for an
incompressible viscous fluid and the magnetostatic equations. An analysis is made of the flow of
an incompressible viscous fluid round an object as a specific application. The solution
automatically satisfies the boundary conditions at the surface of the object and at infinity. © 1997
American Institute of Physics. @S1063-7761~97!01310-3#

1. INTRODUCTION Taking the curl of this equation, we obtain

A well-known description of the motion of an incom- ]V h
pressible viscous fluid is provided by a system of differential 1¹3 ~ V3v! 5 ¹ 2 V. ~3!
]t r
equations for the velocity field and the vorticity field.1–3 In
Ref. 3 an analogy was noted between some of the differential Let D be the characteristic dimension of the problem and
hydrodynamic equations for an incompressible viscous fluid V be the characteristic velocity. We transform to dimension-
and the differential magnetostatic equations but this analogy less variables, making the substitution
was not developed.
x5x 8 D, y5y 8 D, z5z 8 D, t5t 8 ~ D/V ! . ~4!
Here this analogy is developed, refined, and used to
solve problems in hydrodynamics. We then obtain an equation for the dimensionless fields:
] V8 1
2. FORMULATION OF THE PROBLEM 1¹8 3 ~ V8 3v8 ! 5 ¹ 8 2 V8 ,
]t8 R
The motion of a fluid is described by the Navier–Stokes
equation, which may be expressed in the form3 where R5 r VD/ h is the Reynolds number for the given
problem.
]v ¹p fv
1 ~ v•¹ ! v52 2¹ w 1 , ~1! To be specific, we analyze the problem of exterior flow
]t r r of an incompressible fluid around an object. We also analyze
where v is the velocity field, p is the scalar pressure field, r the problem in terms of dimensionless variables. Then, omit-
is the fluid density, w is the potential of the external conser- ting primes from hereon, we obtain a system of three equa-
vative forces per unit mass, and fv are the forces of viscosity tions:
acting per unit volume of fluid. ¹•v50, ~5!
If the fluid is incompressible, its density is constant and
the velocity field should satisfy the volume conservation ¹3v5V, ~6!
equation:
]V 1
¹•v50. 1¹3 ~ V3v! 5 ¹ 2 V ~7!
]t R
The expression for the viscosity force is then given by
fv 5 h ¹ 2 v, where h is the first coefficient of viscosity. with the boundary conditions
Thus, the Navier–Stokes equation for an incompressible v50 on the surface of the object, ~8!
fluid can be simplified, and may be written as2
v5e far from the object ~9!
]v ¹p h
1 ~ v•¹ ! v52 2¹ w 1 ¹ 2 v. ~2!
]t r r ~e is the unit vector determining the direction of the velocity
far from the object!.
Introducing the vector vorticity field V5¹3v and recalling
We assume that the vorticity field V is known over all
the vector identity
space; then Eqs. ~5! and ~6! can be used to find the velocity
1 over all space. In fact, Eqs. ~5! and ~6! are similar to the
~ v•¹ ! v5 ~ ¹3v! 3v1 ¹ ~ v 2 ! , magnetostatic equations that determine the magnetic field B
2
in terms of the current density j:
we rewrite the previous equation in the form
¹•B50.
]v 1 ¹p h
1V3v52 ¹ ~ v 2 ! 2 2¹ w 1 ¹ 2 v.
]t 2 r r ¹•B5 m 0 j.

724 JETP 85 (4), October 1997 1063-7761/97/100724-04$10.00 © 1997 American Institute of Physics 724
 The solution of the magnetostatic equations for given distribution of this force, and can be represented in the form
currents is given by the Biot–Savart law, g (r)5kw(r), where k is modulus of the force and the func-

E
tion w(r) is assumed to be zero outside the solid, unity in-
m0 j~ 2 ! 3r12
B~ 1 ! 5 dV 2 , side the solid, and continuously integrable in the vicinity of
4p V r 312 its boundary. If the coefficient k is large enough, the velocity
where the integration extends over all points in the volume V of the fluid inside the solid will be negligible. It will then be
at which currents exist. The symbol 1 refers to the coordi- assumed that in the limit where k tends to infinity, the fluid
nates of the point at which the field B is determined, the velocity near the surface and inside the object will be zero,
symbol 2 indicates the coordinates of points over which in- and the boundary conditions at the surface of the object will
tegration is performed, and r12 is the position vector from the automatically be satisfied. Physically it is clear that the in-
point of integration 2 to point 1; its length is coming stream of fluid will flow around this retarded, almost
stationary fluid as if it were a solid.
r 125 A~ x 1 2x 2 ! 2 1 ~ y 1 2y 2 ! 2 1 ~ z 1 2z 2 ! 2 . Using the frictional force introduced above, Eq. ~1! can
If we replace B by v and m 0 j by V in the magnetostatic be written over all space in the form:
equations, we obtain Eqs. ~5! and ~6!. Thus, the solution of ]v ¹p fv k
these equations for a given vorticity field V is 1 ~ v•¹ ! v52 2¹ w 1 2 w ~ r! v. ~12!
]t r r r
v~ 1,t ! 5
1
4p
E V
V~ 2,t ! 3r12
r 312
dV 2 . As before, we take the curl of Eq. ~12! and introduce the
vorticity field; we then obtain the differential equation
Since the vorticity field only differs appreciably from
zero near the object, this solution tends to zero with increas- ]V h k
1¹3 ~ V3v! 5 ¹ 2 V5 ¹3 ~ w ~ r! v! . ~13!
ing distance from the object. ]t r r
Note that Eqs. ~5! and ~6! are a linear system of equa-
As in Sec. 2, we transform to dimensionless primed vari-
tions, so that its solution is also the velocity field
ables in accordance with Eq. ~4!. We then obtain an equation
v~ 1,t ! 5e1
1
4p
E V
V~ 2,t ! 3r12
r 312
dV 2 . ~10!
similar to ~7!:
] V8 1
The velocity field calculated according to Eq. ~10! not 1¹8 3 ~ V8 3v8 ! 5 ¹ 8 2 V8 5K¹8 3 ~ w ~ r8 ! v8 ! ,
]t8 R
only satisfies Eqs. ~5! and ~6! but also the boundary condi- ~14!
tion ~9! far from the object.
Thus, if the distribution of the vorticity field is known at where K5kD/ r V, and R5 r VD/ h is, as before, the Rey-
a certain time, this field can be found at the next instant via nolds number for the given problem.
the integrodifferential equation Omitting the primes, we finally obtain

] V~ 1,t !
]t F
1¹3 V~ 1,t ! 3 e1
1
4p S E
V
V~ 2,t ! 3r12
r 312
dV 2 DG ¹•v50,

¹3v5V,
~15!

1 2
5 ¹ V~ 1,t ! ,
R 1¹3 ~ V3v! 5 ¹ 2 V2K ~ ¹3 ~ wv! 1wV! .
where the nabla operator acts on the coordinates denoted by
the index 1.
However, the problem is that integration in Eq. ~11! is
performed over all space, and if the vorticity field inside the
object is assumed to be zero, the vorticity field distribution
obtained from Eq. ~11! will automatically fail to satisfy the
boundary condition at the surface of the object around which
the fluid flows.
3. SOLUTION OF THE PROBLEM
To satisfy this boundary condition, either the problem
must be formulated over all space, or the boundary condi-
tions must be determined for the vorticity field.
~16!
~11! ]V 1
~17!
]t R
The first term in parentheses in Eq. ~17! is nonzero near
the boundary of the object around which fluid flows, since
the vector field ¹w is nonzero near this boundary and is
directed into the object. The integral of ¹w along any curve
beginning outside the object and ending inside the object will
be unity. Thus, this term is determined by the tangential
component of the velocity at the boundary.
The second term in parentheses in Eq. ~17! is only non-
zero inside the object, and is zero outside.
The solution of Eqs. ~15! and ~16! that satisfies the
boundary condition at infinity is given by Eq. ~10!, as in Sec.
2. Thus, the integrodifferential equation for the problem has
the form

F S DG
To automatically allow for the boundary conditions at
the surface of the object, we assume that the object consists
of the surrounding incompressible fluid which is exposed to
] V~ 1,t !
]t
1¹3 V~ 1,t ! 3 e1
1
4p
EV
V~ 2,t ! 3r12
r 312
dV 2

F S D
the action of an external, fairly large, effective bulk frictional
force f f r 52 g (r)v inside the object around which the fluid
flows. The coefficient g (r) takes into account the spatial
5
1 2
R
¹ V~ 1,t ! 2K ¹w3 e1
1
4p
EV
V~ 2,t ! 3r12
r 312
dV 2

725 JETP 85 (4), October 1997 A. B. Petrin 725

 1wV~ 1,t ! . G ~18!
where s 5 d /D is the fraction of the diameter over which the
function varies rapidly.
The gradient of the function w(r) is then given by
The solution of Eq. ~18! with allowance for Eq. ~10!,
when the coefficient K tends to infinity and the size of the
region of variation of the function ¹w near the boundary 1 S S DD
1
s
expr2
1
2 r

S S S DD D
tends to zero, will tend to the solution of Eqs. ~5!–~7! with ¹w ~ r! 52 . ~23!
s 1 1 2
r
the boundary conditions ~8! and ~9!. exp r2 11
s 2
Substituting expressions ~22! and ~23! into the system
4. TWO-DIMENSIONAL PROBLEM ~19! and ~20!, we obtain an integrodifferential equation for
the approximate problem of two-dimensional flow around a
We consider two-dimensional flow around a cylinder of
cylinder. Solving this equation and making the coefficient K
arbitrary cross section. We direct the z axis of a rectangular
tend to infinity and the coefficient s tend to zero, we obtain
Cartesian coordinate system along the generatrix of the cyl-
a rigorous solution of this problem.
inder; the velocity field will then only have components in
Knowing the distribution of the velocity field from the
the x and y directions, and the vorticity field will only have
solution of Eqs. ~19! and ~20!, we can determine the dimen-
a z component which will be a function of x and y. Then for
sionless drag and lift coefficients of a circular cylinder. In
this component of the vorticity field, Eq. ~18! has the form
fact, the force acting on the cylinder from the fluid is equal to
]Vz ]Vz ]Vz 1 2 the modulus of the resultant effective frictional force intro-
1vx 1vy 5 ¹ V z 2K @~ ¹w3v! z 1wV z # ,
]t ]x ]y R duced earlier. If the fluid velocity at infinity is directed along
~19! the x axis, the dimensionless drag coefficient C d and the
dimensionless lift coefficient C a can be expressed in terms of
where the nabla operator only acts on the x and y coordinates
the dimensionless velocity:
~two-dimensional operator!, and the velocity field is

v~ x 1 ,y 1 ,t ! 5e1
1
2p
E @ V z ~ x 2 ,y 2 ,t ! r12#
r 212
dx 2 dy 2 , ~20! C d5
Fd
r V 2 DL/2
52K E w ~ x,y !v x ~ x,y ! dx dy, ~24!

which can be obtained from Eq. ~10! after integrating over

the z coordinate between plus and minus infinity, where the
C a5
Fa
r V 2 DL/2
52K E w ~ x,y !v y ~ x,y ! dx dy, ~25!
position vector in formula ~20! is two-dimensional ~only has
x and y components! and integration is performed over the where F d is the drag and F a is the lift acting on a section of
entire xy plane. the cylinder of length L. When the coefficient K tends to
Equation ~19!, with Eq. ~20! inserted, yields the solution infinity and the coefficient s tends to zero, we obtain coef-
of the two-dimensional problem in the limit, i.e., the distri- ficients corresponding to a rigorous solution of the problem.
bution of the vorticity field and the velocity field at arbitrary
time.
6. NUMERICAL RESULTS

5. TWO-DIMENSIONAL FLOW AROUND A CIRCULAR A numerical simulation was made of two-dimensional

CYLINDER flow around a circular cylinder ~19!, ~20!. The function w(r)
and its gradient were taken in the form ~22! and ~23!, respec-
Flow around a circular cylinder is taken as a specific
tively. The Reynolds number was taken to be R5400.
example of a two-dimensional problem. Assuming that the
It was found that the parameters s and K of the function
coordinate origin is located on the symmetry axis of the cyl-
w(r), which determine the magnitude and spatial distribu-
inder, we take the function w(r) in the form
tion of the effective drag, generally influence the numerical
1 solution. This influence has the result that the effective drag

S S DD
w ~ r! 5 , ~21! acts not only inside the cylinder but outside as well. In the
1 D
exp r2 11 calculations this leads to a slight overestimate of the dimen-
d 2
sionless drag coefficient C d compared with its experimental
where D is the cylinder diameter, r5 Ax 2 1y 2 , and d is ap- value, since the layers of fluid outside the volume are addi-
proximately equal to the distance from the surface of the tionally retarded. This additional retardation is observed up
cylinder, on which the function is essentially unity inside the to distances of several s from the cylindrical surface, so that
cylinder and zero outside the cylinder ~similar to the Fermi– as s decreases, the coefficient C d should approach its accu-
Dirac distribution, whose properties are well-known!. Cast in rate value.
dimensionless coordinates, the function ~21! has the form The calculations showed that this is in fact the case. The
calculations were performed on a uniform grid with
1
s 50.005, K540, and R5400. The drag coefficient ob-
S S DD
w ~ x,y ! 5 , ~22!
1
Ax 2 1y 2 2
1 tained in the calculations was approximately C d 51.8. The
exp 11
s 2 value of C d varied slightly with time ~less than by 0.1! as a

726 JETP 85 (4), October 1997 A. B. Petrin 726

result of the periodic detachment of vortices from the cylin-
der and the formation of a Kármán vortex street beyond the
cylinder.
When s was halved for the same parameters K and R,
the coefficient C d was reduced to '1.4. However, the value
of C d obtained from experimental investigations of flow
around a cylinder is approximately 1.3 ~Ref. 1, p. 30!.
The results of the numerical calculations on a uniform
mesh show that in order to obtain a solution with a lower
effective retardation of the fluid outside the cylinder, a non-
uniform grid concentrated near the boundary must be used
for the calculations and s reduced so that artificial retarda-
tion of the fluid flow outside the cylinder is essentially elimi-
nated.
It should be noted that a small perturbation of the incom-
ing flow must be introduced in the numerical simulation to
form a Kármán vortex street beyond the cylinder. This small
perturbation, developing into a pair of vortices beyond the
cylinder and formed immediately after the onset of the fluid
motion, leads to axisymmetric systematic separation and in a
system of alternately separating vortices—a Kármán vortex
street. Such a small initial perturbation is always present in a
real incoming flow of fluid at a cylinder and is responsible
for the instability of a real flow. The time evolution of the
vortices beyond the cylinder obtained numerically passes
through the same stages as the experimental evolution ~Ref.
1, p. 395!. In particular, the numerical model correctly pre-
dicts the flow separation location.
7. CONCLUSIONS
The integrodifferential equation method can reduce the
problem of the hydrodynamics of an incompressible viscous
727 JETP 85 (4), October 1997
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fluid to an integrodifferential equation for a single vector
field—the vorticity field. This field only differs substantially
from zero near the object around which the fluid flows and in
the vortex wake, so that the vortex field need only be ap-
proximated in this bounded spatial region to obtain a numeri-
cal solution of these equations. The velocity field can be
determined using the known vorticity field over all space by
using the integral expressions derived.
An important advantage of the proposed method is that
the region of approximation of the function describing the
flow of fluid around the object is reduced in size and
bounded.
The integrodifferential equation method has been ap-
plied here to study external two-dimensional flow around a
circular cylinder. However, this method can be successfully
applied to problems of internal flow, and can also be used to
express the equations of motion in integrodifferential form in
problems of forced and free convection and other problems
of heat and mass transfer, both two-dimensional and three-
dimensional.
*!e-mail: bit@termo.msk.su
1
H. Schlichting, Boundary Layer Theory, 6th ed., McGraw-Hill, New York
~1968!.
2
L. D. Landau and E. M. Lifshitz, Fluid Mechanics, 2nd ed., ~Pergamon
Press, Oxford ~1987!.
3
R. P. Feynman, R. B. Leighton, and M. Sands, The Feynman Lectures on
Physics, Addison-Wesley, Reading, Mass. ~1963!, Vol. 2, Ch. 40.
Translated by R. M. Durham
A. B. Petrin 727