57:020 Mechanics of Fluids and Transport Processes Chapter 6

Professor Fred Stern Fall 2006 1

Chapter 6 Differential Analysis of Fluid Flow

Inviscid flow: Euler’s equations of motion

Flow fields in which the shearing stresses are zero are said
to be inviscid, nonviscous, or frictionless. for fluids in
which there are no shearing stresses the normal stress at a
point is independent of direction:
− p = σ xx = σ yy = σ zz
For an inviscid flow in which all the shearing stresses are
zero, and the normal stresses are replaced by −p, the
Navier-Stokes Equations reduce to Euler’s equations
⎡ ∂V ⎤
ρ g − ∇p = ρ ⎢ + ( V ⋅∇ ) V ⎥
⎣ ∂t ⎦
In Cartesian coordinates:
∂p ⎛ ∂u ∂u ∂u ∂u ⎞
ρ gx − = ρ ⎜ + u + v + w ⎟
∂x ⎝ ∂t ∂x ∂y ∂z ⎠
∂p ⎛ ∂v ∂v ∂v ∂v ⎞
ρgy − = ρ⎜ +u +v +w ⎟
∂y ⎝ ∂t ∂x ∂y ∂z ⎠
∂p ⎛ ∂w ∂w ∂w ∂w ⎞
ρ gz −
= ρ⎜ +u +v +w ⎟
∂z ⎝ ∂t ∂x ∂y ∂z ⎠
The Bernoulli equation derived from Euler’s equations
The Bernoulli equation can also be derived, starting from
Euler’s equations. For inviscid, incompressible fluids, we
end up with the same equation
p V2
+ + gz = const
ρ 2

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57:020 Mechanics of Fluids and Transport Processes Chapter 6
Professor Fred Stern Fall 2006 2
It is often convenient to write the Bernoulli equation
between two points (1) and (2) along a streamline and to
express the equation in the “head” form by dividing each
term by g so that
p1 V12 p2 V22
+ + z1 = + + z2
γ 2g γ 2g
The Bernoulli equation is restricted to the following:
• inviscid flow
• steady flow
• incompressible flow
• flow along a streamline

The Irrotational Flow and corresponding Bernoulli equation

If we make one additional assumption—that the flow is
irrotational ∇ × V = 0 —the analysis of inviscid flow
problems is further simplified. The Bernoulli equation has
exactly the same form at that for inviscid flows:
p1 V12 p2 V22
+ + z1 = + + z2
γ 2g γ 2g
but it can now be applied between any two points in the
flow field, not limited to applications along a streamline.

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57:020 Mechanics of Fluids and Transport Processes Chapter 6
Professor Fred Stern Fall 2006 3

Various regions of flow: (a) around bodies;

(b) through channels

The Velocity Potential

For an irrotational flow:
⎛ ∂w ∂v ⎞ ⎛ ∂u ∂w ⎞ ⎛ ∂v ∂u ⎞
∇×V = ⎜ − ⎟i + ⎜ − ⎟ j+ ⎜ − ⎟k = 0
⎝ ∂y ∂z ⎠ ⎝ ∂z ∂ x ⎠ ⎝ ∂x ∂y ⎠
So we have
∂w ∂v ∂u ∂w ∂v ∂u
= , = , =
∂y ∂z ∂z ∂x ∂x ∂y
It follows that in this case the velocity components can be
expressed in terms of a scalar function φ (x, y, z, t), called
velocity potential, as
∂φ ∂φ ∂φ
u= , v= , w=
∂x ∂y ∂z
In vector form:
V = ∇φ

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57:020 Mechanics of Fluids and Transport Processes Chapter 6
Professor Fred Stern Fall 2006 4
The velocity potential is a consequence of the
irrotationality of the flow field, whereas the stream function
is a consequence of conservation of mass. It is to be noted,
however, that the velocity potential can be defined for a
general three-dimensional flow, whereas the stream
function is restricted to two-dimensional flows.
For an incompressible flow we know from the conservation
of mass:
∇⋅V = 0
and therefore for incompressible, irrotational flow, it
follows that
∇ 2φ = 0
The velocity potential satisfies the Laplace equation.
In Cartesian coordinates:
∂ 2φ ∂ 2φ ∂ 2φ
+ 2 + 2 =0
∂x 2
∂y ∂z
In cylindrical coordinates:
1 ∂ ⎛ ∂φ ⎞ 1 ∂φ ∂ 2φ
⎜r ⎟+ 2 + 2 =0
r ∂r ⎝ ∂r ⎠ r ∂θ 2
∂z

Some Basic, Plane Potential Flows

For potential flow, basic solutions can be simply added to
obtain more complicated solutions because of the major
advantage of Laplace equation that it is a linear PDE. For
simplicity, only plane (two-dimensional) flows will be
considered. Since we can define a stream function for plane
flow,
∂ψ ∂ψ
u= , v=−
∂y ∂x

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57:020 Mechanics of Fluids and Transport Processes Chapter 6
Professor Fred Stern Fall 2006 5
If we now impose the condition of irrotationality, it follows
∂u ∂v
=
∂y ∂x
and in terms of the stream function
∂ ⎛ ∂ψ ⎞ ∂ ⎛ ∂ψ ⎞
⎜ ⎟ = ⎜− ⎟
∂y ⎝ ∂y ⎠ ∂x ⎝ ∂x ⎠
∂ 2ψ ∂ 2ψ
+ =0
∂x 2 ∂y 2
Thus, for a plane irrotational flow we can use either the
velocity potential or the stream function—both must satisfy
Laplace's equation in two dimensions. It is apparent from
these results that the velocity potential and the stream
function are somehow related. It can be shown that lines of
constant (called equipotential lines) are orthogonal to
lines of constant ψ (streamlines) at all points where they
intersect. Recall that two lines are orthogonal if the product
of their slopes is −1, as illustrated by this figure

Along streamlines ψ=const:

dy v
=
dx along ψ = const u
Along equipotential lines = const
∂φ ∂φ
dφ = dx + dy = udx + vdy = 0
∂x ∂y

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57:020 Mechanics of Fluids and Transport Processes Chapter 6
Professor Fred Stern Fall 2006 6

dy u
=−
dx along φ = const v
Uniform flow at angle α with the x axis

Velocity potential: φ = U ( x cos α + y sin α )

Stream function: ψ = U ( y cos α − x sin α )
Velocity components: u = U cos α , v = U sin α

Source or sink (m > 0 source; m < 0 sink)

m
Velocity potential: φ = 2π ln r
m
Stream function: ψ = 2π
θ
m
=
Velocity components: r 2π r ,
v vθ = 0

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57:020 Mechanics of Fluids and Transport Processes Chapter 6
Professor Fred Stern Fall 2006 7
Free vortex (Γ > 0 counterclockwise; Γ < 0 clockwise)

Γ
Velocity potential: φ = 2π θ
Γ
Stream function: ψ = − 2π
ln r
Γ
Velocity components: vr = 0, vθ =
2π r

Doublet (with strength k=ma/π)

K cos θ
Velocity potential: φ = r
K sin θ
Stream function: ψ =
r
K cos θ K sin θ
Velocity components: v = − 2
, vθ = −
r2
r
r

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57:020 Mechanics of Fluids and Transport Processes Chapter 6
Professor Fred Stern Fall 2006 8
Superposition of Basic, Plane Potential Flows
Source in a Uniform Stream—Half-Body
Flow around a half-body is obtained by the addition of a
source to a uniform flow.

The flow around a half-body: (a) superposition of a source

and a uniform flow; (b) replacement of streamline ψ = πbU
with solid boundary to form half-body.
m
Velocity potential: φ = Ur cos θ + ln r
2π
m
Stream function: ψ = Ur sin θ + θ
2π
m
Velocity components: r v = − , vθ = −U sin θ
2π r

Rankine Ovals
Rankine ovals are formed by combining a source and sink
with a uniform flow.

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57:020 Mechanics of Fluids and Transport Processes Chapter 6
Professor Fred Stern Fall 2006 9
The flow around a Rankine oval: (a) superposition of
source–sink pair and a uniform flow; (b) replacement of
streamline ψ = 0 with solid boundary to form Rankine oval.
m
Velocity potential: φ = Ur cos θ − ( ln r1 − ln r2 )
2π
m −1 ⎛ 2ar sin θ ⎞
Stream function: ψ = Ur sin θ − tan ⎜ 2 2 ⎟
2π ⎝ r −a ⎠
12
⎛ ma ⎞
Body half length: l = ⎜ π U + a ⎟
2

⎝ ⎠
h2 − a 2 2π Uh
Body half width: h = tan
2a m

Flow around a Circular Cylinder

A doublet combined with a uniform flow can be used to
represent flow around a circular cylinder.

The flow around a circular cylinder

K cos θ
Velocity potential: φ = Ur cos θ +
r

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57:020 Mechanics of Fluids and Transport Processes Chapter 6
Professor Fred Stern Fall 2006 10
K sin θ
Stream function: ψ = Ur sin θ − r
Velocity components:
⎛ a2 ⎞ ⎛ a2 ⎞
vr = U ⎜1 − 2 ⎟ cos θ , vθ = −U ⎜1 + 2 ⎟ sin θ
⎝ r ⎠ ⎝ r ⎠

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