ME 321: FLUID MECHANICS-I

Dr. A.B.M. Toufique Hasan

Professor
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), Dhaka

Lecture-03
29/05/2019

Fluid dynamics
• Fluid Particle Acceleration
• Streamline

toufiquehasan.buet.ac.bd
toufiquehasan@me.buet.ac.bd

© Dr. A.B.M. Toufique Hasan (BUET) L-3 T-1, Dept. of ME ME 321: Fluid Mechanics-I (Jan. 2021) 1
Particle Acceleration
Consider a fluid particle moving along its pathline as shown in Fig. below. Particle A has
velocity VA which is a function of its location and the time as:

VA  VA (rA , t )  VA  x A (t ), y A (t ), z A (t ) 

where xA = xA(t), yA = yA(t), and zA = zA(t) define the

locations of the moving particle. Since, the velocity
may be a function of both position and time, its value
may change because of the change in time as well
as a change in the particle’s position. Thus, the
acceleration of the particle is written by chain rule
of differentiation:

dVA
a A (t ) 
dt
VA VA dx A VA dy A VA dz A
   
t x dt y dt z dt

© Dr. A.B.M. Toufique Hasan (BUET) L-3 T-1, Dept. of ME ME 321: Fluid Mechanics-I (Jan. 2021) 2
Particle Acceleration
Using the fact that the particle velocity components are given by:
dx A dy dz A
uA  , vA  A , and wA 
dt dt dt
Then the acceleration of the fluid particle A comes as:

VA VA dx A VA dy A VA dz A

a A (t )   
t x dt y dt z dt
VA VA VA VA
 a A (t )   uA  vA  wA
t x y z

Since the above is valid for any particle, the acceleration field can be written in general
u u u u
V V V V ax  u v w
a u v w t x y z
t x y z
v v v v Components of
Acceleration in Vector form ay  u v  w acceleration
t x y z
where a  a x iˆ  a y ˆj  a z kˆ w w w w
az  u v w
t x y z
V  uiˆ  vˆj  wkˆ
© Dr. A.B.M. Toufique Hasan (BUET) L-3 T-1, Dept. of ME ME 321: Fluid Mechanics-I (Jan. 2021) 3
Particle Acceleration
The above result is often written in shorthand notation as
DV
a
Dt
where the operator

D( )  ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
 u v w
Dt t x y z

is termed as material derivative (total, particle or substantial derivative).

An often-used shorthand notation for the material derivative is

D( ) ( )
  V    ( )
Dt t

where  ˆ  ˆ  ˆ
  gradient operator  i j k
x y z

    ˆ  ˆ  ˆ
V    u iˆ  v ˆj  w kˆ   i
 
j  k   u  v  w

 x y z  x y z

© Dr. A.B.M. Toufique Hasan (BUET) L-3 T-1, Dept. of ME ME 321: Fluid Mechanics-I (Jan. 2021) 4
Particle Acceleration
In fluid dynamics, there are two accelerations:

D( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
  u v w
Dt t x y z
Time derivative, Spatial derivative,
Local acceleration Convective acceleration

The first acceleration comes from the flow unsteadiness. For steady flow, the time derivative is
zero (0) throughout the flow field.
The second acceleration represents the fact that a flow property associated with a fluid particle
may vary because of the motion from one point in space where the parameter has one value to
another point in space where its value is different.
For example flow through a variable area duct:
A3 > A2
Area=A1 A2 < A1

u
Steady flow ax  u 0
x
( )
0 Convective acceleration
t Velocity increases  Velocity decreases 
(1) to (2) (2) to (3)
© Dr. A.B.M. Toufique Hasan (BUET) L-3 T-1, Dept. of ME ME 321: Fluid Mechanics-I (Jan. 2021) 5
Streamline
A streamline is an imaginary line (curve) drawn through
the flowing fluid in such a way that the tangent to it at any
point gives the direction of the velocity at the point.
Streamlines can not cross each other. Streamline is often
used in analytical work in fluid dynamics.
Streamlines can be obtained analytically by integrating
the equations defining lines tangent to the velocity field.
For 2-D flows, the slope of the streamline must be equal Flow over circular cylinder
to the tangent of the angle that velocity vector makes with
x-axis
streamline

dy v

dx u
Flow into pipe intake and flow 
over airfoil
If the velocity field is known as a function of x and y (and t
if the flow is unsteady), this equation can be integrated to
give the equation of the streamlines.

© Dr. A.B.M. Toufique Hasan (BUET) L-3 T-1, Dept. of ME ME 321: Fluid Mechanics-I (Jan. 2021) 6
Problem 
A velocity field is given by
V 

V   0   xiˆ  yˆj  xy  C
 l 
where V0 and l are constants. Determine
(i) Streamlines for this flow
(ii) Acceleration field for this flow.

Answer:
(i ) xy  C
V02 x V02 y
(ii ) a x  2 , a y  2
l l

© Dr. A.B.M. Toufique Hasan (BUET) L-3 T-1, Dept. of ME ME 321: Fluid Mechanics-I (Jan. 2021) 7
Problem 
An incompressible, inviscid fluid flows steadily past a ball of radius R.
The fluid velocity along the streamline A‐B is given by
 R3 ˆ
V  V0 1  3 i
 x 

where V0 is the upstream velocity far ahead of the sphere.

Determine the acceleration experienced by fluid particles as they flow
along this streamline.

Answer: 3
R
2 1  
 V0   x 

a x  3   4
 R  x
 
R

© Dr. A.B.M. Toufique Hasan (BUET) L-3 T-1, Dept. of ME ME 321: Fluid Mechanics-I (Jan. 2021) 8