Elliptic 

Partial Differntial Equation in Polar System 
It is not possible always that the problem of Elliptic PDE can always be dealt with
Cartesian coordinates. Due to variety of applications of Elliptic Equations, we frequently need to
solve it in Circular domains, Elliptical domains etc. For example: Heat flows in a circular pipe,
Torsion in circular pillars etc. Therefore here we aim to discuss the solution of
Laplace Equation in Polar coordinate system which is given as follows:

 2u 1 u 1  2u
  0 (3.1)
r 2 r r r 2  2

over a circular domain Ω.

For discretization, we define the nodes by drawing radial and arcular lines with
r  i r ,   j . Then equation (3.1) can be written as:

ui 1, j  ui , j  ui 1, j 1  ui 1, j  ui 1, j  1  ui , j 1  2ui , j  ui , j 1 

       0
r  2
ir  2 r  (i r )
2
  2 

 1  1  1  1 1
1  ui 1, j  1  ui 1, j  21  u 
2  i, j
u  u 0 (3.2)
 i   i  i 2 i , j 1
2 i , j 1
 2i   2i 

Equation (3.2) can be solved in the Implicit form by putting i = 1, j =1,2,----,M;

i =2, j =1,2,----,M and so on. The boundary conditions can be implemented accordingly.

     (i+1,j) 

The computational molecule can be shown as: (i,j) 

(i,j‐1)
(i,j‐1) 

(i‐1,j) 

The truncation error is or   o(  ) 2 .In the Polar coordinates usually the discretized
2

equations are not solved by Gauss-Seidel Method (Libemann) though it is apparent that due to
large number of zeros, the matrix is sparse.
Example: Over a semi circular plate, heat is flowing with the circular edge being kept at
100C and flat edge at 10C . To obtain the temperature in the steady state condition,solve
 2 u  0 ,and obtain the temperature at the nodes with r  1 / 2,   15 correct to 2 decimals.

Solution:
The discretization of the domain is shown in fig :  

with,  r  1 / 2,   15 1000C 

1,6 

00C  1,0 
Laplace equation in the Polar coordinates is:

 2u 1 u 1  2u
  0
r 2 r r r 2  2

we define the nodes by drawing radial and arcular lines with r  ir ,   j . then equation
can be written as:

 1  1  1  1 1
1  ui 1, j  1  ui 1, j  21  u 
2  i, j
u  u 0 (3.3) Here,
 2i   2i   i     i   2 i , j 1
i   2 i , j 1

r  1 / 2,   15  
12

Put i =1 in equation (3.3),and then substitute j =1,2,---,6 and using boundary conditions ,we
have 6 equations in 6 unknowns:

 31.1805u1,1  14.5902u1, 2  300

14.5902u1,1  31.1805u1, 2  14.5902u1,3  155
14.5902u1, 2  31.1805u1,3  14.5902u1, 4  155
14.5902u1,3  31.1805u1, 4  14.5902u1,5  155
14.5902u1, 4  31.1805u1,5  14.5902u1, 6  155
29.1804u1,5  31.1805u1, 6  155

On solving, we have:
u1,1 =30.1398; u1, 2 =43.8495; u1,3 =52.9467

u1, 4 =58.6787; u1,5 =61.8310; u1, 6 =62.8358

This is how one can solve Laplace/Poisson equation in polar coordinates. Sometimes even if
required, one can solve Cartesian equation in circular domain.