Chapter 4

Fluid Kinematics
Prepared by N. Zgheib
Learning objectives
• discuss the differences between the Eulerian and Lagrangian
descriptions of fluid motion.
• identify various flow characteristics based on the velocity field.
• determine the streamline pattern and acceleration field given a
velocity field.
• discuss the differences between a system and control volume.
• apply the Reynolds transport theorem and the material derivative
Field representation
• Representation of fluid
parameters (𝜌, 𝑽, 𝒂, 𝑝, 𝑇, …) as
functions of the spatial
coordinates is termed a field
representation
• Velocity field is three-
dimensional
• 𝑽 = 𝑢 𝑥, 𝑦, 𝑧, 𝑡 𝐢 + 𝑣 𝑥, 𝑦, 𝑧, 𝑡 𝐣
+ 𝑤 𝑥, 𝑦, 𝑧, 𝑡 𝐤
Velocity field
• We employ the continuum
hypothesis and consider fluids to
be made up of fluid particles
• Each fluid particle contains a
large number of molecules
• The position of particle A
relative to the coordinate system
is given by its position vector, 𝐫𝐴
𝐕𝐴 = 𝑑𝐫𝐴 /𝑑𝑡
Velocity field
• The figure shows the velocity
field (i.e., velocity vectors) for
flow past two square bars.
• It is possible to obtain much
qualitative and quantitative
information for complex flows by
using plots such as this.
Eulerian and Lagrangian Flow Descriptions

• Eulerian method uses the field

representation concept
• A typical Eulerian representation
of the flow involves flow past a
row of turbine blades as occurs
in a jet engine.
• The pressure field is indicated by
using a contour plot showing
lines of constant pressure, with
grey shading indicating the
intensity of the pressure
Eulerian and Lagrangian Flow Descriptions

• Lagrangian method involves

following individual fluid
particles as they move about
and determining how the fluid
properties associated with these
particles change as a function of
time.
• That is, the fluid particles are
“tagged” or identified, and their
properties determined as they
move
Eulerian and Lagrangian Flow Descriptions

• In the Eulerian method one may attach a

temperature-measuring device to the top of
the chimney (point 0) and record the
temperature at that point as a function of
time.
• At different times there are different fluid
particles passing by the stationary device.
Thus, one would obtain the temperature, 𝑇,
for that location (𝑥0 , 𝑦0 , 𝑧0 ) and as a function
of time 𝑇 = 𝑇 𝑥0 , 𝑦0 , 𝑧0 , 𝑡 .
• Using numerous temperature-measuring
devices fixed at various locations provide the
temperature field 𝑇 = 𝑇 𝑥, 𝑦, 𝑧, 𝑡 .
• The temperature of a particle as a function of
time would not be known unless the location
of the particle were known as a function of
time.
Eulerian and Lagrangian Flow Descriptions

• In the Lagrangian method, one would

attach the temperature-measuring device
to a particular fluid particle (particle 𝐴)
and record that particle’s temperature as
it moves about.
• Thus, one would obtain that particle’s
temperature as a function of time, 𝑇𝐴 =
𝑇𝐴 𝑡 .
• Using many measuring devices moving
with various fluid particles would provide
the temperature of these fluid particles as
a function of time.
• The temperature would not be known as
a function of position unless the location
of each particle were known as a function
of time.
Eulerian and Lagrangian Flow Descriptions

• It is usually easier to use the

Eulerian method to describe a
flow.
• Lagrangian method is often used
to track particles in the flow
One-, Two-, and Three-Dimensional Flows
• Generally, a fluid flow is a rather
complex three-dimensional, time-
dependent phenomenon
• 𝑽 = 𝑽 𝑥, 𝑦, 𝑧, 𝑡 = 𝑢𝐢 + 𝑣𝐣 +𝑤𝐤
• Some cases allow for simplifications to
one- or two-dimensional flow.
• If one of the velocity components is
small relative to the two other
components, we may consider two-
dimensional flow. 𝑽 = 𝑢𝐢 + 𝑣𝐣
• Similarly, we may consider one-
dimensional flow, if two components
are relatively small compared to the
other. 𝑽 = 𝑢𝐢
Three-dimensional flow past a model wing
Steady and Unsteady Flows
• Steady flow = no time variation
• Unsteady flow = time dependent
flow
• More difficult to analyze and
investigate experimentally
• Can be periodic or truly random
• Truly random behavior occurs
in turbulent flow and is absent
in laminar flow
Streamlines, Streaklines, and Pathlines
• Help in flow visualization
• A streamline is a line that is
everywhere tangent to the
velocity field
• The equation for the
streamlines can be obtained
from
𝑑𝑦 𝑣
=
𝑑𝑥 𝑢
Streamlines, Streaklines, and Pathlines
• A streakline consists of all
particles in a flow that have
previously passed through a
common point
• Easy to generate in experiments:
dye in a water flow, or smoke in
an airflow.
Streamlines, Streaklines, and Pathlines
• A pathline is a line traced out by a
given particle as it flows from one
point to another.
• The pathline is a Lagrangian
concept that can be produced in
the lab by marking a fluid particle.
• Pathlines, streamlines, and
streaklines are the same for steady
flows.
• For unsteady flows none of these
three types of lines need be the
same
Acceleration field
• The material derivative
(substantial derivative)
• Consider a fluid particle moving
along its pathline

𝑽𝐴 = 𝑽𝐴 𝒓𝐴 , 𝑡 = 𝑽𝐴 𝑥𝐴 , 𝑦𝐴 , 𝑧𝐴 , 𝑡

𝑥𝐴 = 𝑥𝐴 𝑡 , 𝑦𝐴 = 𝑦𝐴 𝑡 , 𝑧𝐴
= 𝑧𝐴 𝑡
Acceleration field
• Use chain rule to compute acceleration

𝑑𝑽𝐴 𝜕𝑉𝐴 𝜕𝑉𝐴 𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑉𝐴 𝜕𝑦 𝜕𝑉𝐴 𝜕𝑧

𝒂𝐴 = = + + +
𝑑𝑡 𝜕𝑡 𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑡 𝜕𝑦 𝜕𝑡 𝜕𝑧 𝜕𝑡

𝑑𝑽𝐴 𝜕𝑉𝐴 𝜕𝑉𝐴 𝜕𝑉𝐴 𝜕𝑉𝐴

𝒂𝐴 = = + 𝑢𝐴 + 𝑣𝐴 + 𝑤𝐴
𝑑𝑡 𝜕𝑡 𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦 𝜕𝑧
• Since the above is valid for any particle, we can drop the subscript A to get

𝑑𝑽 𝜕𝑽 𝜕𝑽 𝜕𝑽 𝜕𝑽
𝒂= = +𝑢 +𝑣 +𝑤
𝑑𝑡 𝜕𝑡 𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦 𝜕𝑧
Acceleration field
• The components of the acceleration vector become

𝜕𝑢 𝜕𝑢 𝜕𝑢 𝜕𝑢
𝑎𝑥 = +𝑢 +𝑣 +𝑤
𝜕𝑡 𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦 𝜕𝑧

𝜕𝑣 𝜕𝑣 𝜕𝑣 𝜕𝑣
𝑎𝑦 = +𝑢 +𝑣 +𝑤
𝜕𝑡 𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦 𝜕𝑧

𝜕𝑤 𝜕𝑤 𝜕𝑤 𝜕𝑤
𝑎𝑧 = +𝑢 +𝑣 +𝑤
𝜕𝑡 𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦 𝜕𝑧
Acceleration field
• The acceleration is often expressed as

𝐷𝑽
𝒂=
𝐷𝑡
• The operator
𝐷 𝜕 𝜕 𝜕 𝜕
= +𝑢 +𝑣 +𝑤
𝐷𝑡 𝜕𝑡 𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦 𝜕𝑧
• Along a streamline, we can use streamline coordinate
𝐷𝑽 𝜕𝑉 𝑉2
𝒂= = 𝑎𝑠 𝒔ො + 𝑎𝑛 𝒏
ෝ 𝑎𝑠 = 𝑉 ; 𝑎𝑛 =
𝐷𝑡 𝜕𝑠 𝑅
Local vs convective acceleration
𝑑𝑽 𝜕𝑽 𝜕𝑽 𝜕𝑽 𝜕𝑽
𝒂= = +𝑢 +𝑣 +𝑤
𝑑𝑡 ด
𝜕𝑡 𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦 𝜕𝑧
local convective
acceleration acceleration
Control volume & system
• A system is a collection of matter of fixed identity (always the same atoms
or fluid particles), which may move, flow, and interact with its surroundings
• A control volume, is a volume in space (a geometric entity, independent of
mass) through which fluid may flow.
• In many ways the relationship between a control volume and a system is
similar to the relationship between the Lagrangian and Eulerian flow
description.
Reynolds transport theorem
• The parameter B is termed an
extensive property and the
parameter b is termed an
intensive property.
• The value of B is directly
proportional to the amount of
the mass being considered,
whereas the value of b is
independent of the amount of
mass
Reynolds transport theorem
• Most laws governing fluid motion 𝑑𝐵𝑠𝑦𝑠 𝑑 ‫𝒱𝑑𝑏𝜌 𝑠𝑦𝑠׬‬
involve the time rate of change of =
an extensive property of a fluid 𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡
system

• To formulate the laws into a control

volume approach, we must obtain 𝑑𝐵𝐶𝑉 𝑑 ‫𝒱𝑑𝑏𝜌 𝑉𝐶׬‬
an expression for the time rate of =
𝑑𝑡 𝑑𝑡
change of an extensive property
within a control volume, not within
a system.
‫𝒱𝑑𝑏𝜌 𝑠𝑦𝑠׬ 𝑑 𝑠𝑦𝑠𝐵𝑑‬
‫=‬ ‫‪=0‬‬
‫𝑡𝑑‬ ‫𝑡𝑑‬

‫𝒱𝑑𝑏𝜌 𝑉𝐶׬ 𝑑 𝑉𝐶𝐵𝑑‬

‫=‬ ‫‪<0‬‬
‫𝑡𝑑‬ ‫𝑡𝑑‬
 Relationship between system and control
volume
𝑑𝐵𝑠𝑦𝑠 𝜕𝐵𝐶𝑉
= + 𝐵ሶ out − 𝐵ሶ in
𝑑𝑡 𝜕𝑡

𝐵ሶ out = න 𝜌𝑏𝑉 cos 𝜃 𝑑𝐴 = න 𝜌𝑏𝑽 ∙ 𝒏𝑑𝐴

CSout CSout

𝐵ሶ in = − න 𝜌𝑏𝑉 cos 𝜃 𝑑𝐴 = − න 𝜌𝑏𝑽 ∙ 𝒏𝑑𝐴

CSin CSin

𝐵ሶ out − 𝐵ሶ in = න 𝜌𝑏𝑽 ∙ 𝒏𝑑𝐴 + න 𝜌𝑏𝑽 ∙ 𝒏𝑑𝐴

CSout CSin

= = න 𝜌𝑏𝑽 ∙ 𝒏𝑑𝐴
CS
Relationship between system and control
volume
𝑑𝐵𝑠𝑦𝑠 𝜕𝐵𝐶𝑉
= + 𝐵ሶ 𝑖𝑛 − 𝐵ሶ 𝑜𝑢𝑡
𝑑𝑡 𝜕𝑡

𝑑𝐵𝑠𝑦𝑠 𝜕𝐵𝐶𝑉
= + 𝜌2 𝐴2 𝑉2 𝑏2 − 𝜌1 𝐴1 𝑉1 𝑏1
𝑑𝑡 𝜕𝑡

• 𝐵 will change due to

• unsteady effects
• convective effects