COUETTE FLOW DERIVATION

Consider the viscous ow between two parallel plates separated by

the ver cal distance D .The upper plate is moving at a velocity ue , and
the lower plate is sta onary; i.e., its velocity is u=0. The ow in the xy
plane is sketched below. The Flow Field between the two plates is
driven exclusively by the shear stress exerted on the uid by moving
the upper plate, resul ng in a velocity pro le across the ow, u=u(y).

The governing equa on for this

ow is the x-momentum equa on, given by equa on (1),

Du ∂p ∂τxx ∂τyx ∂τzx

ρ =− + + + + ρfx
Dt ∂x ∂x ∂y ∂z ………………………….(1)

When applied to the coque e ow, this equa on is greatly simpli ed,
as follows. Examining the gure, we note that the model for coque e
ow stretches to plus and minus in nity in the x- direc on. Since
there is no beginning and end of this ow, the ow eld variables
∂ (any quantity )
=0
must be independent of x; that is, for all quan es. ∂x

Moreover from the con nuity equa on, wri en for the steady ow,

∂ (ρu ) ∂ (ρv )
+ =0
∂x ∂y …………… (a)
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 ∂ (ρu ) ∂x = 0
Since for coue e ow,equa on (a) becomes,

∂ (ρv ) ∂v ∂ρ
=ρ +v =0
∂y ∂y ∂y ……………..(b)

Evaluated at the lower wall, where v=0 at y=0, equa on (b) yields

⎛ ∂v ⎞
⎜⎜ ρ ⎟⎟ =0
⎝ ∂y ⎠ y =0

⎛ ∂v ⎞
⎜⎜ ⎟⎟ =0
Or, ⎝ ∂y ⎠ y =0 ……………….(c)

If we extend v in a taylor series about the point y=0, we have

⎛ ∂v ⎞ ⎛ ∂ 2v ⎞
v (y )= v (0 )+ ⎜⎜ ⎟⎟ y+⎜ ⎟ y 2 / 2 + .....
⎝ ∂y ⎠ y =0
⎜ ∂y 2 ⎟
⎝ ⎠ y =0
…………….(d)

Evaluated at the upper wall,equa on(d) becomes

⎛ ∂v ⎞ ⎛ ∂ 2v ⎞
v (D )= v (0 )+ ⎜⎜ ⎟⎟ D+⎜ 2 ⎟ D 2 / 2 + .....
⎝ ∂y ⎠ y =0
⎜ ∂y ⎟
⎝ ⎠ y =0
……………..(e)

⎡ ∂v ⎤
⎢ ∂y ⎥ = 0
Since both v(D)=0 and v(o)=0, as well as ⎣ ⎦ y =0 from equa on
⎡ ∂ nv ⎤
⎢ ∂y n ⎥ = 0
(c), the only result that makes sense in equa on (e) Is that ⎣ ⎦ y =0

for all n, and hence

v=0 ……………………..(f)

everywhere .This is a physical quan ty of coue e ow , namely, that

there is no ver cal component of velocity anywhere. This states that
the streamlines for Coue e ow are straight, parallel streamlines –a
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 result which is almost intui vely obvious simply by inspec ng the

gure. Finally the y- momentum equa on,

Dv ∂P ∂τ ∂τ ∂τ
ρ = − + xy + yy + zy + ρfy
Dt ∂y ∂x ∂y ∂z

We have, for coue e ow with no body forces,

∂P ∂τ yy
0=− +
∂y ∂y ……………………(g)

In aerodynamics problems, uids can be assumed to be newtonian,

for such uids,

⎛ ∂u ∂v ⎞ ∂v
τ yy = λ ⎜⎜ ⎟⎟ + 2µ
+ =0
⎝ ∂x ∂y ⎠ ∂y
…………………..(h)

τ yy = 0
Hence, with ,equa on(g) yields,

∂p
=0
∂y …………………….(i)

Conclusion: For coque e ow, there are no pressure gradients in

either the x or y direc on. With all the above informa on, we return
to the x-momentum equa on. From this equa on, for unsteady, two-
dimensional ow with no body forces, we have

ρ ∂u + ρu ∂u +ρv ∂v = − ∂P + xx + yx
∂τ ∂τ
∂t ∂x ∂y ∂x ∂x ∂y …………..(j)

As from the equa on of newtonian uids,

⎛ ∂u ∂v ⎞ ∂u
τ xx = λ ⎜⎜ ⎟⎟ + 2µ
+ =0
⎝ ∂x ∂y ⎠ ∂x
……………………(k)
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 τ yx = µ ⎜ ∂v + ∂u ⎟ = µ ∂u
⎛ ⎞
⎜ ∂x ∂y ⎟ ∂y
⎝ ⎠ ……………………(l)

Subs tu ng (k) and (l) into (j),we have, for coue e ow,

ρ ∂u = ∂ ⎜⎜ µ ∂u ⎟⎟
⎛ ⎞
∂t ∂y ⎝ ∂y ⎠ …………….(m)

At this stage, we will now assume an incompressible, steady,

constant- tempreture ow for which µ=constant. With this, (m)
becomes

∂ 2u = 0
∂y 2
…………………(n)

The above equa on is the governing equa on for incompressible,

constant-tempreture, steady coue e ow.

u = c1 y + c2
The analy cal solu on,

u = 0, y = 0
⇒ c2 = 0
u = ue, y = D
ue
⇒ c1 =
D

u y
=
Therefore, velocity pro le, ue D

Numerical solu on:

Let us assume that velocity pro le is not linear in unsteady ow and

it may be de ned as
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 u = 0 for 0 ≤ y < D at t = 0
ue for y = D

Therefore it is evident that as me proceeds velocity pro le turned

to be linear and ow becomes steady.

At t = t3 ,velocity pro le linear & ow is steady.

Now from x-momentum equa on (m) without omi ng the unsteady

term we get,

2
ρ ∂u = µ ∂ u
∂t ∂y 2
, which is parabolic and therefore it must be me
marching problem with given ini al condi ons & boundary
condi ons.

Let us rst non-dimensionalise the quan es-

u ' = u , y' = y and t ' = t

ue D D / ue

Therefore,

∂u ∂ 2u
ρ =µ
∂t ∂y 2
∂(u / ue ) ⎛⎜ ue2 ⎞⎟ ∂ 2 (u / ue ) ⎛ ue ⎞
⇒ρ = µ ⎜ ⎟
∂ ⎡⎣t / ( D / ue )⎤⎦ ⎜⎜ D ⎟⎟ 2 ⎜ 2⎟
∂ ( y / D) ⎝ D ⎠
⎝ ⎠
∂u * ⎛ ρ ue D ⎞ ∂ 2u *
⇒ ⎜ ⎟=
∂t * ⎜⎝ µ ⎟⎠ ∂y *2
∂u 1 ∂ 2u
=
∂t Re ∂y 2
D

For simplicity dropping primes-

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 ∂u 1 ∂ 2u
= ....................(A)
∂t Re ∂y 2
D

Nature of PDE and its stability criteria

if the par al di eren al equa on be as given below :

Aφxx + Bφxy + Cφ yy = f (x,y,φx ,φ y )

Then For B2 > 4AC → Hyperbolic PDE
For B2 < 4AC → Elliptic PDE
For B2 = 4AC → Parabolic PDE
1
For this case, C= ,A=0,B=0, so B2 = 4ac
ReD
∂u 1 ∂ 2u Δt 1
so, = is parabolic and its stability criteria is ≤
∂t R eD ∂ 2 y ReD Δy 2 2

Now using the crank –Nicolson implicit method, from discre sa on

which is based on the nite di erence method which we have
dissussed earlier, we get

∂u 1 ⎛ n+1 n ⎞
= ⎜ ui − ui ⎟
∂t !t⎝ ⎠
∂ 2u 1 1 ⎧⎛ n+1 n ⎞ ⎛ n+1 n ⎞ ⎛ n+1 n ⎞ ⎫
⇒ = . ⎨⎜ ui+1 + ui+1 ⎟ − 2 ⎜ ui + ui ⎟ + ⎜ ui−1 + ui−1 ⎟ ⎬
∂y 2 2
!y 2 ⎩⎝ ⎠ ⎝ ⎠ ⎝ ⎠⎭

From equa on(a) by discre sa on with Nicolson-crank method

uin+1 − uin 1 1 1 ⎧⎛ n+1 n ⎞ ⎛ n+1 n ⎞ ⎛ n+1 n ⎞ ⎫

= . . u + ui+1 ⎟ − 2 ⎜ ui + ui ⎟ + ⎜ ui−1 + ui−1 ⎟ ⎬
! t Re 2 !y 2 ⎨⎩⎜⎝ i+1 ⎠ ⎝ ⎠ ⎝ ⎠⎭
D
t
!
∴ uin+1 = uin + ⎛ n+1 n n+1 − 2u n + u n+1 + u n ⎞
⎜ ui +1 + ui +1 − 2ui i i−1 i−1 ⎟⎠
2 ⎝
2 (!y ) Re
D

Grouping all the terms at me level n+1 on L.H.S the following

discre sed equa on is obtained:
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 ⎛ ⎞ ⎛ ⎞
t
! t
! t! ⎟ n+1
− uin−+11 + ⎜1 + ⎟ u n+1 + ⎜ −
i u =
2
2 (!y ) Re ⎜ (
2
) Re D ⎟⎠
y! ⎜ 2 ( y!
)
2
R ⎟ i +1
D ⎝ ⎝ eD ⎠

t
!
u n + ⎛1 − !t ⎞ n
u +
t!
uin+1
2
⎜
i −1 ⎜ (! ⎟ i 2
2 (!y ) ReD ⎝ y ) ReD ⎠
⎟
2 ( y!
) ReD

t
!
E B = 1 + E and E=
A=− 2
Where, 2 (!y ) ReD

where, Ki = uin ⎛⎜⎜⎝1− E ⎞⎟⎟⎠ + E ⎡⎣uin+1 + uin−1 ⎤⎦

2

or, Auin−+11 + Buin+1 + Auin++11 = Ki ...............( B)

The grid for the ow is as follows where n=1 at the xed plate and
n=N+1 at moving top plate. So boundary condi ons are:
At i = 1, u1 = 0 and at i = N + 1, u N +1 = 1

From equa on (B), we get for i=2 to N

or, Auin−+11 + Buin+1 + Auin++11 = Ki ...............( B )

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 For i=2, Au1n+1 + Bu2n+1 + Au3n+1 = K 2 ⎫

⎪
n +1 n +1 n +1
For i = 3, Au2 + Bu3 + Au4 = K3 ⎪
⎪
For i= 4, Au 3n+1 + Bu4n+1 + Au5n+1 = K 4 ⎪..........(c)
⎬
. ⎪
⎪
. ⎪
n +1 n +1 n +1
For i = N, AuN −1 + BuN + AuN +1 = K N ⎪⎭

So the equa ons in (c) can be wri en in the matrix form using the

boundary condi ons, as follows:

⎡1 0 0 0 . . . . 0 0⎤ ⎡ u1 ⎤ ⎡ 0 ⎤ ⎫
⎢ ⎥ ⎢ ⎥ ⎢ ⎥ ⎪
⎢0 B A 0 . . . . 0 0⎥ ⎢ u2 ⎥ K
⎢ 2 ⎥ ⎪
⎢0 u3 ⎪
A B A 0 . . . 0 0 ⎥ ⎢ ⎥ ⎢ K3 ⎥
⎪
⎢ ⎥ ⎢ ⎥ ⎢ ⎥
⎢0 0 A B A 0 . . . .⎥ u
⎢ 4 ⎥ K
⎢ 4 ⎥ ⎪
⎢0 ⎢ . ⎥ ⎪
0 0 A B A 0 . . . ⎥⎥ ⎢ . ⎥
⎪
⎢ ⎢ ⎥ =⎢ ⎥ ⎬ ..........( D)
⎢. . 0 0 A . A 0 . .⎥ ⎢ . ⎥ ⎢ . ⎥ ⎪
⎢ ⎥ ⎢ . ⎥ ⎢ ⎥
⎢. . 0 0 0 . . A 0 0⎥ ⎢ . ⎥
⎪
⎢ ⎥ ⎪
⎢0 . 0 0 0 0 . . A 0⎥ ⎢u N −1 ⎥ ⎢ K N −1 ⎥ ⎪
⎢ ⎥ ⎢ ⎥ ⎢ ⎥
⎢0 . 0 0 0 . 0 A B A⎥ u
⎢ N ⎥ K
⎢ N ⎥
⎪
⎪
⎢0
⎣ 0 0 0 0 . . 0 0 1 ⎥⎦ ( N +1) X ( N +1) ⎢⎣uN +1 ⎥⎦ ( N +1,1) ⎢⎣ 1 ⎥⎦ N +1,1 ⎪
⎭

Now applying TDMA, we can solve the above simultaneous linear

equa ons numerically:

For stability,
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 1 Δt ≤ 1
Re D Δy 2 2
( )
therefore,
Δt ≤ 1 Re D (Δy )
2
2
2
lets us take ,Δt = E Re D (Δy ) where E varied from 1 to 4000.

Discretised equations (B)(whose matrix form is given in equation (C) for i= 2 to N)

is solved on a grid as shown in the y-direction.
The vertical distance across the duct is divided into N equal increments of length
Δy by distributing N+1 grid points over the height D.
1
Therefore, Δy= ( Non dim ensional )
N
From the boundary condition, u1 = 0 & u N +1 = 1.
Therefore,equation (B) represents the N-1 equations with N-1 unknowns namely, u 2 , u 3 .....u N .
Where 1st and (N+1)th values of the velocity u (i.e. u1 =0 and u N +1 =1)
are the boundary values as per the problem statement.

Now applying TDMA, we can solve the above simultaneous linear

equa ons numerically:

Thomas Algorithm for tri-diagonal matrix(D)

Thomas Algorithm for TDMA(Tridiagonal matrix Algorithm)

⎡1 0 0 0 . . . . 0 0⎤ ⎡ u1 ⎤ ⎡ 0 ⎤ ⎫
⎢ ⎥ ⎢ ⎥ ⎢ ⎥ ⎪
⎢0 B A 0 . . . . 0 0⎥ u
⎢ 2 ⎥ K
⎢ 2 ⎥ ⎪
⎢0 ⎢ u ⎥ ⎪
A B A 0 . . . 0 0⎥ 3
⎢ K ⎥
3 ⎪
⎢ ⎥ ⎢ ⎥ ⎢ ⎥
⎢0 0 A B A 0 . . . .⎥ ⎢ u4 ⎥ K
⎢ 4 ⎥ ⎪
⎪
⎢0 0 0 A B A 0 . . .⎥ ⎥ ⎢ . ⎥ ⎢ . ⎥ ⎪
⎢ ⎢ ⎥ =⎢ ⎥ ⎬ ..........( D)
⎢. . 0 0 A . A 0 . .⎥ ⎢ . ⎥ ⎢ . ⎥ ⎪
⎢ ⎢ . ⎥
⎢. . 0 0 0 . . A 0 0 ⎥⎥ ⎢ ⎥
⎢
⎢ . ⎥
⎥
⎪
⎪
⎢0 . 0 0 0 0 . . A 0⎥ ⎢u N −1 ⎥ ⎢ K N −1 ⎥ ⎪
⎢ ⎥ ⎢ ⎥ ⎢ ⎥
⎢0 . 0 0 0 . 0 A B A⎥ u
⎢ N ⎥ ⎢ KN ⎥
⎪
⎪
⎢0
⎣ 0 0 0 0 . . 0 0 1 ⎥⎦ ( N +1) X ( N +1) ⎢⎣uN +1 ⎥⎦ ( N +1,1) ⎢⎣ 1 ⎥⎦ N +1,1 ⎪
⎭
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 Let us take a general Tridiagonal Matrix as given below:

⎡ ⎤ ⎫
⎡ ⎤ ⎢ ⎥ ⎡ ⎤ ⎪
⎢
d1 a1 0 . . . . 0 ⎥ ⎢ x1 ⎥ ⎢ ⎥ ⎪
⎢ ⎥ ⎢ x ⎥ ⎢ c1 ⎥ ⎪
⎢ b2 d 2 a2 0 . . . 0 ⎥ ⎢ 2 ⎥ ⎢ c2 ⎥ ⎪
⎢ ⎥ ⎢ x3 ⎥ ⎢ ⎥ ⎪
⎢ 0 b3 d3 a3 0 . . . ⎥ ⎢ x ⎥ ⎢ c3 ⎥ ⎪
⎢ 0 0 b4 d3 . 0 . . ⎥ ⎢ 4 ⎥ ⎢ . ⎥ ⎪
⎢ ⎥ ⎢ . ⎥ = ⎢ ⎥ ⎪⎬ ..........(E)
⎢ . 0 0 b5 . . 0 . ⎥ ⎢ ⎥ ⎢ . ⎥ ⎪
⎢ . 0 0 0 . . . 0 ⎥ ⎢ . ⎥ ⎢ . ⎥ ⎪
⎢ ⎥ ⎢ . ⎥ ⎢ ⎥ ⎪
⎢ . 0 0 0 0 . . aN −1 ⎥ ⎢ ⎥ ⎢ . ⎥ ⎪
⎢
0 0 0 0 . 0 bN d N ⎥ ⎢ xN −1 ⎥ ⎢ ⎥ ⎪
⎢ ⎥ ⎢ x ⎥ ⎢cN ⎥ ⎪
⎢⎣ ⎥⎦
(N )X (N )
⎢ N ⎥ ⎢⎣ ⎥⎦ ⎪
N ,1
⎢⎣ ⎥⎦ ( N ,1) ⎪
⎭

Equa on (A.1,A.2,…..A.N) represents a system for N linear simultaneous equa ons with N unknowns
x , x ........... x
1 2 N
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 d x +ax
1 1 1 2
=c 1
................. ⎛⎜⎝ A.1⎞⎟⎠
b x +d x +a x
2 1 2 2 2 3
=c 2
..............(A.2 )
bx +d x +a x
3 2 3 3 3 4
=c 3
.................(A.3)
b x +d x +a x
4 3 4 4
=c 4 5 4

........................................................................
bN -1 x + d x + a x = c
N -2 N -1 N -1 N -1 N
..............(A.4 )N -1

b x +d x
N N −1 N N
= c N
...............(A.5)

Standard method for solving a system of linear algebraic equa on is

Gaussian elimina on.

The Thomas algorithm is essen ally the result of applying Gaussian

elimina on as follows:
(A.2)× d − (A.1)× b ⇒ d b x + d d x + d a x
1 2 1 2 1 1 2 2 1 2 3
=cd 2 1

- b d x + ab x = cb 2 1 1 1 2 2 1 2

................................................................ ...
(d d − a b )x + d a x = c d − c b
1 2 1 2 2 1 2 3 2 1 1 2

⎛ b2 a1 ⎞ ⎛ b2 c1 ⎞
⎜⎜ d 2 − ⎟⎟ x2 + a2 x3 = ⎜⎜ c2 − ⎟
⎝ d1 ⎠ ⎝ d1 ⎟⎠
⇒ d ' x + a x = c'
2 2 2 3 2
........................(A.6 )
b2 a1 bc
d' =d − 2 2
, c '2 = c2 − 2 1
d1 d1

d '2 x2 + a2 x3 = c '2 ..............(A.6)

By (A.3)× d ' - b (A.6) we get 2 3

d '2 b3 x2 + d '2 d3 x3 + d '2 a3 x4 = d '2 c3

(−) × d '2 b3 x2 + b3a2 x3 ( = b3c ' )
...............................................................................
⎛ ba ⎞ ⎛ ⎞
⎜ d3 − 3 2 ⎟ x3 + a3 x4 = ⎜⎜ c3 − b3c '2 ⎟⎟
⎜
⎝ d '2 ⎟⎠ ⎝ d '2 ⎠

d '3 x3 + a3 x4 = c '3 ..........................(A.7 )

The pa ern which is developing is- (A.6) can be obtained from (A.2) by dropping rst term, replacing
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 d 2 by d - b a / d = d '
2 2 1 1 ( 2 ), keeping third term unchanged and replacing c by 2

c - b c / d (= c ' ).
2 2 1 1 2 d
Similarly,(A.7) is obtained from(A.3) by dropping rst term, replacing 3
by

d - b a / d (= d ' )
3 3 2 2 3
Keeping third term unchanged and by replacing

c by c - b c ' / d '
3 3 3 2 2 (= c ' ); So if we generalize the pa ern-
3

d 'i = di - ba
i i-1
where i = 2,3..............N
d 'i-1
& c 'i = ci - bc
i 'i-1
where i = 2,3..............N
d 'i-1

for i=3 to N
c(i − 1,1)b(i, i − 1)
c '(i,1) = c(i,1) −
d '(i − 1, i − 1)
a (i − 1,1)b(i, i − 1)
d '(i, i ) = d (i, i ) −
d '(i − 1, i − 1)

n +1
⎡1 0 0 0 . . . . 0 0 ⎤ ⎡ x1 ⎤ ⎡ 0 ⎤
⎢ ⎥ ⎢ ⎥ ⎢ ⎥
⎢0 d 22 a23 0 . . . . . 0 ⎥ ⎢ x2 ⎥ ⎢ C21 ⎥
⎢0 0 '
d33 a34 0 . . . . 0 ⎥ ⎢ x3 ⎥ ⎢ C '31 ⎥
⎢ ⎥ ⎢ ⎥ ⎢ ' ⎥
⎢ x4 ⎥
'
⎢0 0 0 d 44 a45 0 . . . . ⎥ ⎢ C 41 ⎥
⎢0 . 0 0 . . 0 . . . ⎥ ⎢ x5 ⎥ ⎢ . ⎥
⎢ ⎥ ⎢ ⎥ =⎢ ⎥
⎢. . . 0 0 . . 0 . . ⎥ ⎢ . ⎥ ⎢ . ⎥
⎢. . . . 0 0 . . 0 . ⎥ ⎢ . ⎥ ⎢ . ⎥
⎢ ⎥ ⎢ ⎥ ⎢ ⎥
⎢0 . . . . 0 0 . aN −1, N . ⎥ ⎢ xN −1 ⎥ ⎢ . ⎥
⎢0 . . . '
. . 0 0 d NN aN , N +1 ⎥⎥ ⎢ x ⎥ ⎢C ⎥
⎢ ⎢ N ⎥ ⎢ N ,1 ⎥
⎢⎣0 0 0 . . . . . 0 1 ⎥⎦ N +1XN +1 ⎢⎣ xN +1 ⎥⎦ N +1 X 1
⎢⎣ 1 ⎥⎦

The back substitution where last equation is solved first i s done in the This
following way : uN +1 = 1 and the rest are :
c(i,1) − a(i, i + 1).u (i + 1,1)
u (i,1) = for i=N to 2.
d (i, i)
completes the solu on.


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