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DIFFERENTIAL ANALYSIS OF FLUID FLOW

EXAMPLE 9–12 Stream Function in Cylindrical Coordinates

Consider a line vortex, defined as steady, planar, incompressible flow in
which the velocity components are ur 5 0 and uu 5 K/r, where K is a con-
stant. This flow is represented in Fig. 9–15a. Derive an expression for the
stream function c(r, u), and prove that the streamlines are circles.

SOLUTION For a given velocity field in cylindrical coordinates, we are to

derive an expression for the stream function and show that the streamlines
are circular.
Assumptions 1 The flow is steady. 2 The flow is incompressible. 3 The flow
is planar in the r u-plane.
Analysis We use the definition of stream function given by Eq. 9–27. We can
choose either component to start with; we choose the tangential component,
0c K
5 2uu 5 2 S c 5 2K ln r 1 f (u) (1)
0r r

Now we use the other component of Eq. 9–27,

1 0c 1
ur 5 5 f 9 (u) (2)
r 0u r
c=0 m2/s 22
1
2 where the prime denotes a derivative with respect to u. By equating ur from
the given information to Eq. 2, we see that
0.5 4
f 9 (u) 5 0 S f(u) 5 C
6
y 0 where C is an arbitrary constant of integration. Equation 1 is thus
Solution: c 5 2K ln r 1 C (3)

–0.5 Finally, we see from Eq. 3 that curves of constant c are produced by setting r
to a constant value. Since curves of constant r are circles by definition,
8 streamlines (curves of constant c) must therefore be circles about the origin, as
–1 in Fig. 9–15a.
10 12 14
For given values of C and c, we solve Eq. 3 for r to plot the streamlines,
–1 –0.5 0 0.5 1 Equation for streamlines: r 5 e 2 (c 2 C )/K (4)
x
2
For K 5 10 m /s and C 5 0, streamlines from c 5 0 to 22 are plotted in
FIGURE 9–28 Fig. 9–28.
Streamlines for the velocity field of Discussion Notice that for a uniform increment in the value of c, the
Example 9–12, with K 5 10 m2/s streamlines get closer and closer together near the origin as the tangential
and C 5 0; the value of constant c is velocity increases. This is a direct result of the statement that the difference
indicated for several streamlines. in the value of c from one streamline to another is equal to the volume flow
rate per unit width between the two streamlines.

The Compressible Stream Function*

We extend the stream function concept to steady, compressible, two-
dimensional flow in the xy-plane. The compressible continuity equation
(Eq. 9–14) in Cartesian coordinates reduces to the following for steady
two-dimensional flow:
0 (ru) 0 (rv)
1 50 (9–30)
0x 0y

* This section can be skipped without loss of continuity (no pun intended).