Assignment -3

Consider a pressure driven unidirectional flow of a fluid (density =  , viscosity =  ) through

a cylindrical pipe (radius = R , length = L ), as shown in figure below. Consider a linear
pressure gradient along the flow, Pi and P0 are inlet and outlet pressure respectively.

We all know that the steady state profile is parabolic, however at the entrance, when flow
enters the pipe (say at t = 0 ), it is not parabolic, in fact velocity profile evolves and after
R2
t  , it becomes parabolic. This phenomenon of temporal evolution of flow profile is
/
Start-up of Laminar Flow. In this profile we are going to capture such evolution of velocity
profile. Perform the following steps:
a) Write down the governing equation, initial condition and boundary conditions in order to
obtain vz ( r , t ) .
b) Consider the characteristic length as R , using order of magnitude analysis, show that
characteristic velocity scale ( v*z ) and characteristic time scale ( t * ) are given by,

v*z =
( Pi − P0 ) R 2 , t * =
R2
respectively.
L /
c) Using the above characteristic values, non-dimensionalise the governing equation io obtain
 v   r  t 
the equation in terms of   = *z  ,   =  , and   = *  .
 vz   R  t 
d) In order to obtain non-dimensional velocity  , we propose that  = s + t , where s and
t are steady state and unsteady component respectively. Obtain steady state profile s in
terms of  .
e) Inserting  = s + t in governing equation, obtain the PDE for t .
f) Obtain t by solving the above obtained PDE and show that the velocity profile is given
by:
( Pi − P0 ) R 2  r2  
J 0 ( cn r / R )  cn2 R 2t 
vz =  1 − 2 
− 8 exp  − 
4 L  R  n =1 J1 ( cn )  k / C p 
where cn ( n = 1, 2,3, 4........ ) ate the roots of J 0 ( c ) = 0, (where J 0 ( x ) is Bessel function of
first kind of zeroth order)

You may need the following information: Bessel differential equation of 0th order is given by:
d 2 f 1 df
+ + c 2 f = 0.
d  d
2

The solution of the above equation is given by: f = C1 J 0 (c ) + C2Y0 (c ) , where J 0 (c ) and
Y0 (c ) are Bessel functions of first and second kind respectively.
 ( −1)
2 m +
m

 x
J ( x) =    , where  is gamma function.
m = 0 m ! ( m +  + 1)  2 

 cos  − 1 
Y0 ( x) = J 0 ( x )   , (although you may not need these expressions).
 sin  
Other properties of Bessel functions, which you may need:
Y0 ( x → 0) = −. J 0 ( x → 0) = 1.
Assume that the roots of J 0 ( x) = 0 are: x1 , x2 , x3 .............., xn , then
1

 J
0
0 ( xm ) J 0 ( xn ) d = 0 , mn.
1 1
4 J1 ( xm )
 (1 − ) J
1
 ( J 0 ( xm ) ) d = ( J1 ( xm ) ) , mn ( xm ) d =
2 2 2
0
0
2 0
xm3