HAGEN-POISEUILLE EQUATION

Let us consider a pipe of radius R and length L. Note the location of the origin, positive
direction of z axis which is same as flow direction.

Let us focus our attention to a disc of radium 𝑟 at a distance of z with thickness ∆𝑧. There will
be shear force on the curved surface of this disc which is opposite to flow direction. This
element moves in the flow direction with constant velocity as the cross-sectional area is same
(Equation of continuity). Therefore, the net external force must be zero as there is no
acceleration. Every element like this either stationary or moving experiences inward forces
normal to the cross section due to the presence of fluid outside the element. Force is calculated
as pressure multiplied by the respective normal surface area.

𝑃𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑐𝑒 𝑎𝑡 𝑧 = 𝑃(𝜋𝑟 2 )

𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑠 𝑖𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑑𝑖𝑟𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑜𝑓 𝑓𝑙𝑜𝑤

𝑃𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑐𝑒 𝑎𝑡 𝑧 + ∆𝑧 = (𝑃 + ∆𝑃)(𝜋𝑟 2 )

𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑠 𝑜𝑝𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑑𝑖𝑟𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑜𝑓 𝑓𝑙𝑜𝑤

𝑆ℎ𝑒𝑎𝑟 𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑐𝑒 𝑜𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑐𝑢𝑟𝑣𝑒 𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑓𝑎𝑐𝑒 = 𝜏𝑟𝑧 (2𝜋𝑟∆𝑧)

𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑠 𝑜𝑝𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑑𝑖𝑟𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑜𝑓 𝑓𝑙𝑜𝑤

Making force balance (Taking z direction for positive force) on the element and noting that net
force is zero,

𝑃(𝜋𝑟 2 ) − (𝑃 + ∆𝑃)(𝜋𝑟 2 ) − 𝜏𝑟𝑧 (2𝜋𝑟∆𝑧) = 0

𝑃(𝜋𝑟 2 ) − 𝑃(𝜋𝑟 2 ) − (∆𝑃)(𝜋𝑟 2 ) − 𝜏𝑟𝑧 (2𝜋𝑟∆𝑧) = 0
−(∆𝑃)(𝜋𝑟 2 ) − 𝜏𝑟𝑧 (2𝜋𝑟∆𝑧) = 0
Dividing by −2𝜋𝑟∆𝑧,
∆𝑃 𝑟
( ) + 𝜏𝑟𝑧 = 0
∆𝑧 2
 ∆𝑃 2𝜏𝑟𝑧
= −( )
∆𝑧 𝑟
In the above equation note that pressure is a function of z only and shear stress is function of r
only. Therefore,
∆𝑃 2𝜏𝑟𝑧
lim = − lim ( )
∆𝑧→0 ∆𝑧 ∆𝑧→0 𝑟

𝑑𝑃 2𝜏𝑟𝑧
=− 𝐸𝑞𝑢𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 (1)
𝑑𝑧 𝑟
Further, for a given pipe flow,

𝑑𝑃
=𝐾
𝑑𝑧
𝑃𝐿 𝐿

∫ 𝑑𝑃 = ∫ 𝐾𝑑𝑧
𝑃0 0
𝑃𝐿 − 𝑃0 = 𝐾(𝐿 − 0)

𝑃𝐿 − 𝑃0
𝐾=
𝐿

Equation (1) may be written as,

2𝜏𝑟𝑧 𝑃𝐿 − 𝑃0
− = 𝐸𝑞𝑢𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 (2)
𝑟 𝐿

Applying this to the boundary condition, 𝜏𝑟𝑧 = 𝜏𝑤 𝑎𝑡 𝑟 = 𝑅,

2𝜏𝑤 2𝜏𝑟𝑧 𝑃𝐿 − 𝑃0
− =− =
𝑅 𝑟 𝐿
𝜏𝑤 𝜏𝑟𝑧
=
𝑅 𝑟
𝜏𝑤 𝑟
𝜏𝑟𝑧 =
𝑅

Using Newton’s law of viscosity,

𝑑𝑣𝑧 𝜏𝑤 𝑟
−𝜇 =
𝑑𝑟 𝑅
𝜏𝑤 𝑟
𝑑𝑣𝑧 = − 𝑑𝑟
𝜇𝑅

𝜏𝑤 𝑟 2
𝑣𝑧 = − +𝐶
2𝜇𝑅
Using the boundary condition,
𝑎𝑡 𝑟 = 𝑅, 𝑣𝑧 = 0 (𝑛𝑜 𝑠𝑙𝑖𝑝)
 𝜏𝑤 𝑅 2
0=− +𝐶
2𝜇𝑅
𝜏𝑤 𝑅 2
𝐶=
2𝜇𝑅

𝜏𝑤 𝑟 2 𝜏𝑤 𝑅 2
𝑣𝑧 = − +
2𝜇𝑅 2𝜇𝑅
𝜏𝑤
𝑣𝑧 = (𝑅 2 − 𝑟 2 )
2𝜇𝑅

Since maximum velocity occurs at the centre (𝑟 = 0),

𝜏𝑤 𝑅
𝑣𝑧,𝑚𝑎𝑥 =
2𝜇
Therefore,
𝑣𝑧 𝜏𝑤 2 2
2𝜇 𝑅2 − 𝑟 2
= (𝑅 − 𝑟 ) × =
𝑣𝑧,𝑚𝑎𝑥 2𝜇𝑅 𝜏𝑤 𝑅 𝑅2

𝑣𝑧 𝑟 2
= 1−( )
𝑣𝑧,𝑚𝑎𝑥 𝑅

Average velocity:
1
𝑣̅𝑧 = ∫ 𝑣𝑧 𝑑𝑆
𝑆
𝑆
Note that,
𝑑𝑆 = 2𝜋𝑟𝑑𝑟, 𝑆 = 𝜋𝑅 2

𝑅
1 𝜏𝑤
𝑣̅𝑧 = 2
∫ (𝑅 2 − 𝑟 2 ) ∙ 2𝜋𝑟𝑑𝑟
𝜋𝑅 2𝜇𝑅
0

𝑅
𝜏𝑤
𝑣̅𝑧 = 3
∫(𝑅 2 𝑟 − 𝑟 3 )𝑑𝑟
𝜇𝑅
0
𝑅
𝜏𝑤 2
𝑟2 𝑟4
= (𝑅 − )|
𝜇𝑅 3 2 4 0
4 4
𝜏𝑤 𝑅 𝑅
= 3
( − )
𝜇𝑅 2 4

𝜏𝑤 𝑅 4𝜇𝑣̅𝑧
𝑣̅𝑧 = => 𝜏𝑤 =
4𝜇 𝑅

𝑣̅𝑧 𝜏𝑤 𝑅 2𝜇 1
= ∙ =
𝑣𝑧,𝑚𝑎𝑥 4𝜇 𝜏𝑤 𝑅 2
We have the equation,

2𝜏𝑤 2𝜏𝑟𝑧 𝑃𝐿 − 𝑃0
− =− = =𝐾
𝑅 𝑟 𝐿
Or,
𝑃𝐿 − 𝑃0 2𝜏𝑤
=−
𝐿 𝑅
𝑃𝐿 − 𝑃0 2 4𝜇𝑣̅𝑧
=− ( )
𝐿 𝑅 𝑅

𝑃𝐿 − 𝑃0 8𝜇𝑣̅𝑧
=− 2
𝐿 𝑅
𝑃𝐿 − 𝑃0 32𝜇𝑣̅𝑧
=−
𝐿 𝐷2
32𝜇𝐿𝑣̅𝑧
𝑃𝐿 − 𝑃0 = −
𝐷2
Note that RHS is always positive. But the flow is from z = 0 to z = L. It means 𝑃0 > 𝑃𝐿 .
Therefore, LHS is negative. Let 𝑃𝐿 − 𝑃0 = −∆𝑃𝑆

32𝜇𝐿𝑣̅𝑧
−∆𝑃𝑆 = −
𝐷2
32𝜇𝐿𝑣̅𝑧
∆𝑃𝑆 =
𝐷2