Stream Function & Velocity Potential

 Stream lines/ Stream Function (Y)

 Concept
 Relevant Formulas
 Examples
 Rotation, vorticity

 Velocity Potential(f)
 Concept
 Relevant Formulas
 Examples
 Relationship between stream function and velocity
potential
 Complex velocity potential
IIT-Madras, Momentum Transfer: July 2005-Dec 2005
 Stream Lines
 Consider 2D incompressible flow
 Continuity Eqn

   
 Vx   Vy   Vz   0
t x y z

   Vx 
Vx   Vy   0 Vy     dy
x y  x 
 Vx and Vy are related
 Can you write a common function for both?
IIT-Madras, Momentum Transfer: July 2005-Dec 2005
 Stream Function
 Assume 
Vx 
y
 Then
 V x 
  
2
Vy     dy     dy
 x   xy 
  2    
  dy    
 y x    x 
 Instead of two functions, Vx and Vy, we need to solve
for only one function   Stream Function
 Order of differential eqn increased by one

IIT-Madras, Momentum Transfer: July 2005-Dec 2005

 Stream Function
 What does Stream Function  mean?

 Equation for streamlines in 2D are given by

 = constant
 Streamlines may exist in 3D also, but stream function
does not
 Why? (When we work with velocity potential, we may
get a perspective)
 In 3D, streamlines follow the equation

dx dy dz
 
Vx Vy Vz

IIT-Madras, Momentum Transfer: July 2005-Dec 2005

 Rotation
 Definition of rotation


Vx y Dy

y Dy Time=t


Vx y Dx
Vy Vy
x x Dx
x
d    
ROTATION   z 
Assume Vy|x < Vy|x+Dx
 
and Vx|y > Vx|y+Dy dt  2 
IIT-Madras, Momentum Transfer: July 2005-Dec 2005
 Rotation
 To Calculate Rotation

Dy1
tan  
Dx

Dy1  Vy  x Dx
 
Dt  Vy
x
Dt  
Dy1

Dx

  arctan
V y x Dx Vy
x
 Dt
Dx
 Similarly
  arctan

 Vx y Dy Vx y  Dt
Dy
IIT-Madras, Momentum Transfer: July 2005-Dec 2005
 Rotation
 To Calculate Rotation

d     1           
ROTATION   z    
t Dt t
  lim
2 Dt 0  Dt 
dt  2   


V
 y x Dx Vy
arctan  x
 Dt  

V
 x y Dy Vx
arctan 
y  Dt  
 Dx   1   Dy 
 
1 
   lim    lim
 2  DDxt 0 0 Dt  2  Dt 0 Dt
Dx  0
Dy  0 Dy  0
 For very small time and very small element, Dx, Dy
and Dt are close to zero

IIT-Madras, Momentum Transfer: July 2005-Dec 2005

 Rotation
 To Calculate Rotation
 For very small , i.e. ~ 0
sin    cos   1  tan   

 arctan   

V
 y
 arctan 
 x Dx
Vy
x
 Dt   V y x Dx Vy
x
 Dt

 Dx  Dx

V
 y
arctan 
 x Dx
Vy
x
 Dt  V
 y

 x Dx
Vy
x
 Dt 
 Dx  Dx
lim    lim 
 

Dt 0
Dx  0
Dt Dt 0
Dx  0
Dt
Dy  0 Dy  0
IIT-Madras, Momentum Transfer: July 2005-Dec 2005
 Rotation
 To Calculate Rotation

lim
V y x Dx Vy
x
  V y
Dx 0 Dx x

V 
 y x Dx Vy
arctan  x
 Dt  V
 x y Dy Vx
arctan 
y  Dt 
 Dx   1   Dy 
 
1 
z    lim    lim
 2 DxDt00 Dt  2 DDxt 
0
0 Dt
Dy  0 Dy  0

Simplifies to
 1   Vy Vx 
z      
 
2 x y 
1
z     V 
2
IIT-Madras, Momentum Transfer: July 2005-Dec 2005
 Rotation in terms of Stream Function
 To write rotation in terms of stream functions
   
Vx  Vy    
y  x 

 1   Vy Vx   1       
2 2
z           2  2 
 2   x y   2   x y 
1
     2
2
 That is
 2  2z  0

 For irrotational flow (z=0)

2  0

IIT-Madras, Momentum Transfer: July 2005-Dec 2005

 Rotation and Potential

 For irrotational flow (z=0)

1

z   V  0
2

V  0

Vy Vx
 0
x y
 This equation is “similar” to continuity equation
 Vx and Vy are related
 Can we find a common function to relate both Vx
and Vy ?

IIT-Madras, Momentum Transfer: July 2005-Dec 2005

 Vy Vx
 0
Velocity Potential x y

 Assume
f Then Vy Vx  2f  2f
Vx  
  
x x y yx xy

f
Vy 
y

 In 3D, similarly it can be shown that

f
Vz 
z
 f is the velocity potential

IIT-Madras, Momentum Transfer: July 2005-Dec 2005

 Velocity Potential vs Stream
Function

Stream Function () Velocity Potential (f)

only 2D flow all flows
Irrotational (i.e. Inviscid or
viscous or non-viscous flows zero viscosity) flow
Exists
Incompressible flow (steady or Incompressible flow (steady
for
unsteady) or unsteady state)
compressible flow (steady compressible flow (steady or
state only) unsteady state)

 In 2D inviscid flow (incompressible flow OR steady

state compressible flow), both functions exist
 What is the relationship between them?

IIT-Madras, Momentum Transfer: July 2005-Dec 2005

 Stream Function- Physical
meaning
 Statement: In
2D (viscous or inviscid) flow
(incompressible flow OR steady state compressible
flow),  = constant represents the streamline.
 Proof

 If  = constant, then d0

     
d    dx    dy
 x   y 
  Vy  dx  Vx  dy
0 Vy
 If  = constant, then
dy Vy Vx

dx Vx
IIT-Madras, Momentum Transfer: July 2005-Dec 2005