PARABOLIC EQUATIONS.

Parabolic Equations
• Considering eq. in two independent variables x and y.
• Consider a given point P in this plane. Since we are
dealing with a parabolic equations, there is only one
characteristics direction through point p.
• Initial conditions are given by the line ac and the
boundary conditions are know along curves ab and
cd.
• The characteristic direction is given by a vertical line
through P. Then , information at P influences the
entire region on one side of the vertical characteristic
and contained within two boundaries.
• Information at P influences the entire region on one
side of vertical characteristics and contained within
two boundaries i.e. if we jab the point P , the effect of
that jab is felt throughout the shaded region as shown
in figure.
• The extension in three dimension is straight forward
• The parabolic equations has three independent equations x, y and z.
• Asuume initial conditions are given over a re abcd in yz plane.
• Assume boundary conditions are given along four surfaces abgh, cdef, ahed and bgfc, which
extend in the general x direction away from the perimeter of the initial data surface. Then
information at P influences the entire 3 D region to right of P contained within boundary surfaces.
• Note : Parabolic equations lend themselves to marching-type solutions, analogous to that of
hyperbolic equations.
Steady Boundary-Layer Flows
• Concept divided in two regions :

1. A thin layer adjacent to any solid surface wherein all the

viscous effects are contained.
2. An inviscid flow outside this thin viscous layer.
• The boundary layer theory was presented Ludwig Prandtl at
the 3rd congress of Mathematics at Heidelberg
• The thin viscous layer adjacent to a surface is called a
boundary layer.
• Under the combined assumptions that boundary layer is thin
and that the Reynolds number, Re based on body length L is
large ().
• Navier-strokes equations reduced to an approximate set of
equations called the boundary-layer equations.
• Here all viscous effects are assumed to be contained within the thin boundary
layer, and the rest of the flow outside the boundary layer is inviscid.
• As boundary layer equations are parabolic , they can be solved by marching
technique. The initial data at nose of the body and the boundary layer
equations are solved by marching downstream in the s direction . Where s is
along the surface of the body.
• Initial conditions are given along the lines ab and ef across the boundary
layer. These initial conditions , the boundary-layer equations are solved by
marching downstream along the line ab and ef.
• Curves ad and eh represent one boundary , namely that along the surface
which is no slip boundary condition.
• Curves bc and fg represent the other boundary conditions mainly the outer
edge of the boundary layer at which known inviscid flow conditions are
applied.
• It is similar to body surface in purely inviscid solution of the flow.
• Because of boundary layer equations are parabolic , they are solved by
marching downstream in the s direction form an initial data line, while at the
same time satisfying the wall and outer-edge boundary conditions at each s
location.
“Parabolized” Viscous Flows
• When a supersonic flow over a pointed-nose body is considered, the boundary layer is not thin, if

the number is low enough, the viscous effect will reach into the flow far away from the surface.

• The flow field between the shock wave and the body surface might be totally viscous. Thus for this

case boundary layer equations are not valid .

• If the flow field does not exhibit any regions of localised, reversed , separated flow in the

streamwise direction, still another simplified version of the Navier-Stokes Equations may suffice i.e.

X component:

y component:

Z component:
• If all the viscous terms that involves derivatives in streamwise directions [such as ] are assumed to be small and can be neglected.
If the flow is assumed to be steady, then the resulting equations are called the Parabolized Navier-strokes (PNS).
X component:
Y component :
Z component :

This resulting version of Navier-strokes equation exhibits parabolic mathematical behaviour.

Advantages of PNS equations are
1. They are simpler, contain less terms than Navier-strokes equation.
2. They can be solved by means of a downstream marching procedure.
Limitations
Since the viscous terms involving derivatives in flow directions have been neglected, and these derivatives represent the physical
mechanism by which information is fed upstream due to viscous flows that involve regions of flow separations in streamwise
direction.
Despite the limitation the downstream marching aspect of PNS equations in such a compelling advantage and accuracy of such
solutions is usually quite acceptable.
Axisymmetric cone analysis by
Parabolized equations

RNPE technique for cascade analysis

of blade and orifice