CV 222/MM 222 – Fluid Mechanics
Differential Relations for a Fluid Particle
Lecture By : Deepak Prasad
Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this chapter you should be able
to:
Determine if a flow is rotational or irrotational
Solve problems involving fluids using the continuity equation
Vector Calculus
Gradient of a scalar point function
Vector operator =
Let Φ be a scalar point function defined in a given field. The gradient of
Φ is equal to
The gradient of a function gives the maximum rate of change of that
function. Also gives the directional directive.
Vector Calculus
Divergence of a vector point function
Let be a vector function defined in a given field and equal to:
where F1, F2 and F3 are the modules of the component of in x, y and z
direction respectively. Divergence of is equal to:
Divergence gives the rate of out flow per unit volume
Vector Calculus
Curl of a vector point function
Let be a vector function defined in a given field and equal to:
where F1, F2 and F3 are the modules of the component of in x, y and z
direction respectively. Curl of is equal to:
Vector Calculus
Note : curl of the velocity vector gives the vorticity vector. Vorticity is a
measure of rotation of a fluid particle.
If then the flow is irrotational. Vorticity is twice the angular
velocity of the fluid particle.
Question 1
If Φ = xyz, find the gradΦ
Question 2
Find the greatest rate of change of u = xyz2 at (1,0,3)
Question 3
If , find
Question 4
If , find at point (1, 2, 3)
Question 5
If Φ is a scalar point function, find div(grad Φ)
Question 6
Show that curl(grad Φ) = 0.
Question 7
Find the curl of
Question 8
If is the position vector of a rigid body
which is rotating with a constant angular velocity,
about a fixed axis and if is the velocity of the body
( ), then show that the angular velocity of the
rotating body is half of the curl of the linear velocity.
You have to prove that
Differential Analysis of Fluid Motion
In this approach, the basic conservation laws are applied to an
infinitesimally small control volume. The basic differential equations of
fluid motion are obtained. An infinitesimal fixed control volume is
chosen with sides dx, dy and dz.
Differential Equation of Mass Conservation
The basic control volume relations can be used to get all the basic
differential equations. The flow through each side of the element is
approximately one-dimensional, and so the appropriate mass-
conservation relation to use here is:
[1]
The volume is so small that the volume integral simply reduces to a
differential term:
Differential Equation of Mass Conservation
There are three inlets and three outlets. The fluid properties are
considered to be uniformly varying functions of time and position. For
mass conservation, if ρu is known on the left face, the value of this
product on the right side face is then:
Differential Equation of Mass Conservation
The six flows can be listed as follows:
Face Inlet mass flow Outlet mass flow
x u dy dz u ( u ) dx dy dz
x
y v dx dz v y ( v) dy dx dz
z w dx dy w z ( w) dz dx dy
Differential Equation of Mass Conservation
Introducing these equations into (1), we get
On simplification, we get
[2]
which is the equation for conservation of mass for an infinitesimal control
volume. It is the equation of continuity. This equation is valid for steady
or unsteady flows, viscous or inviscid flows, compressible or
incompressible flows.
Differential Equation of Mass Conservation
Case 1 - Steady compressible flow
For a steady compressible flow, the flow does not change with respect to
time,
therefore and equation 2 reduces to:
[3]
Differential Equation of Mass Conservation
Case 2 - Incompressible flow
If the flow is approximated as incompressible, density is not a function of
time and space. Thus and for an incompressible flow, density
does not change appreciably hence can be taken as to be constant
Equation 2 then reduces to
[4]
Class Exercise
In a 2D incompressible flow the velocity along the x direction is given as
follows:
Determine the second velocity component.
Differential Equation of Linear Momentum
Using the same control volume, the momentum flux of the entering and leaving
fluid is studied. The basic differential momentum equation is obtained to be
[1]
The above equation (1) can be expressed in words as
Gravity force per unit volume + pressure force per unit volume + viscous force
per unit volume = density × acceleration.
Differential Equation of Linear Momentum
Equation 1 can be written in short as:
[2]
The above general equation can only be solved if the viscous stresses
are described in terms of velocity components. In the simplest case,
for inviscid (frictionless) flow and equation 2 reduces to
[3]
This is the Euler’s equation for inviscid flows
Differential Equation of Linear Momentum
Navier-Stokes Equations
For a Newtonian fluid, the viscous stresses are proportional to the
element strain rates and the coefficient of viscosity. For incompressible
flow, the terms are
Differential Equation of Linear Momentum
where µ is the viscosity coefficient. Substituting this into equation (1)
gives the differential momentum equation for a Newtonian fluid with
constant density and viscosity. Which are the Navier-Stokes equations
[4]
Stream Function
Stream function ψ is a mathematical postulation such that it’s
differentiation with respect to x gives the velocity (with negative sign)
in y-direction and it’s differentiation with respect to y gives the velocity
in the x-direction.
ψ is a function of x and y, ψ = ψ(x,y)
Stream Function
Combine this equation with the equation of a streamline to show that
the stream function is constant along a streamline.
Along a stream line,
Question 8
Show that the stream function satisfies the equation
of continuity.
Question 9
A stream function is given by
Find the velocity field and determine its value at a
point (1,2,-3) when t = 2s.
Question 10
The velocity components of a two-dimensional
incompressible fluid flow are prescribed as
Plot the stream function for different values of ψ.
Question 11
Show that the stream function for irrotational flow
satisfies the Laplace equation. For a 2-D irrotational
flow:
Question 12
The velocity distribution for a three dimensional flow is
where a, b, c, d, e and f are arbitrary constants.
(i) Show that these constants are the velocity constants
of a fluid motion.
(ii) Do these velocity components represent irrotational flow? If not, determine vorticity and
rotation.
Question 12
