Irrotational Flow

Analysis of inviscide flow can be further simplified if we

assume if the flow is irrotational:
1 v u
z
0
2 x y
v u
w v
;
;
x y
y z

u w

z x

Example: uniform flow in x-direction:

Velocity potential
equations for irrotational flow will be satisfied automatically if we
introduce a scalar function called velocity potential such that:

u
x

v
y

w
z

V
As for incompressible flow conservation of mass leads to:

2 0

V 0,

2 2 0
2
x
y
z
2

Laplace equation

Some basic potential flows

As Laplace equation is a linear one, the
solutions can be added to each other
producing another solution;
stream lines (y=const) and equipotential
lines (f=const) are mutually
perpendicular
dy
v

dx along streanline u
d

dy
dx
dy udx vdy
x
y
dx

along const

Both f and y satisfy Laplaces equation

u v

y x
y y
x x

u
v

Uniform flow
constant velocity, all stream lines are straight and parallel

U
x
Ux

0
y

U
y
Uy

0
x

U ( x cos y sin )
U ( y cos x sin )

Source and Sink

Lets consider fluid flowing radially outward from a line through
the origin perpendicular to x-y plane
from mass conservation:

(2 r )vr m

r 2 r

1
0
r

ln r
2
1
m

r 2 r

0
r

Vortex
now we consider situation when ther
stream lines are concentric circles i.e.
we interchange potential and stream
functions: K

K ln r
circulation

V ds
ds
d 0
C

in case of vortex the circulation is zero

along any contour except ones
2
enclosing origin
K
(rd ) 2 K
r
0

ln r
2

Shape of a free vortex

p V2

gz const
2
at the free surface p=0:

V12 V2 2

z
2g 2g

z 2 2
8 r g
2

Doublet
lets consider the equal strength, source-sink pair:
m

(1 2 )
2
m
2ar sin

tan 1 ( 2
)
2
2
r a
if the source and sink are close to
each other:

K sin

r
K cos

K strength of a doublet

Summary