Topic 2 Creeping Flow and Inviscid Flow

(FMP Ch 6)

2.0 Introduction and objective

T
Reynolds number is a ratio of inertial to viscous force.

YEE.EE Re T UL U2
U
kinetic energy per unit volume

l
Veylarge
visions
L viscous shear stress
are m
dominance
energy
12mf burette

µdI
dg
W
velocity
gradient

When Re is small, viscous force dominates, leading to a creeping flow, whereas

inertial force dominates for large Re, giving rise to an inviscid flow in most of the
flow domain. We will learn the flow features of a creeping flow, as well as the
simplified NS eqn, derivable Bernoulli’s equation and velocity potential for inviscid
flow. Also, the stream function for a 2D flow will be studied.

1
2.1 Stokes equation (small Re)

For small Re, NS eqn becomes Stokes equation (2nd order linear PDE)

0= + (2.1)

Flow features:
•Quasi-steady state (time derivative term on the LHS of NS eqn is negligible)

e.g. particle approaching a substrate for deposition

Noneedto knowin
•Superposition of flows detail

e.g. simultaneous particle translation and rotation

•Reversibility

e.g. fish cannot swim in honey/cornstarch

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p08_KlTKP50
2
http://grahamgroup.che.wisc.edu/selected_animations.shtml
2.2 Euler’s equation, velocity potential and Bernoulli’s equation (large
Re)

For inviscid flow ( eqn becomes Euler’s equation (1st order PDE, as
opposed to 2nd order NS eqn)

= (2.2)

Mathematically, the order of the differential equation has been reduced from 2 to 1,
implying that not all the boundary conditions can be satisfied. Physically, (2.2) is valid
in a flow domain far enough from solid surface (source of friction).

Near the solid surface (behaving as friction source), there exists a small region where
the viscous effect is as important and hence cannot be neglected. This region is
called “momentum boundary layer”, in which the fluid velocity gradient is large. We
will study it in detail in Topic 4.

3
= = (2.3)

× = × =0

= =0

2 2 2
2
2 2 2
0
x y z
4
Manipulating (2.2) allows one to derive Bernoulli’s equation for
steady flow of a fluid with constant density in a microscopic way.

Bernoulli’s eqn

v2
gy P const (along a streamline) (2.4)
2

Energy conservation between kinetic, potential and mechanical energy

along a streamline

Conditions for the above eqn:

1. Steady, inviscid, incompressible flow (can be 3D)
2. Rigorously valid along a streamline, i.e., the constant takes a
different value for a different streamline. But it can be used to give
good approximation for macroscopic analysis in many cases.

5
Example: The velocity potential for a two dimensional flow is

q
ln( x 2 y2 )
4
Determine the velocity components

Solution:
Using the relation between velocity components and velocity potential

q x
vx
x 2 x2 y2

q y
vy
y 2 x2 y2

q 1 q
v v x2 v 2y
2 x2 y2 2 r

6
Example: steady flow of water through a horizontal nozzle discharging to the
atmosphere (assuming no energy loss)

D1=9 cm, D2=3 cm, P2=Patm

Determine P1 as a function of flow rate.

Ai It
Solution: A
Let the volumetric flow rate be Q.

4Q 4Q
v1 v2
D12 D22
Apply Bernoulli’s equation (2.4) to the central streamline (equal level for the two points)

v12 P1 v22 P2
2 2
2 2 8 Q2 1 1
P1 P2 (v 2 v ) 1 Patm 2
2 D24 D14
If Q=0.01 m3/s, one can find P1=1 atm + 98834 Pa= 1.975 atm.
7
 Example: Orifice flow meter

Flow rate can be determined from the measured pressure difference and areas

Solution:
Let the volumetric flow rate be Q.
Di
Q Q
v1 v2
A1 A2
feoff
Cross sectional area A2< A1.
IE
Apply Bernoulli’s equation (2.4) assuming no head loss

v12 P1 v22 P2 P1 P2 (v22 v12 )

2 2 2
1/ 2
2
Q 2
1 1 2 P A2
P Qideal A2 1 2
2 A22 A12 A1

2 P
Considering energy loss leads to Qreal C f A0 Qideal
8
2.3 Stream functions points
component
2
A stream function can be defined for a two-dimensional, incompressible flow such
that the continuity equation is satisfied. It is not restricted to an inviscid flow, i.e., valid
for any Re as long as flow is laminar

Let be the stream function, and relate to the fluid velocity by

vx (2.5a)
y whiners
0 is
ear
satisfied
vy f (2.5b)
0
00 x
Check the continuity eqn for an incompressible flow:
shouldbe 0
define
= + = + =0 Hyon as abweabout
Vy worry
mea needto
dont M
VK y continuity

Physical meaning of a constant stream function:

From the definition (2.5a) and (2.5b)

d dx dy v y dx v x dy
x y
9
For points on a curve for which the stream function is kept constant
guy 0
v y dx v x dy 0
vy
diversity
dimetimyarget
dy A tangent to the curve at a point represents the
dx vx direction of the fluid velocity at this point. Such
a curve with constant stream function is a function
streamline. stream
is

1 Va dy O

T
Relation between stream function and flow rate
Meritamestthwinter
neonetowuldbetinite
1424cg I
The flow rate per unit depth across AB is
carny
constant
length
y2 y2 Hueepdawing
tangentsyoucan
Q v x dy dy reexnetoowpaten
y1 y1 y
2 1 442,4
gang
y
The flow rate per unit depth across BC is Yates
445 Yates

Q
x2
v y dx
x2
dx 2 1
yall
x1 x1 x

The flow rate for any cross section between two streamlines is equal to the
difference in stream function.
10
 crossoceans
canuse forany thetime
resultisalways

SfwwMr

YEE.no
iEa
pneemlihe2

streamline

11
Example: The x and y components of fluid velocity field in a two dimensional flow are
= and = , respectively. Determine the stream function and velocity potential if
existing.

Solution
rx
2 K 4ukytf.CM
Stream function:
24 y ytfing
vx x ng j
xy f1 ( x ) _currant
y ff Of

vy y y f1 ' y f1 const
x
xy const (The streamlines are hyperbolae like
= 1, 3, 6 etc.)
Velocity potential:

x2
vx x f2 ( y)
x 2
y2
vy y f2 ' y f2 const
y 2
x2 y2
const 12
2 2
Example: determine the stream function for a pressure-driven flow between two plates
westreamfunctiontoget flow rate

Solution:
inthis problem weonlyhaveVx
For a fully developed pressure-driven flow between two parallel plates, the velocity profile
is parabolic, given by
method
integueV wit
y y=h
2
y at h ah n

fi
vx v max 1
h2 y=0
s
vy 0 ( y) y= -h
x dependsonlyon y

d y2
vx v max 1
y dy h2
Voc calculate
y 3 T witpoints
the
v max y const the2ndareh Xh
3h 2 Which
whegate d Is 4hv max
The flow rate per depth between the two plates is ( h) ( h)
3
dithrheebetween2 13
endpoints
 Example: The stream function of a 2D flow is 3x 2 y y 3 . Draw the streamlines
and determine the flow rate per depth for a straight section between (-0.2, 0.3) and (0.5,
0.7).

Solution:
Specify a constant for to draw a streamline (e.g., 0.3 3x 2 y y 3 ). Varying the
constant yields different streamlines.
rye.ve
reward'T
2 2 fought
vx 3x 3y m
y
vy 6 xy em
x jawisthe
velocity

Q (0.5,0.7) ( 0.2,0.3) 0.173

MATLAB code:
axis square;
[X, Y]=meshgrid(-1:0.1:1,-1:0.1:1);
Z=3*Y.*X.^2-Y.^3;
colormap(winter);
contour(X,Y,Z,30,'linewidth',2);
line([-0.2 0.5],[0.3 0.7],'color','black','linewidth',5);
axis on;
streamlines 14
MATLAB code

[x y]=meshgrid(-1:0.1:1,-1:0.1:1);
axis square;
u=3*x.^2-3*y.^2;
v=-x.*y.*6;
h=quiver(x,y,u,v,1.5);
set(h,'Color','blue');
Velocity vectors

15
2.4 Summary

1.At low Re, the viscous effect dominates, leading to creeping flow. At high Re, the
viscous effect is weak in most of the flow domain. The Navier-Stokes eqn becomes
Euler’s equation by dropping the viscous term. Velocity potential can be used for
inviscid, irrotational flow.

2.Bernoulli’s eqn along a streamline can be derived from Euler’s equation for an
incompressible flow. It indicates the conservation between kinetic, potential and
mechanical (pressure) energies.

3.For a 2D flow, a stream function can be used to ensure satisfaction of the continuity
equation. The stream function is constant along a streamline. The difference in stream
function between two streamlines is the flow rate per unit depth. The use of stream
function is not restricted to an inviscid flow.

4.Along a streamline, the constant for a stream function is not equal to the constant in
Bernoulli’s eqn. The former is associated with flow rate, whereas the latter is with
energy conservation.
2
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quanta line
painthaveno the
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isfrom
16
 Appendix

Derivation of Bernoulli’s equation from Euler’s equation

Dv
g P (A1)
Dt

Introducing local coordinates n and s for a 2D flow (see graph on the

next page), we can express

Dv v v v v v v
v v vn vs v
Dt t t n s t s
=0, because fluid velocity is in the s direction
17
 y

en es

Local coordinates (n,s) at a point on a streamline and the corresponding

unit vectors, en and es.

18
Taking dot product for (A1) with a small vector in the s direction ( e ds) yields
s

v v P P
es ds v es ds g es ds es en es ds
t s s n

where v es v
es ( v es ) v Av en
s s s s
=0, because the two vectors are
perpendicular to each other (A is curvature)

y y (because the positive y

g ge y g y g es en
s n direction is vertical upward)

y y
y ex ey ey
x y
Therefore
y v v2
g es g v
s s s 2
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 v v2 y P
es ds ds g ds ds
t s 2 s s

For steady state and constant density,

v2 ( gy ) P
ds 0
s 2 s s

Bernoulli’s eqn

v2
gy P const (along a streamline) (A2)
2

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