CL 305: TRANSPORT PHENOMENA

Velocity Distribution: More Than One

Independent Variable -III

AMIT KUMAR
05 March 2021
Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati
SOLVING PROBLEMS USING STREAM FUNCTION

Definition: For 2D incompressible flow in the xy plane, the stream

function ψ is defined as

∂ψ ∂ψ
vx = − ; vy =
∂y ∂x
We then have
∂2ψ ∂2ψ
   
∂vy ∂vx
∇×v = − k̂ = + k̂ = ∇2 ψ k̂
∂x ∂y ∂x2 ∂y 2

Consider now the equation of motion for a Newtonian fluid:

 
∂v
⇒ ρ + [v · ∇v] = −∇P + µ∇2 v
∂t

Using the vector identity

1
v · ∇v = ∇(v · v) − v × [∇ × v]
2
1
SOLVING PROBLEMS USING STREAM FUNCTION

The equation of motion can be expressed as

 
∂v 1
ρ + ∇(v · v) − [v × [∇ × v]] = −∇P + µ∇2 v
∂t 2

Taking the curl of both sides, we get

 
∂ 1
ρ [∇ × v] + ∇ × ∇(v · v) − ∇ × [v × [∇ × v]] =
∂t 2
− ∇ × ∇P + µ∇ × [∇2 v]

As the curl of the gradient is identically zero, we have

 
∂
ρ [∇ × v] − ∇ × [v × [∇ × v]] = µ∇2 [∇ × v]
∂t

∂
⇒ [∇ × v] − [∇ × [v × [∇ × v]]] = ν∇2 [∇ × v]
∂t
2
SOLVING PROBLEMS USING STREAM FUNCTION

If we represent the vorticity, ∇ × v, by w, we get

∂w
− [∇ × [v × w]] = ν∇2 w
∂t

This is known as the equation of change for the vorticity.

The same equation can alternatively be written as
Dw
= ν∇2 w + [w · ∇v]
Dt

For planar flow in the xy plane (with vz = 0 and no variation in the z

direction), we have shown that ∇ × v = ∇2 ψ k̂, i.e., w = ∇2 ψ k̂
Using this result in the vorticity equation, it can be shown that for planar
flow in the xy plane with vz = 0 and no variation in the z direction,
∂ ∂(ψ, ∇2 ψ)
(∇2 ψ) + = ν∇4 ψ
∂t ∂(x, y)
3
SOLVING PROBLEMS USING STREAM FUNCTION

In the equation
∂ ∂(ψ, ∇2 ψ)
(∇2 ψ) + = ν∇4 ψ
∂t ∂(x, y)

∂(f, g)
The Jacobian is defined as
∂(x, y)
 ∂f ∂f 
 
 
∂(f, g)  ∂x ∂y 
=
∂(x, y)  ∂g ∂g 
 ∂x ∂y 

and ∇4 ψ = ∇2 (∇2 ψ).

4
SOLVING PROBLEMS USING STREAM FUNCTION

For planar flow in the rθ plane in the cylindrical coordinate system,

with no z dependence and vz = 0, the stream function is defined as
follows:

1 ∂ψ ∂ψ
vr = − ; vθ = +
r ∂θ ∂r

The corresponding equation of motion in terms of ψ is

∂ 1 ∂(ψ, ∇2 ψ)
(∇2 ψ) + = ν∇4 ψ
∂t r ∂(r, θ)

where
∂2 1 ∂ 1 ∂2
∇2 = 2
+ + 2 2
∂r r ∂r r ∂θ

5
SOLVING PROBLEMS USING STREAM FUNCTION

For axisymmetric flow in the rz plane in the cylindrical coordinate

system, with no θ dependence and vθ = 0, the stream function is defined
as follows:

1 ∂ψ 1 ∂ψ
vr = + ; vz = −
r ∂z r ∂r

The corresponding equation of motion in terms of ψ is

∂ 1 ∂(ψ, E 2 ψ) 2 ∂ψ 2
(E 2 ψ) − − 2 E ψ = νE 4 ψ
∂t r ∂(r, z) r ∂z

where
∂2 1 ∂ ∂2
E2 = 2
− + 2
∂r r ∂r ∂z

and E 4 ψ = E 2 (E 2 ψ).
6
SOLVING PROBLEMS USING STREAM FUNCTION

For axisymmetric flow in the rθ plane in the spherical coordinate

system, with no φ dependence and vφ = 0, the stream function is
defined as follows:

1 ∂ψ 1 ∂ψ
vr = − ; vθ = +
r2 sin θ ∂θ r sin θ ∂r

The corresponding equation of motion in terms of ψ is

1 ∂(ψ, E 2 ψ) 2E 2 ψ
 
∂ ∂ψ 1 ∂ψ
(E 2 ψ) + 2 − 2 2 cos θ − sin θ = νE 4 ψ
∂t r sin θ ∂(r, θ) r sin θ ∂r r ∂θ

where
∂2
 
2 sin θ ∂ 1 ∂
E = 2+ 2
∂r r ∂θ sin θ ∂θ

and E 4 ψ = E 2 (E 2 ψ).
7
SOLVING PROBLEMS USING STREAM FUNCTION

Creeping Flow around a Sphere:

Consider the steady creeping flow (Re << 1) of a Newtonian fluid
around a stationary sphere of radius R. The fluid approaches the sphere
in the positive direction with a velocity v∞ far away from the sphere.
The modified pressure in the plane z = 0 tends to p0 as r → ∞ (i.e., far
away from the sphere). Obtain the velocity and pressure distribution in
the fluid around the sphere, and the force on the sphere.

We will use the equation of motion in the stream function formulation to

solve this problem.
The natural choice for this problem is the spherical coordinate system.
The flow can be considered axisymmetric with vφ = 0.
As we have steady, creeping flow, the entire left hand side of the equation
of motion can be assumed to be zero and the equation for ψ becomes
E4ψ = 0 ⇒ E 2 (E 2 ψ) = 0
8
SOLVING PROBLEMS USING STREAM FUNCTION

Creeping Flow around a Sphere:

Using the expression for E 2 in spherical coordinates, we have

2
∂2
 
sin θ ∂ 1 ∂
+ 2 ψ=0
∂r2 r ∂θ sin θ ∂θ

The boundary conditions are:

1 ∂ψ
1. At r = R, vr = 0 ⇒− =0
r2 sin θ ∂θ

1 ∂ψ
2. At r = R, vθ = 0 ⇒ =0
r sin θ ∂r

3. As r → ∞, vz → v∞ ⇒ vr → v∞ cos θ, vθ → −v∞ sin θ

9
SOLVING PROBLEMS USING STREAM FUNCTION

Creeping Flow around a Sphere:

The third boundary condition can be expressed in terms of the stream
function as
1
ψ → − v∞ r2 sin2 θ
2
This can be done by expressing vr and vθ in terms of ψ in the two
conditions involving vr and vθ , integrating the two conditions to get
expressions for ψ along with arbitrary functions of integration and
comparing them to obtain the result for ψ.
Based on this, we postulate the following form for the solution of the
equation of motion expressed in terms of the stream function
ψ = f (r) sin2 θ

Substituting in the equation of motion and simplifying, we get

 2  2 
d 2 d 2
− − f =0
dr2 r2 dr2 r2 10
SOLVING PROBLEMS USING STREAM FUNCTION

Creeping Flow around a Sphere:

d2 d2
  
2 2
2
− 2 2
− 2 f =0
dr r dr r
The solution to this equidimensional equation can be obtained by
substituting the trial solution f (r) = Crn in the equation above which
gives:
Crn−4 [n(n − 1)(n − 2)(n − 3) − 2(n − 2)(n − 3) − 2n(n − 1) + 4] = 0

Solving for n, the values for n obtained are −1, 1, 2, 4. So,

f (r) = C1 r−1 + C2 r + C3 r2 + C4 r4

and the stream function is given by

ψ(r, θ) = C1 r−1 + C2 r + C3 r2 + C4 r4 sin2 θ

11
SOLVING PROBLEMS USING STREAM FUNCTION

Creeping Flow around a Sphere:

We have
1 ∂ψ 1 ∂ 
C1 r−1 + C2 r + C3 r2 + C4 r4 sin2 θ


vr = − =− 2
r2
sin θ ∂θ r sin θ ∂θ

C1 r−1 + C2 r + C3 r2 + C4 r4


⇒ vr = − 2 sin θ cos θ
r2 sin θ
 
C1 C2 2
⇒ vr = −2 + + C3 + C4 r cos θ
r3 r

Applying the third boundary condition, vr → v∞ cos θ as r → ∞, we

get C4 = 0 (otherwise, vr will not remain finite as r → ∞).
Further, the same boundary condition gives
1
vr |r→∞ = v∞ cos θ = −2C3 cos θ ⇒ C3 = − v∞
2
12
SOLVING PROBLEMS USING STREAM FUNCTION

Creeping Flow around a Sphere:

So,  
1
ψ(r, θ) = C1 r−1 + C2 r − v∞ r2 sin2 θ
2

   
C1 C2 2 C1 C2
vr = −2 + + C3 + C4 r cos θ = −2 3 − 2 + v∞ cos θ
r3 r r r

 
1 ∂ψ 1 C1
vθ = = − 2 + C2 − v∞ r sin2 θ
r sin θ ∂r r sin θ r
 
C1 C2
⇒ vθ = − 3 + − v∞ sin θ
r r

Applying the first and second boundary conditions, namely, vr = 0 and

vθ = 0 at r = R, we have
   
C1 C2 C1 C2
−2 3 − 2 + v∞ cos θ = 0 and − 3+ − v∞ sin θ = 0 13
R R R R
SOLVING PROBLEMS USING STREAM FUNCTION

Creeping Flow around a Sphere:

So,
C1 C2 v∞ C1 C2
3
+ = and − 3
+ = v∞
R R 2 R R

1 3
Solving, we get C1 = − v∞ R3 and C2 = v∞ R
4 4
Therefore, "    3 #
3 R 1 R
vr = v∞ 1− + cos θ
2 r 2 r
"    3 #
3 R 1 R
vθ = −v∞ 1− − sin θ
4 r 4 r

14
SOLVING PROBLEMS USING STREAM FUNCTION

Creeping Flow around a Sphere:

The expressions for vr and vθ need to be substituted in the corresponding
equations of motion (the r and θ components of the Navier-Stokes
equation):

vθ2 + vφ2
!
∂vr ∂vr vθ ∂vr vφ ∂vr ∂p
r−component : ρ + vr + + − =−
∂t ∂r r ∂θ r sin θ ∂φ r ∂r

1 ∂2
   
1 ∂ ∂vr 1 ∂vr
+ µ 2 2 (r2 vr ) + 2 sin θ + 2 2
+ ρgr
r ∂r r sin θ ∂θ ∂θ r sin θ ∂φ
2 cot θ
!
∂vθ ∂vθ vθ ∂vθ vφ ∂vθ vr vθ − vφ 1 ∂p
θ − component : ρ + vr + + + =−
∂t ∂r r ∂θ r sin θ ∂φ r r ∂θ

1 ∂ 2 1 ∂

1 ∂

1 ∂ 2 vθ
+ µ 2 2 (r2 vθ ) + 2 (vθ sin θ) + 2 2
r ∂r r ∂θ sin θ ∂θ r sin θ ∂φ2

2 ∂vr 2 cot θ ∂vφ
+ 2 − 2 + ρgθ
r ∂θ r sin θ ∂θ

This allows us to obtain the expressions for the modified pressure gradients.

15
SOLVING PROBLEMS USING STREAM FUNCTION

Creeping Flow around a Sphere:

 3
∂P  µv 
∞ R
=3 cos θ
∂r R2 r
 2
∂P 3  µv∞  R
= sin θ
∂θ 2 R r
Integrating, we get
 2
3  µv∞  R
P=− cos θ + f (θ)
2 R r
 2
3  µv∞  R
P=− cos θ + g(r)
2 R r
Therefore,  2
3  µv∞  R
P=− cos θ + C
2 R r
16
SOLVING PROBLEMS USING STREAM FUNCTION

Creeping Flow around a Sphere:

 2
3  µv∞  R
P=− cos θ + C
2 R r

Applying the boundary condition P in the plane z = 0 tends to p0 as

r → ∞, we get C = p0
 2
3  µv∞  R
P = p0 − cos θ
2 R r

AS P = p + ρgh = p + ρgz, we get

 2
3  µv∞  R
p = p0 − ρgz − cos θ
2 R r

17