FLOW KINEMATICS

FLow Lines :
 Streamlines and Streamtubes
 Pathlines
 Streaklines
 Timelines

i. STREAMLINE: A streamline is a curve that is everywhere tangent to the

instantenous local velocity vector.Mathematically , we can write a simple
expression for a streamline based on its definition.
Consider an infinitesimal arc length (fig.1)
dr=dxi+dyj + dzk along a streamline.

Fig .1 : For 2D flow in the xy- plane , arc length dr = (dx,dy) along a streamline
is everywhere tangent to the localinstantenous velocity vector V = (u,v)

By simple geometric arguments using similar triangles, we know that the

components of dr must be proportional to those of V. Hence , the equation of
the streamline:

dr dx dy
V = u
=
v ……………………………… (1)
Where dr is the magnitude of dr and V is the speed, the magnitude of V .

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 For a known velocity field,we can integrate eqn. (1) to obtain eqns for
streamlines .For two dimentions (x,y), (u,v ), the following differential equation
obtained.

Streamline in the xy – plane ( dydx )= uv (2)

In the case of 3-D flow field the analysis is valid fort he projection of the
velocity vector on the xy -plane and for the xz and yz planes, the slope os the
streamlines can be found similary ;

 Integration of these equations for fixed t fort hat instant in time, will yield an
equation of the form

z = z(x,y)
 The easiest way to carry out the required integration is to try to obtain the
parametic equations of the curve z= z(x,y) in the form

X = x(s) , Y = y(s) and Z = z(s)

Eliminating of the parameter ‘s’ among there equations will them yield the
equation of the streamline in the form
z = z(x,y)

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 dx dy dz
= = =ds
u v w

s is introduced whose volume is zero at some reference point and its volume
increases along the streamline.
dxi
=ui ( xi ,t )…………………………………………(6) (i = 1,2,3)
ds
t is fixed

If the streamline which passes through the point (x o , yo , zo ) is required (eqn. 16) are
integrated
with s = 0 x = xo, y = yo , z= zo , therefore xi = xi (xo , yo , zo, t, s)

 In either case, an arbitary constant of integration appears, and the family of

curves that satisfy eqns (2), (3) & (4) represent streamlines of the flows fields.

Example : For 2D unsteady flow :

u = x(1+2t)
v =y
w= 0
V = x(1+2t )i +yi

Find the streamlines passing through the point ( λ ,I ).

dxi
ds
= ui, (xi,t) ……………………………………………….eqn (6)

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ii. Streamtubes : A streamtubes consist of a bundle of streamlines , much like
a communications cable consists of a bundle of fiber-optic cables.

Since streamlines are everywhere parallel to the local velocity , fluid

cannot cross a streamline by definition .By extension , fluid with in a
streamtube must remain there & cannot cross the boundary of a streamtube.

Both streamlines & streamtubes are instantenous quantities defined at

a particular instant in the according to the velocity field at that instant. In an
unsteady flow the streamline pattern may change significantly with time.

Nevertheless , at any instant in time, the mass flow rate passing

through any cross- sectional slice of a given streamtube must remain the
same .

For example , in a converging portion of an incompressible flow field ,

the diameter of streamtube must decrease on the velocity increases so as to
conserve mass.

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 Decreases in diameter as the flow accelerates or converges

Likewise, the streamtube diameter increases in diverging portions of the

incompressible flow.

Increases in diameter as the flow decerelates or diverges.

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iii. Pathline : Pathline is the line which is traced out in the time by a given fluid
particle as its flows.

A pathline is a Langrangian concept in that we simply follows the path

of individual fluid particle as it moves around in the flow field ,

See the figure 2.

Fig. 2 : A pathline is formed by following the actual path of a fluid

particle.

A pathline is that same as fluid particle ‘ s material position vector

( Xp (t) , Yp (t) , Zp (t) ) traced out over some finite time interval .

Since the particle is moving with the fluid at its local velocity, pathlines
must satisfy the eqn

dxi
dt
=¿ ui (xi , t ) …………………………………. (7)

The eqn of a pathline which passes through (x o , yo , zo) at t =0 will then

be the solution of eqn (7) with initial conditions ; t= 0 , x = x o , y = yo , z = zo

Xi = Xi ( xo , yo , zo , t ).

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 Example : For 2D unsteady flow passing through the point (1,1) at time
t= 0 , find the pathline;

Where u =x (1+2t)
v=y
w=0

dx dx
From eqn (7) ; dt = x (1+2t) … … .∫ ¿ ( 1+2t ) dt
x ∫

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iv. Streaklines : A streakline is the locus of the fluid particles that have passed
sequentially through the presented point in the flow.

 Streaklines are the most common flow pattern generated in a physical

experiment. If you insert a small tube into a flow and introduce a continuous
stream of tracer fluid (dye in a water flow or smoke in an air flow ) , the
observed pattern is streakline.

Fig. 3 shows a tracer being injected into a free- stream flow containing an object ,
such as the nose of wings.

Fig.3: A streakline is formed by continuous introduction of dye or smoke from a

point in the flow. Labeled tracer particles (1 through 8 ) were introduced
sequentially.

 The circles representindividual injected tracer fluid particles, released at a

uniform time interval . As the particles are forced out of the way by the object,
they accerlerate around the shoulder of the object , as indicated by increased
distance between individual tracer particles in that region. The streakline is
formed by connecting all circles into a smooth curve.

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 In physical experiments in a wind or water tunnel , the smoke or dye is injected
continuously , not as individual particles , and the resulting flow pattern is by
definition a streakline.

In fig. 3 tracer particle 1 was released at an earlier time than tracer

particle 2 and soon. The location of individual tracer particles is determined by
the surrounding velocity field from the moment of ite injection into the flow until
the present time.

 If the flow is unsteady , the surrounding velocity field changes, and we can not
expect the resulting streakline to resemble a streamline or pathline at any
given instant in time. However , if the flow is steady , streamlines , pathlines,
and streaklines are identical, (see fig 4 )

Fig 4. Streaklines produced by colored fluid introduced upstream ; since the

flow is steady , these streaklines are the same as streamlines &pathlines.

 Streaklines are often confused with streamlines or pathlines , While the tree
flow patterns are identical in steady flow , they can be quite different in
unsteady flow.

 The main difference is that a streamline represents an instantenous flow

pattern at a given instant in time,while a streakline and pathline flow patterns
that have some age and thus a time history associated with them. A streakline
is an instantenous snapshot of a time – integrated flow pattern.

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 A pathline , on the other hand , is the time-exposed flow path of an
individual particle some time period.

 Particle at (x,y,z) at time t must pass through the injection ( x o , yo , zo ) at t =τ

 Time history of the particle may be obtained by solving eqn. (7)

Initial conditions : x = xo , y = yo , z= zo
 When t =τ , where - ∞≤τ≤t ,
All fluid particles on the streakline will be obtained .
xi = xi ( xo , yo , zo , t, τ )
For τ ≤ t will define the instantenous location of that streakline.

Exp. For 2D flow ,where U= x(1+2t) , V=y , W=0

dx
dt
= x(1+2t) ⇒ x= c1 e t (1 +t)

dy
dt
= y , y= c2e t
⇒ x=y= 1 when t= τ

1= c1e τ (1+τ ) ⇒ c1 = e−τ (1+τ ) so that ;

1= c2e τ ⇒ c2¿ e−τ

x=e −τ (1+τ )
.e
t (1 +t)
=e t (1 +t)−τ(1+ τ)

for t= 0 ; ⇒ x =e−τ (1+τ ) , y = e−τ

Eliminating τ ; x= y−1−lny

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v. Timelines : A timelines is a set of adjacent fluid particles that were marked
at the same (earlier) instant time.

 Timelines are particularly useful in situations where the uniformity of o flow (or
lock thereof ) is to be examined.

Fig. 5 illustrates timelines in a channel flow between two parallel walls.

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 Fig. 5 Timelines aare formed by marking a line of fluid particles, and then
watching that line move ( and deform ) through the flow field; timelines are
shown at t=0 ,t1, t2, & t3 .

 Because of friction at the walls , the fluid velocity there in zero ( the no- slip
condition ) , and the top & bottom of the timeline are enchored at their
starting locations.

In regions of a flow away from the walls , the marked fluid particles move at the
local fluid velocity , deforming the timelines.

In the example of fig. 5 , the speed was the center of a channel is fairly uniform
,but small deviations tend to amplify with as the timeline stretches.

Timelines can be generated experimentally in a water channel through use of a

hydrogen bubble wire.
When a short burst of electric current is sent through the cathode wire,
electrolysis of the water occurs and tiny hydrogen gas bubbles form at the wire .
Since the bubbles are so small , their bouncy is nearly negligible, and the bubbles
follow the water flow nicely , fig 6.

Fig. 6 : Timelines produced by a hydrogen bubble wire are used to visualise the
boundary layer velocity profile shape.

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 Example 1 : Streaklines are traced out by neutrally buoyant marker fluid injected
into a flow field from a fixed point in space . A particle of a marker fluid that is at
point ( x, y ) at time t must have passed through the injection point ( x o , yo ) at some
earlier instant t= τ . The time history of a marker particle may be found by solving the
pathline equations fort he initial conditions that x = xo , y = yo when t= τ . The
present locations of a particles on the streakline are obtained by setting τ equal to
vlues in the range 0 ≤ τ ≤t .
Consider the flow field V=ax(1+bx)i +(cy)j where a = c = s -1 and b = 0.2 s -1
Coordinates are measured in meters.Plot the streakline passes through the initial
points ( xo , yo ) = (1,1) during the interval from t=0 and t=3 s. Compare with the
streamline plotted through the same point at the instants t=0,1 ans 2 s.

Streakline at t =3s connect particles that passed through points ( xo , yo )

at carlies times.

τ = 0,1,2 and 3
dx dy
For a particle , u = dt and v = dt
x t
dx
u= ax(1+bt)= dt and ∫ dx /x
xo
= ∫ a(1+bt)dt
¿

x t
x b
ln xo = a(t+ 2 t2) and ∫ dxx = ∫ a(1+bt) dt
xo τ

x b b
ln xo = a(1+ 2 t2) = a [( t−τ ) + (t 2−τ 2 )
2 ]
b
x = xo .e a [( t−τ ) + (t 2−τ 2 )
2 ]
y t t
dy
Also v = dt = cy , ∫ dyy = ∫ dyy = ∫ cdt
yo τ τ

y
ln yo = c(t-τ ¿ , y = yoe c(t−τ )

Substituting for a,b,c xo & yo ,

x=e ( y = e(
2 2
t −τ ) +0.1(t − τ ) t −τ )
gives , STREAKLINES.

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 The streakline may be plotted by substituting values for τ in the range
-0 ≤ τ ≤3 s as shown below ;

 The streamline is found (at given t ) from ;

dy v
= thus
dx u

y x
dy cy dx
dx = ax (1+bt) & ∫ dyy = ∫ a(1+c bt) x
yo xo

cy
y cy x x
ln yo = a(1+bt ) ln xo or y = yo ( ) xo
a (1+bt )

Substituting values for xo ,yo a, b, c, then ;

1
y= x 1+0.2 t or x=y (1 + 0.2t)

At t=0 , x=y
t= 1s , x= y1.2
t = 2s , x= y1.4 STREAKLINES.

Example 2 : A flow described by velocity field V = ati + bj , where

a = 0,4 m / s 2 and b = 2 m/s, what are the cooordinates of the particle that
passed through ponint ( 2, 1) at t = 0 ? At t= 3 s ,what are the coordinates of
the particle that passed through point ( 2, 1) at t= 2 s? Plot the pathline and
streakline through point (2, 1) and compare with the streamlines through the
same point at the instants t=0,1 and 2 s.
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 The pathline &streakline based on parametric eqns for a particle .

dx dy
For a particle ; u = dt and v = dt

x t
dx
Then ; u = dt = at ; ∫ dx = ∫ atdt
xo ¿

1
x= xo + 2 2
2 a(t -to )

t t
dy
v = dt = b , ∫ dy = ∫ bdt ; y = yo + b(t -to )
¿ ¿

In the above eqns , xo , yo are coordinates of the particles at time to.

a) The pathline is obtained by the following the particle that passed through
the point (xo,yo) =(2,1) at time t=0.
1 2
Thus x = xo + 2 at = 2 +0.2 t
2
( x,y ) pathline

y = yo + bt =1 +2t

At t=2s , particle is at ( x , y ) = (2.8, 5) m The pathline may be plotted by

varing t (0≤ t ≤ 3 s ¿ as show below.

(b) The streakline is obtained by locating ( and connecting ) at time t=3, all the
particles taht passed through the point ( xo , yo ) = (2, 1) at some earlier time to .

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Then x = xo + 2 2
2 a ( 9 - to ) = 2 +0.2 ( 9 - to )

y = yo + b(t -to) = 1 +2 (3- to ) ( x,y ) Streaklines

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 At t= 2s , particle is at ( x , y ) = (3 , 3)

The streakline may be plotted by varing to t (0≤ t ≤ 3 s ¿ as show below.

 The streamline is found ( at given t ) from

y x
dy v dy b b
dx = u ; dx = at , ∫yo dy = ∫xo at dx

b
y - yo = at ( x- xo )

b
Streamline through the point (2,1) given y-1 = at (x- 2)

5(x−2)
y = 1+ or t
t x= 2+ 5 (y-1)
streamline
At t=0, x= 2
t=1, y= 5x-9
t=2, y= 2.5x-4

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