The Acceleration Field

• For applying Newton's law (F=ma) to a flow we

need description of acceleration “a” to completely
define the flow
• For Eulerian description (observing particles as they
pass through a fixed point in space), we describe
the acceleration field, as a function of position and
time, i.e.
a = a (x, y, z, t)
 The Acceleration Field
• This is analogous to describing the flow in terms of
velocity field rather than the velocity for particular
particle.
• In this section, we will study how to obtain the
‘acceleration field’ if the ‘velocity field’ is known
 The Acceleration Field
The Material Derivative
• Consider a fluid particle moving along its Pathline
 The Acceleration Field
• VA for a particle ‘A’ as it moves wrt a fixed axis
system is VA = VA (r, t) = VA [ xA(t), yA(t), zA(t), t]
• By definition, the acceleration of a particle is the
time rate of change of its velocity i.e.
dV A
a t  
dt
 The Acceleration Field
DV
• In vector form, it can be written as a 
Dt
Where the operator D          
 u v w
Dt t x y z
Is termed as ‘Material Derivative’ or Substantial
Derivative
• This can also be written as D    
   V.  
Dt t
 The Acceleration Field
Unsteady Effect
• The material derivative have two terms
D         
 u v w
Dt t x y z
 
• Time derivative; (Local Derivative)
t
• Spatial derivative        
, ,
x y z
 The Acceleration Field
Unsteady Effect
• Time derivative of Velocity vector is also called as
Local Acceleration
V
• You may note that > 0 means acceleration
V t
• & < 0 is decelerating flow
t
 The Acceleration Field
Unsteady Effect
 
• For steady flows, time derivative terms are
t
zero
• Hence acceleration is due to spatial part only
     
u v w
x y z
 The Acceleration Field
•Unsteady
  Effect
• Now consider a spatially uniform flow throughout a
pipe
• In this case v=w=0 and
• Hence acceleration can only occur if Vo changes wrt
time i.e. due to local
derivative part only
 The Acceleration Field
Convective Effect
• The spatial derivatives part Material Derivative is
termed as Convective Derivative
     
u v w   V.  
x y z
• It represent the fact that fluid properties may vary
from point to point in space due to motion of the
fluid
• V . portion
The V of the acceleration given by the term;
is called as convective acceleration
 The Acceleration Field
Convective Effect
• Consider the figure, in which flow is
• Steady flow;    0
t
• One Dimensional; (x-direction), V=u=u(x)
• Although the local derivative part is zero, fluid
particles will experience acceleration due to spatial
part
 The Acceleration Field
Convective Effect
• We see that
• Fluid particle experiences acceleration: a x  u u
u x
• for x1 to x2, > 0 so a x > 0, flow accelerates
x
• for x2 to x3, u < 0 so ax < 0, flow decelerates
x
• We conclude that for use of Material Derivatives,
we need to have field description of parameter
(property); P=P(x,y,z,t) and the rate at which
particle moves through the field V=V(x,y,z,t)
D    
   V.  
Dt t