Fluid Mechanics, SG2214, HT2013

September 13, 2013

Exercise 4: Exact solutions of Navier-Stokes equations

Example 1: adimensional form of governing equations
Calculating the two-dimensional flow around a cylinder (radius a, located at x = y = 0) in a uniform stream
U involves solving
1
u

+ (
u )
u = p + 2 u
, u
= 0,
t

with the boundary conditions

u
= 0 on x2 + y 2 = a2

as x2 + y 2 .

u
(U, 0)

Rewrite this problem in non-dimensional form using the dimensionless variables

x
0 = x
/a,

u
0 = u
/U,

p0 = p/U 2 ,

t0 = tU/a.

Note that the scaling x

0 = x
/a implies 0 = a and t0 = tU/a gives 0 =
.
t
U t
Change to dimensionless variables
U 2 0 0 U 0 2 0
0
U2 0
U 2 u
(
u 0 )
u0 =
p + 2 u
+

0
a t
a
a
a
and divide by U 2 /a
U
a2
U2
a

u
0
+ (
u0 0 )
u0 = 0 p0 +
t0

0 u
0

|{z}
1
Re

U2
Ua
inertial forces
=
The Reynolds number is Re = a =
U
viscous forces

a2
u
0
1 02 0
+ (
u0 0 )
u0 = 0 p0 +
u

0
t
Re
The continuity condition is simply
u
=0

U 0 0
u
=0
a

0 u
0 = 0 .

The boundary conditions are non-dimensionalised as follows:

u
= 0 on x2 + y 2 = a2

Uu
0 = 0 on a2 x0 + a2 y 0 = a2

u
(U, 0, 0) as x2 + y 2

Uu
0 (U, 0, 0)
2

u
0 = 0 on x0 + y 0 = 1.
2

as a2 x0 + a2 y 0

u
0 (1, 0, 0) as x0 + y 0
A solution to this problem will depend on x
0 , Re and t0 only. The solution is thus the same for a specific Re
independently of the individual values of U , a and .

Example 2: vorticity and deformation

Show that the net viscous force per unit volume is proportional to the spatial derivative of vorticity, i.e.
k
ij
= ijk
xj
xj
and discuss its implication for flows with uniform vorticity (as in solid-body rotation).


 2

ij

ui
uj
ui
2 uj
2 ui
=
+
=
+
=
xj
xj xj
xi
xj xj
xj xi
xj xj


k

um
2 um
2 um
ijk
= ijk
klm
= kij klm
= (il jm im jl )
=
xj
xj
xl
xj xl
xj xl
 2

uj
2 ui
2 ui

=
xj xi
xj xj
xj xj
Thus

ij
k
= ijk
xj
xj

The net viscous force vanishes when the vorticity is uniform, since no deformation exists.

Example 3: Poiseuille Flow (Pipe Flow)

Consider the viscous flow of a fluid through a pipe with a circular cross-section given by r = a under the
p
constant pressure gradient P = . Show that
z
uz =

P 2
(a r2 ) ur = u = 0.
4

Figure 1: Coordinate system for Poiseuille flow.

Use the Navier-Stokes equations in cylindrical coordinates (see lecture notes)


ur
u2
1 p
ur
2 u
2
+ (
u )ur
=
+ ur 2 2
t
r
r
r
r


u
ur u
1 p
2 ur
u
2
+ (
u )u +
=
+ u + 2
2
t
r
r
r
r
1 p
uz
+ (
u )uz =
+ 2 uz
t
z
1
1 u
uz
(r ur ) +
+
=0.
r r
r
z

p
p
We know that
= 0 and
= 0 and can directly see that ur = u = 0 satisfys the two first equations.

r
From the continuity equation we get
uz
=0
z

uz = uz (r, )

only.

Considering a steady flow we get from the axial component of the Navier-Stokes equations
(
u )uz = uz
But we know that

uz
z

uz

uz
1
= P + 2 uz .
z

uz
= 0 from the continuity equation. We get
z
2 uz =

P
1 uz
(r
)=
r r r

uz
P
(r
)= r
r r

Integrate once in r gives

r

uz
P 2
=
r + c1
r
2

uz
P
c1
=
r+
,
r
2
r

and integrating again we get

uz =

P 2
r + c1 ln(r) + c2
4

using the boundary conditions uz (r = 0) < c1 = 0 .

We also have uz = 0 at r = a and this gives c2 =

uz =

P a2
and we finally get
4
P 2
(a r2 ) .
4

Example 4: Flow over an Inclined Plate

Two incompressible viscous fluids flow one on top of the other down an inclined plate at an angle (see figure
2). They both have the same density , but different viscosities 1 and 2 . The lower fluid has depth h1 and
the upper h2 . Assuming that viscous forces from the surrounding air is negligible and that the pressure on
the free surface is constant, show that


1
g sin()
u1 (y) = (h1 + h2 )y y 2
.
2
1
Y
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h2 111
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11111
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00
11
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1 1111111111111111111111111111
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00000
11111
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000
111
0000000
1111111
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00000
11111
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1111111111111111111111111111
000
111
0000000
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0000000000000000000000000000
1111111111111111111111111111
0000000
1111111
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1111111111111111111111111111
0000000
1111111
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111111111111111111111111111
0000000000000000000000000000
1111111111111111111111111111
0000000
1111111
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111111111111111111111111111
0000000000000000000000000000
1111111111111111111111111111
0000000
1111111
000000000000000000000000000
111111111111111111111111111
0000000000000000000000000000
1111111111111111111111111111
0000000
1111111
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111111111111111111111111111
0000000000000000000000000000
1111111111111111111111111111
0000000
1111111
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111111111111111111111111111
0000000000000000000000000000
1111111111111111111111111111
000000000000000000000000000
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0000000000000000000000000000
1111111111111111111111111111
000000000000000000000000000
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Figure 2: Coordinate system for flow down an inclined plate.

Make the ansatz u
1 = [u1 (y), 0, 0] and u
2 = [u2 (y), 0, 0]. The continuity equation
u v
+
=0
x y

gives

v
= 0 v = c and the boundary condition at y = 0 give v = 0.
y
3

 Layer 1:
NS ey : 0 =

1 p1
g cos()
y

p1 = g cos()y + f1 (x)

1 0
d2 u1
NS ex : 0 = f1 (x) + 1 2 + g sin()

dy

f1 (x) = c1

Layer 2:
NS ey : 0 =

1 p2
g cos()
y

p2 = g cos()y + f2 (x)

d2 u2
1 0
NS ex : 0 = f2 (x) + 2 2 + g sin()

dy

f2 (x) = c2

The pressure at the free surface y = h1 + h2 is p0 :

p0 = g cos()(h1 + h2 ) + f2 (x)

f2 = p0 + g(h1 + h2 ) cos()

f2 = 0

The pressure is continuous at y = h1 :

p0 + gh2 cos() = gh1 cos() + f1 (x)

f1 = p0 + g(h1 + h2 ) cos()

f1 = 0

This gives the pressure:

p1 (y) = p2 (y) = p(y) = g cos()y + p0 + g cos()(h1 + h2 )
We now have two momentum equations in x:
0 = 1

d2 u1
+ g sin()
dy 2

(1)

0 = 2

d2 u2
+ g sin()
dy 2

(2)

And four boundary conditions:

BC1: No slip on the plate:

u1 (0) = 0

du2 
=0
dy y=h1 +h2


du1 
du2 
= 2
1
dy y=h1
dy y=h1

BC2: No viscous forces on the free surface:

BC3: Force balance at the fluid interface:

BC4: Continous velocity at the interface: u1 |y=h1 = u2 |y=h1

(1)

du1
g
= y sin() + c11
dy
1

u1 =

g 2
y sin() + c11 y + c12
2 1

(2)

g
du2
= y sin() + c21
dy
2

u2 =

g 2
y sin() + c21 y + c22
2 2

BC1 c12 = 0
g
g
BC2 2 ( (h1 + h2 ) sin() + c21 ) = 0 c21 = (h1 + h2 ) sin()
2
2
g
g
2
g
BC3 1 ( y sin()+c11 ) = 2 ( y sin()+c21 ) { = } c11 =
c21 = (h1 +h2 ) sin()
1
2
1
1
g 2
g
g 2
g
BC4
h1 sin() + (h1 + h2 ) sin()h1 =
h1 sin() + (h1 + h2 ) sin()h1 + c22
2 1
1
2 2
2
 2


h1
1
1
c22 = g sin()
(h1 + h2 )h1

2
2
1

This gives us the velocities:

u1 (y) =

g 2
g
y sin() + (h1 + h2 ) sin()y
2 1
1



g sin()
1
(h1 + h2 )y y 2
1
2
 2


g sin() 2 g sin()
h1
1
1
u2 (y) =
y +
(h1 + h2 )y + g sin()
(h1 + h2 )h1

2 2
2
2
2
1


 2


g sin()
1
h
1
1
u2 (y) =
(h1 + h2 )y y 2 + g sin() 1 (h1 + h2 )h1

2
2
2
2
1
u1 (y) =

The velocity in layer 1 does depend on h2 but not on the viscosity in layer 2. This is because the depth
is important for the tangential stress boundary condition at the interface, unlike the viscosity. There is no
acceleration of the upper layer and thus the tangential stress must be equal to the gravitational force on the
upper layer which depends on h2 but not on 2 .

Extra Material
Plane Couette Flow
Consider the flow of a viscous Newtonian fluid between two parallel plates located at y = 0 and y = h. The
upper plane is moving with velocity U . Calculate the flow field.
Assume the following:
Steady flow:

=0
t
Parallel, fully-developed flow:
v = 0,

ui
=0
x

w = 0,

=0
z

Two-dimensional flow:

No pressure gradient:
p
=0
xi
The streamwise Navier-Stokes equation is
u
1
+ (
u )u = p + 2 u ,
t

can be simplified using the above assumptions. We get

2u
=0
y 2

u
=A
y

u = Ay + B .

With the boundary conditions

u(0) = 0

B = 0,

u(h) = U

we finally obtain
u(y) =

Uy
.
h

A = U/h

Plane Poiseuille Flow (Channel Flow)

Consider the flow of a viscous Newtonian fluid between two solid boundaries at y = h driven by a constant
pressure gradient p = [P, 0, 0]. Show that
u=

P 2
(h y 2 ),
2

v = w = 0.

Figure 3: Coordinate system for plane Poiseuille flow.

Navier-Stokes equations:

1
u
+ (
u )
u = p + 2 u

u
= 0.
Boundary conditions:
u
(y = h) = 0
u

We are considering stationary flow and thus

= 0.
t
The constant pressure gradient implies u
=u
(y). Changes of u
in x, z would require a changing pressure
gradient in x, z.
The continuity equation u
reduces to

v
= 0. The boundary condition v(y = h) = 0 then implies
y

v = 0.
Consider the spanwise (z) component of the Navier-Stokes equations:
w
2w
v
= 2
|{z}
y
y

w = c1 y + c2

=0

The boundary conditions w(y = h) = w(y = h) = 0 imply c1 = c2 = 0 and thus w = 0. We can conclude
that u
= [u(y), 0, 0].
Consider now the streamwise (x) component of the Navier-Stokes equations:
0=

P
2u
+ 2

P
u
= y + d1
y

{ = } u(y) =

P 2
y + d1 y + d2
2

The boundary conditions at y = h give

0=

P 2
h + d1 h + d2
2

and 0 =

We can directly conclude that d1 = 0 and this gives d2 =

u=

P 2
(h y 2 ),
2

P 2
h d1 h + d2
2

P 2
h . The solution is thus
2
v=w=0.