Fluid Rotation
The rotation of a fluid particle is defined as the average angular velocity
of any two mutually perpendicular line elements of the particle in each
orthogonal plane. A particle may rotate about three coordinate axes.
Thus, in general,
x y j z k
u
B
v x
x 2
u y
y 2
v
v
v x
x 2
u y
y 2
Figure. Rectangular fluid particle with two instantaneous perpendicular
lines AA and BB; velocities perpendicular to AAand BB are also shown.
The figure shows a fluid particle with two lines AA and BB. By definition
1
2
z ( AA BB )
where
AA
v A v A v (v / x)(x / 2) v (v / x)(x / 2) v
x
x
x
and
BB
u (u / y)(y / 2) u (u / y)(y / 2) u
u B u B
y
x
y
so
1 v
z
2 x y
By considering the rotation of pairs of perpendicular lines in the yz and
xz planes, one can show that
1 w v
1 u w
and y
2 y z
2 z x
Then
1 w v u w v u
x y j z k j k
2 y z z x x y
We recognize the term in the square brackets as
curl V V
Then, in vector notation, we can write
1
V
2
The factor of can be eliminated
in above equation by defining a
quantity called the vorticity, , to be twice the rotation,
2 V
The vorticity is the measure of the rotation of a fluid element as it
moves in the flow field. In cylindrical coordinates the vorticity is
1 Vz V Vr Vz 1 rV Vr
V
er
e
k
r
r
r
The circulation, , is defined as the line integral of the tangential
velocity component about a closed curve fixed in the flow,
V ds
C
where, ds is an elemental vector, of the length ds, tangent to curve; a
positive sense corresponds to a counterclockwise path of integration
around the curve.
For the closed curve Oacb,
v
u
ux v x y u
y x vy
x
y
v u
xy
x y
2 z xy
V ds 2 z dA ( V ) z dA
C
Thus, the circulation around a closed contour is equal to the total
vorticity enclosed within it.
Example: Consider flow fields with purely tangential motion (circular
streamlines): Vr = 0 and V = f(r). Evaluate the rotation, vorticity, and
circulation for rigid-body rotation, a forced vortex. Show that it is
possible to choose f(r) so that the flow is irrotational; to produce a free
vortex.
Fluid Deformation
Angular deformation of a fluid element involves changes in the angle
between two mutually perpendicular lines in the fluid.
y
b
y
a
Figure. Angular deformation of a fluid element in a two dimensional
flow field.
The rate of angular deformation is given by
d d d
Now,
dt
dt
dt
/ x
(v / x)x t / x v
lim
lim
lim
t 0
dt t 0 t t 0 t
t
x
/ y
(u / y)y t / y u
lim
lim
lim
t 0
dt t 0 t t 0 t
t
y
Consequently, the rate of the angular deformation in the xy plane is
d d
d v u
dt
dt
dt x y
The shear stress is related to the rate of angular deformation through
the fluid viscosity.
MOMENTUM EQUATION
To derive the differential form of momentum equation, we shall apply
Newtons second law to an infinitesimal fluid particle of mass dm.
Newtons second law for a finite system is given by
dP
F
dt system
where the linear momentum, P , of the system is given by
Psystem
V
dm
mass (system)
Then for an infinitesimal system of mass dm, Newtons second law is
written as
dV
dV
dF dm
dm
dt system
dt
V
V
V V
dF dm u
v
w
z
t
Forces Acting on a Fluid Particle
The forces acting on a fluid element may be classified as body forces
and surface forces. Surface forces include both normal forces and
tangential (shear) forces.
Stresses acting on a differential fluid element in the x-direction are
shown in the figure.
Figure. Stresses in the x direction on an element of fluid.
To obtain the net surface force in the x direction, dFS , we must sum the
forces in the x direction.
x
xx dx
dx
dFS x xx
dydz xx xx dydz
x 2
x 2
yx dy
dy
dxdz yx yx dxdz
yx
y 2
y 2
dz
dz
zx zx dxdy zx zx dxdy
z 2
z 2
By simplifying, we obtain
yx zx
dFS x xx
y
z
dxdydz
When the gravity is only the body force acting, then the body force per
unit mass in x direction is given by rgxdxdydz. Then the total net
force in x-direction can b expressed as
xx yx zx
dxdydz
dFx dFBx dFS x rg x
One can derive similar expressions for the force components in the
y and z directions.
xy yy zy
dxdydz
dFy dFB y dFS y rg y
yz zz
dxdydz
dFz dFBz dFS z rg z xz
Differential Momentum Equation
We have now formulated expressions for the components, dFx , dFy ,
and dFz of the force, dF , acting on the element of mass dm. If we
substitute these expressions for the force components into x, y, and
z components of equation, we obtain differential equations of
motion.
rg x
rg y
rg z
u u
xx yx zx
u
u
r
v
w
x
y
z
y
z
t x
xy
x
yy
y
zy
v
v
v
v
r u v w
z
x
y
z
t
w
xz yz zz
w
w
w
r
u
v
w
x
y
z
x
y
z
t
These three equations are the differential equations of motion for any
fluid satisfying the continuum assumption. Before the equations can be
used to solve problems, suitable expressions for the stresses must be
obtained in terms of the velocity and pressure fields.
Newtonian Fluid: Navier-Stokes Equations
For a Newtonian fluid the viscous stress is proportional to the rate of
shearing strain (angular deformation rate). The stresses may be
expressed in terms of velocity gradients and fluid properties in
rectangular coordinates as follows:
v u
xy yx
x y
w v
yz zy
y z
u w
2
u
xx p V 2
3
x
2
v
yy p V 2
3
y
2
w
zz p V 2
3
z
zx xz
where p is the local thermodynamic pressure.
If these expressions are introduced into the differential equations of
motion, we obtain
u v u w
Du
p u 2
rg x
2 V
Dt
x x x 3
y y x z z x
v w
Dv
p u v v 2
rg y
2 V
Dt
y x y x y y 3
z z y
Dw
p w u v w w 2
2
rg z
V
Dt
z x x z y z y x z 3
These equations of motion are called the Navier-Stokes equations. The
equations are greatly simplified when applied to incompressible flow
with constant viscosity. Under these conditions the equations reduce to
2u 2u 2u
u
u
u
u
p
r u v w rg x 2 2 2
x
y
z
x
t
x y z
2v 2v 2v
v
v
v
v
p
r u v w rg y 2 2 2
x
y
z
y
t
x y z
2w 2w 2w
w
w
w
w
p
r u v w rg z 2 2 2
x
y
z
z
y
z
t
x
The Navier-Stokes equations in cylindrical coordinates, for constant
density and viscosity, are given in the textbook.
For the case of frictionless flow ( = 0) the equations of motion reduce
to Eulers equation,
DV
r
rg p
Dt
u
u
u
u
p
u
v w rg x
x
y
z
x
t
v
v
v
v
p
u v w rg y
x
y
z
y
t
w
w
w
w
p
u
v
w rg z
x
y
z
z
t
