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Derivation of Continuity Equation in Cylindrical Coordinates

This document derives the continuity equation in cylindrical coordinates. It defines the cylindrical coordinate system using radial distance r, angular coordinate Θ, and axial coordinate z. It expresses velocity as components vr, vΘ, and vz in these directions. It then sets up a differential control volume and calculates the net mass flow rates through surfaces in the r, Θ, and z directions. Equating the net outflow to the rate of change of mass within the volume yields the continuity equation in cylindrical coordinates as the sum of the partial derivatives of ρ with respect to t, r, Θ, and z.

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AhmedAdelAhmed
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2K views5 pages

Derivation of Continuity Equation in Cylindrical Coordinates

This document derives the continuity equation in cylindrical coordinates. It defines the cylindrical coordinate system using radial distance r, angular coordinate Θ, and axial coordinate z. It expresses velocity as components vr, vΘ, and vz in these directions. It then sets up a differential control volume and calculates the net mass flow rates through surfaces in the r, Θ, and z directions. Equating the net outflow to the rate of change of mass within the volume yields the continuity equation in cylindrical coordinates as the sum of the partial derivatives of ρ with respect to t, r, Θ, and z.

Uploaded by

AhmedAdelAhmed
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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DERIVATION OF CONTINUITY EQUATION IN

CYLINDRICAL COORDINATES

With cylindrical coordinates a point is located


by specifying the coordinates r , and z .
the coordinate r is the radial distance from
the z axis , is the angle measured from a
line parallel to the x axis , and z is the
coordinates along the z axis .
the velocity components as sketched are the
radial velocity vr , the tangential velocity v ,
and the axial velocity vz ,thus the velocity at
some arbitrary point p can be expressed as

V = vr r+ v + vz
z
where r , and z are the unit vectors in the r , and z direction

Now, by construction, the volume of the differential control volume is


while the mass of fluid in the control volume is
The rate of change of mass or accumulation in the control volume is then

For the net flow through the control volume, we deal with it one face at
a time. Starting with the r faces, the net inflow is
m

r,in

= v r rd d z

while the outflow in the r direction is


m

r,out

=(v r +

r
r )(r+dr)ddz

So that the net flow in the r direction is Being 0,0(d2r), the last term in
this equation can be dropped so that the net flow on the r faces is
m

Net rate of mass out flow in r-direction =


= ( v r +

out

in

r
dr
)(r+dr)ddz
r

v rrd d z

=(

r
v r + r

r)drddz

The net flow in the direction is slightly easier to compute since the
areas of the inflow and outflow faces are the same. At the outset, the net
flow in the theta direction is
m

,in

= v d r d z

,out

=(v +

d) dr dz

Net rate of mass out flow in -direction = m


= ( v +

out

- m

in

d)drdz

v d rd z

ddrdz

We now turn our attention to the z direction. The face area is that of
a sector of angle

1
2

Az =

( r + dr )

= r dr d +

1
2

1
2

d2r d

= r dr d
then, the inflow at the lower z face is
m

z,in

= v z r d r d

while the outflow at the upper z face is


m

z,out

=(v z +

z
z dz) r dr d

Finally, the net flow in the z direction is


Net rate of mass out flow in z-direction = m

out

= (v z +

- m

in

z dz) r dr d

v z r d r d

z
z

r dr ddz

the rate of change of mass in the control volume

r dr ddz

Now we can put things together to obtain the continuity equation

Net rate of mass outflow

r dr ddz + ( v r +

r
r

r)drddz +

ddrdz +

z
z

dr ddz
By dividing ( r dr ddz )
=

1
r

1
r

r
v r + r

r r
r

1
r

1
r

z
z

z
z

continuity equation in cylindrical


coordinates

=
z
z

1
r

r r
r

1
r

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