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Fluids - Lecture 12 Notes: Stream Function

The document discusses stream functions and velocity potentials, which are scalar functions used to define fluid velocity fields. A stream function ψ(x,y) defines velocity components as partial derivatives, and lines of constant ψ are streamlines. A velocity potential φ(x,y,z) defines velocity as the gradient of φ. Any velocity field defined by a stream function or potential automatically satisfies the continuity equation. A potential flow is irrotational, with zero vorticity. The normal velocity is given by the directional derivative of the potential along the normal direction.

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75 views4 pages

Fluids - Lecture 12 Notes: Stream Function

The document discusses stream functions and velocity potentials, which are scalar functions used to define fluid velocity fields. A stream function ψ(x,y) defines velocity components as partial derivatives, and lines of constant ψ are streamlines. A velocity potential φ(x,y,z) defines velocity as the gradient of φ. Any velocity field defined by a stream function or potential automatically satisfies the continuity equation. A potential flow is irrotational, with zero vorticity. The normal velocity is given by the directional derivative of the potential along the normal direction.

Uploaded by

nellai kumar
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Fluids Lecture 12 Notes

1. Stream Function
2. Velocity Potential
Reading: Anderson 2.14, 2.15

Stream Function
Definition
~ as the partial derivatives
Consider defining the components of the 2-D mass flux vector V
y):
of a scalar stream function, denoted by (x,
u =

v =

For low speed flows, is just a known constant, and it is more convenient to work with a
scaled stream function

(x, y) =

~.
which then gives the components of the velocity vector V
u =

v =

Example
Suppose we specify the constant-density streamfunction to be
(x, y) = ln

x2 + y 2 =

1
ln(x2 + y 2)
2

which has a circular funnel shape as shown in the figure. The implied velocity components
are then

x
u =
= 2
,
v =
= 2
2
y
x +y
x
x + y2
which corresponds to a vortex flow around the origin.

x
vortex flow example
1

Streamline interpretation
The stream function can be interpreted in a number of ways. First we determine the differential of as follows.


dx +
dy
x
y
d = u dy v dx

d =

Now consider a line along which is some constant 1 .


y) = 1
(x,
Along this line, we can state that d = d1 = d(constant) = 0, or
u dy v dx = 0

dy
v
=
dx
u

y) are
which is recognized as the equation for a streamline. Hence, lines of constant (x,
streamlines of the flow. Similarly, for the constant-density case, lines of constant (x, y) are
streamlines of the flow. In the example above, the streamline defined by
ln

x2 + y 2 = 1

can be seen to be a circle of radius exp(1 ).

d = 0

= 1

V
v
dy
u

dx

x
Mass flow interpretation
Consider two streamlines along which has constant values of 1 and 2 . The constant
mass flow between these streamlines can be computed by integrating the mass flux along
any curve AB spanning them. First we note the geometric relation along the curve,
n
dA = dy dx
and the mass flow integration then proceeds as follows.
m
=

~ n
V
dA =

(u dy v dx) =

d = 2 1

Hence, the mass flow between any two streamlines is given simply by the difference of their
stream function values.
2

+ d

= 2
V

dy

dA
n^

n^

dx

= 1

Continuity identity
~ (x, y) specified by some
Consider the mass flux field V
of this field we have
!



(v)

(u)
~

+
=
V
=
x
y
x y
y

y). Computing the divergence


(x,

x

2
2

= 0
y x
x y

y) will automatically satisfy the steady mass


so that any mass flux field specified via (x,
continuity equation. In low speed flow, a similar computation shows that any velocity field
specified via (x, y) will automatically satisfy
~ = 0
V
which is the constant-density mass continuity equation. Because of these properties, using
the stream function to define the velocity field can give mathematical simplification in many
fluid flow problems, since the continuity equation then no longer needs to be addressed.

Velocity Potential
Definition
~ as the gradient of a scalar velocity
Consider defining the components of the velocity vector V
potential function, denoted by (x, y, z).
~ = = + + k
V
x
y
z
If we set the corresponding x, y, z components equal, we have the equivalent definitions
u =

v =

w =

Example
For example, suppose we specify the potential function to be
x
(x, y) = arctan
y

which has a corkscrew shape as shown in the figure. The implied velocity components are
then
y

= 2
,
v =
= 2
u =
2
x
x +y
y
x + y2
3

x
vortex flow example
which corresponds to a vortex flow around the origin. Note that this is exactly the same
velocity field as in the previous example using the stream function.
Irrotationality
If we attempt to compute the vorticity of the potential-derived velocity field by taking its
curl, we find that the vorticity vector is identically zero. For example, for the vorticity
x-component we find
x

w
v


2
2

= 0
y
z
y z
z y
yz
zy

and similarly we can also show that y = 0 and z = 0. This is of course just a manifestation
of the general vector identity curl(grad) = 0 . Hence, any velocity field defined in terms
of a velocity potential is automatically an irrotational flow . Often the synonymous term
potential flow is also used.
Directional Derivative
In many situations, only one particular component of the velocity is required. For example,
for computing the mass flow across a surface, we only require the normal velocity component.
~ n
This is typically computed via the dot product V
. In terms of the velocity potential, we
have

~ n
V
= n
=
n
where the final partial derivative /n is called the directional derivative of the potential
along the normal coordinate n. The figure illustrates the relations.

= 4
= 3
= 2

V=

= 1

V . n^ = 6
6n

In general, the component of the velocity along any direction can be obtained simply by
taking the directional derivative of the potential along that same direction.
4

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