Tutorial 1

February 6, 2024

1 Question 1
Given ⃗u = ur eˆr + uθ eˆθ + uz eˆz in cylindrical coordinates and a scalar field
ϕ(r, θ, z, t).Given
∇⃗ = eˆx ∂ + eˆy ∂ + eˆz ∂
∂x ∂y ∂z

⃗ u = ∂u + ∂v + ∂w
∇.⃗
∂x ∂y ∂z
find,

1.1 ⃗
∇ϕ

Let x = r cos θ, y = r sin θ and z = z,

we can write
∂x ∂x
= cos θ & = −r sin θ
∂r ∂θ
∂y ∂y
= sin θ & = −r cos θ
∂r ∂θ
∂x ∂y ∂z
= = 0; =1
∂z ∂z ∂z

1
We can write in matrix form,
 ∂ϕ     ∂ϕ 
cos θ sin θ 0
∂r
 ∂x 
 ∂ϕ 
∂θ
= −r sin θ r cos θ 0  ∂ϕ
∂y 
∂ϕ 0 0 1 ∂ϕ
∂z ∂z

This gives the partial derivatives respect to cylindrical coordinate variables in

terms of partial derivatives with respect to Cartesian coordinate variables.Taking
inverse of the above matrix,
  
∂ϕ   ∂ϕ 
∂x cos θ − sinr θ 0 ∂r
 ∂ϕ  
 ∂y  = sin θ cos θ
r 0  ∂ϕ
∂θ
 (1)
∂ϕ 0 0 1 ∂ϕ
∂z ∂z

Note that ϕ can be any scalar field for which all partial derivatives exist, in-
cluding the coordinate variables themselves.
The gradient can be written in terms of the unit vectors of cylindrical and
Cartesian coordinate systems as

⃗ = a ∂ϕ eˆr + b ∂ϕ eˆθ + c ∂ϕ eˆz = eˆx ∂ϕ + eˆy ∂ϕ + eˆz ∂ϕ

∇ϕ (2)
∂r ∂θ ∂z ∂x ∂y ∂z
where a,b and c are the coefficients to be determined. We can single out com-
ponents of the left hand side by taking dot products with the cylindrical unit
vectors. This approach yields three equations:
∂ϕ ∂ϕ ∂ϕ ∂ϕ ∂ϕ
a = eˆx .eˆr + eˆy .eˆr = cos θ + sin θ
∂r ∂x ∂y ∂x ∂y
∂ϕ ∂ϕ ∂ϕ ∂ϕ ∂ϕ
b = eˆx .eˆθ + eˆy .eˆθ = − sin θ + cos θ
∂θ ∂x ∂y ∂x ∂y
∂ϕ ∂ϕ
c = =⇒ c = 1
∂z ∂z
Solve for a,b by substituting into the first two of these equations,
 
∂ϕ ∂ϕ ∂ϕ ∂ϕ
cos θ + sin θ = a cos θ + sin θ =⇒ a = 1
∂x ∂y ∂x ∂y
 
∂ϕ ∂ϕ ∂ϕ ∂ϕ 1
− sin θ + cos θ = b − r sin θ + r cos θ =⇒ b =
∂x ∂y ∂x ∂y r
So the gradient expression turns out to be,

⃗ = ∂ϕ eˆr + 1 ∂ϕ eˆθ + ∂ϕ eˆz

∇ϕ (3)
∂r r ∂θ ∂z

2
1.2 ⃗ u
∇.⃗
We can write
⃗ u = (∇ur ).eˆr + ur (∇.eˆr ) + (∇uθ ).eˆθ + uθ (∇.eˆθ ) + (∇uz ).eˆz + uz (∇.eˆz )
∇.⃗

The terms involving gradients of the components of the vector field simplify
to the partial derivatives of components with respect to their corresponding
directions, multiplied by the coefficients found in the previous section:

⃗ u = ∂ur + 1 ∂uθ + ∂uz + ur (∇.eˆr ) + uθ (∇.eˆθ ) + uz (∇.eˆz )

∇.⃗
∂r r ∂θ ∂z
So a divergence correction must be applied, which arises from the divergence of
the unit vector fields.
∂1
∇.eˆz = ∇.(0eˆx + 0eˆy + 1eˆz ) = =0
∂z
And the other two require use of the chain rule:
1
∇.eˆr = ∇.(cos θeˆx + sin θeˆy ) =
r
∇.eˆθ = ∇.(− sin θeˆx + cos θeˆy ) = 0
So the expression for the divergence is:
∂ur 1 ∂uθ ∂uz ur
∇.⃗u = + + +
∂r r ∂θ ∂z r

1.3 ⃗ × ⃗u
∇
êr rêθ êz
⃗ × ⃗u = 1
∇ ∂ ∂ ∂
r ∂r ∂r ∂z
ur ruθ uz

2 Question 2
Obtain the velocity stream function relation ship in cylindrical coordinates for
a 2D, incompressible flow.

3
 We know that,
∂ψ ∂ψ
u= &v=−
∂y ∂x
Cartesian and polar coordinates are related by

x = r cos θ & y = r sin θ

y p
tan θ = & r = x2 + y 2
x
Let us fist determine the polar velocity components in terms of the stream
function. Because ψ = f(x, y), and x and y are themselves functions of r and θ,
the chain rule of partial differentiation gives
∂ψ ∂ψ ∂x ∂ψ ∂y
= +
∂r ∂x ∂r ∂y ∂r
∂ψ ∂ψ ∂ψ
= cos θ + sin θ
∂r ∂x ∂y
∂ψ
= −v cos θ + u sin θ (4)
∂r
From the figure uθ = v cos θ − u sin θ, so the equation(4) implies that ∂ψ∂r = −uθ .
Similarly we can show that ∂ψ∂r = ru r .Therefore, the polar velocity components
are related to the stream function by,
1 ∂ψ
ur =
r ∂θ
∂ψ
uθ = −
∂r

3 Question 3
Derive the stream function(ψ) for given velocity field ⃗u = 2xêx − 2yêy .

∂ψ ∂ψ
u= &v=−
∂y ∂x
∂ψ ∂ψ
= 2x & − = −2y
∂y ∂x
on integrating
ψ = 2xy + f (x) & ψ = 2xy + f (y) + c
comparing above two equations

ψ = 2xy + c

4
4 Question 4
Check whether given velocity field is incompressible or not?
⃗ u=0
For an incompressible flow ∇.⃗
1. ⃗u = 2xêx − 2yêy
⃗ u = ∂(2x) + ∂(−2y)
∇.⃗
∂x ∂y
=2−2=0
Therefore, it is an incompressible flow
2.⃗u = 2xêx + 2yêy
⃗ u = ∂(2x) + ∂(2y)
∇.⃗
∂x ∂y
=2+2=4
Therefore, it is not an incompressible flow
3.⃗u = x2 êx − 2xyêy
2
⃗ u = ∂(x ) + ∂(−2xy)
∇.⃗
∂x ∂y
= 2x − 2x = 0
Therefore, it is an incompressible flow