Scribd
Upload
52 views8 pages

CE212-2-Hydrodynamics-3-Stream Function

Three types of lines are used to illustrate fluid flow patterns: path lines, stream lines, and streak lines. Streamlines are useful for analyzing unsteady fluid flows and can be visualized through experiments by marking and photographing fluid particles. The stream function is a mathematical function that can describe fluid flow patterns and velocities through relationships with streamlines and the conservation of mass.

Uploaded by

Abdulwahab khan
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
52 views8 pages

CE212-2-Hydrodynamics-3-Stream Function

Three types of lines are used to illustrate fluid flow patterns: path lines, stream lines, and streak lines. Streamlines are useful for analyzing unsteady fluid flows and can be visualized through experiments by marking and photographing fluid particles. The stream function is a mathematical function that can describe fluid flow patterns and velocities through relationships with streamlines and the conservation of mass.

Uploaded by

Abdulwahab khan
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 8

Visualization of Fluid Flow

Three basic types of lines used to illustrate fluid flow patterns are:

Path line:
A line that represents the actual path traversed by a single fluid
particle.

Stream line:
A line that is everywhere tangent to the local velocity vector at
a given instant.

Streak line:
A line that represents the locus of fluid particles at a given
instant that have earlier passed through a prescribed point.

1
Flow Paths

• Streamlines are useful in fluid flow analysis, but are


difficult to observe experimentally for unsteady flows.

• The pathline is a Lagrangian concept that can be


visualized in the laboratory by “marking” a fluid particle
and taking a time exposure photograph of its trajectory.

• The streakline can be visualized in the laboratory by


continuously marking all fluid particles passing through a
fixed point and taking an instantaneous photograph.

• Streamlines, pathlines, and streak-lines are identical for


steady flows.
2
Streamlines
• For 2-D flows, the streamline equation can be determined
by integrating the slope equation:

dy v

dx u

Where u = u (x, y, t) and v = v (x, y, t)

• The resulting equation is normally written in terms of the


stream function:  (x,y) = constant

3
Stream Function
• It is convenient to have a means of describing mathematically any particular
pattern of flow.

• An adequate description should portray the notion of the shape of the


streamlines (including the boundaries) and the scale of the velocity
representative points in the flow.

• A mathematical device that serves this purpose is the stream function.

• The stream function is formulated as a relation between the streamlines and


the statement of conservation of mass.

• The stream function is a single mathematical function ψ(x, y, t), that


replaces the two velocity components, u(x,y,t) and v(x,y,t).

• Steady, incompressible, plane, two-dimensional flow represents one of the


simplest types of flow of practical importance.

• By plane, two-dimensional flow we mean that there are only two velocity
components, such as u and v, when the flow is considered to be in the 4x–y
plane
Stream Function
For a two-dimensional incompressible flow in the xy plane, the Continuity
Equation reduces to

u v
 0 V v  

x y x


u 
y
We still have two variables, u and v, to deal with, but they must be related in a
special way as indicated.

This equation suggests that if we define a function ψ(x, y), called the Stream
Function, which relates the velocities as

Substituting in the above equation


  2 
u 
y  v    xy
y v  
5x
Then the continuity equation is identically satisfied Stream Function

Another particular advantage of using the stream function is related to the fact
that lines along which ψ is constant are streamlines.
The change in the value of ψ as we move from one point (x, y) to a nearby point
(x + dx, y + dy) along a line of constant ψ is given by the relationship:

dy v
And, therefore, along a line of constant ψ

dx u
The actual numerical value associated with a particular streamline is not of
particular significance, but the change in the value of ψ is related to the volume
rate of flow.
6
Let dq represent the volume rate of flow (per unit width
perpendicular to the x–y plane) passing between the two streamlines
(ψ and ψ+dψ) by referring to triangular fluid element.

Thus, the volume rate of flow, q, between


two streamlines such as ψ1 and ψ2, can be
determined by integrating to yield:

7
Potential Function
Another function encountered in the flow of ideal fluids is the Potential Function φ.
The existence of a potential function means that the flow is irrotational.
The velocity components are the negative gradient of the potential function.
 
u   v  
x y
The negative sign indicates that ϕ decreases in the direction of velocity increase.
Substituting the velocity components as derivatives of the potential function into
the conservation of mass equation gives

u v  2  2
   0
x y x 2
y 2

• This is Laplace’ equation. Solving it for either the stream function or the
potential function yields the irrotational flow field for an Ideal Fluid.
• The streamlines and lines of constant potential are everywhere orthogonal.
• This system of orthogonal streamlines and potential lines is called Flow Net.
8

You might also like