FLUID MECHANICS I

Solution 1

Question 1: Example 4.1 p227

The solution is given in p227 of the textbook.

Question2
For a fluid flow with a velocity field:
~ (x, y, z, t) = 2xî − 2y ĵ + 0k̂[m/s]
V

estimate the fluid velocity and acceleration at the point (2, 1, 0)[m].
Calculation of the velocity:

u(x, y, z, t) = 2x[m/s] v(x, y, z, t) = −2y[m/s] w(x, y, z, t) = 0m/s

u(2, 1, 0, t) = 4[m/s] v(2, 1, 0, t) = −2[m/s] w(2, 1, 0, t) = 0[m/s]
or
~ (2, 1, 0, t) = 4î − 2ĵ + 0k̂[m/s]
V
Calculation of the acceleration:
Du ∂u ∂u ∂u ∂u
ax ≡ = +u +v +w = 4x[m/s2 ]
Dt ∂t ∂x ∂y ∂z
Dv ∂v ∂v ∂v ∂v
ay ≡ = +u +v +w = 4y[m/s2 ]
Dt ∂t ∂x ∂y ∂z
Dw ∂w ∂w ∂w ∂w
az ≡ = +u +v +w = 0[m/s2 ]
Dt ∂t ∂x ∂y ∂z
Therefore

ax (2, 1, 0, t) = 8[m/s2 ]
ay (2, 1, 0, t) = 4[m/s2 ]
az (2, 1, 0, t) = 0[m/s2 ]

or
~a(2, 1, 0, t) = 8î + 4ĵ + 0k̂[m/s2 ]
Note that the plots were produced using a math package (Matlab) for illus-
tration. However, use of such a package will not be required for the exams.

1
 Velocity Field Plot
5

3
y [m]

−1
−6 −4 −2 0 2 4 6
x [m]

Figure 1: Velocity field plot

Acceleration Field Plot

6

3
y [m]

−1
−6 −4 −2 0 2 4 6
x [m]

Figure 2: Acceleration field plot

2
Question 3: P4.5

~ (x, y, z, t) = Uo x î − Uo y ĵ + 0 k̂
V
L L
with Uo and L constants.
a) Acceleration components

∂u ∂u ∂u ∂u ³ x ´ µU ¶ ³ y´
o
ax = +u +v +w = (0) + U0 + −Uo (0) + 0
∂t ∂x ∂y ∂z L L L
³ x´ ³ µ ¶
∂v ∂v ∂v ∂v y´ U0
ay = +u +v +w = (0) + U0 (0) + −Uo − +0
∂t ∂x ∂y ∂z L L L
∂w ∂w ∂w ∂w
az = +u +v +w = 0 m.s−2
∂t ∂x ∂y ∂z
The resultant acceleration is
U02 U02 U02
~a = x î + y ĵ = ~r
L2 L2 L2
(1)

b)

U02 p 2
|a| = 25 = 1 + 12
1.52
U0 = 6.3 m/s.

Question 4: P4.6

~ = V0 (1 + 2 x ) î + 0 ĵ + 0k̂
V
L
a) The acceleration components are
µ ¶
∂u ∂u ∂u ∂u 2V 2 2x
ax = +u +v +w = 0 1+
∂t ∂x ∂y ∂z L L
ay = 0.0 m.s−2
az = 0.0 m.s−2

At x=L, the acceleration is

6V02
~a = î
L

3
Question 5: P4.7

µ 3
¶
~ = u î = U0 1 + R
V
x3
a) The acceleration components are
µ ¶µ ¶
R3 R3
ax = U0 1 + 3 −3U0 4
x x
ay = 0.0 m.s−2
az = 0.0 m.s−2
The maximum occurs where
dax
=0
dx
i.e. at x = −(7R3 /4)1/3 ≈ −1.205 R.

Question 6: Example 1.13 p41

The solution is given in p41 of the textbook.

Question 7: P1.81

~ = Kxt î − Kytĵ + 0 k̂
V
The flow is unsteady and two-dimensional. To find the streamline equation use
dx dy
=
u v
dx dy
=
Kxt −Kyt
The terms K and t both vanish and leave us with the same results as in Example
1.13 p41, that is,
Z x Z y
dx −dy
=
x x y0 y
µ0 ¶ µ ¶
x y0
⇒ ln = ln
x0 y
⇒ xy = x0 y0 = Constant
Note that you integrate from x0 ,y0 to x,y which corresponds to the streamline
passing through a point (x0 , y0 ).
The streamlines have exactly the same shape as in Fig. 1.13 p 41. However the
flow is accelerating with increasing time.

4
Question 8: P1.82

~ = V0 cosθ î + V0 sinθ ĵ + 0 k̂
V

where V0 and θ are constants.

Streamline equation passing through point (x0 , y0 )
dx dy dx dy
= = =
u v V0 cosθ V0 sinθ
dy
⇒ = tanθ
dx
Integrate such as
Z y Z x
dy = tanθdx
y0 x0
⇒ y = (tanθ)x + y0 − (tanθ)x0 = (tanθ) x + Constant

The streamlines are straight parallel lines which make an angle θ with the x
axis. The velocity field represents a uniform stream moving upward at angle θ.

Question 9
The fluid flow in the region above the two planes : y = x and y = −x can be
approximated by the velocity field:

~ (x, y, z, t) = −0.004 x y
V î − 0.004 2 ĵ + 0k̂[m/s]
x2 + y 2 x + y2
1. Make a sketch of the region in which the fluid flows for 0[m] < y < 1.0[m],
See Figure 3.

1.2

0.8

0.6
y [m]

0.4

0.2

−0.2

−1 −0.5 0 0.5 1
x [m]

Figure 3: Region of interest

5
2. Plot the streamlines in the flow region ( 0[m] < y < 1.0[m]),
Along any streamline that goes through the point (x0 , y0 ) in the flow
region:
vdx − udy = 0 or
y x
−0.004 2 dx + 0.004 2 dy = 0 or
x + y2 x + y2
dx dy
− = 0
x y
Now integrate from the point (x0 , y0 ) to another point (x, y) on the stream-
line: Z x Z y
dx dy y x
− =0⇒ =
x0 x y0 y y 0 x 0
This is the equation of a straight line which goes through the origin and
the point (x0 , y0 ). Figure 4 shows a set of streamlines obtained by varying
the reference point (x0 , y0 ).

1.2

0.8

0.6
y [m]

0.4

0.2

−0.2

−1 −0.8 −0.6 −0.4 −0.2 0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1

x [m]

Figure 4: Streamline plot

3. What is the fluid acceleration at the points (0.0[m], 0.5[m]) and (0.1[m], 0.5[m])?

∂u ∂u ∂u ∂u
ax = +u +v +w
∂t ∂x ∂y ∂z
2 x 2
= −(0.004) 2 [m/s ]
(x2 + y 2 )
∂v ∂v ∂v ∂v
ay = +u +v +w
∂t ∂x ∂y ∂z
2 y 2
= −(0.004) 2 [m/s ]
(x2 + y 2 )

6
 These expressions were evaluated with Maple.
Therefore

~a(0.0[m], 0.5[m]) = 0î − 1.28 · 10−4 ĵ + 0k̂[m/s2 ]

~a(0.1[m], 0.5[m]) = −2.37 · 10−5 î − 1.18 · 10−4 ĵ + 0k̂[m/s2 ]

Notice that the fluid parcels accelerate towards the origin.

4. Is the velocity field realistic in the region of the origin, (0.0[m], 0.0[m])?
At the origin the fluid velocity and acceleration approach ∞ so the velocity
field is NOT realistic in the region of the origin.