MECH 341

Fluid Mechanics II
Darko Matovic, 2012
Queen's University
Dept. of Mechanical and Materials Engineering
Streamfunction, Vorticity
and Velocity Potential

Objectives:

Review the Stream function and its meaning

Introduce Vorticity and Irrotationality

Introduce Potential function

Examples of potential flows

The Stream Function

In a steady, two-dimensional incompressible

flow, we can define stream function as
u=

y
v=

x
then

U=

y

i

x

j

It satisfies continuity by its very definition, but

it is only defined in two-dimensional (planar)
flows
u
x
+
v
y
=0

2

x y

x y
0

Geometric Interpretation of
Introducing stream function,
dx
u
=
dy
v
or udyv dx=0
The definition of a streamline
in two-dimensional flow is:

x
dx+

y
dy=0=d
Thus the streamline goes along the curve
=const.

Vorticity and Irrotationality

We define angular
velocity
z
about
the z axis as
u
z
=
1
2
(
d o
dt

d
dt
)
or
u
z
=
1
2
(
v
x

u
y
)

Similarly:
u
x
=
1
2
(
w
y

v
z
)
; u
y
=
1
2
(
u
z

w
x
)
Or, put together in a vector form:
u=
1
2
(curl

U)=
1
2

i

j

k

x

y

z
u v w

rather than dealing with angular velocity, we define
vorticity as double the angular velocity of the fluid
element:

=2 u=curl

U

Irrotational flow

The flow is irrotational if its vorticity is equal to zero:

curl

U=

U=0

Velocity field is then the gradient of velocity potential, :

U= ; u=

x
; v=

y
; w=

z

Applicability of inviscid
approximation

Velocity Potential and Stream
Function in 2D flows

Velocity potential is defined for both two-dimensional

and three-dimensional fields

Stream function is only defined for two-dimensional flow

In two-dimensional flow, velocity potential and stream

function levels are orthogonal to each other:
u=

x
=

y
; v=

y
=

x
v
r
=

r
=
1
r

0
; v
0
=
1
r

0
=

r
Cartesian Coordinates
Polar Coordinates

Velocity potential and stream
function are interchangeable!
They both satisfy Laplace's equation:

2
=

x
2
+

y
2

2
=

x
2
+

y
2
Cartesian Coordinates Polar Coordinates

2
=
1
r

r
(
r

r
)
+
1
r
2

2

0
2

2
=
1
r

r
(
r

r
)
+
1
r
2

2

0
2

Laplace's equation is linear it
admits superposition:
=m0
=mln r
=K ln r
=K 0
=m0K ln r
=mln r+K 0

Three simple potential flows and
their superposition
Uniform stream Source or sink Irrotational vortex

Conversion between Cartesian and
Polar coordinates
r=

x
2
+y
2
=tan
1
(
y
x
)
x=r cos
y=r sin
u=u
r
cos u

sin
v=u
r
sin +u

cos
u
r
=u cos+v sin
u

=usin +v cos
x
y
r

U
u
v
u
r
u

Uniform Stream

Cartesian Coordinates

Polar Coordinates
=U y =U x
=U r sin =U r cos

Source or Sink

Cartesian Coordinates

Polar Coordinates
=mtan
1
(
y
x
)
=
m
2
ln( x
2
+y
2
)
m=
Q
2 b
=m
=mln r

Irrotational Vortex

Cartesian Coordinates

Polar Coordinates
=
K
2
ln( x
2
+y
2
)
=K tan
1
( y/ x)
=K ln r
=K