CVNG 2005

- Mechanics of Fluids II
Part II: Potential Flows
Lecture 2
Basic Plane Potential Flows

CVNG 2005 Mechanics of Fluids II

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

Basic Plane Potential Flows

Uniform Flow
Source and Sink
Vortex
Doublet

CVNG 2005 Mechanics of Fluids II

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

Uniform Flow

The simplest plane flow is one for which the streamlines are all straight and
parallel, and the magnitude of the velocity is constant. This type of flow is
called a uniform flow.

Here: Flow only in the positive x direction

u=U and v=0

=U
=0
x
y
= Ux

=U
=0
y
x
= Uy

equipotential
lines are paralell
to the y-axis

streamlines are
paralell to the xaxis

CVNG 2005 Mechanics of Fluids II

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

Uniform Flow

These results can be generalized to provide the velocity potential and stream
function for a uniform flow at an angle with the x axis:

= U ( x cos + y sin )
= U ( y cos x sin )

CVNG 2005 Mechanics of Fluids II

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

Source and Sink

A 2-D source is a line (from
a mathematical
perspective) that runs
perpendicular to the plane
of flow and injects fluid
equally in all directions.
The figure shows the flow
field of a source at the
origin, from which fluid
particles emerge and follow
radial pathlines.
CVNG 2005 Mechanics of Fluids II
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

Source and Sink

The strength of a source, denoted

by m, is the volume rate of flow
emanating from unit length of the
line.
V&

m=

By conservation of mass

m = 2 r ur
for any radial distance r from the
source located at the origin.

Hence:

ur =

1
m
=
=
r r 2 r

u =

=0
=
r
r

CVNG 2005 Mechanics of Fluids II

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

Source and Sink

1
m
=
=
r r 2 r
1

=0
=
u =
r
r

ur =

Integrating:

m
=
ln r
2

equipotential lines are

concentric circles centered on
the origin
Streamlines are radial lines

when m>0, the flow is radially outward, the origin is a SOURCE

when m<0, the flow is radially inward, the origin is a SINK
the origin is a singularity where ur
conservation of mass is satisfied everywhere except the origin
CVNG 2005 Mechanics of Fluids II
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

Example: Source and Sink

A nonviscous,
incompressible fluid flows
between wedge-shaped
walls out of a small opening
as shown in the figure. The
velocity potential (in m2/s),
which approximately
describes this flow is:

= 4 ln r
Determine the volume rate of
flow (per unit length) out of
the opening.

CVNG 2005 Mechanics of Fluids II

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

vr

45

Vortex

In contrast to a source, a vortex has

the pathlines being circles centered
on the origin, and fluid particles
move along these circles. The vortex
can be used to model the flow round
the plughole in a bathtub. An
irrotational vortex is called a free
vortex.

The strength of a vortex is measured

by the circulation = V ds around
C

a closed curve C that encloses the

center of the vortex.

CVNG 2005 Mechanics of Fluids II

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

Vortex
1
ur =
=0
=
r r

u =
=
=
r
r 2 r

Integrating for a free vortex:

ln r
2

equipotential lines are radial

lines
Streamlines are concentric
circles centered on the origin

CVNG 2005 Mechanics of Fluids II

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

= V ds
C

Vortex
Free vortex (irrotational):

ur = 0 u =

2 r

K
r

= ln r = K ln r
2

Forces vortex (rotational):

u r = 0 u = r
= r 2
=

r2
2

CVNG 2005 Mechanics of Fluids II

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

Flow not defined at origin!

Example: Free Vortex

CVNG 2005 Mechanics of Fluids II

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

Doublet

Consider a combination of
a source and a sink of
equal strength m and
separated at a distance 2a

If the source and sink are

moved indefinitely closer
together (a0) in such a
way that the product 2am
(distance apart strength)
is kept finite and constant
(i.e. increase m), then we
obtain a doublet.

CVNG 2005 Mechanics of Fluids II

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

Doublet

The streamline and potential

line pattern for a doublet is
shown in the right figure.

The line joining the source to

the sink is called the axis of
the doublet, and is taken to be
positive in the direction from
sink to source.

The strength of the doublet is

K=

ma

CVNG 2005 Mechanics of Fluids II

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

Doublet
1
K cos
=
=
ur =
r r
r2

1
K sin
=
=
u =
r
r
r2
Integrating:

K cos
=
r

equipotential lines are circles

through the origin tangent to
the y-axis

K sin
=
r

streamlines are circles through

the origin tangent to the x-axis

CVNG 2005 Mechanics of Fluids II

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

Summary of Basic Plane Potential Flows

The basic potential flows that have been discussed so far are more mathematical
constructions than physically realistic entities (although a source/sink may represent the
flow field of an injection/withdrawing well, and so on). However a combination of these
basic potential flows may provide a representation of some flow fields of practical interest.

CVNG 2005 Mechanics of Fluids II

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering