Example 5

Consider steady, incompressible, parallel, laminar flow of

a viscous fluid falling between two infinite vertical walls
(Fig. 5). The distance between the walls is h, and gravity
acts in the negative z-direction (downward in the figure).
There is no applied (forced) pressure driving the flow—
the fluid falls by gravity alone. The pressure is constant
everywhere in the flow field. Calculate the velocity field
and sketch the velocity profile using appropriate
nondimensionalized variables.
Solution of Example 5:

Make assumptions as;

1. Flow is parallel. → u=0
∂
2. 2D in x-z plane → =0
∂y
∂p ∂p
3. Pressure is constant at everywhere. → =
∂x ∂z
=0

Apply these assumptions to Continuity equation and

Navier-Stokes equations, then
∂u ∂w ∂w
Continuity: ∂x + ∂z = 0 → use assumption 1 → ∂z = 0
NS equations:
∂u ∂u ∂u 1 ∂p
x-component: u +v +w =− + ν∇ 2u → use assumption 1~3 → All terms vanish
∂x ∂y ∂z ρ ∂x
∂w ∂w ∂w 1 ∂p
z-component: u +v +w =− + ν∇ 2 w − g
∂x ∂y ∂z ρ ∂z
∂2w ρ g
→ use assumption 1~3 and simplified Continuity equation → 2 =
∂x µ

From simplified z-component of NS equation, we obtain

ρg 2
w( x) = x + Ax + B
2µ
Apply boundary conditions (i.e. no-slip condition) such as;
At x=0 →w(0)=0
At x=h →w(h)=0
ρgh
in order to get the coefficients A and B. →A=− 2µ
,B = 0
2
ρg ⎛ h⎞ ρgh 2
Finally, w( x) = ⎜x− ⎟ −
2µ ⎝ 2⎠ 8µ
To non-dimensionalize this velocity profile, set non-
dmensional variables as;
x
x* = → x = hx *
h
wµ ρgh 2 *
w =
*
→w= w
ρgh 2 µ
Plug these variables into the velocity profile, the obtain
w* ( x * ) =
2
(
1 *2
x − x* )
Example 6
Consider steady, incompressible, laminar flow of a
Newtonian fluid in an infinitely long round pipe annulus
of inner radius Ri and outer radius Ro (Fig. P6). Ignore
the effects of gravity. A constant negative pressure
gradient _P/_x is applied in the x-direction,
( ∂P ∂x ) = ( P2 − P1 ) ( x2 − x1 ) , where x1 and x2 are two
arbitrary locations along the x-axis, and P1 and P2 are the
pressures at those two locations. The pressure gradient
may be caused by a pump and/or gravity. Note that we
adopt a modified cylindrical coordinate system here with
x instead of z for the axial component, namely, ( r , θ , x )
and ( ur , uθ , u ) . Derive an expression for the velocity field
in the annular space in the pipe.
Solution of Example 6:

Make assumptions as;

∂
1. Flow is axisymmetric → = 0, uθ = 0
∂θ
2. Flow is parallel → ur = 0
Apply these assumptions to Continuity equation and
Navier-Stokes equations in cylindrical coordinates, then
1 ∂ ( ru ) 1 ∂u ∂u ∂u
Continuity: r ∂r r + r ∂θθ + ∂x = 0 → use assumption 1 and 2 → ∂x = 0
NS equations:
• r - component :
⎛ ∂u r uθ ∂u r uθ2 ∂u ⎞ ∂p ⎡ 1 ∂ ⎛ ∂u r
⎞ u r 1 ∂ u r 2 ∂uθ ∂ u ⎤
2 2
ρ ⎜⎜ u r + − + u ⎟⎟ = − + ρg r + µ ⎢ ⎜r ⎟ − + − + ⎥
⎝ ∂r r ∂θ r ∂x ⎠ ∂r ⎣ r ∂r ⎝ ∂r
⎠ r
2
r 2 ∂θ 2 r 2 ∂θ ∂x 2 ⎦
∂p
→ use assumption1,2 and simplified Continutity equation → − =0
∂r
• θ - component :
⎛ ∂uθ uθ ∂uθ u r uθ ∂uθ ⎞ 1 ∂p ⎡ 1 ∂ ⎛ ∂uθ ⎞ uθ 1 ∂ 2 uθ 2 ∂u r ∂ 2 uθ ⎤
ρ ⎜ ur + − +u ⎟=− + ρg θ + µ ⎢ ⎜r ⎟− 2 + 2 + + ⎥
⎝ ∂r r ∂θ r ∂x ⎠ r ∂θ ⎣ r ∂r ⎝ ∂r ⎠ r r ∂θ 2 r 2 ∂θ ∂x 2 ⎦
→ use assumption1,2 and simplified Continutity equation → All terms vanish

• x - component :
⎛ ∂u uθ ∂u ∂u ⎞ ∂p ⎡ 1 ∂ ⎛ ∂u ⎞ 1 ∂ 2 u ∂ 2 u ⎤
ρ ⎜ ur + + u ⎟ = − + ρg z + µ ⎢ ⎜r ⎟ + 2 + 2⎥
⎝ ∂x r ∂θ ∂x ⎠ ∂x ⎣ r ∂r ⎝ ∂r ⎠ r ∂θ ∂x ⎦
2

∂p 1 ∂ ⎛ ∂u ⎞
→ use assumption1,2 and simplified Continuity equation → − + µ ⎜r ⎟ = 0
∂x r ∂r ⎝ ∂r ⎠
Make use of simplified x-component of NS equation;
∂ ⎛ ∂u ⎞ r ∂p ∂u r 2 ∂p
⎜ r ⎟ = → Integrate both sides by r → r = + C1 → Integrate both sides by r again
∂r ⎝ ∂r ⎠ µ ∂x ∂r 2 µ ∂x
r 2 ∂p
→ u (r ) = + C1 ln r + C2
4µ ∂x
Apply boundary conditions such as;
At r=Ri : u=0
At r=Ro : u=0
Then, obtain the constants C1 and C2 as;

Therefore, the final solution is