MAAE 2300: Fluid Mechanics I 6.

FLUIDS IN MOTION

Instructor: D. Feszty

Carleton University

In Fluid Kinematics or Fluid Dynamics, the knowledge of the velocity distribution throughout the flowfield is imperative for determining the forces acting on the body immersed in the fluid. For example, to determine the lift generated by an airplane wing, we need to know the velocity distribution around it. Or, to determine the wind loads acting on a skyscraper or a wind turbine, we need to know the velocity distribution along the building or the turbine blades. In Fluid Mechanics, there are two ways to express the equations for fluids in motion: in the Lagrangian or in the Eulerian viewpoint.

6.1. Lagrangian viewpoint In this approach, individual fluid particles are considered and their motion tracked:

Position of fluid particle:

( ) with:

x, y, z coordinates , unit vectors

Velocity of fluid particle:

( ) with:

u, v, w velocity components in x, y, z coordinates

The above expressions are for one (1) individual particle only. For the entire flowfield, the motion of ALL fluid particles has to be considered simultaneously. This is usually a very challenging task for large number of particles, such as air at sea level of water. Hence, we usually prefer to use the second approach

6.2. Eulerian viewpoint In this approach, we are focussing on a certain point in space and consider the motion of fluid particles passing that point as time goes by. Position in space: P[x, y, z]

MAAE 2300: Fluid Mechanics I Velocity at point P:

Instructor: D. Feszty u = f1(x, y, z, t) v = f2(x, y, z, t) w = f3(x, y, z, t)

Carleton University

6.3. Graphical illustration The difference between the Lagrangian and Eulerian viewpoints can be illustrated graphically as: LAGRANGIAN
particle 1 inflow w outflow w dy dx elementary small volume

EULERIAN

dz

particle 2

To describe the entire flowfield, each and every particle has to be considered simultaneously.

We dont distinguish between individual particles. Instead, we consider their total effect in an elementary small volume (such as point P in space).

Good for rarefied gas dynamics (i.e. edge of space), where the number of particles is relatively small.

Good for fluids, where the number of particles is large.

MAAE 2300: Fluid Mechanics I 6.4. Flow pattern

Instructor: D. Feszty

Carleton University

In Fluid Mechanics, the pattern of the flow is usually traced (or visualized) via either pathlines, streaklines or streamlines. Their definition is: PATHLINE: a line defining the path of a given particle of fluid (for example: recording the positions of a floating cork on the surface of a river) traces made by a dye or smoke injected at a given point in the flowfield (e.g. smoke tunnel visualization)

STREAKLINE:

STREAMLINE: a line to which velocity vectors are tangent at all points along itself

The difference between these three definitions can be illustrated on the following example: Consider a 4 m/s velocity vector acting at a fixed point A in the coordinate system. Between time 0-4.99 s, the velocity vector is horizontal, however, at time 5 s it turns by 70 degrees upwards and stays in this direction for the remaining time. Then, the pathline, streakline and streamline visualization would be:

PATHLINE:

STREAKLINE:

STREAMLINE:

t=0s

t = 4.5 s

A t = 5.5 s A A A

A A A

t = 10 s

MAAE 2300: Fluid Mechanics I

Instructor: D. Feszty

Carleton University

STREAMTUBE: within this course, we will frequently refer to the term streamtube, which means a fictitious tube with walls composed not by solid material, but by streamlines. This means just like for solid tubes no flow through the walls since streamlines are curves to which velocity is always tangent.

streamline streamtube A wind turbines wake can be considered to be a streamtube.

Source: http://electrical-engineeringportal.com/aerodynamics-of-horizontal-axis-windturbines

6.5. Uniform and non-uniform flow (variation of flow in space) UNIFORM FLOW: no change in the velocity from point to point along any of the streamlines. This means that streamlines must be straight and parallel.

water surface

Note: s is direction along Streamline

flow between parallel plates (no friction)

open channel flow (no friction)

MAAE 2300: Fluid Mechanics I

Instructor: D. Feszty

Carleton University

NON-UNIFORM FLOW: change of velocity along the streamline (typically means non-parallel or non-straight streamlines)

converging flow (change of velocity magnitude along streamline)

vortex flow (change of velocity direction along streamline)

MAAE 2300: Fluid Mechanics I

Instructor: D. Feszty

Carleton University

6.6. Steady vs. unsteady flow (variation of flow in time) STEADY FLOW: at any given point, the velocity does NOT vary with time in magnitude or direction. Example: airfoil at low angle of attack.

Source: hu.wikipedia.org & NASA

UNSTEADY FLOW:

at a given point in the flowfield, the velocity does vary by time. Example: airfoil at high angle of attack.

Source: NASA

MAAE 2300: Fluid Mechanics I 6.7. Laminar vs. turbulent flow LAMINAR FLOW:

Instructor: D. Feszty

Carleton University

a very organized flow, in which fluid layers shear on each other.

TURBULENT FLOW:

characterised by mixing action throughout the flowfield, caused by eddies of varying size within the flow. Turbulent flow is essentially an unsteady flow but due to the small-scale of eddies we usually look at average effects and so we consider it steady flow.

Source: http://www.sailtheory.com/resistance.html

6.8. 1D, 2D and 3D flow The most general representation of a fluid particles velocity is by 3 components: [u, v, w]. 1D flow: flow conditions change along one dimension only and are constant over any plane perpendicular to the streamlines.

MAAE 2300: Fluid Mechanics I 2D flow:

Instructor: D. Feszty

Carleton University

flow conditions change along 2 dimensions only (third component of velocity is zero)

The flow in this plane is essentially 2D

infinetly long wing

Source: http://www.5dt.com/products/ifloviz04.html & http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lift_(force)

3D flow:

flow conditions change in all 3 dimensions. For example, flow around a skyscraper or a racecar.

Source: http://www.cg.tuwien.ac.at/research/vis/Miscellaneous/ESIS/

Source: http://scmfastslow.blogspot.ca/2010/11/aerodynamics.html

Note: Due to viscous effects (no-slip condition at the wall, Sec. 2.5 2.6) real flows are not truly 1D, but it is often sufficient to assume they are and the use of mean values in each plane is sufficient.