Flow fluid about a line source

Problem Statement
Consider the symmetric radial flow of an incompressible, inviscid fluid outward from
an infinitely long uniform source, coincident with the z-axis of a cylindrical
coordinate system. Fluid is being generated at a volumetric rate per unit length of
source.
a. Show that the Laplace equation for the velocity potential for this system is:

1
r
=0
r r r

( )

b. From the equation find the velocity potential, velocity and pressure as
functions of position:

ln ( r )
2

Where

V r=

2 r

2
8 2 r2

is the value of the modified pressure far away from the source.

c. Discuss the applicability of the results in (b) to the flow about a well drilled
into a large body of porous rock.
d. Sketch the flow net of streamlines and equipped liners
Analytical Analysis
Parameters given:

=0
t

Steady state

Incompressible fluid i.e. constant density

Inviscid fluid (viscosity, =0)
Volumetric rate per unit length is

Flow of fluid is only in the radial direction, thus

v r =vr (r ) ;

v =0

v z=0

From equation 4.2-1C, Axisymmetric Cylindrical coordinates with no dependence on

, velocity components for stream function () defined as:

vr =

+1
r z

v z=

1
r r

Any vector that has zero curl can be written in gradient of a scalar function such as

v = =i

=v r i . Therefore,
r

vr =

Stream function (r) is defined as:

vr =

+1
r z

Equating equations (nnnnnnn)

1
=
r r z

Laplacian function of velocity potential is defined as:

2
2
r

Rearranging the above term followed by differentiating with respect to r:

=
r
z

r
=
r r r z

( ) (

Recall is only a function of r ,hence

=0
z

Therefore by substituting this relationship into the above equation the Laplace
equation is:

r
=0 .
r r

( )

Alternatively, we can derive this equation from continuity equation as follows.

The equation for continuity in cylindrical coordinate is given by equation B.4-2:

1 ( r v r ) 1 ( v ) ( v z )
+
+
+
=0
t r r
r
z
v r =vr (r ) and steady state, incompressible fluid.
Recall that

v z=0

i.e. no fluid flows along the z-direction since the length of the

cylinder is infinite in this direction. Also

Thus, the continuity equation reduces to

as

. v=0 . Also

v =0 since there is no circular rotation.

1 ( r v r)
r r

which in vector form is written

v = , therefore, we have;

. v = -( . =

2 =0 .

For purely radial flow, this laplace equation can be expressed as

2 1
+
=0 .
2
r r r

This can be written as total differential since it is a 1D equation. Thus

1 d d
r
=0 .
r dr dr

( )

Deriving velocity potential, velocity and pressure distribution

1 d
d
r
=0
r dr dr

( )

d
d
r
=0
dr d r

( )

Integrating the above term with respect to r you will have:

d
=C1
dr

Further integration with respect to r results into:

=C 1 ln ( r )+C 2

Recall from velocity potential definition in eqn (YYY) above

Therefore

vr =

vr =

d
dr

d C 1
=
dr
r

r v r=C 1

Volumetric rate per unit length

( QL )

is given by

Q=vA=v r A
Q= v r r z
2

Therefore

Q
= v r = C1
L 0 r
0

Q
=2 C 1
L
C 1=

Q
=
2 L 2

Substituting C1 into eqn (PPPP), the velocity equation derived will be:

vr =

2 r

Velocity potential

vr =

C 1
=
r
r

Recall from eqn(ppp)

=C 1 ln ( r )+C 2
Since flow is radially symmetric at r=0, maximum velocity acts at this point, thus

vr
=0
r
v r
=
=0
r 2 r2
Hence

=0, v r=0
Therefore C1 at r=0 can be computed as:

C1 =

0
= =0
2 2

Boundary Conditions:
BC1: r=0

=0

Substituting boundary condition to equation(pppp)

0=0 ln ( r ) +C2
C2 =0
=

ln ( r )
2

Pressure as function of distribution

Equation of motion (Equation B.6-4)

1
Reduced Equation:

vr

d v r d P
=
dr
dr

vr =

2 r

v r
=
r 2 r2

Substituting these terms to the reduced equation above results in:

d P 2
= 2 3
dr
4 r
Integrating above equation
Boundary conditions (BC)
BC1.

r=r,

BC2.

r= ,

2
2
2
vr
v v v
v v 2 p
1
1 vr vr 2 v
+ vr r + r + vz r =
+
r
v
+
+

+ gr
( r) 2 2
t
r r
z
r
r
r r r
r
z2 r2

P=P

2
P= 4 2 r 3 r
P
r
2
PP=
8 2 r2

PP=

2
8 2 r2

P=