Approximations in solving transport problems

1) Reduction in dimensionality
more independent variables = more difficulty in solving DEs!
desirable to reduce # of variables
what conditions permit a 3D flow to be treated as 2D, 1D?
symmetry
choosing best coordinate system
discard variables not required by
conservation or BCs
aspect ratio
y
y
v
x x

can time dependence be neglected? s.s.

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2) Non-dimensionalization / scaling
scale factors are chosen so that scaled variables are ~1
if and are scaled dependent/independent variables, then
d d2
~ 1, ~ 1, ~1
d d 2

to find the right scale need to estimate the maximum order of

magnitude for a variable

2
imensional analysis and dimensionless variables
(
(

H
(
(
(

(
(

(Continuity)
(

magnitude of various

(
(

(
(
(

(
terms revealed by (Navier-Stokes)
(

dimensionless or
coefficients:
(

(
(

(
(

(
(

(
(

3
3) Approaches to tackle PDEs
Similarity solutions (combination of variables)
only works for semi-infinite regions

Separation of variables

4
mpulsively started plate starting of a plane Couette flow
sumptions: v=[vx(y,t),0,0]

vx dP 2 vx
2
t dx y
vx 2 vx
2
t y BSL, T.P. 2ed, Wiley

C. vx(y,t=0)=0fluidinitiallyatrest
C.1 vx(y=0,t>0)=Vnoslip;fluidmovingwithplate
C.2 vx(y=,t>0)=0fluidfarawayfromplateisnotmoving

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mpulsively started plate starting of a plane Couette flow
sumptions: v=[vx(y,t),0,0]

v
vx x

(
Nowintroduce V

vx 2 vx
(

2
t y

so vx f y, t,
(

furtherintroduce:
BSL, T.P. 2ed, Wiley
y
, so vx F
(

4 t

vx y, 0 0
(

. vx(y,t=0)=0
vx 0, t 1
(

C.1 vx(y=0,t>0)=V

vx , t 0
(

C.2 vx(y=,t>0)=0

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 pulsively started plate starting of a plane Couette flow
y
, vx F

(
4 t

vx 2 vx vx dF F

(
(
(

2 LHS:
t y becomes t d t 2t F F
,
vx dF F 2t 4 t

(
RHS:
y d y 2 t or F 2 F 0

2 vx F F

(

y2 y 2 t 4 t

vx y, 0 0 F 0
(

.

C.1 vx 0, t
1 F 0 1
(

C.2 vx , t 0 F 0
(

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 pulsively started plate starting of a plane Couette flow
F 2 F 0
d
F 2 F
d
dF
2d
F
ln F 2 c1
dF 2
C1e
d
F C1 e d C2
2

F C1 e d 1
2
by B.C.2
0

2
F 0 C1 e d 1
2
C1 1 by B.C.1, so C1
0
2

C.1 F 0
C.2 F 0 1 8
mpulsively started plate starting of a plane Couette flow

2 2
F 1

0
e d 1 erf erfc

y
, F vx erf(x)

(
4 t

utions look like erfc(x)

t=10
v/V
t=1
t=0.5
t=0.1
t=0.001

y 9