Chapter 5
Q. 5.42
Velocity potential of a certain flow field is given as: \phi=4 x y . . Check whether the stream function exists or not? If exists obtain an expression for stream function for the flow. Sketch the streamlines of the flow.
Step-by-Step
Verified Solution
Given that:
Velocity potential as \phi=4 x y
For irrotational flow, the velocity potential (\phi) is defined as
u=\frac{\partial \phi}{\partial x}
v=\frac{\partial \phi}{\partial y}
Thus, the velocity components becomes
u = 4y
v = 4x
Hence, \frac{\partial u}{\partial x}=0
\frac{\partial v}{\partial y}=0
\frac{\partial u}{\partial x}+\frac{\partial v}{\partial y}=0
The above velocity field satisfies the continuity equation for incompressible flow and hence the stream function exists.
From the definition of stream function ψ, we get
u=\frac{\partial \psi}{\partial y}
or \psi=\int u d y=\int 4 y d y
or \psi=2 y^2+f(x) (5.8o)
v=\frac{\partial \psi}{\partial x}
\psi=-\int v d x=-\int 4 x d x
or \psi=-2 x^2+g(y) (5.81)
Comparing Eqs. (5.80) and (5.81), we have
\psi=2 y^2-2 x^2
Hence, the stream function for the flow is
\psi=2 y^2-2 x^2
The streamlines are lines of constant tyand for constant \psi, 2 y^2-2 x^2 = constant represents a hyperbola.
For different values of \psi , streamlines are plotted in Fig. 5.28.
