UNIT 3

FLUID KINEMATICS
 WHAT IS FLUID KINEMATICS ?
 Branch of fluid mechanics which deals with response of
fluids in
motion without considering forces and energies in them.

 The study of kinematics is often referred to as the geometry

of motion.

 It is generally a continuous function in space and time.

 Methods of describing Fluid Motion
 Langrangian Method :
 A single fluid particle is followed during its motion
and its, velocity, acceleration, temperature , pressure,
etc) are described.
Eg. Track the location of a migrating bird.
 Eulerian Method :
 Incase of Eulerian method, the velocity,
acceleration, pressure, temperature, etc. ) are
described at a point in flow field. The Eulerian method
is commonly used in fluid mechanics.
Eg. Ounting the birds passing a particular location.
 TYPES OF FLOW
1. Depending upon fluid properties
A) Ideal and Real flow.
B) Compressible and Incompressible flow.

2.Depending upon properties of flow

A) Laminar and turbulent flow.

B) Steady and unsteady flow.
C) Uniform and Non-uniform flow.
D) Rotational and Irrotational flow.
E) One, two and three dimensional flow.
 1. Depending upon fluid properties
A) Ideal and Real flow
• Real fluid flows implies friction effects. Ideal fluid flow is
hypothetical.
• It assumes no friction.

Velocity distribution of pipe flow

 B) Compressible and Incompressible flows
 Incompressible fluid flows assumes the fluid have constant
density while in compressible fluid flow, density is variable
and becomes function of temperature and pressure.
 2.Depending upon properties of flow:
A) Laminar Flow: ( Viscous Flow) or (Stream line Flow)
The flow in which the fluid particles move along a well defined
paths. i.e. each layers are straight and parallel
e.g. : flow through capillary tube, flow of blood in veins
Turbulent Flow:
The flow in which the fluid particles move in zig-zag way
i.e. each layers are not straight and not parallel

e.g.: High velocity flow in large conduit

Reynold’s Number – non-dimensional number

Re < 2000 ----laminar flow
Re > 4000---- turbulent flow
 B) STEADY AND UNSTEADY FLOW.
Steady flow:
The flow in which the fluid characteristics like velocity, pressure,
density etc. at a point do not change with time
(du/dt) = 0; (dv/dt) = 0 ; (dw/dt) = 0;
(dp/dt) = 0; (d/dt) = 0 ( At Some Point
x0, y0, z0)

e.g. : Flow through a conduit with constant flow rate,

u = ax2+bx+c
Unsteady flow:
The flow in which the fluid characteristics like
velocity, pressure,
density etc. at a point changes with time
(du/dt) 0; (dv/dt)  0 ; (dw/dt)  0;
(dp/dt)  0; (d/dt)  0 ( at
some point x0, y0, z0)
 C) Uniform and Non-uniform flow.


Uniform Flow:The flow in which velocity at any given time does not
change with space
(dV/ds) = 0; ( t = constant)
dV = change of velocity
ds = length of flow in the direction s.

e.g. : Flow through a straight conduit with constant constant diameter

Non-uniform Flow:
 The flow in which velocity at any given time changes with
space
 (dV/ds)  0; ( t = constant)

e.g.: Flow through a non prismatic conduit

-------Change w.r.t space is very important------
 D) Rotational and Irrotational flow:

Rotational Flow:
The flow in which the fluid particles rotate about their own
axis while flowing
motion of liquid in a rotating tank
e.g. :
flow near the solid boundaries is rotational

Irrotational Flow: The flow in which the fluid particles do not rotate
about their own axis while flowing

e.g.: flow above the drain hole of a stationary tank or wash

basin
Flow outside the boundary layer
 E) One, Two and Three Dimensional Flows

 One dimensional flow:

In which the flow parameter such as velocity is a function of
time and one space co-ordinate only.
u = f (x) , v = 0, w = 0
Where u, v, w are velocity components in x, y and z directions
respectively.
One, Two and Three Dimensional Flows
Flow is two-dimensional :
In which the velocity is a function of
time and two rectangular space
co-ordinates say x and y.
Mathematically for two dimensional
flow u = f2(x,y),
v = f2(x,y), and w = 0.
Flow is three-dimensional :
In which the velocity is the function
of time and Three mutually
perpendicular directions.
Mathematically for three
dimensional flow u = f3(x,y,z),
v = f3(x,y,z), and w = f3(x,y,z).
 Visualization of flow Pattern:
Flow Visualization is the visual
examination of flow-field features.
Important for both physical
experiments and Numerical Solutions.
Numerous Methods:-
1) Stream lines.
2) Path lines.
3) Streak lines.
1.Strem lines: A Streamline is a curve that is everywhere tangent
to the instantaneous local velocity vector.It has the direction of
the velocity vector at each point no. of flow across the
streamline.
steady flow streamlines are fixed in space. But, unsteady flow
streamlines moves.
•A Streamline is a curve that is
everywhere tangent to the
instantaneous local velocity
vector.
•It has the direction of the
velocity vector at each point of
flow across the streamline.
Character of Streamline :
1.Streamlines can not cross each other. (otherwise,
the cross point will have two tangential lines.)
2.Streamline can't be a folding line, but a smooth
curve.
3.Streamline cluster density reflects the magnitude of
velocity. (Dense streamlines mean large velocity; while
sparse streamlines mean small velocity.
 PA TH LINE:
•A Path line is the actual path travelled by an individual
fluid particle over some time period.
•Same as the fluid particle's material position vector .
 Streak line and Stream Tubes:

• A streakline is the locus of fluid

particles that have passed
sequentially through a prescribed
point in the flow.
• Easy to generate in experiments
like dye in a water flow, or smoke
in an airflow.
Streamtube : is an imaginary tube
whose boundary consists of
streamlines.
• The volume flow rate must be
the same for all cross sections
of the stream tube.
 Stream Function
 It is defined as the scalar function of space and time, such
that its partial derivative with respect to any direction gives
the velocity component at right angles to that direction . It is
denoted by ᵠ psi and defined for two dimensional flow.
Properties of Stream Function :
i. If stream function exists, it is a possible case of fluid
flow which may be rotational or irrotational.
ii. If stream function satisfies the Laplace equation, it is a
possible case of an irrotational flow.

Laplace equation
  = f(x, y, t ) -------- for unsteady flow
 = f( x, y ) ----------for steady flow
then, u =  / y
v = - / x
For two dimensional flow
u /x + v /y =0
/x ( / y) + /y (- / x) = 0
2 /xy - 2 /yx = 0
The existence of stream function means a possible case of flow

For rotational or irritational,

z = (1/2) (v/x - u/y )

= - (1/2) (2 /x2 + 2 /y2) This equation is

For the flow to be irrotational, z = 0
2 /x2 + 2 /y2= 0

Cauchy Riemann Equations

u = - /x =  / y
v = - /y = - / x

• Velocity potential function exists only for

irrotational flow
• Stream function applies to both rotational and
irritational flows
• For irritational flow both stream function and velocity potential function

satisfy the Laplace equation

 Velocity Potential Function
 It is defined as a scalar function of space and time
such that its negative derivative with respect to any
direction gives the fluid velocity in that direction. It is
denoted by phi.

 The negative sign indicates that the flow takes place in

the direction in which phi decreases.
 Velocity potential :
It is a scalar function of space and time
such that its negative derivative w.r.t any direction gives
the fluid velocity in that direction
  = f (x, y, z, t ) ------for unsteady
  = f(x, y, z )------for steady

According to definition,
 u = -(/x)
 v = -(/y)
 w = -(/z)
-ve sign indicates that the velocity potential always decreasing in a given
direction
 continuity equation as applied to velocity potential

The continuity equation is

u /x + v /y + w /z = 0
/x (- /x ) + /y (- /y ) + /z (- /z ) = 0
2 /x2 + 2 /y2 + 2 /z2 = 0
This equation is known as “Laplace Equation”
If the velocity potential satisfies the Laplace equation, then it is a

case of possible steady, incompressible, irrotational flow.

 Flow Net
 A grid obtained by drawing a series of stream
lines and equipotential lines is known as a flow
net.
 Flow net provides a simple graphical technique for
studying two – dimensional irrotational flows, when the
mathematical calculation is difficult.
 The stream lines and equipotential lines are
mutually perpendicular to
each other.
 A flow net analysis assist
in the design of an efficient
boundary shapes.
 It is also used to calculate
the flow at ground level.
 RATE OF FLOW OR DISCHARGE:
It is defined as the quantity of fluid flowing per second
through a section of a pipe or a channel. For an
incompressible fluid the rate of flow or discharge is expressed
as the volume of fluid flowing across the section per second.
For compressible fluids, the rate of flow is usually expressed
as the weight of fluid flowing across the section. Thus
(i) For liquids the units of Q are m3/s or liter/s
(ii)For gases the units of Q IS kgf/s or Newton/s
 Consider a liquid flowing through a pipe in which
 A = cross- sectional area of pipe
 V = Average velocity of fluid across the section
 then discharge Q = A x V
 CONTINUITY EQUATION
 The equation based on the principle of conservation of mass is
called continuity mass is called continuity equation. Thus for a
fluid flowing through the pipe at all the cross- section, the
quantity of fluid per second is constant. Consider two cross-
sections of pipe as shown in Fig.,
 Let v1 = Average velocity at c/s 1-1
 ρ1 = density at section 1-1
 A1 = Area of pipe at section 1-1
 And v2 ,p2 ,A2 are corresponding values at section 2-2.
 Then rate of flow at section 1-1 = ρ1A1V1
 rate of flow at section 2-2 = ρ2A2V2
 According to law of conservation of mass
 Rate of flow at section 1-1 = Rate of flow at section 2 - 2
 ρ1A1V1 = ρ2A2V2 --------- (1)
 The equation 1 is applicable to the compressible as well as
incompressible fluids and is called continuity equation. If the
fluid is incompressible then ρ1 = ρ2 and continuity equation 1
reduces to
 A1V1 = A2V2
THANK YOU!!