Exact Solutions to the Navier-Stokes Equation

Unsteady Parallel Flows (Plate Suddenly Set in Motion) Consider that special case of a viscous fluid near a wall that is set suddenly in motion as shown in Figure 1. The unsteady Navier-Stokes reduces to u 2u = 2 t y (1)

y
Viscous Fluid

x Uo
Figure 1. Schematics of flow near a wall suddenly set in motion. The boundary conditions are: At y = 0

u = U0
u=0

(2)

at y = ,

(3)

The corresponding initial condition for the fluid that starts from rest is given as at t = 0
u = 0.

(4)

Similarity Solution (Group Theory)

Let t ~ t1 , Equation (1) implies that

1 = 2a ,

y ~ ta ,

(5)

a=

1 , 2
1

(6)

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Thus,
1

y ~ t2

(7)

Now introducing the similarity variables =

we find u u 1 , = y 2 t 2u 2u 1 = y 2 2 4t (9)

y 2 t

u = f () , U0

(8)

u u y 1 u = . = t 2 t 2 t 2t Substituting (9) and (10) in Equation (1), we find 1 = f , 2t 4t

(10)

(11)

or f + 2f = 0 (12)

Boundary and initial conditions (2)-(4) in terms of the similarity variables become f (0) = 1 , f ( ) = 0 . (13)

From Equation (12), it follows that f = 2 , f or f = ce ,

2

or

ln f = ln c 2

(14)

and

f = c e 1 d1 + 1 ,
2

(15)

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where the first boundary condition in (13) is used. The second boundary condition implies that
f ( ) = 0 = 1 + c e 1 d1
2

or c =

2 1

d1

(16)

Equation (15) then becomes f = 1 or f = erfc , y u = U 0 erfc 2 t (18) 2

e 1 d1 = 1 erf ()
2

(17)

Time variations of the velocity profile as predicted by Equation (18) are shown in Figure 2.

1.0
0.8
t=4 t=1 t =0.25

u/Uo

0.6
0.4
0.2
0.0
t=0.062 t=0.0025

Transform Method

0.5

1.5

2.5

y
Figure 2. Time variations of velocity profile.

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An alternative is to use the transform method. Taking Laplace transform of Equation (1), it follows that
2u su = 2 y

(19)

or s u u=0 The solution to (20) is u = Ae

s y

(20)

+ Be

s y

(21)

Boundary conditions (2) and (3) imply that

A= U0 , s
B=0

(22)

Thus, the solution in the transform domain is given by u= U0 e s

s y

(23)

Inverse Laplace transform of (23) gives y u = U 0 erfc . 2 t (24)

Oscillating Plate

Consider that case of a viscous fluid near an oscillating wall as shown in Figure 3. The unsteady Navier-Stokes reduces to u 2u = 2 t y (25)

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y
Viscous Fluid

x Uo cost
Figure 2. Schematics of flow near an oscillating wall. The boundary conditions are: u = U 0 cos t
u=0

at y = 0 at y =

(26) (27)

Let
u = U 0 e ky cos(t ay ) . Then (28)

u = U 0 e ky sin (t ay ) t u = U 0 e ky ( k cos(t ay ) + a sin (t ay )) y

(29)

(30)

2u = U 0 e ky (k 2 cos 2ka sin a 2 cos ), = t ay 2 y

(31)

Substituting (29)-(31) into Equation (25) it follows that sin = ((k 2 a 2 )cos 2ak sin ) or (32)

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a2 = k2

(33) (34) (35)

= 2ak = 2k 2
k= =a 2

Thus, the velocity profile is given as

u = U 0 e ky cos(t ky ) ,

k=

. 2

(36)

Unsteady Flow in a Tube

Consider flow in a circular tube subject to a step change in pressure as shown in Figure 4. The Navier-Stokes equation reduces to v z 1 dP 1 v z = + r t dz r r r Introducing dimensionless variables, = we find 1 . = 4+ (39) r t t , = = 2, 2 R R R vz = 1 dP 2 R ( ) , 4 dz (38) (37)

z
R

Figure 4. Schematics of flow in a tube subject to step change in pressure.

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The boundary condition is = 0 at = 1 , (40)

with the initial conditions = 0 at = 0 . (41)

Let = 1 2 , Equation (39) reduces to 1 = The boundary and initial conditions (40) and (41) now become At = 1 , At = 0 , = 0. = 1 2 . (44) (45) (43) (42)

To find the solution the method of separation of variable is used. That is let
= F( )T( )

(46)

Equation (43) then becomes

& T 1 d dF = 2 . = T F d d

(47)

From Equation (47), it follows that

& T + 2T = 0 ,

(48)

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d 2F dF + + 22F = 0 . 2 d d

(49)

The solutions to Equations (48) and (49) are given as T = Ce F = AJ 0 ( ) + BY0 ( ) ,

2

(50) (51)

where J 0 () and Y0 () are Bessel function of first and second kind of zeroth order. The boundary conditions are
F(0 ) ~ finite B = 0

since Y0 (0) .

(52)

and F(1) = 0 J 0 ( ) = 0 . (53)

Equation (53) is a characteristic equation. The corresponding eigenvalues, n , are given as

1 = 2.405 , 2 = 5.52 , 3 = 8.654 ,

The general solution for Equation (43) then is given by
= A n e n J 0 ( n )
2

(54)

(55)

Using the initial condition 1 2 = A n J 0 ( n )

n

(55)

then

An

(1 )J ( )d = 4J ( ) / = 0.5J ( ) J ( )d
1 2 0 0 n 1 1 0 2 0 n n 2 1 n

3 n

(56)

or An = Hence,
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3 n 1

(57)

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e n J 0 ( n ) , = 8 3 J 1 ( n ) n n
2

(58)

and
= 1 2 8
n

J 0 ( n ) n e 3 J 1 ( n ) n

(59)

Variation of the velocity profile in the pipe is shown schematically in Figure 5.

Figure 5. Variations of velocity field in a tube subject to a step change in pressure.

Noncircular Pipe Flows

Consider steady state viscous flows in a pipe with arbitrary cross section under a constant pressure gradient as shown in Figure 6. The Navier-Stokes equation is given as 1 dP = const . dz

2W =

(60)

The corresponding boundary condition is

W=0

on

S.

(61)

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Figure 6. An arbitrary cross-section pipe subject to a constant pressure gradient.

Elliptical Pipes

Consider an elliptical cross-section pipe shown in Figure 7 with its boundary given as
2 2

x y + = 1. a b We assume that the velocity field is given by

x 2 y2 w = A1 2 2 . a b

(62)

y x z

(63)

Figure 7. Elliptical cross-section pipe subject to a constant pressure gradient.

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2 2A (a 2 + b 2 ) 1 dP 2 2 w = A 2 + 2 = = b a 2 b2 dz a

(64)

Hence
A= 1 dP a 2 b 2 2 dz a 2 + b 2 x 2 y2 1 2 2 a b

(65)

The flow rate is given as Q = wdxdy . After integration, it follows that

Q= dP a 3 b 3 . 4 dz a 2 + b 2

(66)

(67)

Triangular Pipes

Consider a pipe as shown in Figure 8 whose cross section is an equilateral triangle. The equation of the section is given as f (x, y ) = (x a ) x 3y + 2a x + 3y + 2a = 0 . Assuming
w = Af (x , y )

)(

(68)

(69)

Then 2 w = A 2 f (x, y ) = 12aA = 1 dP . dz (70)

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y
x 3y + 2a = 0

a
x + 3y + 2 a = 0

2a
Figure 8. A triangular pipe subject to a constant pressure gradient.

Thus, A= Hence, w= 1 dP (x a ) x 3y + 2a x + 3y + 2a 12a dx 1 dP 12a dx (71)

)(

(72)

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