Creeping Flows

Steven A. Jones
BIEN 501
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Start on Slide 53

Louisiana Tech University Slide 1

Ruston, LA 71272
 Creeping Flows

Major Learning Objectives:

1. Compare viscous flows to nonviscous
flows.
2. Derive the complete solution for creeping
flow around a sphere (Stokes flow).
3. Relate the solution to the force on the
sphere.

Louisiana Tech University Slide 2

Ruston, LA 71272
 Creeping Flows

Minor Learning Objectives:

1. Examine qualitative inertial and viscous effects.
2. Show how symmetry simplifies the equations.
3. Show how creeping and nonviscous flows
simplify the momentum equations.
4. Give the origin of the Reynolds number.
5. Use the Reynolds number to distinguish
creeping and nonviscous flows.
6. Apply non-slip boundary conditions at a wall
and incident flow boundary conditions at .
Louisiana Tech University Slide 3
Ruston, LA 71272
 Creeping Flows

Minor Learning Objectives (continued):

7. Use the equations for conservation of mass and
conservation of momentum in spherical coordinates.
8. Use the stream function to satisfy continuity.
9. Eliminate the pressure term from the momentum
equations by (a) taking the curl and (b) using a sort of
Gaussian elimination.
10. Rewrite the momentum equations in terms of the
stream function.
11. Rewrite the boundary conditions in terms of the stream
function.
12. Deduce information about the form of the solution from
the boundary conditions.

Louisiana Tech University Slide 4

Ruston, LA 71272
 Important Concepts
Flow Rate
Cross-sectional average velocity
Shear Stress (wall shear stress)
Force caused by shear stress (drag)
Pressure loss

Louisiana Tech University Slide 5

Ruston, LA 71272
 Creeping Flows

Minor Learning Objectives (continued):

13. Discuss the relationship between boundary conditions
and the assumption of separability.
14. Reduce the partial differential equation to an ordinary
differential equation, based on the assumed shape of
the solution.
15. Recognize and solve the equidimensional equation.
16. Translate the solution for the stream function into the
solution for the velocity components..
17. Obtain the pressure from the velocity components.
18. Obtain the drag on the sphere from the stress
components (viscous and pressure).

Louisiana Tech University Slide 6

Ruston, LA 71272
 Creeping vs. Nonviscous Flows
Creeping Flows Nonviscous Flows

Viscosity goes to (Low Viscosity goes to zero

Reynolds Number) (High Reynolds Number)

Left hand side of the Left hand side of the

momentum equation is not momentum equation is
important. important.

Left hand side of the Right hand side of the

momentum equation is momentum equation
zero. includes pressure only.

Friction is more important Inertia is more important

than inertia. than friction.
Louisiana Tech University Slide 7
Ruston, LA 71272
 Creeping vs. Nonviscous Flows
Creeping Flow Solutions
Use the partial differential
equations. Apply
transform, similarity, or
separation of variables
solution.
Use no-slip condition.
Use stream functions for
conservation of mass.
Nonviscous Flow Solutions
Use flow potential, complex
numbers.
Use no normal velocity.
Use velocity potential for
conservation of mass.

In both cases, we will assume incompressible flow.

Louisiana Tech University Slide 8

Ruston, LA 71272
 Flow around a Sphere
Creeping Flow Nonviscous Flow

Velocity

Larger velocity near the sphere is an inertial

effect.

Louisiana Tech University Slide 9

Ruston, LA 71272
 Flow around a Sphere
A more general case
Incident velocity is
approached far
from the sphere.

Increased velocity
as a result of inertia
terms.

Shear region near the

sphere caused by
viscosity and no-slip.

Louisiana Tech University Slide 10

Ruston, LA 71272
 Stokes Flow: The Geometry
Use Standard Spherical Coordinates, (r, , and f)
r
v v e 3
f

Far from the sphere (large r) the velocity is

uniform in the rightward direction. e3 is the
Cartesian (rectangular) unit vector. It does not
correspond to the spherical unit vectors.
Louisiana Tech University Slide 11
Ruston, LA 71272
 The Objective
1. Obtain the velocity field around the sphere.
2. Use this velocity field to determine
pressure and drag at the sphere surface.
3. From the pressure and drag, determine
the force on the sphere as a function of the
spheres velocity, or equivalently the
spheres velocity as a function of the
applied force (e.g. gravity, centrifuge,
electric field).

Louisiana Tech University Slide 12

Ruston, LA 71272
 Some Applications
1. What electric field is required to move a
charged particle in electrophoresis?
2. What g force is required to centrifuge cells in a
given amount of time.
3. What is the effect of gravity on the movement
of a monocyte in blood?
4. How does sedimentation vary with the size of
the sediment particles?
5. How rapidly do enzyme-coated beads move in
a bioreactor?

Louisiana Tech University Slide 13

Ruston, LA 71272
 Symmetry of the Geometry

The flow will be symmetric with respect to f.

Louisiana Tech University Slide 14

Ruston, LA 71272
 Components of the Incident Flow
Component of incident velocity
in the radial direction, v cos

r
f

Incident Velocity v v e 3

Component of incident velocity

in the - direction, v sin

Louisiana Tech University Slide 15

Ruston, LA 71272
 Creeping Momentum Equation
To see how creeping flow simplifies the momentum
equation, begin with the equation in the following form
(Assume a Newtonian fluid):

v
r rv v P 2 m D
t
For small v, 2nd term on the left is small. It is on the
order of v2. (v appears in the right hand term, but only as
a first power).
v
r P 2 m D
t

Louisiana Tech University Slide 17

Ruston, LA 71272
 Convective Term in Spherical
Coordinates

Louisiana Tech University Slide 18

Ruston, LA 71272
 Reynolds Number
The Reynolds number describes the relative importance
of the inertial terms to the viscous terms and can be
deduced from a simple dimensional argument.
rV 2
rv v goes like , where V is a characteri stic velocity
L
mV
and L is a characteri stic length. m D goes like 2
. (It may
L
2v rV 2 mV
help to think of a typical term m 2 ). The ratio is 2 ,
x L L
rVL
or . It is this ratio, rather than m or velocity alone, that
m
determines which terms are dominant.

Louisiana Tech University Slide 19

Ruston, LA 71272
 Reynolds Number
Different notations are used to express the Reynolds
number. The most typical of these are Re or Nr.
Also, viscosity may be expressed as kinematic ( ) or
dynamic (m) viscosity, so the Reynolds number may be
VL rVL
Re or Re
m
In the case of creeping flow around a sphere, we use v
for the characteristic velocity, and we use the sphere
diameter as the characteristic length scale. Thus,
ru D
Re
m
Louisiana Tech University Slide 20
Ruston, LA 71272
 Boundary Conditions (B.C.s) for
Creeping Flow around a Sphere
v 0 for r R

v v e 3 for r

v r v r r ,
There is symmetry about the f -
axis. Thus (a) nothing depends v v r,
on f, and (b) there is no f -
velocity. vf 0

Louisiana Tech University Slide 22

Ruston, LA 71272
Summary of Equations to be Solved
We must solve conservation of mass and conservation of
momentum, subject to the specified boundary conditions.
Conservation of mass in spherical coordinates is:

v 0
Which takes the following form in spherical coordinates
(Table 3.1):
1
r 2 r
rr 2
v r
1
r sin
rv sin
1
r sin f
rvf 0

1
Or
r 2 r
rr 2
v r
1
r sin
rv sin 0 When vf 0 &
f
0

Louisiana Tech University Slide 23

Ruston, LA 71272
Summary of Equations (Momentum)
Because there is symmetry in f, we only worry about the
radial and circumferential components of momentum.

P 0 (Incompressible, Newtonian Fluid)

Which takes the following form in spherical coordinates

(Table 3.4):
p 2 2 v 2
Radial m Hvr 2 vr 2 2 v cot 0
r r r r
1 p v v
Azimuthal m Hv r 2 2 0
r r sin

1 2 1
Where H r sin
r 2 r r r sin

Louisiana Tech University Slide 24

Ruston, LA 71272
 Simplified Differential Equations
Yikes! You mean we need to solve these three partial
differential equations!!?

Conservation of Mass
1
r r
2
r
r 2
vr
1
r sin
r v sin 0
Conservation of Radial Momentum
p 1 v 1 vr 2 2 v 2
m 2 r2 r sin
2 r v v
2
cot 0
r r r r r sin r r 2
r

Conservation of Azimuthal Momentum

1 p 1 v 1 v vr v
m 2 r2 0
r 2 sin 2
sin
r r r r r sin

Louisiana Tech University Slide 25

Ruston, LA 71272
 Comments
1
r r
2
rr 2
vr

1
r sin
r v sin 0
p 1 v 1 vr 2 2 v 2
m 2 r2 r sin
2 r
v v
2
cot 0
r r r r r sin r r r
2

1 p 1 v 1 v vr v
m 2 r2 0
r 2 sin 2
sin
r r r r r sin

Three equations, one first order, two second order.

Three unknowns ( vr , v and P ).
Two independent variables ( r and ).
Equations are linear (there is a solution).

Louisiana Tech University Slide 26

Ruston, LA 71272
 Stream Function Approach
We will use a stream function approach to
solve these equations.

The stream function is a differential form that

automatically solves the conservation of
mass equation and reduces the problem
from one with 3 variables to one with two
variables.

Louisiana Tech University Slide 27

Ruston, LA 71272
 Stream Function (Cartesian)
Cartesian coordinates, the two-dimensional continuity
equation is:
u v
0
x y
If we define a stream function, y, such that:
y x, y y x, y
u , v 0
y x
Then the two-dimensional continuity equation becomes:

u v y y 2y 2y
0
x y x y y y xy yx
Louisiana Tech University Slide 28
Ruston, LA 71272
 Summary of the Procedure
1. Use a stream function to satisfy conservation of mass.
a. Form of y is known for spherical coordinates.
b. Gives 2 equations (r and momentum) and 2
unknowns (y and pressure).
c. Need to write B.C.s in terms of the stream function.
2. Obtain the momentum equation in terms of velocity.
3. Rewrite the momentum equation in terms of y.
4. Eliminate pressure from the two equations (gives 1
equation (momentum) and 1 unknown, namely y).
5. Use B.C.s to deduce a form for y (equivalently, assume
a separable solution).
Louisiana Tech University Slide 29
Ruston, LA 71272
 Procedure (Continued)
6. Substitute the assumed form for y back into the
momentum equation to obtain an ordinary differential
equation.
7. Solve the equation for the radial dependence of y.
8. Insert the radial dependence back into the form for y to
obtain the complete expression for y.
9. Use the definition of the stream function to obtain the
radial and tangential velocity components from y.
10. Use the radial and tangential velocity components in
the momentum equation (written in terms of velocities,
not in terms of y) to obtain pressure.

Louisiana Tech University Slide 30

Ruston, LA 71272
 Procedure (Continued)
11. Integrate the e3 component of both types of forces
(pressure and viscous stresses) over the surface of the
sphere to obtain the drag force on the sphere.

Louisiana Tech University Slide 31

Ruston, LA 71272
 Stream Function
Recall the following form for conservation of mass:
1
r r
2
rr 2
v r
1
r sin
rv sin 0 Slide 22

If we define a function y(r,) as:

1 y 1 y
vr 2 , v
r sin r sin r

then the equation of continuity is automatically satisfied. We

have combined 2 unknowns into 1 and eliminated 1 equation.
Note that other forms work for rectangular and cylindrical
coordinates.
Louisiana Tech University Slide 32
Ruston, LA 71272
 Exercise
With:
1
r r
2
rr 2
v r
1
r sin
rv sin 0

1 y 1 y
vr 2 , v
r sin r sin r

Rewrite the first term in terms of y.

Louisiana Tech University Slide 33

Ruston, LA 71272
 Exercise
With:
1
r r
2
rr 2
v r
1
r sin
rv sin 0

1 y 1 y
vr 2 , v
r sin r sin r

Rewrite the second term in terms of y.

Louisiana Tech University Slide 34

Ruston, LA 71272
 Momentum Eq. in Terms of y
1 y 1 y
Use v r 2 , v
r sin r sin r
and conservation of mass is satisfied (procedure step 1).

Substitute these expressions into the steady flow

momentum equation (Slide 23) to obtain a partial
differential equation for y from the momentum equation
(procedure step 2):
2
2
sin 1
r 2 r 2 sin y 0

Louisiana Tech University Slide 35

Ruston, LA 71272
 Elimination of Pressure
The final equation on the last slide required several
steps. The first was the elimination of pressure in the
momentum equations. The second was substitution of
the form for the stream function into the result. The
details will not be shown here, but we will show how
pressure can be eliminated from the momentum
equations. We have:
p m v 0
We take the curl of this equation to obtain:

p m v

Louisiana Tech University Slide 36

Ruston, LA 71272
 Elimination of Pressure
But it is known that the curl of the gradient of any scalar
field is zero (Exercise A.9.1-1). In rectangular coordinates:

e1 e2 e3

p
x1 x2 x3
p p p
x1 x2 x3
2 p 2 p 2 p 2 p 2 p 2 p
e1 e 2 e3 0
x2 x3 x3x2 x1x3 x3x1 x1x2 x2 x1

Louisiana Tech University Slide 37

Ruston, LA 71272
 Elimination of Pressure
vk
Alternatively: v ijk ei
x j
p p
p e k , p k
xk xk

p ijk
p


x j

e i
xk
So, for example, the e1 component is:
p p p
1 jk
e1 123 132 e1
x j
xk x2 x3 x3 x2
p p
e1 0
x2 x3 x3 x2
Louisiana Tech University Slide 38
Ruston, LA 71272
 Exercise: Elimination of Pressure
One can think of the elimination of pressure as being
equivalent to doing a Gaussian elimination type of operation
on the pressure term.
This view can be easily illustrated in rectangular coordinates:

p 2 vx 2 vx
0 m 2 2 x momentum
x x y
p 2vy 2vy
0 m 2 2 y momentum
y x y

Take of the first equation and of the second and subtract.
y x
Louisiana Tech University Slide 39
Ruston, LA 71272
 Elimination of Pressure
This view can be easily illustrated in rectangular coordinates:

2 p 3v x 3v x
0 m 3 x momentum
yx yx
2
y
2 p 3v y 3v y
0 m 3 y momentum
xy x x y 2

3v x 3v x 3v y 3v y
0 m 3 m 3
2
yx y x xy
2

3v x 3v x 3v y 3v y
i.e., 3 0 E2
y y x 2
x y 2
x 3

Louisiana Tech University Slide 40

Ruston, LA 71272
 Exercise: 4th order equation
With:
y x, y y x, y
vx , vy 0
y x
What is the momentum equation:

3vx 3vx 3v y 3v y
3 3 0
y yx xy x
2 2

in terms of y?

Louisiana Tech University Slide 41

Ruston, LA 71272
 Exercise: 4th order equation
Answer:

4y 4y 4y 4y
4 2 2 2 2 4 0
y y x x y x

or
2

2

2

2 2 y 0
y x

Louisiana Tech University Slide 42

Ruston, LA 71272
 Elimination of Pressure
Fortunately, the book has already done all of this work for us,
and has provided the momentum equation in terms of the
stream function in spherical coordinates (Table 2.4.2-1). For
vf=0:

2 1 y , E 2y 2 E 2y y 1 y
t
E y 2
r sin r,
2
r sin
cos
r

sin E 4y
r

Admittedly this still looks nasty. However, when we

remember that we have already eliminated all of the
left-hand terms, the result for the stream function is
relatively simple.

Louisiana Tech University Slide 43

Ruston, LA 71272
 Momentum in terms of y
If:

2 1 y , E 2y 2 E 2y y 1 y
t
E y 2
r sin r,
2
r sin r
cos
r
sin

E y
4

How does this simplify for our problem?

Recall:
Steady state
Low Reynolds number

Louisiana Tech University Slide 44

Ruston, LA 71272
Stream Function, Creeping Flow
When the unsteady (left-hand side) terms are eliminated:

sin 1
E y 0, where E 2 2
4 2
.
r r sin
2
sin 1
Thus 2 2 y 0.
r r sin

This equation was given on slide 35.

Louisiana Tech University Slide 45

Ruston, LA 71272
 Boundary Conditions in Terms of y
From

v 0 at r R, vr 0 at r R
and
1 y 1 y
v vr 2
r sin r r sin

Exercise: Write these boundary conditions in

terms of y.

Louisiana Tech University Slide 46

Ruston, LA 71272
 Boundary Conditions in Terms of y
From
1 y 1 y
v 0 at r R, r
v 0 at r R
r sin r r sin
2

y y
and must be zero for all at r=R. Thus, y
r
must be constant along the curve r=R. But since its
constant of integration is arbitrary, we can take it to be
zero at that boundary. I.e.

y 0 at r R
Louisiana Tech University Slide 47
Ruston, LA 71272
 Question
Consider the following curves. Along which of these curves
must velocity change with position?

Louisiana Tech University Slide 48

Ruston, LA 71272
 Comment
A key to understanding the previous result is that we are
talking about the surface of the sphere, where r is fixed.
1 y y
Because vr 0, 2 0. And so because 0
r sin
for all , y must be constant along that curve.

As r changes,
however, we
y does not move off of the
change as curve r=R, so y
changes. can change.

Louisiana Tech University Slide 49

Ruston, LA 71272
 Boundary Conditions in Terms of y
1 y y
From v r 2 , v r r sin
2

r sin
At r , vr v cos e 3 (See Slide 14)

y
Thus, as r , v cos r 2 sin e 3 v r 2 cos sin e 3

Thus, in contrast to the surface of the sphere, y will

change with far from the sphere.

Louisiana Tech University Slide 50

Ruston, LA 71272
 Boundary Conditions in Terms of y
1 y y
From v r 2 , v r r sin
2

r sin

y
y d v r r sin d r v cos sin d
2 2
r 0 0 0

r v sin 2 g r
1 2
2
which suggests the -dependence of the solution.

y f r v sin 2

Louisiana Tech University Slide 51

Ruston, LA 71272
 Comment on Separability

For a separable solution we assume that the functional

form of y is the product of one factor that depends only
on r and another that depends only on .

y r, R r
Whenever the boundary conditions can be written in
this form, it will be possible to find a solution that can
be written in this form. Since the equations are
linear, the solution will be unique. Therefore, the final
solution must be written in this form.

Louisiana Tech University Slide 52

Ruston, LA 71272
 Comment on Separability
In our case, the boundary condition at r=R is:
y R, R R 0

and the boundary condition at r is:

1
y , v r 2 sin 2
2

Both of these forms can be written as a function of r

multiplied by a function of . (For r=R we take R(r)=0). The
conclusion that the dependence like sin2 is reached
because these two boundary conditions must hold for all .
A similar statement about the r-dependence cannot be
reached. I.e. we only know about two distinct r locations.
Louisiana Tech University Slide 53
Ruston, LA 71272
 Separability
Again, at r=R: y R, R R 0

and at r :
1
y , v r 2 sin 2
2

For a separable solution, we look for a form:

y R, R R

Because the -dependence holds for all , but the r-

dependence does not, we must write:
1
y r , f r v r 2 sin 2
2

Louisiana Tech University Slide 54

Ruston, LA 71272
 Momentum Equation
The momentum equation:

0 P 2 m D

is 2 equations with 3 unknowns (P, vr and v). We have

used the stream function to get 2 equations and 2
unknowns (P and y). We then used these two equations
to eliminate P.

Louisiana Tech University Slide 55

Ruston, LA 71272
Substitute Back into Momentum
With y f r v sin 2

2
2
sin 1
r 2 r 2 sin y 0 (slide 45) becomes:

4 2
d f 4 d f 8 df 8 f
4
2 2
3 4 0
dr r dr r dr r
Note the use of total derivatives.

Louisiana Tech University Slide 56

Ruston, LA 71272
 Exercise: Substitute

y f r v sin
2

into

2 sin 1 2 sin 1
2 2 2 2 y 0
r r sin r r sin

Louisiana Tech University Slide 57

Ruston, LA 71272
 Exercise: Substitute
2 sin 1
2
r sin
f r v sin 2


r
2

2 2 f r sin 1 sin 2
v sin f r 2
r 2
r sin
2 2 f r sin 2sin cos
v sin f r 2
r 2
r sin
2 2 f r sin cos
v sin 2 f r 2
r 2
r
2 2 f r sin 2
v sin 2 2 f r
r 2
r
Louisiana Tech University Slide 58
Ruston, LA 71272
 Exercise: So we now need

2 sin 1 2 2 f r sin 2
v 2 2 sin 2 2 f r
2
r r sin r r

v sin
4
f r 2sin 2
2
f r sin 1 2
f r 2sin
f r
2 sin
2 2

r 4 2
r 2
r sin r 2 4
r r

v sin
4
f r 2sin
2
f r sin
2
2sin cos 2
f r 2 cos


f r
2

r 4
r 2
r sin r 2
sin

2 4 f r 2 f r sin 2 f r cos 2
v sin 2sin 2 2sin 2 f r 1
r 4
r 2
r r 2
sin 2

Louisiana Tech University Slide 59

Ruston, LA 71272
Substitute Back into Momentum
The student should recognize the differential equation as an
equidimensional equation for which:
4 2
d f 2 d f df
r 4
4
4r 2
8r 8f 0
dr dr dr
f r ar n
Substitution of this form back into the equation yields:

f r Br Cr 2 Dr 4 with
A
r
1 3 1
A v R , B
3
v R, C v , D 0
4 4 2
Louisiana Tech University Slide 60
Ruston, LA 71272
 Equidimensional Equation
The details are like this:
d 4 ar n 2
2 d ar
n
dar n
r4
4
4 r 2
8r 8 ar n
0
dr dr dr
r 4 n n 1n 2 n 3ar n 4 4r 2 n n 1ar n 2 8r n ar n 1 8ar n
divide by ar n
n n 1n 2n 3 4n n 1 8n 8 0

This is a 4th order polynomial, i.e. there are 4 possible

values for n which happen to turn out to be -1, 1, 2
and 4.

Louisiana Tech University Slide 61

Ruston, LA 71272
 Solution for Velocity Components
Once the boundary conditions are evaluated, the solution is:

vr 3 R 1R
3

1 cos
v 2 r 2 r

v 3 R 1R
3

1 sin
v 4 r 4 r

Louisiana Tech University Slide 62

Ruston, LA 71272
 Pressure
To obtain pressure, we return to the momentum equation:

P 2 m D
This form was 2 equations with 3 unknowns, but now vr
and v have been determined. Once the forms for these
two velocity components are substituted into this
equation, one obtains:

P cos P 3 sin
3mv R 3 mv R 2
r r 2 r
Integrate to get P.
Louisiana Tech University Slide 63
Ruston, LA 71272
 Pressure
The result of this exercise is:

3 cos
P P0 rgr cos mv R 2
2 r

Louisiana Tech University Slide 64

Ruston, LA 71272
 Force
To obtain force on the sphere, we must remember
that force is caused by both the pressure and
the viscous stress.

2
F3 R T cos Tr sin r R sin d df
2
rr
0 0

Used to get the z3 component.

z3 is the direction the sphere

is moving relative to the fluid.

Louisiana Tech University Slide 65

Ruston, LA 71272
 Potential Flow
Potential flow derives from the viscous part of the
momentum equation.

m v 0
If we write:
v f

Then the viscous part of the momentum equation will

automatically be zero.

Louisiana Tech University Slide 66

Ruston, LA 71272
 Potential Flow
The continuity equation:

v 0
Becomes:

f 2f 0
Therefore potential flow reduces to finding solutions to
Laplaces equation.

Louisiana Tech University Slide 67

Ruston, LA 71272