← 2015 Paper 2

UPSC 2015 Maths Optional Paper 2 Q8c — Step-by-Step Solution

20 marks · Section B

Two-Dimensional and Axisymmetric Flow · Mechanics & Fluid Dynamics · asked 2× in 14 yrs · Read the full method →

Question

In an axisymmetric motion, show that stream function exists due to equation of continuity. Express the velocity components in terms of the stream function. Find the equation satisfied by the stream function if the flow is irrotational.

Technique

Continuity in spherical coordinates ⇒ integrability ⇒ Stokes stream function ψ\psi; velocity components extracted from ψ\psi; vorticity ωϕ\omega_\phi in ψ\psi-form gives the Stokes equation E2ψ=0E^2\psi=0.

Solution

Setup. Use cylindrical coordinates (R,ϕ,z)(R,\phi,z) or spherical (r,θ,ϕ)(r,\theta,\phi). Axisymmetric = no ϕ\phi-dependence; we use spherical, with ϕ\phi as the azimuthal angle.

For axisymmetric flow, v⃗=vrr^+vθθ^\vec v=v_r\hat r+v_\theta\hat\theta (no vϕv_\phi, and ∂/∂ϕ=0\partial/\partial\phi=0 for everything).

Step 1 — Continuity equation (incompressible)

∇⋅v⃗=1r2∂∂r(r2vr)+1rsin⁡θ∂∂θ(vθsin⁡θ)=0.\nabla\cdot\vec v=\dfrac{1}{r^2}\dfrac{\partial}{\partial r}(r^2 v_r)+\dfrac{1}{r\sin\theta}\dfrac{\partial}{\partial\theta}(v_\theta\sin\theta)=0.

(Using the spherical divergence formula, dropping ϕ\phi-derivative.)

Multiply by r2sin⁡θr^2\sin\theta:

sin⁡θ∂∂r(r2vr)+r∂∂θ(vθsin⁡θ)=0.\sin\theta\dfrac{\partial}{\partial r}(r^2 v_r)+r\dfrac{\partial}{\partial\theta}(v_\theta\sin\theta)=0.

This is the integrability condition for the existence of a function ψ(r,θ)\psi(r,\theta) — the Stokes stream function — such that

r2sin⁡θ⋅vr=∂ψ∂θ,rsin⁡θ⋅vθ=−∂ψ∂r.(⋆)r^2\sin\theta\cdot v_r=\dfrac{\partial\psi}{\partial\theta},\quad r\sin\theta\cdot v_\theta=-\dfrac{\partial\psi}{\partial r}.\qquad(\star)

(With these definitions, continuity is automatically satisfied: ∂2ψ/(∂r∂θ)=∂2ψ/(∂θ∂r)\partial^2\psi/(\partial r\partial\theta)=\partial^2\psi/(\partial\theta\partial r).)

Step 2 — Velocity components in terms of ψ\psi

From (⋆)(\star):

  vr=1r2sin⁡θ∂ψ∂θ,vθ=−1rsin⁡θ∂ψ∂r.  \boxed{\;v_r=\dfrac{1}{r^2\sin\theta}\dfrac{\partial\psi}{\partial\theta},\quad v_\theta=-\dfrac{1}{r\sin\theta}\dfrac{\partial\psi}{\partial r}.\;}

Step 3 — Verify continuity is satisfied

1r2∂r(r2vr)=1r2∂r(r2⋅1r2sin⁡θ∂θψ)=1r2∂r(∂θψsin⁡θ)=1r2sin⁡θ∂r∂θψ\dfrac{1}{r^2}\partial_r(r^2 v_r)=\dfrac{1}{r^2}\partial_r\left(r^2\cdot\dfrac{1}{r^2\sin\theta}\partial_\theta\psi\right)=\dfrac{1}{r^2}\partial_r\left(\dfrac{\partial_\theta\psi}{\sin\theta}\right)=\dfrac{1}{r^2\sin\theta}\partial_r\partial_\theta\psi.

1rsin⁡θ∂θ(vθsin⁡θ)=1rsin⁡θ∂θ(sin⁡θ⋅−1rsin⁡θ∂rψ)=1rsin⁡θ∂θ(−1r∂rψ)=−1r2sin⁡θ∂θ∂rψ\dfrac{1}{r\sin\theta}\partial_\theta(v_\theta\sin\theta)=\dfrac{1}{r\sin\theta}\partial_\theta\left(\sin\theta\cdot\dfrac{-1}{r\sin\theta}\partial_r\psi\right)=\dfrac{1}{r\sin\theta}\partial_\theta\left(-\dfrac{1}{r}\partial_r\psi\right)=\dfrac{-1}{r^2\sin\theta}\partial_\theta\partial_r\psi.

Sum: 1r2sin⁡θ∂r∂θψ−1r2sin⁡θ∂θ∂rψ=0\dfrac{1}{r^2\sin\theta}\partial_r\partial_\theta\psi-\dfrac{1}{r^2\sin\theta}\partial_\theta\partial_r\psi=0 ✓.

Step 4 — Irrotational condition

For axisymmetric flow without ϕ\phi-component, the only non-trivial vorticity component is ωϕ\omega_\phi (the ϕ^\hat\phi-component of ∇×v⃗\nabla\times\vec v):

ωϕ=1r[∂∂r(rvθ)−∂vr∂θ].\omega_\phi=\dfrac{1}{r}\left[\dfrac{\partial}{\partial r}(rv_\theta)-\dfrac{\partial v_r}{\partial\theta}\right].

For irrotational flow, ωϕ=0\omega_\phi=0.

Step 5 — Express ωϕ\omega_\phi in terms of ψ\psi

Compute rvθ=r⋅−1rsin⁡θ∂rψ=−∂rψsin⁡θrv_\theta=r\cdot\dfrac{-1}{r\sin\theta}\partial_r\psi=\dfrac{-\partial_r\psi}{\sin\theta}.

∂r(rvθ)=−∂rrψsin⁡θ\partial_r(rv_\theta)=-\dfrac{\partial_{rr}\psi}{\sin\theta}.

∂θvr=∂θ ⁣(∂θψr2sin⁡θ)=1r2∂θ ⁣(∂θψsin⁡θ)=1r2[∂θθψsin⁡θ−cos⁡θ∂θψsin⁡2θ]\partial_\theta v_r=\partial_\theta\!\left(\dfrac{\partial_\theta\psi}{r^2\sin\theta}\right)=\dfrac{1}{r^2}\partial_\theta\!\left(\dfrac{\partial_\theta\psi}{\sin\theta}\right)=\dfrac{1}{r^2}\left[\dfrac{\partial_{\theta\theta}\psi}{\sin\theta}-\dfrac{\cos\theta\partial_\theta\psi}{\sin^2\theta}\right].

So

ωϕ=1r[−∂rrψsin⁡θ−1r2 ⁣(∂θθψsin⁡θ−cos⁡θ∂θψsin⁡2θ)]\omega_\phi=\dfrac{1}{r}\left[-\dfrac{\partial_{rr}\psi}{\sin\theta}-\dfrac{1}{r^2}\!\left(\dfrac{\partial_{\theta\theta}\psi}{\sin\theta}-\dfrac{\cos\theta\partial_\theta\psi}{\sin^2\theta}\right)\right] =−1rsin⁡θ[∂rrψ+1r2∂θθψ−cos⁡θr2sin⁡θ∂θψ]=-\dfrac{1}{r\sin\theta}\left[\partial_{rr}\psi+\dfrac{1}{r^2}\partial_{\theta\theta}\psi-\dfrac{\cos\theta}{r^2\sin\theta}\partial_\theta\psi\right] =−1rsin⁡θ E2ψ,=-\dfrac{1}{r\sin\theta}\,E^2\psi,

where the Stokes operator is

E2≡∂2∂r2+sin⁡θr2∂∂θ ⁣(1sin⁡θ∂∂θ)=∂2∂r2+1r2∂2∂θ2−cos⁡θr2sin⁡θ∂∂θ.E^2\equiv\dfrac{\partial^2}{\partial r^2}+\dfrac{\sin\theta}{r^2}\dfrac{\partial}{\partial\theta}\!\left(\dfrac{1}{\sin\theta}\dfrac{\partial}{\partial\theta}\right)=\dfrac{\partial^2}{\partial r^2}+\dfrac{1}{r^2}\dfrac{\partial^2}{\partial\theta^2}-\dfrac{\cos\theta}{r^2\sin\theta}\dfrac{\partial}{\partial\theta}.

Setting ωϕ=0\omega_\phi=0 gives the irrotational condition:

Answer

  E2ψ=∂2ψ∂r2+sin⁡θr2∂∂θ ⁣(1sin⁡θ∂ψ∂θ)=0.  \boxed{\;E^2\psi=\dfrac{\partial^2\psi}{\partial r^2}+\dfrac{\sin\theta}{r^2}\dfrac{\partial}{\partial\theta}\!\left(\dfrac{1}{\sin\theta}\dfrac{\partial\psi}{\partial\theta}\right)=0.\;}
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