Course: Fluid Mechanics
Lecture 4: Differential Relations for Fluid Flow
Teacher: Boussari
Mechanical Engineering Fall 2025
The Acceleration Field of a Fluid
❑The Cartesian vector form of a velocity field that
varies with space and time:
❑It is the most important variable in fluid mechanics:
knowing the velocity vector field is nearly equivalent
to solving the fluid flow problem.
❑The coordinates are fixed in space and we observe the
fluid as it passes by: Eulerian frame of reference
❑To obtain the Newton’s second law we need to obtain
the acceleration vector field 𝐚 of the flow.
❑ 𝜕𝐕/𝜕t is the local acceleration which vanishes if the flow is
steady
❑ The three terms in parentheses are called the convective
❑Since each scalar components 𝑢, 𝑣, 𝑤 is a function acceleration, which arises when a particle moves through
of(𝑥, 𝑦, 𝑧, 𝑡), we use the chain rule: regions of spatially varying velocity, as in the nozzle or
diffuser.
❑ Flow that are nominally steady may have large acceleration
due to convective terms.
Lecture 4: Differential Relations for Fluid Flow 2
The Acceleration Field of a Fluid
❑The total time derivative is called the substantial derivative or material derivative
❑This concept may be applied to any scalar, such as pressure:
Example 4.1
Lecture 4: Differential Relations for Fluid Flow 3
Differential Equation of the Mass Conservation
❑Conservation of mass often called continuity
equation states that the fluid mass cannot change.
❑Applying this concept to a very small region we
chose an infinitesimal fixed control volume
𝑑𝑥, 𝑑𝑦, 𝑑𝑧
❑The flow through each side of the element is
approximately one dimensional:
❑The element is so small:
Lecture 4: Differential Relations for Fluid Flow 4
Differential Equation of the Mass Conservation
Cylindrical Polar Coordinate
❑ An alternative to the cartesian coordinate
❑This is the desired result of the conservation of
mass for an infinitesimal control volume.
❑Its often called the equation of continuity because
it requires no assumptions except that the density
and velocity are continuum functions
❑The flow is either steady or unsteady, viscous or
frictionless, compressible or incompressible.
❑Using the vector gradient operator we can write:
Lecture 4: Differential Relations for Fluid Flow 5
Differential Equation of the Mass Conservation
❑Let an arbitrary point 𝑃 defined by 𝑟, 𝜃 and 𝑧
❑The general continuity in cylindrical polar coordinates is
❑There are other curvilinear coordinates systems such as
the spherical polar coordinate system
Lecture 4: Differential Relations for Fluid Flow 6
Differential Equation of the Mass Conservation
Steady Compressible Flow Incompressible Flow
❑It the flow is steady, d/dt=0 and all properties are ❑ The case where th4e density changes are negligible.
functions of positions only. The equation reduces ❑ 𝜕𝜌Τ𝜕t = 0 for steady or unsteady
to
Cartesian Cartesian
Cylindrical
Cylindrical
❑ These are linear differential equations.
❑Since the density and velocity are both variables,
these are still nonlinear and rather formidable,
❑ A flow is considered incompressible at Ma ≤ 0.3
but a number of special-case solutions have been
❑ For standard conditions, a flow is considered incompressible if
found.
the velocity is less than about 100 𝑚/𝑠 (330 𝑓𝑡/𝑠).
❑ This encompasses a large variety of airflows: automobile and
train motions, light aircraft, landing and takeoff high speed
aircraft, most pipe flows, and the turbomachinery and moderate
rotational speeds.
Lecture 4: Differential Relations for Fluid Flow 7
Differential Equation of the Mass Conservation
❑Example 4.2
❑Example 4.3
❑Example 4.4
Lecture 4: Differential Relations for Fluid Flow 8
Differential Equation of the Mass Conservation
❑The terms inside the bracket is the continuity and
❑Thus:
Lecture 4: Differential Relations for Fluid Flow 9
Homework 4-1
❑Problems: 4.1, 4.2, 4.4, 4.6
❑Problems: 4.9, 4.12, 4.11, 4.16
Lecture 4: Differential Relations for Fluid Flow 10
THANKS
Lecture 4: Differential Relations for Fluid Flow 12
