Practice 4

Practice problems : Inviscid and potential flows
APL361 - 2301 Prateek Gupta

Department of Applied Mechanics, IIT Delhi
September 9, 2023
1. For a superposition of a free stream and a vortex pair at (0, ±a) of circulation ∓Γ, obtain the stream
function, velocity potential, and the location of stagnation points along the x axis.
Figure 1: Vortex pair in a uniform stream
2. For a 2D flow, the velocity potential function φ is given by φ = x2 − y 2 .

(a) Determine the velocity components in x and y directions.
(b) Show that velocity components satisfy flow continuity and irrotationality.
(c) Determine the stream function
(d) Sketch the constant φ and ψ lines.
3. For an ideal vortex, circumferential velocity uθ is defined as Γ/2πr. However, such a velocity field is
difficult to use in models due to very large velocity near r → 0. To mitigate this problem, a Rankine
vortex is used for which the tangential velocity is defined as,
(
Γ r/a2 r ≤ a
uθ = .
2π 1/r r > a
Assuming no radial velocity exists, is the above flow model irrotational? If not, calculate the vorticity
field. Calculate the streamfunction and velocity potential for this model.
4. Let us model a tornado with superposition of a sink and an ideal vortex. Let the circulation around the
tornado be given as Γ = 8500 m2 /s and that the pressure at r = r0 = 40 m is 2200 Pa less than the
far-field pressure (atmospheric).
(a) Estimate the appropriate sink strength.
(b) Pressure at r = 15 m.
1
Figure 2: Sink and an ideal vortex
(c) Angle θ at which the flow enters the circle or radius r0 .

5. For a flow past a rotating cylinder of radius a, the velocity potential for a uniform flow, a doublet, and
an ideal vortex can be added. Each of these are given as,
U∞ a2 cos θ Γθ
φunif orm = U∞ r cos θ, φdoublet = − , φiv = − .
r 2π
(a) Using the superposed φ, calculate ur and uθ . Relate Γ with angular speed Ω of the cylinder.
(b) Determine the location of stagnation points on the cylinder surface (where velocity vanishes).
(c) Using Bernoulli’s equation, determine the pressure at the surface of the cylinder given that pressure
far upstream is p∞ .
(d) Integrate the pressure to calculate the net lift and drag force on the cylinder.
6. We may simulate potential flow of speed U∞ past a two-dimensional ridge or bump of height a/2 by
using a streamline that passes above the potential flow over a cylinder as shown below.
Figure 3: Potential flow past a bump
(a) Write the streamfunction ψ and velocity potential φ for potential flow past a cylinder of radius a in
polar coordinates.
(b) Using ψ, calculate the height h corresponding to the streamline which has a deflection of a/2 due
to the cylinder.
(c) Assuming the streamline of the above part (b) as a solid surface with the desired bump, calculate
the maximum velocity Umax at the top of the bump.
(p−p∞ )
(d) Calculate the pressure distribution and the pressure coefficient cp = 1 2
ρU∞
over the bump.
2
7. Using the method of images, find the velocity potential and stream function due to a source of strength
m at a distance a from the wall in +x direction.
8. In the limit Re → ∞, the Navier-Stokes equations reduce to the Euler’s equations for inviscid flow
without any rescaling of length scales. Euler’s equations can be derived in the streamline coordinates
system with tangential unit vector ês , normal unit vector ên , and bi-normal unit vector êb = ês × ên .
2
(a) Write the Euler’s equations in the coordinate indpendent form.
(b) Show that the convective term can be written as,
∂u u2
u · ∇u = u − ên ,
∂s R
where R is the local radius of curvature of the streamline and u is the speed.
(c) Decomposing the pressure gradient term, derive the Euler’s equations in the streamline coordinates.
∂ ∂ ∂
Note that the definition of ∇ is ∇ = ês ∂s + ên ∂n + êb ∂b .
Figure 4: Streamline coordinates
9. Assuming variation of tangential velocity as Vθ = C/r and inviscid flow, compute the flow rate through
a duct bent in a circular arc with inner radius r1 and outer radius r2 in terms of pressure difference
∆p = p2 − p1 at the two walls. Assume unit width of the duct in the page.
Figure 5: Circular bend

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Practice problems : Inviscid and potential flows

APL361 - 2301 Prateek Gupta

Figure 1: Vortex pair in a uniform stream

2. For a 2D flow, the velocity potential function φ is given by φ = x2 − y 2 .

(c) Angle θ at which the flow enters the circle or radius r0 .

Figure 3: Potential flow past a bump

Figure 4: Streamline coordinates

Figure 5: Circular bend

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