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Potential Flow Around A Cylinder: An Internet Book On Fluid Dynamics

1) The document describes the potential flow around a cylinder, which is generated by superimposing a uniform stream velocity on the flow due to a doublet oriented in the x-direction. 2) It presents equations for the velocity potential, radial and tangential velocity components, and stream function that characterize the potential flow around a cylinder of radius R. 3) Key properties of the flow are discussed, including the sinusoidal pressure distribution on the cylinder surface and zero drag predicted by potential flow, in contrast to real flow which produces drag due to flow separation.

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bhassan 2007
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132 views3 pages

Potential Flow Around A Cylinder: An Internet Book On Fluid Dynamics

1) The document describes the potential flow around a cylinder, which is generated by superimposing a uniform stream velocity on the flow due to a doublet oriented in the x-direction. 2) It presents equations for the velocity potential, radial and tangential velocity components, and stream function that characterize the potential flow around a cylinder of radius R. 3) Key properties of the flow are discussed, including the sinusoidal pressure distribution on the cylinder surface and zero drag predicted by potential flow, in contrast to real flow which produces drag due to flow separation.

Uploaded by

bhassan 2007
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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An Internet Book on Fluid Dynamics

Potential Flow around a Cylinder


Superimposing a uniform stream of velocity, U, on the potential ow due a doublet oriented in the x

Figure 1: Streamlines in the potential flow of a doublet in a uniform stream.

direction produces the ow and streamlines shown in Figure 1 which has the velocity potential,


Qa
x
Qa
cos
(Bgdh1)
= Ux +
= Ur +
(x2 + y 2 )
r
and the radial velocity




Qa
(Bgdh2)
ur =
= U 2 cos
r
r
where the polar coordinates, r and , are x = r cos and y = r sin as before. It follows that at the specic
1
radius, r = R = (Qa/U) 2 the radial velocity is zero for all . Therefore the radius, r = R, is a streamline
and could, if so desired, be replaced by a cylinder of that radius in order to generate the potential ow
around a cylinder (shown by the red circle in Figure 1). It follows that the potential ow around a cylinder
of radius R is characterized by the velocity potential, velocity components and stream function given by


R2
U cos
(Bgdh3)
= r+
r
and the radial velocity


R2
1 2 U cos
r


R2
1
= 1 + 2 U sin
=
r
r


R2
= r
U sin
r

ur =
=
r

(Bgdh4)
(Bgdh5)
(Bgdh6)

It will be useful for future purposes to investigate some of the properties of this ow. First note that the
tangential velocity on the surface of the cylinder is given by
(u )r=R = 2U sin

(Bgdh7)

As expected the velocity on the surface increases from zero at the front stagnation point ( = ) to a
maximum of 2U at the equator ( = /2) and then decreases again to zero at the rear stagnation point
( = 0). By Bernoullis theorem it follows that, neglecting gravity, the pressure, p, on the surface of the
cylinder is given by


1
1
1
(p)r=R = p + U 2 {2U sin }2 = p + U 2 1 4 sin2
2
2
2

(Bgdh8)

where p is the pressure far upstream. It is conventional to dene a non-dimensional coecient of


pressure denoted by Cp as
p p
(Bgdh9)
Cp = 1 2
U
2
and it follows from equation (Bgdh8) that the coecient of pressure on the surface of the cylinder is given
by
(Cp )r=R = 1 4 sin2
(Bgdh10)
Since the pressure on th surface of the cylinder, (p)r=R , is symmetric fore and aft it must follow that
the drag on the cylinder in potential ow is identically zero. This is, again, an example of DAlemberts
Paradox which states that the drag on any nite body due to potential ow must be zero. We shall revisit
this issue in future pages and resolve the apparent conict with our practical experience. For the present
we take note of the sinusoidal pressure distribution on the surface cylinder depicted in Figure 2. Note

Figure 2: Pressure distribution on the surface of a cylinder in the potential flow.

that Cp at the front and rear stagnation points is unity as it always is where the velocity is zero. Note
the minimum pressure coecient of 3 at the equator, = /2 and the symmetry of the potential ow
pressure distribution that leads to zero drag. Though we jump ahead, we should mention that in the actual
ow around a cylinder the pressure over the front between = 0 and = /2 is quite close to that of

the potential ow. However, the pressure over the rear departs substantially from the potential ow. In
practice the main ow leaves the surface at points like SL or ST and, from that point on, the pressure is
much lower than the potential ow pressure. This means that the actual drag is far from zero. We will
describe and explain these features in more detail on later pages.

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