Navier Stokes solution : I

Daniel Sanz

November 2023

Navier-Stokes equations in three-dimensional Cartesian coordinates:

∂u 1
+ (u · ∇)u = − ∇p + ν∇2 u + fx , (1)
∂t ρ
∂v 1
+ (u · ∇)v = − ∇p + ν∇2 v + fy , (2)
∂t ρ
∂w 1
+ (u · ∇)w = − ∇p + ν∇2 w + fz , (3)
∂t ρ

where:

u, v, w are the velocity components in the x, y, z directions respectively.

t is time.

ρ is the fluid density.

p is pressure.

ν is the kinematic viscosity.

fx , fy , fz are the components of the external force per unit mass in the x, y, z directions respectively.

We can observe that the highest derivative it’s not linear, that means a lot of trouble, our functions are
not linear.
First, I propose the change our point of view, use the spherical coordinates for these equations:
Navier-Stokes equations in spherical coordinates:

1
 URV

∂u 1
+ (u · ∇)u = − ∇p + ν∇2 u + fr , (4)
∂t ρ
 
∂v 1 ∂p 2 v fθ
+ (u · ∇)v = − +ν ∇ v− 2 2 + , (5)
∂t ρr ∂θ r sin θ r
 
∂w 1 ∂p 2 w fϕ
+ (u · ∇)w = − +ν ∇ w− 2 2 + , (6)
∂t ρr sin θ ∂ϕ r sin θ r sin θ

where:

u, v, w are the velocity components in the radial (r), polar (θ), and azimuthal (ϕ) directions respectively.

t is time.

r, θ, ϕ are the spherical coordinates.

ρ is the fluid density.

p is pressure.

ν is the kinematic viscosity.

fr , fθ , fϕ are the components of the external force per unit mass in the radial, polar, and azimuthal
directions respectively.

The highest derivative is still two but now, we can apply theorems related to the spherical form, we
consider the fluid as a manifold in the space, a continuous entity.

Theorem 0.1 Poincare - Conjunction : every simply connected, closed, three-dimensional manifold is topo-
logically equivalent to S3

The demonstration is not trivial, not include here. We have a close surface of fluid, and symmetrical,
According to the theory of partial diferential equations, we can apply methods such as Laplace and Fourier.
Laplace equation:
∂2ϕ ∂2ϕ ∂2ϕ
∇2 ϕ = + 2 + 2 =0
∂x2 ∂y ∂z
Which boundaries conditions could lead us to a null value of Laplace equation?
For a more global generalization, we can use the tensorial notation:
 
2 1 ∂ √ ij∂ϕ
∇ ϕ= √ gg =0
g ∂xi ∂xj
Fourier transform:
Z
fˆ(ω) = f (x)e−iωx dx

Possible ideas to solve Navier Stokes equations:

2
 URV

Theorem 0.2 (Clairaut’s Theorem) Let f be a function of n variables continuously differentiable in

Theorem 0.3 (Reynolds Transport Theorem) Let Vt be a volume with a fixed, oriented surface St , and
let F be a continuously differentiable vector field in a region containing Vt and St . If V is a continuously
differentiable vector field representing the velocity of the surface St at each point, then the following equation
holds:
Z Z Z
d ∂F
F dV = dV + (V · N) · F dS
dt Vt Vt ∂t St

where N is the outward unit normal vector to St .

Theorem 0.4 (Conservation of Mass in Fluids) For a fluid occupying a region Ω(t) in space, the con-
servation of mass is expressed mathematically as:
Z Z
d
ρ dV + ρV · N dS = 0
dt Ω(t) ∂Ω(t)

where ρ is the fluid density, V is the fluid velocity vector field, Ω(t) is the region occupied by the fluid at
time t, ∂Ω(t) is the boundary of Ω(t), and N is the outward unit normal vector to ∂Ω(t).

The Navier-Stokes equations in cylindrical coordinates are given by:

∂u v 2 1 ∂2u ∂2u
     
∂u ∂u v ∂u ∂p 1 ∂ ∂u
ρ +u + +w − =− +µ r + 2 2 + 2 , (7)
∂t ∂r r ∂θ ∂z r ∂r r ∂r ∂r r ∂θ ∂z
1 ∂ v ∂2v
2
     
∂v ∂v v ∂v ∂v uv 1 ∂p 1 ∂ ∂v
ρ +u + +w + =− +µ r + 2 2 + 2 , (8)
∂t ∂r r ∂θ ∂z r r ∂θ r ∂r ∂r r ∂θ ∂z
1 ∂ w ∂2w
2
     
∂w ∂w v ∂w ∂w ∂p 1 ∂ ∂w
ρ +u + +w =− +µ r + 2 2 + . (9)
∂t ∂r r ∂θ ∂z ∂z r ∂r ∂r r ∂θ ∂z 2