THE DERIVATIONS OF THE

NAVIER-STOKES EQUATIONS

Ranjeet Kumar
Department of Chemical Engineering

Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay

Tutors: Prof. Dr. Franz Durst, Prof. Dr. S. Mittal

11th INDO-GERMAN WINTER ACADEMY 2012

Table of Contents
2

Lagrangian and Eulerian Approach

Substantial and Field Quantities

Derivation of the Continuity Equation Mass Conservation

Derivation of the Momentum Equation Newtons Second Law

Derivation of the Navier-Stokes Equations

The Mechanical Energy Equation

The Bernoulli Equation

Shortcoming of these Equations

Conclusions, Final Remarks and Outlook

The Derivations of the Navier-Stokes Equations

Lagrangian and Eulerian Approach

3

Lagrangian Approach - Balance considerations for moving fluid elements

Eulerian Approach - Balance considerations for space fixed elements
Easy to formulate the conservation equations for a fluid element, i.e. to derive the
Lagrange form of the equations
Derivation of the basic equations in the Lagrange form are considered:
to derive local formulations of the conservation equations
Transformation of Lagrange to Euler form:
to introduce field quantities into the mathematical representations
The Euler form of the conservation equations is sought for solutions of fluid flow
problems
Requires expressing temporal changes of substantial quantities as temporal changes
of field quantities

=
=
+

The Derivations of the Navier-Stokes Equations

Lagrange Considerations
4

At a certain point in time = 0, the mass of a fluid is subdivided into fluid elements
of mass , i.e. =
Each fluid element is chosen to be large enough to make the assumption
= possible, with sufficient precision, in spite of the molecular
structure of the fluid

Arbitrary thermodynamic and fluid mechanics properties ( (), ) = () are

assigned to a fluid element to yield = , with satisfactory precision for
fluid mechanics considerations

Figure 1: Division of a fluid into fluid elements for mass conservation considerations

The Derivations of the Navier-Stokes Equations

Substantial Quantity
5

The term ( , ), with = (), expresses that the thermodynamic or fluid

mechanics property assigned to the considered fluid element, represents a
substantial quantity that is only a function of time, since () is valid
If one wants the properties of the fluid elements one must follow it in space so that
becomes a function of time. Hence, = ().
For the description of changes of the properties of the fluid element, it is important
that one follows the mass , i.e. one takes ()
It is assumed that the considered fluid element does not split up during the
considerations of its motion meaning that the fluid belonging to a considered fluid
element, at time = 0, remains also in the fluid element at all later moments in time
This signifies that it is not possible for two different fluid elements to take the same
point in space at the same but arbitrary time: () () for
The Derivations of the Navier-Stokes Equations

Field Quantity
6

When a fluid element is at the position at time , i.e. = (()) at time ,

then the substantial thermodynamic property, or any fluid mechanics property,
() is equal to the field quantity at the point at time :
= , =
For the temporal change of a quantity ():

=
+

= ( ) =
=
=
+

The operator / = / + / applied to the field quantity ( , ) is the

substantial derivative denoting how a fluid element changes its properties in time

/ = total change with time (for a fluid element), total differentiation w.r.t. time

change with time at a fixed location, partial differentiation w.r.t. time

The Derivations of the Navier-Stokes Equations

Mass Conservation (Continuity

Equation)
7

For fluid mechanics considerations, a closed fluid system can always be found, i.e.
a system whose total mass =

Figure 2: Different fluid flow cases within control volumes for which M = constant can be set

The fluid mass within the considered system is subdivided into fluid elements with
sub-masses , then for the temporal change of the total mass one obtains:

0=
=

( ) =

( )

The Derivations of the Navier-Stokes Equations

Continuity Equation
8

So, the balance equation for the mass conservation in Lagrange notation is
m
=0

Transformed into Euler variables (i.e. into field quantities), one obtains for the mass
conservation:

0=
=
=
+

For Term I, using = and () = at time and that the temporal change of
a fluid element is equal to the divergence of the velocity field:

For Term II one obtains:

=
+

The Derivations of the Navier-Stokes Equations

Continuity Equation
9

From previous three equations, one obtains:

+
+
=0

As VR 0, one obtains the continuity equation in field variables:

( )
+
+
=
+
=0

The Continuity Equation can also be written as:

+
+
=
+
=0

The continuity equation holds in one of the following two forms:

( )

= 0 (compressible flows)

= 0 (incompressible flows, =const. i.e.

The Derivations of the Navier-Stokes Equations

= 0)

Newtons Second Law (Momentum

Equation)
10

Newtons second law: For a fluid element, the time derivative of the momentum in direction is equal to the sum of the external forces acting in this direction on the
fluid element, plus the molecular-dependent input of momentum per unit time
The external forces are

mass forces () caused by gravitation forces or, e.g. electromagnetic forces

surface forces caused by pressure,

( is for Oberflche = surface)

Equation of motion ( = 1, 2, 3) in Lagrange form can be formulated as follows:

( )

=
( ) +
( ) +

mass forces surface forces moleculardependent
momentum input
When forces are present, or molecular momentum input occurs, a considered fluid
element changes its momentum in accordance with the equation of motion, otherwise
the fluid elements act like rigid bodies and do not change their state of motion
The Derivations of the Navier-Stokes Equations

Momentum Equation
11

To derive Euler form of equation of motion each term is expressed in field quantities
Figure 3: Derivation of momentum equations are based on force
considerations for a fluid element. Here, () = ().

The left-hand side of the equation of motion in Lagrange form can be written as:
( )

( )
( )
=
=
+

The last term is equal to zero the mass conservation for a fluid element
( )

( )
=
=
+

= = applying = when ( ()) = at time

( )

=
+

The Derivations of the Navier-Stokes Equations

Momentum Equation
12

The right-hand side of the equation of motion:

( ) = can be expressed by

means of the acceleration { } = {1 , 2 , 3 } acting per unit mass (Fig. 4).

The mass forces come into the equation due to forces like gravity. Hence, mass
forces are proportional to the mass of the considered fluid element
The mass force acting on a fluid element in the -direction can be stated as follows:
( ) =() =

Figure 4: Mass forces acting on a fluid

element in the directions = 1, 2, 3
The Derivations of the Navier-Stokes Equations

Momentum Equation
13

( )

= : Only surface forces which are

imposed by molecular pressure can exist for fluid elements (no electric forces)
We can write Pressure force: = (minus sign since pressure is compressive)
The surface force resulting for the motion of the fluid element in -direction is the sum
of the forces acting on the -planes of the element:
( ) = ( )( ) ( + )( )R
Applying Taylor series expansion for + :

( ) = +( )( ) [ +
+ )( )R

Neglecting all second and higher order terms:

( ) =

Figure 5: Considerations concerning

surface force on a fluid element in
the directions = 1, 2, 3

The Derivations of the Navier-Stokes Equations

Momentum Equation
14

When one defines the momentum transported by molecules in the direction per
unit time per unit area as , the input influencing the momentum of a fluid element
is calculated as an input at the position and as an output at the position ( + )

By a Taylor series expansion for the term + :

= ( )( ) ( + )( )

= + ( )( ) [ ( ) +

]( )

Neglecting all second and higher order terms:

Figure 6: Considerations on the

molecular-dependent momentum
input in = 1, 2, 3 directions

The Derivations of the Navier-Stokes Equations

Momentum Equation
15

Inserting all these derived relationships and after division by , the equation of
momentum of fluid mechanics in the direction results, i.e. for = 1, 2, 3:

+
=

For fluids in general, 0, but for ideal fluids, in which no molecular momentum
transport is present, = 0
Hence, the following forms of the momentum equations can be stated:

+
=

(viscous fluids)

+
=
(ideal fluids)

In ideal fluids no viscosity caused pressure losses occur, the pressure changes are
due to the Bernoulli law only

The Derivations of the Navier-Stokes Equations

The NavierStokes Equations

16

In momentum equation, the molecular-dependent momentum input was introduced

as an input as per unit surface area per unit time
Taking into consideration the symmetry of the matrix , i.e. || = | |, the
following are the unknowns in the momentum equations:
1, 2, 3, , 11, 12, 13, 22, 23, 33 10

Only four partial differential equations are available to solve the fluid flow
problems: continuity equation and three equations of momentum.
An incomplete system of equations exists, not permitting the solution of flow
problems

We require additional equations, i.e. expressing the unknown terms in a

physically well-founded manner, as functions of / , i.e. = ( / )

The Derivations of the Navier-Stokes Equations

The NavierStokes Equations

17

Considering a fluid element, with side walls parallel to the planes of a Cartesian
coordinate system (Fig. 7), the momentum transported in the direction by a
velocity field can be stated as follows:
=
Figure 7: Momentum input due to
flow through the plane

Assuming that the instantaneous velocity components are composed of the velocity
components of the fluid flow and the molecular velocity component :
= + + = ( + + + )

The Derivations of the Navier-Stokes Equations

The NavierStokes Equations

18

The time-averaged total momentum change of the fluid element:

UiU = ( + + + )

Term I: Momentum input in -direction due to the velocity field of the fluid
Term II: Momentum input in -direction due to the molecular motion in the direction, i.e. due to
Term III: Momentum input in -direction due to molecular motion in -direction
Term IV: For the = 0, as the molecular motion in the three coordinate
directions are not correlated, for = the molecularly caused pressure results

The molecular motion is characterized by the presence of the molecular free path
lengths with finite dimensions, i.e. 0, and for this reason the time averages
and are unequal to zero (this is different to the local description of the
turbulent flow motion to derive the Reynolds-equations)

The Derivations of the Navier-Stokes Equations

The NavierStokes Equations

19

For the number of molecules ( ) moving in the direction and passing the plane A
in Fig. 8 in the time , when 1 = 2 = 3 = :
1 2
=
6
where is equal to the number of molecules per unit volume, 2 is the magnitude of
the area of the considered volume, oriented in the direction, and is the
mean velocity of the molecules in the direction
Figure 8: Momentum input in the
direction caused by the molecular
motion with mean velocity

Connected with , a mass transport through can be stated as follows:

1
= ()2
6

where represents the mass of a molecule and thus = can be set

The Derivations of the Navier-Stokes Equations

The NavierStokes Equations

20

In the two parallel auxiliary planes (Fig.8) located at a distances above and
below a main plane at the mean flow field the velocity components ( +
) and ( )
In the positive and negative directions, the -directional momentum input and
output are:
+

= + momentum input over the area | | = = 2

= ( + ) momentum output over the area | | = = 2

The net input of momentum is the sum of the molecular dependent input and output:
= [ ( + )]
1

or, = 6 ()2 [ ( + )]

The Derivations of the Navier-Stokes Equations

The NavierStokes Equations

21

The net momentum input per unit area per unit time can be obtained by Taylor series
expansion of the velocity terms around (and neglecting higher order terms):

1 1

= 2
=
+

so that term II in the time-averaged total momentum change equation:

=
=
3

Analogous to this, for

(fig.9), we get
1

= ( )
=
3

Figure 9: Momentum input in the direction

with molecular velocity and fluid velocity

The Derivations of the Navier-Stokes Equations

The NavierStokes Equations

22

For reasons of symmetry = , so that = has to hold, i.e. the mean velocity
field of the molecules is isotropic (no preferred velocity direction)
So, the total -momentum transport for = , i.e. when ( )/ = 0:

= + =
+

For , an additional term needs to be added to due to volume
increase of a fluid element at point and time, which is given by:
( )

= ( )

For the corresponding surface increase the following relationship holds:

( ) 2

= ( )

The Derivations of the Navier-Stokes Equations

The NavierStokes Equations

23

With this surface increase in time an increased momentum input results:

2

= +
3

General relationship for total momentum input per unit time and unit area reads

2

=
+
+

3

The basic equations of fluid mechanics can be written as follows:

Continuity equation:

Momentum equations ( = 1, 2, 3):

For Newtonian fluids: =

( )

=0

+ + 3

The Derivations of the Navier-Stokes Equations

The NavierStokes Equations

24

For = and = and using

= 0,

We get, Continuity equation:

=0

and, Navier-Stokes equations = 1, 2, 3 :

+
=
+
+

This system of equations comprises four equations for the four unknowns
, 1 , 2 , 3 . In principle, it can be solved for all flow problems to be investigated
if suitable initial and boundary conditions are given.
For thermodynamically ideal liquids, i.e. = , a complete system of
partial differential equations exists through the continuity equation and the
momentum equations, which can be used for solutions of flow problems.
The Derivations of the Navier-Stokes Equations

25

Example of an Analytical Solution:

Unidirectional flow

Unidirectional: 2 = 0, Stationary :

Gravity effects are ignored as we are considering flow between horizontal plates

Continuity equation:

1
1

2
2

= 0, Incompressible: = .

=0

Navier-Stokes Equations:
1
1

2 1 2 1

2 1
= 1: 1
+ 2
=
+
+
0=
+
1
2
1
1
2
12
22
2
2

2 2 2 2

= 2: 1
+ 2
=
+
+

0
=

1
2
2
2
12
22

1 1

2 1

1 22

2 1
22 1

2
12

0=

Hence, 1 =

Applying B.C.s i.e. 1 = 0 2 = + , =

1 2 1
2

2
2
1

= . =

2 1
.

22 + 1 2 + 2

The Derivations of the Navier-Stokes Equations

( )

Mechanical Energy Equation

26

Mechanical energy equation can be derived from the momentum equation by multiplying by :

+
=

+

This equation can be rearranged to yield:

( )

1 2
1 2

=
+

+
+
2
2

The temporal change of the kinetic and potential energy of a fluid element:

1 2
+
2

and

= 0 =

( )

I: Difference between input and output of pressure energy

II: The work done during expansion, occurring per unit volume

III: Difference from the molecular-dependent input and output of the kinetic energy of the fluid

IV: Dissipation of mechanical energy into heat

The Derivations of the Navier-Stokes Equations

Bernoulli Equation
27

Bernoulli equation is a special form of the mechanical energy equation, which can
be derived from the general form of the mechanical energy equation:

1 2

+ =

2

For = 0 and / = 0, and also = ,

1 2

+ =
+
=
2

1 2

+ + =0
2

2 + + = ( )
2

This form of the mechanical energy equation can be employed in many engineering
applications to solve flow problems in an engineering manner
The Derivations of the Navier-Stokes Equations

Shortcoming of these equations

28

The conventional Navier-Stokes Equations, as derived in the presentation,

do not contain the diffusive mass transport
This transport is usually not felt, because molecular mass transport is
negligible in comparison to the convective mass transport, but there are
flow cases where this is not the case
The conventional Navier-Stokes Equations are based upon the continuum
assumption, which is not valid in many flow cases
Gas flows through micro-channels and micro-capillaries, accurate
predictions of shock structures etc., remained unexplained by CNSE
The Derivations of the Navier-Stokes Equations

Conclusions, Final Remarks and Outlook

29

We looked at the two approaches to derive the conservation equations the

Lagrangian and the Eulerian form and how to convert Lagrangian form of equations
into Eulerian form
Substantial and Field quantities were discussed and in what form substantial
variables help to derive the basic equations of fluid mechanics and how substantial
variables can be turned into field variables
The mass conservation was applied to derive the Continuity Equation in Lagrange
form and transformed to Eulerian form using transformation of substantial variables
to field variables
The Momentum Equations, i.e., Newtons Second Law of Motion was derived for fluid
element using the Lagrangian approach and its conversion to the Eulerian form
Derivation of the Navier-Stokes Equation was done from the Momentum equations
for a Newtonian fluid with constant density and constant viscosity
Derivation of the Mechanical Energy Equation and the Bernoulli Equation from the
Momentum Equations
The Derivations of the Navier-Stokes Equations

References
30

Chapter 5 - Basic Equations of Fluid Mechanics

Fluid Mechanics - An Introduction to the Theory of
Fluid Flows, Springer, Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Franz Durst

The Derivations of the Navier-Stokes Equations

31

Thank You!

The Derivations of the Navier-Stokes Equations