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∂H
ρW dx
∂t
um W H ρ
H(x,t)
y
x
dx
moving plate, up
Figure 5-25: Inertia-free flow through the gap between a stationary and moving surface.
The height of the gap may be a function of position, x, and time, t, and therefore the pressure is a
function of position and time as well. However, provided that the modified Reynolds number
defined by Eq. (5-115) is small and the flow is quasi-steady, the inertia-free x-momentum
equation, Eq. (5-116) can be applied. Quasi-steady implies that the characteristic time associated
with any changes in the flow (e.g., oscillations of the gap or variations in the flow boundary
conditions) is much larger than the characteristic time required for momentum to diffuse across
the channel:
H2
τ diff ≈ (5-134)
υ
∂p ∂ 2u
=μ 2 (5-135)
∂x ∂y
∂p y 2
u= + C1 y + C2 (5-136)
∂x 2 μ
The constants of integration for Eq. (5-136) are obtained by applying the no-slip condition at y =
0 and y = H. At y = 0, the fluid must reach the velocity of the moving surface:
u y = 0 = u p → C2 = u p (5-137)
E13-1
E13: Section 5.4.2 The Reynolds Equation
∂p H 2
u y=H =0→ + C1 H + u p = 0 (5-138)
∂x 2 μ
Substituting Eqs. (5-137) and (5-138) into Eq. (5-122) leads to:
1 ∂p 2 ⎛ y⎞
u=
2 μ ∂x
( y − H y ) + u p ⎜1 − ⎟
⎝ H⎠
(5-139)
The mean velocity is obtained by integrating the velocity distribution, Eq. (5-139), across the
gap:
1 ∂p u ⎛ ⎞
H H H
um =
1
∫
H 0
u dy = ∫
2 μ H ∂x 0
( y 2 − H y ) dy + p ∫ ⎜ 1 −
H 0⎝ H
y
⎟ dy
⎠
(5-140)
∂p H 2 u p
um = − + (5-141)
∂x 12 μ 2
Equation (5-141) indicates that the mean velocity in the gap will increase with either the plate
velocity or the pressure gradient.
∂ ∂H
u m W H ρ = um W H ρ + W ρ ( um H ) dx + ρ W dx (5-142)
∂x ∂t
where W is the width of the passage (into the page). Equation (5-142) is simplified to:
∂ ∂H
0= ( um H ) + (5-143)
∂x ∂t
Equation (5-141) is substituted into Eq. (5-143) in order to obtain a partial differential equation
for the pressure in terms of the gap height.
∂ ⎛ ∂p H 3 u p ⎞ ∂H
0= ⎜− + H ⎟+ (5-144)
∂x ⎝ ∂x 12 μ 2 ⎠ ∂t
or
E13-2
E13: Section 5.4.2 The Reynolds Equation
∂ ⎛ ∂p 3 ⎞ ∂H ∂H
⎜ H ⎟ = 6 μ up + 12 μ (5-145)
∂x ⎝ ∂x ⎠ ∂x ∂t
Equation (5-145) is one form of the Reynolds equation for lubrication problems. Given an
arbitrary description of the gap height as a function of position and time and boundary conditions
for the pressure, it is possible to solve Eq. (5-145) either analytically or numerically in order to
obtain the pressure variation. The pressure distribution coupled with Eq. (5-139) provides the
velocity distribution.
E13-3