56

On Unsteady Flow of a Viscous Fluid between Two Parallel Plates

under Variable Surface Charges

By SUBHASH CHANDRA NANDY1)

Summary - The equations of electricity and the equations of hydrodynamics have been used to
solve the problem of unsteady flow of a viscous fluid under variable surface charges.

1. Introduction

The unsteady flow of a viscous fluid between two parallel plates is an important
problem of fluid dynamics, vide, SUKLA [1] 2, KAPVR and JAIN [2]. The problem has
also been studied by accommodating a magnetic field with appropriate conditions on
the boundaries vide, KAt'VR and JA1N [2]. It, therefore, seems worthwhile to investigate
the same problem in the presence of an electric field only. Such problems are believed
to have geophysical interests in the sense that the interaction of an electric field with
a fluid is likely to explain the formation of clouds that often accompany thunder-
storms, vide, ROS~NKLIDE[3]. This paper which is an attempt of this nature, presents
the solution of problem of unsteady flow of a viscous fluid between two surfaces when
the upper surface is acted upon by an electric field. The solution of the problem has
been achieved by using the method of Laplace transform.

2. Problem, fundamental equations and boundary conditions

In what follows, we consider a viscous fluid film of thickness h, viscosity # and

dielectric constant e between two parallel plates. A surface charge of density o- is laid
on the upper surface of the film. Our problem is to investigate the motion of the fluid
film arising out of the interaction of the fluid with the superposed electric field. The
fundamental equations of the problem must be those of fluid dynamics and the equa-
tion of electricity. Let us derive them in forms suitable for the solution of the prob-
lem.
Let the origin be taken on the lower plate, with the x-axis along the plate in the
direction of the flow and z-axis perpendicular to the plate. In the absence of external

1) Department of Mathematics, Asutosh College, Calcutta 26, India.

3) Numbers in brackets refer to References, page 61.
 Unsteady Flow of a Viscous Fluid between Two Parallel Plates 57

forces, the velocity components (u, v, w) satisfy the equations of motion

Ou l OP
-- -~ "1~V 2 u ,

0v l 0P
-- -}- 1~ V 2 U, (1)
~t 0 ~Y
0w 1 ~P
-- +vV2w,
t?t 0 Oz
where P is the pressure, 0 the density and v the kinematic coefficient of viscosity.
We assume the flow to be such that the velocity components v, w vanish while u
depends on z and t. Under these conditions, we have from (1) the equations of motion
of viscous fluid

#t

0 -

0--
0 8x + v c z 2

1 ~?P

0 c~y
1 6~P
0 az
From second and third equations of (2), we have P is independent of y and z.
/ (2)

Differentiating first equation of (2) with respect to x, we have

~ap
-0
c3x2
whence
P = x q~(t) + constant
q~(t) being a function of time t.
Since P must not be infinite for x = + o% qS(t)=0 and the equation (2) reduces to
~b/ ~2U
-- ~]j--
& &2 9 (3)

The stresses are given by the equations

Pxx=-P, Pyy=-P, p~= = _ p , ]

8u (4)
p,= = 0 , P~== ~ ~z' p~y = O.
J
We assume that the charge density o- depends on x and t and is independent of y.
Under these conditions, the electrostatic field due to this charge is likewise two-dimen-
sional. We can take, as in PORITSKY [4],

= - (A + B x e -~t) (5)
58 S.C. Nandy (Pageoph,

The constant A represents the mean value of a and is assumed to be larger than
B. In the term B x e - ' t which is an approximate representation of the variation of cr
about its mean A, B is taken to be so small that its squares and higher powers may be
neglected.
The boundary conditions are
(a) the velocity u vanishes on the lower plate and
(b) the upper plate is tangentially stress free.

3. Methodof solution
To solve the problem, let us introduce Laplace transform
ao

(t= I" e-vtudt' Re(p)>0.

0

The Laplace transform of (5) is given by

=
C + = fro + ~1.

We assume that corresponding to charge distribution, the potential is linear in

x and given by
7 = 7o + 7~, where 7o = Zo(Z), ~1 = x Z l ( z ) .

The boundary condition for 7 is 17o = 0 on z = 0 and 71 = 0 on z = 0 which require

that Z o and i l vanish on z = 0.
F r o m V z V= 0 we have
V 2 70 = 0 , V 2 71 = 0
which give
d2Zo d2Z1
dz 2 - O, dz 2 - 0

yielding linear variations of Zo, Z 1 with z:

20 = CI Z , 21 = C2 Z ,
Hence we have
7o=2o=elz; Vl=xZl=ezxz.
The components of electric field corresponding to 7o are

E= = - cl, /~x = 0.

and the components of electric field corresponding to 71 are

JEz ~ - - C2 X ~ JEx ~ - - C2 Z .
Vol. 83, 1970/VI) Unsteady Flow of a Viscous Fluid between Two Parallel Plates 59

The components of dielectric flux corresponding to Vo are

/3~ = - c~ e, /3~=0
and the components of dielectric flux corresponding to 171 are
O z ~ - - C2 ~ X ~ Z) x z - - c2 ~ z .

Applying the condition that the total flux emanating from the surface charge is
4 z times the charge density, we have,
4zrA 4zcB
C1 = , C2 -
p~ (p+a)e"

Therefore, the components of net electric field are

4rcA 4nBx
E~- P~ + ( p + ~ ) e
4nBz
(p +
The normal component of the total stress is taken to be negligibly so small that
it is balanced by the fluid pressure. The tangential component of the stress is #(Oft/az)
and the Maxwell stress tensor yields the tangential component

Therefore, the tangential component of the total stress is

4nABz ~(t
p(p + + ?z
neglecting B 2 in view of our assumption, t/is the Laplace transform of u.
The Laplace transform of (3) is given by
d2ff ~o p _
u=0.
dz 2 #

The solution of the equation is given by

12=A1 sinh ( l ~ z) + A 2 cosh ( l ~ z)

where A 1 and A 2 are functions of p.

The boundary conditions become, when transformed
~/=0 on z =0
4 ~z A B z d f~
ep(p+c0+#~zz=0 on z=h.
60 S.C. Nandy (Pageoph,

Using these conditions, we have

4~ABh 1

2 ~"~- 0 ~

4rcABh s i n h { z ~ / ~p}
~

Applying the usual Inversion theorem, vide, CARSLAWand JAEGER [5], we have

,+,~ easinh(zx/O~g2) d2
4~ABh
u(~, 0= ep2~ri
v -fi ~ 2(2 + e,l~---2cosh(~/~h)

where v denotes a number greater than the real parts of all the singularities of the
integrands. There are simple poles at 2 = 0, 2 = - ~ , an infinite number of poles given
by

cosh h = 0 i.e., 2 = - / ~ ( n - 1) 2 h~.

Calculating the residues and applying the wellknown Cauchy's Residue Theorem,

e-'~ sin ( ~ / 9 z
u(z, t) = 41c A B h . . . . . . . .

I
21, V ( - 1)" e -*'("-~l==~'/~ sin (2 n - 1)
+ ,~2/_., (~ - ~-)----7I--77 ~ (--~-z ~)~ ,V/~h ~-~
n=l

which gives the velocity in the direction of the flow. It is clear that the velocity profile
is predominantly transient in nature.
In conclusion, I express my deep gratitude to Dr. D. K. SINHA, Department of
Mathematics, Jadavpur University, for this kind help and guidance in the preparation
of this note.
Vol. 83, 1970/VI) Unsteady Flow of a Viscous Fluid between Two Parallel Plates 61

REFERENCES

[1 ] J. B. SUKLA,Flow between parallel porous plates with varying pressure gradient under a transverse
magnetic field, Arch. Mech. Stosow. 15 (1963), 377.
[2] J. N. KAPUR and R. K. JAtN, (1962): Hydromagnetic turbulentflow between parallelp late& Phys.
Fluids 5 (1962), 589.
[3] C. E. ROSENKLIDE,Proc. Roy. Soc. [A] 312 (1969), 473.
[4] H. PORITSICY,Developments in Mechanics, Vol. 2, Pt. I (Pergamon Press, 1965), 145.
[5] H. S. CARSLAWand J. C. JAEGER, Operational methods in Applied Mathematics (Dover Publica-
tions Inc., New York 1948).
(Received 4th May 1970)