Reynolds transport theorem (also known as the Leibniz-Reynolds transport theorem), or in short Reynolds theorem, is a three-dimensional generalization of the Leibniz integral rule. This theorem is used to compute derivatives of integrated quantities.
Imagine a system and a coinciding control volume with a control surface. Reynolds transport theorem states that the rate of change of an extensive propertyN, for the system is equal to the time rate of change of N within the control volume
and the net rate of flux of the property N through the control surface. For an example, the law of conservation of mass states that rate of change of the property, mass, is equal to the sum of the rate of accumulation of mass within a control volume and the net rate of flow of mass across the control surface.
The Reynolds transport theorem refers to any extensive property, N, of the fluid in a particular control volume. It is expressed in terms of a substantive derivative on the left-hand side.
where η is the intensive property related to extensive property N, i.e. the concentration of N per unit mass; t is time, c.v. refers to the control volume, c.s. refers to the control surface, ρ is the fluid density, V is the volume, is the velocity of the boundary of the control volume (the control surface), is the velocity of the fluid with respect to the control surface, n is the outward pointing normal vector on the control surface, and A is the area.
Mass formulation
Also called the continuity equation, the control volume form of the conservation of mass is found by substituting mass in for N. This means that η is equal to 1.
All variables are defined as in the general formulation. M is equal to the mass of the control volume. Applying the Conservation of mass principle, the left hand side reduces to 0 since mass of a system cannot change in time. In a steady flow system, the first term on the right hand side of the equation will be equal to 0, i.e. the mass of the control volume does not change, implying that the mass flow rate into the control volume is equal to the mass flow rate out of the control volume.
Momentum formulation
The momentum equation is found by substituting momentum in for N. From this, η is found to be velocity. From Newton's second law, we have the time rate of change of momentum (now the left hand side of the equation) is equal to the net force. Thus,
where F is force, is the velocity of fluid in a coordinate system attached to the control surface, and all other variables are defined as in the general formulation. Note that the integral form of the momentum equation is a vector equation.
Energy formulation
The energy equation is found by substituting energy in for N. From this, η is found to be energy per unit mass.
where Q is the heat transfer into the control volume, W is the work done by the system, g is the acceleration due to gravity, z is the vertical distance from an arbitrary datum, is the specificinternal energy of the fluid, p is the pressure and all other variables are defined as in the general formulation.
Note that these equations make no consideration for chemical reactions or potential energy associated with electromagnetic fields.
Formulation used in solid mechanics
Suppose is a region in Euclidean space with boundary , and let be the outward unit normal to the boundary at time . Let be the positions of points in the region, the velocity field in the region, and let be a vector field in the region
(it may also be a scalar field). Reynolds' transport theorem states that[1]
Proof
Let be reference configuration of the region . Let
the motion and the deformation gradient be given by
Let .
Then, integrals in the current and the reference configurations are
related by
The time derivative of an integral over a volume is defined as
Converting into integrals over the reference configuration, we get
^T. Belytschko, W. K. Liu, and B. Moran, 2000, Nonlinear Finite Elements for Continua and Structures, John Wiley and Sons, Ltd., New York.
^Gurtinm M. E., 1981, An Introduction to Continuum Mechanics. Academic Press, New York, p. 77.
References
M.C. Potter, J.F. Foss, Fluid Mechanics, Great Lakes Press, 1982
External links
Osborne Reynolds, Collected Papers on Mechanical and Physical Subjects, in three volumes, published circa 1903, now fully and freely available in digital format: