Article
Article
Stream function
Article By:
White, Frank M. Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, Rhode Island.
Last reviewed:January 2021
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1036/1097-8542.757457
In fluid mechanics, a mathematical idea which satisfies identically, and therefore eliminates completely, the equation of mass conservation. If the flow field consists of only two space coordinates, for example, x and y, a single and very useful stream function ψ(x,y) will arise. If there are three space coordinates, such as (x,y,z), multiple stream functions are then needed, and the idea becomes much less useful and is much less widely employed.
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