2020 Faculty Courses School of Engineering Undergraduate major in Mechanical Engineering
Fundamentals of Fluid Mechanics
- Academic unit or major
- Undergraduate major in Mechanical Engineering
- Instructor(s)
- Katsunori Hanamura / Tetsuya Suekane / Mamoru Tanahashi / Feng Xiao / Takayuki Aoki
- Class Format
- Lecture (Zoom)
- Media-enhanced courses
- -
- Day of week/Period
(Classrooms) - 5-8 Thu (W241)
- Class
- -
- Course Code
- MEC.F201
- Number of credits
- 200
- Course offered
- 2020
- Offered quarter
- 3Q
- Syllabus updated
- Jul 10, 2025
- Language
- Japanese
Syllabus
Course overview and goals
This course focuses on basic concepts in fluid mechanics starting from continuum physics. Topics include fundamentals of ideal fluid, governing equations of fluid motion, Euler's equation of motion, vorticity and circulation, Bernoulli's theorem, streamlines, stream function and velocity potential function. By combining lectures and exercises, the course enables students to understand and acquire the fundamentals of ideal fluid which are important for developments of real applications in mechanical engineering.
Fluid mechanics is one of the most important basic science in mechanical engineering. Therefore, this lecture is mandatory in the course of mechanical engineering and treated as minimum requirement to take ‘Practical Fluid Mechanics’ and ‘Advanced Fluid Mechanics’.
Course description and aims
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
1) Understand and derive governing equations of ideal fluid.
2) Explain the principal theorems related to circulation and vorticity.
3) Acquire basic aspects of fundamental flow fields using Bernoulli's theorem.
4) Explain definitions of streamlines and stream function, velocity potential and complex velocity potential functions of basic flow field.
5) Explain lift and drag forces for the flow of ideal fluids over bodies.
Keywords
Ideal fluid, Governing equations, Euler's equation of momentum, Vorticity and circulation, Bernoulli's theorem, Streamlines and stream function, Velocity potential function
Competencies
- Specialist skills
- Intercultural skills
- Communication skills
- Critical thinking skills
- Practical and/or problem-solving skills
Class flow
The course is taught in lecture style. Exercise problems will be assigned properly. Required learning should be completed outside of the classroom for preparation and review purposes.
Course schedule/Objectives
| Course schedule | Objectives | |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | Continuum physics, Stress, Ideal and viscous fluids, Compressibility | Understand basic concept of fluid mechanics based on continuum physics and definition of ideal fluid |
| Class 2 | Physical quantities representing flow, Lagrangian and Eulerian method, Euler's equation of continuity | Understand flow quantities and methods which are required to describe flow |
| Class 3 | Euler's equation of motion, Flux of momentum, Equation of state | Understand Euler's equation of motion and flux of momentum |
| Class 4 | Streamlines, Pathlines, Streaklines, Motions of fluid elements | Understand fundamental methods which describe fluid motion |
| Class 5 | First integral of momentum equation, Bernoulli's theorem | Understand first integral of momentum equation and Bernoulli's theorem |
| Class 6 | Applications of Bernoulli's theorem | Understand applications of Bernoulli's theorem |
| Class 7 | Theorem of streamline curvature, Lagrangian vortex theorem, Vorticity and circulation, vortex tube | Understand several important theorems in fluid mechanics: theorem of streamline curvature and Lagrangian vortex theorem |
| Class 8 | Kelvin's circulation theorem, Helmholtz's vortex theorem | Understand several important theorems in fluid mechanics: Kelvin's circulation theorem and Helmholtz's vortex theorem |
| Class 9 | Stream function and velocity potential function | Understand stream function and velocity potential function to describe flow field |
| Class 10 | Velocity potential function of a flow around the sphere in an uniform flow | Understand velocity potential function of a flow around the sphere in an uniform flow |
| Class 11 | Complex velocity potential | Understand definition of complex velocity potential |
| Class 12 | Complex velocity potentials of fundamental flow geometries | Understand complex velocity potentials of fundamental flow geometries |
| Class 13 | Applications of complex velocity potential | Understand several applications of complex velocity potential |
| Class 14 | Kutta-Joukowski theorem | Understand Kutta-Joukowski theorem to predict lift and drag forces |
Study advice (preparation and review)
To enhance effective learning, students are encouraged to spend approximately 100 minutes preparing for class and another 100 minutes reviewing class content afterwards (including assignments) for each class.
They should do so by referring to textbooks and other course material.
Textbook(s)
T. Miyauchi, M. Tanahashi, H. Kobayashi, Fundamentals of Fluid Mechanics, Tokyo: Surikougakusya ISBN:978-4-86481-023-4
Reference books, course materials, etc.
I. Imai, Fluid Mechnaics(first part), Tokyo: Shoukabou ISBN: 4-7853-2314-0
M. Hino, Fluid Mechanics, Tokyo: Asakura: ISBN: 4-254-20066-8 C305
JSME textbook series Fuild Mechanics, Tokyo: Maruzen ISBN: 978-4-888898-119-4 C3353
Evaluation methods and criteria
Students' knowledge of ideal fluid, and applications will be assessed.
Evaluation by only exercise problems and/or reports.
Related courses
- Practical Fluid Mechanics
- Advanced Fluid Mechanics
Prerequisites
Partial Differential Equations(MEC.B213.A), Vector Analysis (MEC.B214.A).