Relation between irrotational and inviscid

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SUMMARY

The relationship between irrotational and inviscid fluids is defined by their respective characteristics in fluid dynamics. A fluid is classified as irrotational when the curl of its velocity field is zero, indicating no vorticity. An inviscid fluid, on the other hand, cannot generate vorticity, meaning that an initially irrotational fluid will remain so indefinitely. However, it is important to note that inviscid fluids can exhibit rotational behavior under certain conditions, such as shockwaves, despite their lack of viscosity.

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  • Understanding of fluid dynamics principles
  • Familiarity with the concepts of vorticity and velocity fields
  • Knowledge of the implications of viscosity in fluid behavior
  • Basic grasp of shockwave phenomena in inviscid flows
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This discussion is beneficial for fluid dynamics students, researchers in aerodynamics, and engineers working with inviscid flow models.

haisol
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I want to know the relation between irrotational and inviscid.
Is it irrotational if the fluid is inviscid? Or inviscid if it's irrotational?

That's because my professor always write these two together as a constraint.
And he sometimes says that it can be rotational even if it's inviscid, for the case of shockwave.
Then is it always inviscid if it's irrotational? I'm so confused.
 
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The two terms are not one in the same. A fluid is irrotational if the curl of the velocity field is identically zero everywhere - it has no vorticity. For an inviscid fluid, vorticity cannot be generated, so a fluid that begins irrotational will remain irrotational indefinitely. For a viscous fluid, the effect of viscosity allows an otherwise irrotational fluid to generate some vorticity on its own such as in a shear layer or von-Karman shedding behind a cylinder.
 
thank you very much!
 

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