Governing equations in axisymmetric coordinate systems

In an axisymmetric flow regime all of the field variables remain constant in the circumferential direction around an axis of symmetry. Therefore the governing flow equations in axisymmetric systems can be analytically integrated with respect to this direction to reduce the model to a two-dimensional form. In order to illustrate this procedure we consider the three-dimensional continuity equation for an incompressible fluid written in a cylindrical (r, 9, 2) coordinate system as 

In an axisymmetric flow regime there will be no variation in the circumferential (i.e. 0) direction and the second term of the integrand in Equation (4.8) can be eliminated. After integration with respect to 9 between the limits of 0 -27t Equation (4.8) yields 

Therefore the continuity equation for an incompressible axisymmetric flow is written as 

Similarly the components of the equation of motion for an axisymmetric Stokes flow of a generalized Newtonian fluid are written as 

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