Question

What are the differences and similarities between the potential flow solution and the real viscous flow over a circular cylinder?. Please explain in depth.

Answer 1

potential flow is irrotatinal flow (no eddies formation) which refers to the flow outside the boundary layer that obeys the laws of potential flow like electric and magnetic fields where fluid particles do not loss there energy. This is sometimes called the inviscid flow region meaning that transverse velocity gradients (aka shear) are minimal and viscous effects are small to none or viscosity is zero, in other words energy is conserved. By contrast, in viscous flow , dissipation effects are present due shear stress between consecutive fluid layer and energy loss occurs and does not follow the rules of irrotatinal flow.