BITS Pilani

Pilani Campus

Flow past immersed body (External flow)

Lecture 3
J Rathore

Von Karman momentum integral equation:

w

d
dV

V x dy
x V x dy

dx 0
dx 0
1.

Solution requires the information of velocity profile

2.

Pressure distribution

Momentum Integral Approach

Both laminar and turbulent BLs
Over flat and curved surfaces
For any known V(x) and poutside (x) distributions

Relation that must exist between

o
o
o

the overall rate of momentum flux across a section of the boundary layer
the shear stress at the boundary surface
the pressure gradient in the direction of flow
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Von Karman momentum integral equation:

w

d
dV

V x dy
x V x dy

dx 0
dx 0

For flow over flat plate

dV

0
dx

Flow over flat plate: Balance

between viscous and inertial
forces with pressure playing
no role

x V x dy

dx 0

d x

V dx 0 V

w
d
x

1
dy
2

V dx
V

V2

d
dx

- (7.5)

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Ex 7.11:
Pohlhausen (1921) assumed velocity profile as cubic function in boundary layer

3 y 1 y

V
2 2
x ( y)

V2 dx

d x

V dx 0 V

wall

x
1
dy

y y 0

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Boundary layer parameters:

c fx

w
V2
2

3V
3
c fx 22
V
V
2

4.64 x

Re x

Local skin friction coefficient c fx 0.646

Re x

(1
0

Overall drag coefficient

CD 2c fL

1.292
Re L

x
V

)dy

x
1 dy

V
0 V

Re L 5 105
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At what velocity is the boundary layer laminar for an automobile?

Rel
V

Vl

air 1.5 105 m2 /s

500000

Rel

l 2 to 3 m

1.5 105 (500000)

V
3.75m/s
2
V 13.5 km/hr

CD 0.3 to 0.4
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Figure 7.5:
Comparison of dimensionless
laminar and turbulent flat-plate
velocity profiles

1
y 7

Laminar flow velocity profile

Turbulent flow velocity profile

1. Logarithmic variation
2. Power law variation
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Turbulent boundary layer:

Turbulent boundary layers are usually thicker than laminar ones.

V
V

x 0.99V

Velocity distribution in a turbulent boundary layer is much more

uniform than that in a laminar boundary layer
Large velocity change occur in a relatively small vertical distance
o Velocity gradient is steeper in a turbulent boundary layer than in
laminar boundary layer
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Turbulent boundary layer:

Velocity distribution in a turbulent boundary profile follows 1/7th

power law

1
y 7

Satisfactorily describes velocity distribution for most of the region of

turbulent boundary layer but not applicable near to wall surface

x V 7 7

( y)
y
7
1

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Turbulent boundary layer: P7.36

Instead experimentally obtained measurements of

the shear profile are used such as (Prandtl, 1927)

wall

2
0.0225V

1
4

Putting the expression for the 1/7

power law into the equations for
displacement and momentum thickness

7
* ;
8
72

(1
0

1
y 7

x
V

)dy

x
1 dy

V
0 V

x 0.99V
*

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Turbulent boundary layer: P7.36

wall V2

d
dx

wall

7
2 d
V
72
dx

Equating this to experimental value of shear stress (Prandtl, 1927):

wall

2
0.0225V

0.37 x
(Re x

1
4

1
)5

1
4

7 d

0.0225
72 dx
V
cf

0.059
(Re x

1
)5

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Turbulent boundary layer:

Momentum thickness

7
0.036 x

1
72
5
(Re x )

0.37 x
(Re x

1
)5

Friction drag
L

FD w (bdx) V2

Fdrag 0.036

V2

d
bdx
dx

bL
(Re L

1
)5

Drag coefficient

Fdrag
1 2
V (bL)
2

CD

0.072
(Re L

1
)5

5 105 Re L 107
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Drag coefficients:
Turbulent boundary layer :

Fdrag
1 2
V (bL)
2

CD

0.072
(Re L

1
)5

Laminar boundary layer :

CD

1.328
2c fL
Re x

5 105 Re L 107

cf

0.059
(Re x

CD 1.22 c f ( L)

1
)5

-- - (7.45)

Re L 5 105

cf

0.664
Re x

-- - (7.27)

Drag coefficient is 22 percent greater than the trailing edge skin friction
coefficients (compare it with equation 7.27 for laminar flow).
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Drag coefficients: Fig 7.6

CD ( )

x
CD (Re, )

Fdrag
1 2
V (bL)
2

CD (Re)

Fdrag V2

Drag is independent
of viscosity.

CD (Re)

c f 2.87 1.58

2.5

CD 1.89 1.62

2.5

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For Transition region

5 105 Re L 8 107

0.031
A
CD 1 / 7
Re L
Re L

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Turbulent boundary layer:

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Turbulent boundary layer:

For (107 < ReL < 109), H. Schlichting assumed a logarithmic velocity
distribution for the boundary layer flow and obtained semi-empirical
relations

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Ex 7.4
A hydrofoil 0.35 m long and 1.8 m wide is placed in a seawater flow of 12 m/s,
with = 1025 kg/m3 and = 1.044x10-6 m2/s. (a) Estimate the boundary layer
thickness at the end of the plate. Estimate the friction drag for (b) turbulent
smooth wall flow from the leading edge, (c) laminar turbulent flow with Retrans =
5x105, and (d) turbulent rough wall flow with = 0.12 mm.

12 0.35
6
Re L

4
.
023

10

1.044 106
V L

0.37 x
(Re x

1
)5

0.37 (0.35)
1
(4.023 106 ) 5

6.18 mm

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Ex 7.4
A hydrofoil 0.35 m long and 1.8 m wide is placed in a seawater flow of 12 m/s,
with = 1025 kg/m3 and = 1.044x10-6 m2/s. (a) Estimate the boundary layer
thickness at the end of the plate. Estimate the friction drag for (b) turbulent
smooth wall flow from the leading edge, (c) laminar turbulent flow with Retrans =
5x105, and (d) turbulent rough wall flow with = 0.12 mm.

12 0.35
6
Re L

4
.
023

10

1.044 106
V L

(b)

Fdrag
1 2
V (bL)
2

CD

0.072
(Re L

1
)5

(c ) C D

0.031
A

Re1L/ 7 Re L

(d ) CD 1.89 1.62

2.5

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d
dp

0;
0
dx
dx

d
0
dx
dp

0
dx

d
dp
dp

0;
0
1]
0
dx
dx
dx
Pressure decreases in the flow direction (favorable pressure gradient)
+ Pressure force in flow direction
+ Helps flow to attach to the surface even stronger
+ No flow separation can occur
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Flow separation:
2]

dp
0
dx
Fluid particles inside the BL slow down but no separation occur.

dp
3]
0
dx
Pressure increases in the flow direction (adverse pressure gradient)
+ Pressure force in opposite to the flow
+ Fluid particles close to the wall with low momentum may come to a
stop or even move in opposite direction of the main flow (back flow)

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Home assignments:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

7.10
7.22
7.25
7.26
7.36
C7.3

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