Boundary Layer Flow: Blasius solution for laminar flow over a flat plate

Assume: Steady, constant property, 2-D flow of a Newtonian fluid with negligible body forces

Governing Equations:

∂u ∂v
Conservation of Mass: + =0 (1)
∂x ∂y

⎛ ∂u ∂u ⎞ ∂ 2u
Momentum Balance (x-direction): ρ ⎜u + v ⎟ = µ 2 (2)
€ ⎝ ∂x ∂y ⎠ ∂y

Boundary Conditions: u( y = 0) = v ( y = 0) = 0 and u( y = δ ) = U

€
U y ψ u df
Variable Substitution: η= y = Rex , f (η) = , and = = f ʹ(η)
€ νx x € ν x U U d η

Reduced Equation: f ʹʹʹ + 12 f f ʹʹ = 0 (3)

€ €
Boundary Conditions: f ( y = 0) = f ʹ( y = 0) = 0 and f ʹ( y → ∞) = 1

Solution: €

€ δ 5.0 €
Disturbance Thickness: = from η = 5.0 where u/U = 0.99
x Rex

δ * ⎛ δ * ⎞ ⎛ δ ⎞ 1.72
Displacement Thickness: € =⎜ ⎟⎜ ⎟=
€ x ⎝ δ ⎠⎝ x⎠ Rex

θ ⎛ θ ⎞ ⎛ δ ⎞ 0.665
Momentum Thickness: =⎜ ⎟⎜ ⎟=
€
x ⎝δ ⎠ ⎝ x ⎠ Rex

∂u ⎛ ∂f ʹ ∂η ⎞ U 0.332 ρ U 2
Wall Shear Stress: τw = µ = µU ⎜ ⎟ = µ U f ʹ (η = 0) =
∂y y =0 € ⎝ ∂η ∂y ⎠ y =0 νx Rex

τw 0.664
Friction Coefficient: cf = 1 2 =
2 ρU Rex
€

1 1 ℓ 0.664 1.328
Drag Coefficient for Friction: CD, f =
A
∫c f dA =
ℓ
∫ x=0
Rex
dx =
Reℓ
€
 Blasius solution for laminar flow over a flat plate.
U u
η=y f (η) f ʹ(η) = f ʹʹ(η)
νx U
0.0 0.0000 0.0000 0.3321
0.5 € 0.0415 0.1659 € 0.3309
€ €
1.0 0.1656 0.3298 0.3230
1.5 0.3701 0.4868 0.3026
2.0 0.6500 0.6298 0.2668
2.5 0.9964 0.7513 0.2174
3.0 1.3969 0.8461 0.1614
3.5 1.8378 0.9131 0.1078
4.0 2.3059 0.9555 0.0642
4.5 2.7903 0.9795 0.0340
5.0 3.2834 0.9916 0.0159
5.5 3.7807 0.9969 0.0066
6.0 4.2798 0.9990 0.0024
6.5 4.7795 0.9997 0.0008
7.0 5.2794 0.9999 0.0002
7.5 5.7794 1.0000 0.0001
8.0 6.2794 1.0000 0.0000

4
η

0
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1
u/ U

Dimensionless velocity profile from Blasius solution for laminar flow over a flat plate.