SOLUTION OF BOUNDARY LAYER

EQUATIONS

Prabal Talukdar
Associate Professor
Department of Mechanical Engineering
IIT Delhi
E-mail: prabal@mech.iitd.ac.in
p

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 Boundary layer Approximation
u u 2 u P Applying Newtons 2nd law in the
X momentum: u + v = y-direction, we get y-momentum
x y x
2
y
equation
v v 2 v P
u + v =
x y y
2
x
P
=0
y
P dP
Thus, P = P( x ) Hence, =
x dx
For a flate plate, since u = U
= constant and v = 0 outside P
=0
the boundary layer, X- x
momentumt equation
ti gives
i

Therefore,forflowoveraflatplate,the
pressureremainsconstantovertheentire
p
plate(bothinsideandoutsidetheboundary
layer).
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 Boundary layer over a flat plate

P.Talukdar/Mech-IITD
 Paul Richard Heinrich
Blasius (1883 1970) was a
German Fluid Dynamic Thecontinuityandmomentumequations
Engineer. He was one of the werefirstsolvedin1908bytheGerman
first students of Prandtl. engineerH.Blasius,astudentofL.
i H Bl i t d t fL
Prandtl.
9August1883 Thiswasdonebytransformingthetwo
y g
Born
B li G
Berlin,Germany partialdifferentialequationsintoasingle
24April1970(aged86) ordinarydifferentialequationby
Died introducinganewindependentvariable,
Hamburg,WestGermany
called the similarity variable
calledthesimilarityvariable.
Fluidmechanicsand
Fields
mechanicalengineering
Thefindingofsuchavariable,assumingit
Almamater UniversityofGttingen exists,ismoreofanartthanscience,and
Doctoral itrequirestohaveagoodinsightofthe
LudwigPrandtl problem.
advisor

P.Talukdar/Mech-IITD
 The shape of the velocity profile remains the same along the plate.

Blasius reasoned that the nondimensional velocity profile u/u should

remain unchanged when plotted against the nondimensional distance
y/ where is the thickness of the local velocity boundary layer at a
y/,
given x.

g both and u at a g
That is,, although given y vary
y with x,, the velocity
y u at
a fixed y/ remains constant

Blasius was also aware from the work

of Stokes that is proportional to

x
u

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 Scale Analysis

Dividing by x to express the result in dimensionless form gives

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 Similarity Variable
The significant variable is y/, and we
assume that the velocity may be expressed as a
function
u ct o of
o this
t s variable.
va ab e. We then
t e have
ave

x
We define = y /
u

This makes , y /

Here, is called the similarity variable, and g()

is the function we seek as a solution

P.Talukdar/Mech-IITD
 Variable Transformation
A stream function was defined such that:

u = v = to get rid of continuity equation
y x
d = udy u
= y
x
u
d = dy
x
= u x u f ( ) where f () = g ()d

f ( ) = = f ( )u x u
u x u

x df u df
u = = = u = u
y y u d x d
x df u 1 u df
v = = u f = f
x u d x 2 ux 2 x d

P.Talukdar/Mech-IITD
 Differentiating the previous equation with respect to x and y
u u d 2f
= ,
x 2x d 2

u u d 2f 2u u 2 d 3f
= u , =
y x d 2 y 2 x d3

Substituting these relations into the momentum equation and

simplifying, we obtain
d 3f d 2f
2 + f = 0
3 2
d d

This is a third-order nonlinear differential equation.

This way the system of two PDEs is converted to one ODE

ODE.

P.Talukdar/Mech-IITD
 Blasius Solution
d 3f d 2f
2 + f = 0
3 2
d d

The value of corresponding to u/u = 0.992

is 5.0

u u
= y 5=
x x

5 .0 5 .0 x
= = Significance
u x Re x of u, , x
P.Talukdar/Mech-IITD
P.Talukdar/Mech-IITD
 The shear stress at the wall can be
d
determined
i d from:
f

u u d 2f
w = = u
y y=0 x d 2
=0

u 0 . 332 u 2
w = 0 . 332 u =
x Re x

Local skin friction coefficient becomes

w w
Cf ,x = = = 0.664Rex 1 2
2 2
V 2 u 2

Note that unlike the boundary layer

thickness, wall shear stress and the skin
friction coefficient decrease along the plate
as x-1/2.
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 Energy
gy Equation
q
T ( x , y) Ts
Introduce a non-dimensional temperature ( x , y) =
T Ts

2
Substitution gives an energy equation of the form: u +v =
x y y 2

Temperature profiles for flow over an isothermal flat plate are similar like the
velocity profiles.

Thus, we expect a similarity solution for temperature to exist.

Further, the thickness of the thermal boundary layer is proportional to x / u

Using the chain rule and substituting the u and v expressions into the energy equation
gives
2
df d 1 u df d d 2
u + f =
d d x 2 x d d y 2 y
d
P.Talukdar/Mech-IITD
 Using the chain rule and substituting the u and v expressions into the
energy equation gives
2
df d 1 u df d d 2
u + f =
d d x 2 x d d y d y
2
df/d is replaced by

d 2 d Compare d 3f d 2f
2 + Pr f = 0 2 + f = 0
d 2 d
For Pr = 1 d 3
d 2

df df
(0 )= 0 and ( )= 1 d =0
= 0 and
d =
=1

Thusweconcludethatthevelocityandthermalboundarylayerscoincide,and
the nondimensional velocityandtemperatureprofiles(u/u
thenondimensional and )areidentical
velocity and temperature profiles (u/u and ) are identical
forsteady,incompressible,laminarflowofafluidwithconstantpropertiesand
Pr=1overanisothermalflatplate

The value of the temperature gradient at the surface (Pr =1) ??

d d 2f
P.Talukdar/Mech-IITD = = 0 . 332
d d 2
 2 This eq. is solved for numerous values of Prandtl numbers.
d d
2 + Pr f = 0 For Pr > 0.6, the nondimensional temperature gradient at
d 2 d the surface is found to be proportional to Pr1/3

d
Pr>0.6 = 0 . 332 Pr 1 3
d =0

T ( x , y) Ts y u
( x , y) = = = y
T Ts x

The temperature gradient at the surface is

T d
= (T T s ) = (T T s )
y y=0
y y=0
d =0
y y=0

u
= 0 . 332 Pr 1 3
(T Ts )
x
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 This solution is given by Pohlhausen
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 The local convection coefficient can be expressed as:
T
=
T y y=0
k
qs y y =0 u
= 0 . 332 Pr 1 3 k u
hx =
(T s T )
=
(T s T ) x Pr 1
0 . 332 P 3
(T Ts )
x

And the local Nusselt number becomes

hxx
Nu x = = 0 . 332 Pr 1 3 Re x 1 2 Pr > 0.6
k

Solving the thermal boundary layer equation numerically for the temperature
profile for different Prandtl numbers, and using the definition of the thermal
boundaryy layer,
y , it is determined that

Pr 1 3
t

5 .0 x
t = =
Pr 1 3
Pr 1 3
Re x
P.Talukdar/Mech-IITD
 Non dimensionalization
Non-dimensionalization
u v
+ =0
x y

u u 2 u p
u + v =
x y y 2 x

T T 2T 2T
c p u +v = k +
x y 2
y
2
x

x * y * u * v * p T Ts
x* = ,y = ,u = ,v = ,p = and T * =
L L V V V 2 T Ts

P.Talukdar/Mech-IITD
 u * v*
Continuity: + =0
* *
x y

* u * u *
1 2 u * dp*
*
Momentum: u +v =
* * 2
x y Re L y* dx *

* T * * T * 1 2T*
Energy: u +v =
* * Re L Pr y*2
x y

With the boundary conditions:

( ) ( ) ( ) (
u * 0 , y * = 1, u * x * , 0 = 0 , u * x * , = 1, v * x * , 0 = 0 )
T* (0 , y ) = 1, T (x ,0 ) = 0 , T (x , ) = 1
* * * * *

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 Geometrically Similar

P.Talukdar/Mech-IITD
 Functional forms of Friction and
C
Convection
i CCoefficients
ffi i
* u * * u *
1 2 u * dp*
Momentum: u +v =
* * 2
x y Re L y * dx *

For a given geometry

geometry, the solution for u*
can be expressed as
(
u * = f1 x * , y* , Re L )

Th the
Then h shear
h stress at the
h surface
f becomes
b

s =
u
y y=0
=
V u *
L y *
=
V
L
f 2 x * , Re L ( )
y* =0

C f ,x =
V
s
2
2
=
V L
V 2
2
(
f 2 x * , Re L =) 2
Re L
( ) (
f 2 x * , Re L = f 3 x * , Re L )

P.Talukdar/Mech-IITD
 * T * * T * 1 2 T*
Energy: u +v =
* * Re L Pr y*2
x y

The solution for T* can be expressed as (

T * = g1 x * , y* , Re L , Pr )
Using the definition of T*, the convection heat transfer coefficient becomes
k T y y =0 k (T T ) k

h= = s
T * y* * = T * y* *
Ts T L(Ts T ) y =0 L y =0

N
Nusselt
lt number:
b hL
Nu x = = T * y* = g 2 ( x * , Re L , Pr)
k *
y =0

Note that the Nusselt number is equivalent to the

dimensionless temperature gradient at the
surface and thus it is properly referred to as the
surface,
dimensionless heat transfer coefficient
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 Average friction coefficient

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 Reynold Analogy
* u * u *
1 2u*
*
WhenPr=1(approximately the case u +v =
x * y* Re L y*2
and P*// x
for gases) andP x* = 0 (e.g.
(e g For flat
plate) * T * * T *
1 2T*
u +v =
* * Re L y*2
x y
hL T *
Nu x = =
k y* y* =0

u V u * V
s = = = Nu
y L y* L
x
u * T *
y=0 y* =0 =
*
y y* =0
y* y* =0
V
Nux
s L 2
Cf ,x = = = Nux
V2 2
2 V 2 ReL
Cf ,x (Pr=1)
= St x
ReL 2
Cf ,x = Nux (Pr=1)
2
h Nu
St = =
cp V ReL Pr
P.Talukdar/Mech-IITD
 Clinton-Colburn Analogy
Also called modified Reynolds analogy

R x 1 2
Cf ,x = 0.664 Re N x = 0 . 332 P
Nu Re x 1 2
Pr 1 3 R

Colburn j-factor
Taking the ratio between Cf,x and Nux
Re Cf ,x hx
Cf ,x x = Nux Pr1 3 = Pr2 3 jH
2 2 cp V

Valid for
Although this relation is developed using relations
0.6<Pr<60 for laminar flow over a flat plate (for which
P*/ x* = 0), experimental studies show that it is
also
l applicable
li bl approximately
i t l ffor tturbulent
b l t flflow
over a surface, even in the presence of pressure
gradients.
For laminar flow,, however,, the analogygy is not
applicable unless P*/ x* = 0. Therefore, it does
not apply to laminar flow in a pipe
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