Blasius Theorem

AOE 5104
Advanced Aero- and Hydrodynamics
Dr. William Devenport and
Leifur Thor Leifsson
 Blasius Theorem - Basics
Finding the force and moment on any region in ideal flow

Force and Moment on a Body:

p
iy
dx
Fx = − ∫ p sin γds
Fy ds diy Fy = − ∫ p cos γds
Fx γ x Fx − iFy = ∫ p (i cos γ − sin γ )ds
MO
M O = ∫ (− xp cos γ + yp sin γ )ds

Substituting for pressure using Bernoulli and introducing W(z) and z:

THE BLASIUS RELATIONS iρ

Can also be shown to apply
Fx − iFy = ∫ W ( z ) 2 dz
2
to any region of the flow
(not just a body) MO = −
ρ
2
{
Re ∫ W ( z ) 2 zdz }
2
 Blasius Theorem - Explanation
iy
iρ
Fx − iFy = ∫
2
Fy W ( z ) dz
2
MO
Fx
x MO = −
ρ
2
{
Re ∫ W ( z ) 2 zdz }
• These integrals will be zero unless the indefinite
integrals ∫W(z)2dz and ∫W(z)2zdz are functions that can
have different values at the start and the end of the loop zi
• Only one type of function has this property logez = loger +
iθ since may increase by 2π in traveling around the loop.
In general loge(z-zi) increases by 2πi when passing around
any loop enclosing zi

• Only functions of the form (z-zi)-1 integrate to loge(z-zi)

3
 Blasius Theorem - Procedure
iy
iρ
Fx − iFy = ∫
2
Fy W ( z ) dz
2
MO
Fx
x MO = −
ρ
2
{
Re ∫ W ( z ) 2 zdz }

1. Express W(z)2 or W(z)2z as a sum of terms of the form Bi(z-zi)n

1 z A 3 + 4i
e.g. 7z3, , ( z + 5) − 2 , , , sin z , , m/ z
( z − 2) z z −1 ( z − 3i ) 2
( z + 2) 3

2. Extract n=-1 terms. ∫ will be 2πi × Σ of coefficients Bi for which zi lies

inside the body or region

i.e. For W(z)2 : Fx − iFy = ( iρ

2
2πi ∑ Bi
n = −1
zi in loop
) = − ρπ ∑ B n = −1
i zi in loop

= − Re{2πi ∑ B }= ρπ Im{∑ B }
ρ n = −1 n = −1
For W(z)2z : M O i zi in loop i zi in loop
2 4
Example 1 – Force and Moment on
a Circular Cylinder with Circulation a

V∞ a 2 iΓ
W ( z ) = V∞ − 2 −
z 2πz
Fx − iFy = − ρπ ∑ Bi
n = −1
zi in loop

{
M O = ρπ Im ∑ Bi
n = −1
zi in loop
}

5
Example 2 – Force on a Vortex with
Free Stream in Ground Effect Γ

V∞ h

Fx − iFy = − ρπ ∑ Bi
n = −1
zi in loop

6
 Example 3 – Moment generated by a Joukowski airfoil

~ dζ ζ-plane z=ζ+C2/ ζ
For foil W ( z ) = W (ζ ) z-plane
dz
l=-ρV∞Γ
iδ
ζ 1 = me
Take Write in
W(z)2z terms of z m δ
α C α
MO c
Write as Laurent series V∞ V∞

M O = ρπ Im ∑ Bi { n = −1
zi in loop
}= lm cos(δ − α ) − 2πρV C ∞
2 2
sin( 2α ) Positive counterclockwise

or, by convention, M O = 2πρV∞2C 2 sin( 2α ) − lm cos(δ − α ) Positive clockwise

4πC 2 m
or, CM O = 2
sin( 2α ) − C l cos(δ − α )
c c Positive clockwise

Pure moment
Moment due to lift acting on lever arm − m cos(δ − α ) 7
Example 3 – Interpretation
M O = 2πρV∞2C 2 sin( 2α ) − lm cos(δ − α ) Lift l z=reiθ
4πC 2 m r θ -α
CM O = 2 sin( 2α ) − Cl cos(δ − α ) α
c c
MO
Transferring the moment:
α f, g
For a general point z, lever arm has a
V∞
length r cos(θ − α ) − m cos(δ − α ) so
− m cos(δ − α )
M Z = 2πρV∞2C 2 sin( 2α ) + lr cos(θ − α ) − lm cos(δ − α )
4πC 2 r m
C M Z = 2 sin( 2α ) + Cl cos(θ − α ) − Cl cos(δ − α )
c c c

Center of pressure: Point about which moment is zero (located by distance f).
C 2 sin( 2α )
Setting Mz=0 gives f = −
2a sin(α + β )
Aerodynamic center: Point about which moment is independent of α (located by g).
∂M Z
= 0 gives g = −C cos( β − α ) / a and M Z | Aero = −2πρV∞ C sin( 2 β )
2 2 2
Setting
∂α center
8
 Results for Moment
ζ-plane z=ζ+C2/ ζ
Lift l z=reiθ

a r θ -α
dz C2
β = 1− 2 α
ζ1 dζ ζ
MO
α C f, g
V∞ α
V∞

− m cos(δ − α )
1. The lift acts almost at mid chord (but don’t
4πC 2 m
say this in public) C M O = 2 sin( 2α ) − Cl cos(δ − α )
2. For a thin uncambered airfoil, the center c c
of pressure f is close to the ¼ chord. The C 2 sin( 2α )
f =− g = −C 2 cos( β − α ) / a
lift ‘appears’ to act at this point. 2a sin(α + β )
3. For any thin airfoil the aerodynamic center M Z | Aero cent = −2πρV∞2C 2 sin( 2 β )
will be close to the quarter chord, and very
gradually moves upstream with α a ≥ C and a and c increase
Where slowly with camber
4. The moment about the aerodynamic c ≥ 4C and thickness
center varies with camber (almost linearly a ≈C ≈ c/4
with the zero lift angle of attack and for a thin airfoil
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m << a , c , C