Flow Past Immersed Objects

When the object is completely surrounded by the fluid and the flows are termed external flows.

fluid force---- Lift and drag

For any surface in contact with a flowing fluid, skin friction will exist.

The force in the direction of flow exerted by the fluid on the solid is called skin or wall drag

When the wall of the object is parallel with the direction of flow , the only drag force is the wall shear
Ƭw

In addition to skin drag, if the fluid has to change its direction to pass around a solid body such as
sphere, significant additional frictional losses will occur and this is called form drag or pressure drag.

pressure drag acts in a direction normal to the wall.

 Flow past a flat plate (streamlined body)

Character of the steady, viscous flow

past a flat plate parallel to the
upstream velocity:
(a) low Reynolds number flow,
(b) moderate Reynolds number flow,
(c) large Reynolds number flow.
Wall drag and form drag on immersed
objects
Flow past immersed sphere
Laminar flow in boundary layer
Po

∞P
 Separation

IDEAL FLOW* LAMINAR  FLOW TURBULENT  FLOW

PRESSURE DRAG

DRAG

~120o
IF NO VISCOSITY
WHAT WOULD BE
TOTAL DRAG ?
~82o
Character of CD vs Re curves for different shapes

Summary of Paradoxes

(1) In the first experiment we found that sometimes an

increase of speed actually produces a decrease of drag.

(2) Sometime roughening increases drag and sometime

it decreases drag.

(3) Sometime streamlining increases drag and sometime

it decreases drag.
ASIDE: At low Reynolds numbers Drag  UL

D~U CD = D / (1/2  U2Af)

CD = constant
D ~ U2

Drag coefficient as a function of Reynolds number for smooth circular

cylinders and smooth spheres. From Munson, Young, & Okiishi,
Fundamentals of Fluid Mechanics, John Wiley & Sons, 1998
 3-D relieving effect
Cdcylinder>CDsphere ReDcrit ~ 3 x 105

Drag coefficient as a function of Re

for a smooth cylinder and smooth sphere.

Is ReDcritical constant?
 Effect of surface roughness on the drag coefficient of a sphere in the
Reynolds number range where laminar boundary layer becomes turbulent.
 DRAG Coefficient - CD

FD = f(d,V, , )*
CD = FD/(1/2 U2A) = f(Re)
* ignored roughness
CD on flat plate (no pressure gradient)
in laminar and turbulent flow
 DRAG COEFFICIENT - CD

CD = FD / (1/2 U2A)
Flow over a flat plate: FD = plate surface wdA

CD = PSwdA / (1/2 U2A)

Cf = w/(1/2 U2)
{Cf = shear stress or skin friction coef.}
C = (1/A) C dA
D for laminar and PS
(good f flow)
turbulent
CD = 1.33 (ReL) -1/2 for laminar flow over a flat
plate, with no pressure gradient ~ Re < 5x105

CD = 0.0742 (ReL) –0.2* for turbulent flow over flat

plate, with no pressure gradient ~ 5x105 <ReL<107

CD = 0.455/ log (ReL)2.58* for turbulent flow over flat

plate, with no pressure gradient ~ ReL<109

* Assumes turbulent boundary layer begins at x=o

 CD correction term for
partly laminar / partly turbulent
Must account for fact that turbulence
does not start at x = 0
-must subtract B/ReL

CD correction term = B/ReL = Retr(CDturb – Cdlam)/ReL

Retr
 5 x 105 < ReL < 107
Retr

CD correction term = B/ReL = Retr(CDturb – CDlam)/ReL

For Retr = 5 x 105

CD = 0.0742/ReL1/5 – Retr(CDturb – CDlam)/ReL
CD = 0.0742/ReL1/5
– 5x105[0.0742/ (5x105)1/5–1.33/(5x105)1/2]/ReL

C = 0.0742/Re 1/5 – 1748/Re

 5 x 105 < ReL < 109
Retr

CD correction term = B/ReL = Retr(CDturb – CDlam)/ReL

For Retr = 5 x 105

CD = 0.0742/ReL1/5 – Retr(CDturb – CDlam)
CD=0.0742/ReL1/5–5x105[0.455/ (log[5x105])1/5–1.33/(5x105)1/2]

CD = 0.455/(logReL)2.58 – 1600/ReL
 SMOOTH FLAT PLATE
NO PRESSURE GRADIENT
CD = 0.0742 (ReL) –0.2

CD = 0.455/ log (ReL)2.58

CD = 1.33 (ReL) -1/2

 Streamlined objects

Form drag can be minimized by forcing separation toward the rear of the object

The pressure at stagnation point is high cause the entire velocity head of the
approaching stream is converted to pressure head