Fluid Mechanics, SG2214, HT2013

September 18, 2013

Exercise 6: Boundary layers: Similarity and Wake Flow

Example 1: Converging Channel
Consider the high Reynolds-number flow in a converging channel. Compute the boundary layer over the
surface at y = 0.
Assume the free stream:
U (x) =

Q
,
x

where Q is the flux. The boundary layer equations read:

u

2u
u
Q
u
+v
= 3 + 2
x
y
x
y
u v
+
=0
x y

(1)

(2)

Seek a similarity solution where the dimensionless velocity u/U only depend on the dimensionless wall distance
r
y
y
y
y Q
= q =
= =q
x

x
x
|U |

The stream function satisfies (2):

,
y

u=

v=

Make the stream function dimensionless:

f () =

Determine the terms in equation (1):

u=

f
1
Q

= U
= U f 0 = U f 0 = f 0
y
y

(U f )
f

U
=
= U
U
f
f =
x
x
x
x
x

r
r
r
Q
0  Q
Q

Q 0
x
f
+
f 2x
f =
f
x
Q
x
x Q
x
Q
x


u

Q
Q f 0
Q
Q   Q 0
Q
=
f0 =
+ 2 f 0 = f 00
+ 2 f = 2 (f 00 + f 0 )
x
x
x
x x x
x
x
x
x
r


u

Q 0
Q f 0
Q 00 1
Q Q 00
=
f =
= f
= 2
f
y
y
x
x y
x
x

r
2u
Q Q f 00
Q2 000
=

f
y 2
x2 y
x3
v=

Insert into equation (1):

Q Q
f 0 2 (f 00 + f 0 ) +
x x

Q 0 Q
f 2
x
x

Q 00
Q2
Q2
f = 3 3 f 000

x
x

Divide by Q2 /x3 :
f 0 f 00 f 02 + f 0 f 00 = 1 f 000
f

000

02

+1=0

Boundary conditions:
(

(
u(0) = 0
u() = 1

f 0 (0) = 0
f 0 () = 1

Substitute F () = f 0 ():

00
2

F F + 1 = 0
F (0) = 0

F () = 1
Solution:
F = 3 tanh

+
2

r !
2
2
3

Example 2: Wake Flow

Consider the flow downstream of a 2D streamlined body at high Reynolds number. Study the thin wake
downstream of the body where variations in y are much more rapid than variations in the downstream
direction. Also assume that the wake is so small that we can write u = U + u1 where u1 is negative and
describes the wake. The length scale in x is L and in y it is with << L.

Y
U+u1

Figure 1: Coordinate system for wake problem

a) Find the governing (linear) equations:
We start with the boundary layer equations since << L,
u

u
u
1 p
2u
+v
=
+ 2
x
y
x
y
u v
+
=0
x y

In the wake we have no pressure gradient,

p
= 0.
x

From the continuity equation we get,



v
u

u1
=
=
U + u1 =
y
x
x
x

u1 << U
L

Inserting u = U + u1 in the boundary layer equations gives,

u1
u1
u1
2 u1
+ u1
+v
=0+
x
x
y
y 2

U
Neglect the quadratic terms,
u1

u1
u2
1
x
L

and v

b) Show that

u1
1
u2
u1 u1 1
y
L
L

u1
2 u1
=
x
y 2

u1 dy = constant:

Consider the relation,

Z

u1 dy

Q1 =

which gives the linear contribution from u1 to the momentum flux.



Z
Z
Z
d
d
2 u1
u1
u1
Q1 =
dy = {From the governing equation} =
u1 dy =
dy =
=0
2
dx
dx
U y
U y
x
This means that Q1 is constant.
c) Find a similarity solution for u1 :
Seek a solution on the form,
u1 (x, y) = F (x)f () where
This gives,
Z

Q1 =

y
g(x)

F (x)f () dy = F (x)g(x)

f () d

Q1 = constant requires,
Z

F (x) = 1/g(x) and

f () d = Q1 = constant

This means,
u1 (x, y) =



1
y
1
f () =
f
g(x)
g(x)
g(x)

Insert this into the equation of motion,



g 0 (x)
1
0
U
f () + f () =
f 00 ()
g(x)2
g(x)3
U 0
f 00 ()
g (x)g(x) = 0
=C

f () + f ()

1/2
x
g(x) = 2C
U
3

This gives the equation for f ,



d
0
f () + Cf () + Cf () =
f () + Cf () + D = 0
d
00

From the symmetry condition

y u(x, 0)

= 0 we can determine that f 0 (0) = D = 0. This gives,

f 0 () + Cf () = 0

Integrating this we get,

1

f () = ae 2 C

We can determine the constant a from the condition that Q1 is constant,

r
Z
2
1
C
f () d = Q1 f () =
Q1 e 2 C
2

This now gives u1 :

r

y2
C Q1 21 C g(x)
2
e
=
2 g(x)
1/2 
 1/2


U y2
Q1
U
x
e 4x
=
g(x) = 2C
U
2 x

u1 (x, y) =

d) Relate u1 to the drag FD :

The drag is
Z

FD =

u1 (U + u1 ) dy

Remember that u1 << U and neglect the u21 term,

Z
FD =
U u1 dy = U Q1

This means that

Q1 =

FD
U

u1 (x, y) =

FD

Ux

1/2

U y2

e 4x

Example 3: Reynolds Number

Give an order of magnitude estimate of the Reynolds number for:
i. Flow past the wing of a jumbo jet at 150 m/s ( Mach 0.5)
ii. A wing profile in salt water with L = 2 cm and U = 5 cm/s
iii. A thick layer of golden syrup draining of a spoon.
iv. A spermatozoan with tail length of 103 cm swimming at 101 cm/s in water.
Estimate the boundary layer thickness in case (i).

Fluid
Water
Air
Syrup

cm2 /s
0.01
0.15
1200

i. Flow past the wing of a jumbo jet at 150 m/s ( Mach 0.5)
U = 150 m/s, = 1.5 105 m2 /s, L = 4 m Re =

UL
4 107

ii. A wing profile in salt water with L = 2 cm and U = 5 cm/s

U = 0.05 m/s, = 106 m2 /s, L = 0.02 m Re =

UL
103

iii. A thick layer of golden syrup draining of a spoon.

U = 0.04 m/s, = 0.12 m2 /s, L = 0.01 m Re =

UL
0.003

iv. A spermatozoan with tail length of 103 cm swimming at 102 cm/s in water.
U = 104 m/s, = 106 m2 /s, L = 105 m Re =

The boundary layer thickness in (i) is O(1 mm)




1
=O
L
Re

UL
103