2.

20 Marine Hydrodynamics, Fall 2011

Lecture 18
c 2011 MIT - Department of Mechanical Engineering, All rights reserved.
Copyright

2.20 - Marine Hydrodynamics

Lecture 18

4.6 Laminar Boundary Layers

y

U potential flow
u, v viscous flow

Uo

4.6.1 Assumptions
2D flow: w,
Steady flow:

0 and u (x, y) , v (x, y) , p (x, y) , U (x, y).

z

0.
t

For << L, use local (body) coordinates x, y, with x tangential to the body
and y normal to the body.
u tangential and v normal to the body, viscous flow velocities (used inside
the boundary layer).
U, V potential flow velocities (used outside the boundary layer).
1

4.6.2 Governing Equations

Continuity
u v
+
=0
x y

(1)

Navier-Stokes:
 2

u
1 p
u 2u
u
u
+v
=
+
+
x
y
x
x2 y 2
 2

v
v
1 p
v 2v
u
+v
=
+
+
x
y
y
x2 y 2

(2)
(3)

4.6.3 Boundary Conditions

KBC
Inside the boundary layer:
No-slip u(x, y = 0) = 0
No-flux v(x, y = 0) = 0
Outside the boundary layer the velocity has to match the P-Flow solution.
Let y y/, y y/L, and x x/L. Outside the boundary layer y
but y 0. We can write for the tangential and normal velocities
u(x , y ) = U(x , y 0) u(x , y ) = U(x , 0),
and v(x , y ) = V (x , y 0) v(x , y ) = V (x , 0) = 0
No-flux
P-Flow

In short:
u(x, y ) = U(x, 0)
v(x, y ) = 0

DBC
As y , the pressure has to match the P-Flow solution. The x-momentum
equation at y = 0 gives
U

U
1 dp
2U
dp
U
U
+V
=
+

= U
2

x
dx
y
dx
x
y
0

4.6.4 Boundary Layer Approximation

Assume that ReL >> 1, then (u, v) is confined to a thin layer of thickness (x) << L.
For flows within this boundary layer, the appropriate order-of-magnitude scaling /
normalization is:
Variable

Scale

Normalization

u = Uu

x = Lx

y = y

V =?

v = Vv

Non-dimensionalize the continuity, Equation (1), to relate V to U

 
 


V v

U u
+
= 0 = V = O
U
L x
y
L
Non-dimensionalize the x-momentum, Equation (2), to compare with L

U2
L





u
UV
u
1 p U
v
+ 2
u
+
=
x

y
x

|{z}
O(U 2 /L)

2  2 u   2 u 

+
2

2
2
y
L x

{z
}
|
ignore

The inertial effects are of comparable magnitude to the viscous effects when:
r
U2
U

1
2 =
=p
<< 1
L

L
UL
ReL
The pressure gradient

p
x

must be of comparable magnitude to the inertial effects

 2
p
U
=O
x
L

 Non-dimensionalize the y-momentum, Equation (3), to compare

UV
L
|{z}

2
)
L

O( UL

p
y

to

p
x





 2 
 2 
V2
1 p
V
V
v
v
v
v
u
+
v
=
+
+
2
2
2
x

y
y
L
x

y 2
|{z}
|{z}
|{z}
2
)
L

2 3
)
L3

O( UL

The pressure gradient

p
y

O( UL

2
)
L

O( UL

must be of comparable magnitude to the inertial effects

 2 
U
p
=O
y
L L

Comparing the magnitude of

p
x

to

p
y

we observe

 2 
 2
p
U
p
U
= O
while
=O
=
y
L L
x
L
p
p
p
<<
=
0
=
y
x
y
p = p(x)
Note:
- From continuity it was shown that V/U O(/L) v << u, inside the
boundary layer.
p
- It was shown that y
= 0, p = p(x) inside the boundary layer. This means that
the pressure across the boundary layer is constant and equal to the pressure
outside the boundary layer imposed by the external P-Flow.

4.6.5 Summary of Dimensional BVP

Governing equations for 2D, steady, laminar boundary layer
u v
+
=0
x y
u
u
x-momentum : u
+v
=
x
y
Continuity :

1 dp
2u
+ 2

dx
y
| {z }

U dU/dx, y=0

p
=0
y

y - momentum :

Boundary Conditions
KBC
At y=0

: u(x, 0) = 0
v(x, 0) = 0
At y/ : u(x, y/ ) = U(x, 0)
v(x, y/ ) = 0
DBC

IN the b.l.
dp
U
1
= U
or p(x) = C U 2 (x, 0)
dx
x
|
{z 2
}
Bernoulli for the P-Flow at y =0

4.6.6 Definitions

Z 
u
Displacement thickness
1
dy
U

Momentum thickness

Z
0

u
u
1
dy
U
U

Physical Meaning of and

Assume a 2D steady flow over a flat plate.
Recall for steady flow over flat plate

dp
dx

= 0 and pressure p = const.

Choose a control volume ([0, x] [0, y/ ]) as shown in the figure below.

y /
Uo

CV

Uo

Uo

P - Flow

u(y)

Boundary Layer

CV for steady flow over a flat plate.

Control Volume book-keeping

Surface

~v

~v n

~v (~v n
)

p
n

Uoi

Uo

Uo2i

pi

2

3

4

j
i
j

u(x, y)i + v(x, y)j u(x, y) u2 (x, y)i + u(x, y)v(x, y)j
Uoi + v(x, y)j

v(x, y)

v(x, y)Uoi + v 2 (x, y)j

pj
pi

pj

Conservation of mass, for steady CV

I
Z
Z

~v n
dS = 0
Uo dy +

v(x , y)dx = 0
1234
0
0
|0
{z
}
Q

Z
Z
Z
Z 
u

Q=
Uo dy
udy =
(Uo u)dy = Uo
1
dy Q = U0
U
0
0
0
|0
{z o
}

u(x, y )dy +

where () are the dummy variables.

Conservation of momentum in x, for steady CV
I
X

u(~v n
)dS =
Fx
1234

Z

Uo2

u (x, y )dy +
0

v(x , y)Uodx

u (x, y )dy + Uo

Uo2 dy +

Uo2 dy
Uo2 dy

u2 (x, y )dy + Uo

+u +

|0
0

Uo2

v(x , y)dx =
{z
}

pdy

Fx,f riction

(Uo u)dy =

Fx,f riction


X
Uo u dy =
Fx,f riction

pdy +


X
u
u2

dy
=
Fx,f riction
Uo2 Uo
0

Z 
X
X
u
u
2
Fx,f riction = Uo2
Fx,f riction = Uo
1
dy
U
U
o
o
|0
{z
}

Uo2

Fx,f riction

4.7 Steady Flow over a Flat Plate: Blasius Laminar Boundary

Layer
y

Uo

Steady flow over a flat plate: BLBL

4.7.1 Derivation of BLBL

Assumptions Steady, 2D flow. Flow over flat plate U = U0 , V = 0,
LBL governing equations

Boundary conditions

u v
+
=0
x y
u
u
2u
u
+v
= 2
x
y
y
u = v = 0 on y = 0

v V = 0, u Uo outside the BL, i.e.,

y


>> 1

Solution Mathematical solution in terms of similarity parameters.

u
U

and

Uo
y

=
y=
x
x
Rx

Similarity solution must have the form

u (x, y)
= F ()
U
| o {z
}
self similar solution
8

x
Uo

dp
=0
dx

We can obtain a PDE for F by substituting into the governing equations. The
PDE has no-known analytical solution. However, Blasius provided a numerical
solution. Once again, once the velocity profile is evaluated we know everything
about the flow.
4.7.2 Summary of BLBL Properties: , 0.99 , , , o , D, Cf
u (x, y)
= |{z}
F () ;
Uo
evaluated

=y

Uo
;
x

x
;
Uo

numerically

=r
x
Rx
|{z}

local R#

.p

.99 = 4.9
, i.e., .99 = 4.9

x,

1
Uo

Uo

r
r
x

1
= 1.72
, i.e., = 1.72

Uo

x
Uo x
Rx

= 0.664

Uo

x
Uo

o w
= 0.332Uo2

Uo x

1/2
= 0.332 Uo2 Rx
| {z }

local R#

1/2

o
x

3/2

o Uo

Total drag on plate L x B

D = |{z}
B
width

ZL

o dx
= 0.664

Uo2

1/2

Uo L
(BL)
D L,

|
{z
}

D U 3/2

1/2

ReL

Friction (drag) coefficient:

Cf =

Cf

0.008

1
2

D
1.328
1

Cf ,
=p
2
(Uo ) (BL)
ReL
L

1
Cf
U

Blasius Laminar Boundary Layer

1.328
Cf
Re L
Turbulent Boundary Layer

103

3 105

Re L

Turbulent Boundary Layer

C f for flat plate (JNN 2.3)
Re x ~ 3 105
Transition at
Re ~ 600

Skin friction coefficient as a function of Re .

A look ahead: Turbulent Boundary Layers

Observe form the previous figure that the function Cf, laminar (Re ) for a laminar
boundary layer is different from the function Cf, turbulent (Re ) for a turbulent boundary
layer for flow over a flat plate.
Turbulent boundary layers will be discussed in proceeding Lecture.

10

4.8 Laminar Boundary Layers for Flow Over a Body of General

Geometry
The velocity profile given in BLBL is the exact velocity profile for a steady, laminar flow
over a flat plate. What is the velocity profile for a flow over any arbitrary body? In general
it is dp/dx 6= 0 and the boundary layer governing equations cannot be easily solved as was
the case for the BLBL. In this paragraph we will describe a typical approximative procedure
used to solve the problem of flow over a body of general geometry.

1. Solve P-Flow outside B B0

2. Solve boundary layer equations

(with P term) get (x)

x
L

P 0
U const.

3. From B0 + B
4. Repeat steps (1) to (3) until no
change

B0

von Karmans zeroth moment integral equation

d
dU
0
=
U 2 (x)(x) + (x)U(x)

dx
dx

(4)

Approximate solution method due to Polthausen for general geometry

(dp/dx 6= 0) using von Karmans momentum integrals.

The basic idea is the following: we assume an approximate velocity profile (e.g. linear,
4th order polynomial, . . .) in terms of an unknown parameter (x). From the velocity
profile we can immediately calculate , and o as functions of (x) and the P-Flow
velocity U(x).
Independently from the boundary layer approximation, we obtain the P-Flow solution
outside the boundary layer U(x), dU
.
dx
Upon substitution of , , o , U(x), dU
in von Karmans moment integral equation(s)
dx
we form an ODE for in terms of x.
11

 Example for a 4th order polynomial Polthausen velocity profile

Polthausen profiles - a family of profiles as a function of a single parameter (x)

(shape function factor).
 Assume an approximate velocity profile, say a 4th order polynomial:
 y 2
 y 3
 y 4
u (x, y)
y
= a (x) + b (x)
+ c (x)
+ d (x)
U (x, 0)

(5)

There can be no constant term in (5) for the no-slip BC to be satisfied y = 0,

i.e, u(x, 0) = 0.
We use three BCs at y =
u
2u
u
= 1,
= 0,
= 0, at y =
U
y
y 2

(6)

From (6) in (5), we re-write the coefficients a(x), b(x), c(x) and d(x) in terms
of (x)
a = 2 + /6, b = /2, c = 2 + /2, d = 1 /6
in terms of a single unknown
 To specify the approximate velocity profile Uu(x,y)
(x,0)
parameter we use the x-momentum equation at y = 0, where u = v = 0



u
2 u 
1 dU 2
dU 2 (x)
u
U
u
+v
=U
+ 2
b=
(x) =
x
y
x}
y y=0
2 dx
dx
| {z
0
0
|
{z
}
1 dp

Observe:

dx

dU

dx

2bU
2

> 0 : favorable pressure gradient

< 0 : adverse pressure gradient

Putting everything together:

u (x, y)
y

= 2
2
U (x, 0)


dU 2 1
+
dx 6
12

y
3
+

y
1

y
4
+


y
2 1 y
3 1 y
4
+

2
6

 Once the approximate velocity profile Uu(x,y)

is given in terms of a single unknown
(x,0)

parameter (x), then , and o are evaluated

Z 
0

Z
0

o
Notes:

u
1
dy =
U


3
1 dU 2

10 120 dx



u
u
37
1 dU 2

1 dU 2
2
1
dy =

U
U
315 945 dx
9072 dx




U
1 dU 2

u 
=
=
2+
y y=0

6 dx

- Incipient flow (o = 0) for = 12. However, recall that once the flow is
separated the boundary layer theory is no longer valid.
- For dU
= 0 = 0 Pohlhausen profile differs from Blasius LBL only by a
dx
few percent.
 After we solve the P-Flow and determine U(x), dU
we substitute everything into
dx
von Karmans momentum integral equation (4) to obtain
d
1 dU
d2 U/dx2
=
g() +
h()
dx
U dx
dU/dx
where g, h are known rational polynomial functions of .
2
This is an ODE for = (x) where U, dU
, d U are specified from the P-Flow
dx dx2
solution.
General procedure:
1. Make a reasonable approximation in the form of (5),
2. Apply sufficient BCs at y = , and the x-momentum at y = 0 to reduce (5)
as a function a single unknown ,
3. Determine U(x) from P-Flow, and
4. Finally substitute into Von Karmans equation to form an ODE for (x).
Solve either analytically or numerically to determine the boundary layer
growth as a function of x.
13