Laminar Boundary Layers

Problem sheet 4. Exact solutions.

1. Suction flow

−v 0
x

Consider high Reynolds number flow over a porous flat plate at zero angle of incidence.
A uniform suction perpendicular to the plate is accounted for by a normal, constant velocity
component −v0 on the surface of the plate. Far upstream of the plate, the flow has a constant
free stream velocity U. The fluid has density ρ, dynamic viscosity µ, and ν = µ/ρ is the
kinematic viscosity. The equations governing the boundary layer that forms along the surface
of the plate are
∂u ∂v
+ = 0
∂x ∂y
∂u ∂u 1 dP ∂2u
u +v = − +ν 2 (1)
∂x ∂y ρ dx ∂y

with dP/dx = 0, as usual for a flat plate.

(a) State the boundary conditions appropriate for this problem. Seek a solution to (1) in
which the velocity u is independent of x, i.e. ∂u/∂x = 0 (asymptotic flow profile). Show
that the solution is
v0
  
u(y) = U 1 − exp − y .
ν

(b) Calculate the displacement thickness δ ∗ and the momentum thickness θ. Show that the
skin friction coefficient cf is equal to
v0
cf = 2 .
U

(c) Show that the asymptotic flow profile calculated above is actually an exact solution of
the full Navier-Stokes equations.

P.T.O.
2. Axisymmetric jet (January 2003 exam.)

The dimensional boundary layer equations for the flow in a laminar, incompressible,
axisymmetric jet leaving a small aperture are
∂ ∂
(ru) + (rv) = 0,
∂x ∂r !
∂u ∂u 1 ∂ ∂u
u +v = ν r ,
∂x ∂r r ∂r ∂r

where (x, r) denote coordinates along and perpendicular to the axis of the jet, (u, v) are the
corresponding velocity components and ν is the kinematic viscosity. The stream function is
defined by
∂Ψ ∂Ψ
ru = , rv = − .
∂r ∂x
In addition, Z ∞
u2 rdr = M,
0

where M is a constant (independent of x), proportional to the momentum of the jet.

(a) State the boundary conditions for u and v.

(b) Looking for similarity solutions of the form

r
Ψ = νxp g(η), η = ,
xq
deduce that
p = 1, q = 1,
and show that g satisfies the equation
! !
d gg ′ d g′
− = g ′′ − .
dη η dη η

(c) Additional question (not part of the January 2003 exam):

By integrating the equation in part (b) once, we get

ηg ′′ − g ′ + gg ′ = 0.

Using this, together with g(0) = g ′(0) = 0, show that

2 ν α2
u= ,
x (1 + 41 α2 η 2 )2

where
8 2 2
M= ν α .
3