Derivation of Von Karman Integral Momentum Equation

u v
We start with continuity: 0
x y
Multiply this by edge velocity ue(x). Integrate by parts.

u uu e u
ue u e
x x x
v vu e
ue
y y
uu e u vu e
Result : u e 0
x x y
(1)
Subtract from this the u-momentum equation:

u 2

uv p xy

x y x y
(2)
Use also the Euler equation: VdV+dp=0 which gives at boundary layer edge
u p
eue e 0
x x
(3)
Result after some minor rearranging:
2 u u u xy
e u e 1

vu e vu e u e e 1 u
x u e e u e y x eue y
(4)
Integrate equation (4) from y=0 to y=.


2 u u u
u
xy
dy vu e vu 0 e u e e

e u e 1 0 e u e
1 dy 0 y dy
x 0
u e e u e x

Use definitions of displacement thickness and momentum thickness. Second term goes to zero,
since v=- at wall, and u=ue at the edge. We get:
u
x
e u e2 e u e e * wall
x
(5)
Equation (5) works for laminar and turbulent, compressible and incompressible flows.
Expand first term. Simplify this for incompressible flows, by assuming e is constant.
We use ordinary derivatives from now on, since there are no derivatives with respect to y left.
We get:
d u u
e u e2 2 e u e e H e u e e wall
dx x x

Divide thru by e u e2 We get

d 1 du e Cf
(2 H ) (6)
dx u e dx 2