Low Speed Aerodynamics

AE 244
Boundary Layer (BL)
“A thin layer of fluid that forms near a surface as the fluid flows along it.”

High strain rates & viscous stresses concentrated in the boundary layer.
Region outside BL may experience negligible viscous effects
 Boundary Layer
o Why do we study?
o If viscous effects are concentrated in BL, the rest of the flow can be
treated inviscid.
(And the N-S equations become very simple without viscosity!)
o Drag strongly dependent on BL properties
o Stall/Flow separation determined by BL behavior.
o Hints where to have more refined mesh in a CFD simulation
https://aviation.stackexchange.com/questions/77898/are-larger-airplanes-more-likely-to-stall

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0968432815300214
https://curiosityfluids.com/2019/04/22/automatic-airfoil-cmesh-generation-for-openfoam-rev-
1/
2D, Incompressible, Laminar BL
Momentum equations along X and Y:

Rearranging:

Assumptions and Approximations:

∂p
oThin BL: 𝑣 ≪ 𝑢 ⇒ ≈𝟎
∂y
o Knowing flow outside a thin BL sufficient to find pressure forces on surface
 Flat Plate Boundary Layer
o Flat plate ➔ Velocity doesn’t change along X
𝜕𝑝
o =0
𝜕𝑥

𝑈∞ 𝑈∞ 𝑈∞

𝑈∞
y Blasius solution

x
Refer to the detailed derivation here: http://www.fluiddynamics.it/capitoli/blas.pdf
 Boundary Layer Separation

https://youtu.be/SiOiVHUEYao?feature=shared https://youtu.be/3Ahtc-uePY4?feature=shared
 Boundary Layer Separation

https://www.tec-science.com/mechanics/gases-and-liquids/flow-separation-
boundary-layer-separation/
Boundary Layer Separation

https://youtu.be/HfICmKv9SzE?feature=shared
Skin Friction Drag
𝜕𝑢
o Wall Shear Stress: 𝜏𝑤 = 𝜇
𝜕𝑦 𝑦=0

𝜏𝑤
o Skin Friction Coeff. 𝑐𝑓 = 1 2
𝜌𝑈∞
2
𝑈∞

o Varies with X location.

𝑈∞
y
𝜕𝑦
𝜕𝑢
Laminar vs Turbulent Boundary Layer
Jet & Shear Layer
Flow Separation & Turbulent BL
Laminar vs Turbulent Boundary Layer
Factors affecting BL transition
o Pressure Gradient
o Surface Roughness
o Free stream turbulence
o Compressibility effects
o Suction or blowing at surface
o Surface temperature
Stages of BL Transition