Boundary Layer Correction

Air enters a two-dimensional wind tunnel as shown. Because of the presence of the
boundary layer, fluid will be displaced away from the surface. In order to maintain a
constant velocity inside the tunnel, it is necessary to increase the cross-sectional size of
the tunnel.
(a) Determine the channel height, H(x), as a function of the distance measured from the
inlet of the tunnel, x. The tunnel velocity is 10 m/s and the tunnel inlet height is 5 m.
Assume the boundary layer has a profile u(y)=Usin(y
bWhat is the momentum thickness (x) of the boundary layer flow.

5m

Sphere, 0.1 m
diameter

U=10 m/s

Boundary Layer Correction (cont.)

Solution: In order to maintain a constant velocity inside the tunnel, the tunnel wall
has to be displaced outward in order to accomodate the growth of the boundary layer.
The mass flow displaced by the presence of the boundary layer can be related to U *
by the definition of the displacement thickness. Therefore, the tunnel height has to be
H(t)=5+2 *(x).

u
y
2
y
*= (1)dy [1-sin(
)]dy
cos (
)
U
2

2 0
0
0
2
2
) (1 ) ( x ) 0.363 ( x )

H ( x ) 5 0.726 ( x )

(0

( a ) H ( x ) 5 2 * ( x ) 5 1.158 10 3 x ( m)

Boundary Layer Correction (cont.)

(b) From the momentum thickness equation: w U 2

where =
0

d
dx

u
u
u
(1)dy and w
| y 0 .
U
U
y

[sin (
)] y 0
cos (
) y 0
y
2
2
2
2

y
y
y
y
sin ( )(1- sin ( ))dy [sin ( )- sin 2 ( )]dy
2
2
2
2
0
0

2
y
1 1
y

cos (
) [ cos( )]dy

2 0 0 2 2

y
2
2 1

sin( )
( )

2 2
0
2
2
d
2 1 d

2 1 d

( )

U 2 ( )

dx d
4
dx
2 dx
2
2 dx
U 2 ( 1)

Boundary Layer Correction (cont.)

2
Integrate:
x
, ( x)
4
2
U 2 ( 1)

2 2
3
x

1.595

10
x (m)
2
U (4 )

(b) The momentum thickness

2 1
2 1
(x)=( ) ( )(1.595 10 3 ) x 2.18 10 4 x ( m)
2
2

Boundary Layer Correction (cont.)

c) If a sphere has a diameter of 0.1 m is placed in the center of the wind tunnel,
what is the drag force exerted on the sphere. air=1.2 kg/m3, =1.5x10-5 m2/s.
Use the following graph for CD verse Re data.
CD=24/Re, when Re<1

(c) For the sphere:

U D (10)(0.1)
Re=
66, 667,

1.5 105
300 Re 300, 000 CD 0.5

0.646

CD=24/Re ,
when 1<Re<400

CD
0.5

FD
,
1 U 2 ( D 2 )
2
4
FD (0.5)(1 / 2)(1.2)(10) 2 ( / 4)(0.1) 2

CD

400
Re=VD/

300,000

0.235( N ) drag force