Blasius Theorem

AOE 5104
Advanced Aero- and Hydrodynamics
Dr. William Devenport and
Leifur Thor Leifsson
 Blasius Theorem - Basics
Finding the force and moment on any region in ideal flow

Force and Moment on a Body:

p
iy
dx
Fx = p sin ds
Fy ds diy Fy = p cos ds
Fx x Fx iFy = p (i cos sin )ds
MO
M O = ( xp cos + yp sin )ds

Substituting for pressure using Bernoulli and introducing W(z) and z:

THE BLASIUS RELATIONS i

Can also be shown to apply
Fx iFy = W ( z ) 2 dz
2
to any region of the flow
(not just a body) MO =

2
{
Re W ( z ) 2 zdz }
2
 Blasius Theorem - Explanation
iy
i
Fx iFy =
2
Fy W ( z ) dz
2
MO
Fx
x MO =

2
{
Re W ( z ) 2 zdz }
These integrals will be zero unless the indefinite
integrals W(z)2dz and W(z)2zdz are functions that can
have different values at the start and the end of the loop zi
Only one type of function has this property logez = loger +
i since may increase by 2 in traveling around the loop.
In general loge(z-zi) increases by 2i when passing around
any loop enclosing zi

Only functions of the form (z-zi)-1 integrate to loge(z-zi)

3
 Blasius Theorem - Procedure
iy
i
Fx iFy =
2
Fy W ( z ) dz
2
MO
Fx
x MO =

2
{
Re W ( z ) 2 zdz }

1. Express W(z)2 or W(z)2z as a sum of terms of the form Bi(z-zi)n

1 z A 3 + 4i
e.g. 7z3, , ( z + 5) 2 , , , sin z , , m/ z
( z 2) z z 1 ( z 3i ) 2
( z + 2) 3

2. Extract n=-1 terms. will be 2i of coefficients Bi for which zi lies

inside the body or region

i.e. For W(z)2 : Fx iFy = ( i

2
2i Bi
n = 1
zi in loop
) = B n = 1
i zi in loop

= Re{2i B }= Im{ B }
n = 1 n = 1
For W(z)2z : M O i zi in loop i zi in loop
2 4
Example 1 Force and Moment on
a Circular Cylinder with Circulation a

V a 2 i
W ( z ) = V 2
z 2z
Fx iFy = Bi
n = 1
zi in loop

{
M O = Im Bi
n = 1
zi in loop
}

5
Example 2 Force on a Vortex with
Free Stream in Ground Effect

V h

Fx iFy = Bi
n = 1
zi in loop

6
 Example 3 Moment generated by a Joukowski airfoil

~ d -plane z=+C2/
For foil W ( z ) = W ( ) z-plane
dz
l=-V
i
1 = me
Take Write in
W(z)2z terms of z m
C
MO c
Write as Laurent series V V

M O = Im Bi { n = 1
zi in loop
}= lm cos( ) 2V C
2 2
sin( 2 ) Positive counterclockwise

or, by convention, M O = 2V2C 2 sin( 2 ) lm cos( ) Positive clockwise

4C 2 m
or, CM O = 2
sin( 2 ) C l cos( )
c c Positive clockwise

Pure moment
Moment due to lift acting on lever arm m cos( ) 7
Example 3 Interpretation
M O = 2V2C 2 sin( 2 ) lm cos( ) Lift l z=rei
4C 2 m r -
CM O = 2 sin( 2 ) Cl cos( )
c c
MO
Transferring the moment:
f, g
For a general point z, lever arm has a
V
length r cos( ) m cos( ) so
m cos( )
M Z = 2V2C 2 sin( 2 ) + lr cos( ) lm cos( )
4C 2 r m
C M Z = 2 sin( 2 ) + Cl cos( ) Cl cos( )
c c c

Center of pressure: Point about which moment is zero (located by distance f).
C 2 sin( 2 )
Setting Mz=0 gives f =
2a sin( + )
Aerodynamic center: Point about which moment is independent of (located by g).
M Z
= 0 gives g = C cos( ) / a and M Z | Aero = 2V C sin( 2 )
2 2 2
Setting
center
8
 Results for Moment
-plane z=+C2/
Lift l z=rei

a r -
dz C2
= 1 2
1 d
MO
C f, g
V
V

m cos( )
1. The lift acts almost at mid chord (but dont
4C 2 m
say this in public) C M O = 2 sin( 2 ) Cl cos( )
2. For a thin uncambered airfoil, the center c c
of pressure f is close to the chord. The C 2 sin( 2 )
f = g = C 2 cos( ) / a
lift appears to act at this point. 2a sin( + )
3. For any thin airfoil the aerodynamic center M Z | Aero cent = 2V2C 2 sin( 2 )
will be close to the quarter chord, and very
gradually moves upstream with a C and a and c increase
Where slowly with camber
4. The moment about the aerodynamic c 4C and thickness
center varies with camber (almost linearly a C c/4
with the zero lift angle of attack and for a thin airfoil
9
m << a , c , C