TUTORIAL #3

MS3121 FLUID MECHANICS

-Boundary Layer Part I-
Thursday, September 15th 2022
1. Briefly explain the definition and/or the equation of boundary layer thickness, boundary layer
displacement thickness, and boundary layer momentum thickness!
2. Water flows past a flat plate with an upstream velocity of 𝑈𝑈 = 0.02 𝑚𝑚/𝑠𝑠. Determine the water
velocity a distance of 10 mm from the plate at distances of 𝑥𝑥 = 1.5 𝑚𝑚 and 𝑥𝑥 = 15 𝑚𝑚 from the
leading edge!
3. Air enters a square duct through a 1-ft opening as is shown in Figure 1 below. Because the
boundary layer displacement thickness increases in the direction of flow, it’s necessary to
increase the cross-sectional size of the duck if a constant U = 2 ft/s velocity is to be maintained
outside the boundary layer. Plot a graph of the duct size, d, as a function of x for 0 ≤ 𝑥𝑥 ≤ 10
ft if U is to remain constant. Assume laminar flow.

4. Air flow in the entrance region of a square duct as shown in Figure 2 below. The velocity is
uniform, U = 100 ft/s, and the duct is 3 in square. At a section 1 ft downstream from the
entrance, the displacement thickness, 𝛿𝛿 ∗ , on each wall measures 0.035 in. Determine the
pressure change between sections (1) and (2).

𝑢𝑢 𝑦𝑦 𝑦𝑦
5. A laminar boundary layer velocity profile is 𝑈𝑈 = �2 − �𝛿𝛿�� �𝛿𝛿�approximated by for 𝑦𝑦 ≤ 𝛿𝛿 and
𝑢𝑢 = 𝑈𝑈 for 𝑦𝑦 > 𝛿𝛿

(a) Show that this profile satisfies the appropriate boundary conditions.
(b) Use the momentum integral equation to determine the boundary layer thickness, 𝛿𝛿 = 𝛿𝛿(𝑥𝑥)
6. An approximation for the velocity profile in a laminar boundary layer is
𝑢𝑢 3 𝑦𝑦 1 𝑦𝑦 3
= − � �
𝑈𝑈 2 𝛿𝛿 2 𝛿𝛿
Does this expression satisfy boundary conditions applicable to the laminar boundary-layer
velocity profile? Explain why! Additionally, please evaluate 𝛿𝛿 ∗ /𝛿𝛿 and 𝜃𝜃/𝛿𝛿.
7. A smooth, flat plate of length 𝑙𝑙 = 6 𝑚𝑚 and width 𝑏𝑏 = 4 𝑚𝑚 is placed in water with an upstream
velocity of 𝑈𝑈 = 0.5 𝑚𝑚/𝑠𝑠. Determine the boundary layer thickness and the wall shear stress at
the center and the trailing edge of the plate. Assume a laminar boundary layer.