Boundary Layer Theory

Engr. Najam us Saqib Fraz

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Introduction
• A real fluid (viscous fluid) consists of adjacent layers piled on top of
each other. When it flows over a solid surface, the velocity of the
particles in the first fluid layer adjacent to the surface becomes zero
due to no-slip condition. This motionless layer slows down the
particles of the adjacent layer of the fluid due to friction.

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Introduction
• This layer then slows down the molecules of the next layer and so on.
Therefore, in the immediate vicinity of the boundary surface, a small
region develops in which the velocity of flowing fluid increases
gradually from zero at the boundary surface to the velocity of
mainstream. This region is known as boundary layer.

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Description of Boundary Layer
Boundary layer is a narrow region near the solid surface over which
velocity gradients and shear stresses are large. Consider the parallel
flow of a fluid over a thin stationary flat plate as shown in Figure.The x-
coordinate is measured along the plate surface from the leading edge
of the plate in the direction of flow and y is measured from the surface
in the normal direction.

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Description of Boundary Layer
The fluid approaches the plate in the x-direction with a uniform
upstream velocity u which is nearly equal to the freestream velocity U
over the plate away from the surface. At the leading edge of the plate,
the thickness of the boundary layer is zero, but its

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Description of Boundary Layer
Thus, a velocity gradient is set up which develops
shear resistance to the flow and thus, it slows
down the motion of the fluid. Due to continued
action of shear resistance, a large group of fluid
particles is retarded when this retarded layer of
fluid moves downstream.

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Description of Boundary Layer
Thus the thickness of the boundary layer goes on increasing in the downstream
direction. This is also referred to as the growth of the boundary layer. The shear
resistance acting in between the adjacent flowing layers is responsible for rotational
flow within the boundary layer.

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Description of Boundary Layer

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Laminar Boundary Layer

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Transition Layer

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Turbulent Boundary Layer

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Laminar Sublayer

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Boundary Layer Thickness

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Displacement Thickness

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Momentum Thickness

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Energy Thickness

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Example

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Solution

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Example

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Solution

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Solution

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Impulse Momentum Principle
• Impulse-momentum principle is a modified form of Newton’s second
law of motion which states that the resultant external force acting on
anybody in any direction is equal to the rate of change of momentum
of the body in that direction. Let m be the mass of fluid, V be the
velocity of fluid and F be the force. According to Newton’s second law
of motion, we get:

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Impulse Momentum Principle

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Impulse Momentum Principle
• Equation (20.2) is known as impulse-momentum equation in which F.
dt is impulse and d(mV) is the resulting change in momentum in the
direction of force.

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