Paper 2, Section II, A

Fluid Dynamics II
Part II, 2013

Write down the boundary-layer equations for steady two-dimensional flow of a viscous incompressible fluid with velocity U(x)U(x) outside the boundary layer. Find the boundary layer thickness δ(x)\delta(x) when U(x)=U0U(x)=U_{0}, a constant. Show that the boundarylayer equations can be satisfied in this case by a streamfunction ψ(x,y)=g(x)f(η)\psi(x, y)=g(x) f(\eta) with suitable scaling function g(x)g(x) and similarity variable η\eta. Find the equation satisfied by ff and the associated boundary conditions.

Find the drag on a thin two-dimensional flat plate of finite length LL placed parallel to a uniform flow. Why does the drag not increase in proportion to the length of the plate? [You may assume that the boundary-layer solution is applicable except in negligibly small regions near the leading and trailing edges. You may also assume that f(0)=0.33f^{\prime \prime}(0)=0.33.]