User:Aryanparihar2910/sandbox

• Comment: Thanks for your submission! Please read through Help:Your first article for some starting points on how to write an encyclopedic article that complies with Wikipedia's policies and guidelines. This draft in its current form is far too technical and research-esque for me to accept it into the encyclopedia. Let me know if you have any questions! (please  mention me on reply; thanks!) —TechnoSquirrel69 (sigh) 05:02, 5 November 2024 (UTC)

---

Scale Analysis of Boundary Layer Equation

Introduction

The laminar boundary layer is a fundamental concept in fluid mechanics that describes the thin region near a solid surface where viscous forces dominate and fluid flow characteristics deviate significantly from the free stream. This concept is vital in aerodynamic and hydrodynamic studies. This article provides an in-depth exploration of scale analysis applied to laminar boundary layers, focusing on the flow over flat plates and how this analysis helps predict key phenomena such as drag and heat transfer.

Boundary Layer Concept

The boundary layer is the region near a solid object where the velocity of the fluid changes from zero at the surface (due to the no-slip condition) to the free-stream velocity. This thin layer is characterized by:

• Velocity Boundary Layer Thickness (δ): The thickness increases along the flow direction, depending on factors such as fluid viscosity and distance from the leading edge.
• Free Stream Region: Beyond the boundary layer, the flow remains unaffected by the surface, flowing at a velocity U∞​.
• No-Slip Condition: At the surface, the velocity of the fluid is zero, adhering to the boundary conditions imposed by the solid object.

Mathematical Foundation of Boundary Layer Theory

The Navier-Stokes equations govern the behavior of fluids and are simplified under the boundary layer assumptions. For steady, incompressible flow over a flat plate, we deal with the following key equations:

• Continuity Equation: ${\frac {\partial u}{\partial x}}+{\frac {\partial v}{\partial y}}=0$ , This ensures the conservation of mass.
• Momentum Equation (in the x-direction) : $u{\frac {\partial u}{\partial x}}+v{\frac {\partial u}{\partial y}}=-{\frac {1}{\rho }}{\frac {\partial p}{\partial x}}+\nu {\frac {\partial ^{2}u}{\partial y^{2}}}$ ,​ This equation describes the balance of forces in the boundary layer, where viscous effects dominate in the y-direction.
• Energy Equation (for heat transfer) : $u{\frac {\partial T}{\partial x}}+v{\frac {\partial T}{\partial y}}=\alpha {\frac {\partial ^{2}T}{\partial y^{2}}}$ ,​ This describes the heat conduction from the wall into the fluid and the convection away from the wall.

Scaling Analysis in Boundary Layer Equations

Velocity Boundary Layer Scaling

The primary assumption in scaling analysis is that within the boundary layer, the variations in the y-direction (normal to the wall) are much larger than in the x-direction (along the wall). The characteristic length scale for x is the plate length L, and for y, it is the boundary layer thickness δ.

By applying the following scaling relations:

$u\sim U_{\infty },\quad v\sim {\frac {U_{\infty }\delta }{L}},\quad y\sim \delta ,\quad x\sim L$

we can estimate the order of magnitude of each term in the momentum equation.

For the continuity equation, we get:

${\frac {\partial u}{\partial x}}\sim {\frac {U_{\infty }}{L}},\quad {\frac {\partial v}{\partial y}}\sim {\frac {U_{\infty }}{\delta }}$

implying that: $v\sim {\frac {U_{\infty }\delta }{L}}$

For the momentum equation, the inertial terms scale as:

$u{\frac {\partial u}{\partial x}}\sim {\frac {U_{\infty }^{2}}{L}},\quad v{\frac {\partial u}{\partial y}}\sim {\frac {U_{\infty }^{2}\delta }{L\delta }}$

The viscous term scales as: $\nu {\frac {\partial ^{2}u}{\partial y^{2}}}\sim {\frac {\nu U_{\infty }}{\delta ^{2}}}$

Balancing the inertia and viscous terms gives the boundary layer thickness: ${\frac {U_{\infty }^{2}}{L}}\sim {\frac {\nu U_{\infty }}{\delta ^{2}}}$

which leads to: $\delta \sim {\frac {L}{\sqrt {Re_{L}}}}$

where $Re_{L}={\frac {U_{\infty }L}{\nu }}$ is the Reynolds number based on the plate length. This shows that the boundary layer thickness δ grows as x^1/2.

Thermal Boundary Layer Scaling

The thermal boundary layer describes how heat diffuses from the surface to the fluid. The energy equation is simplified using a similar scaling approach, with temperature varying over a thermal boundary layer thickness δT​.

The scaling for the energy equation terms is: $u{\frac {\partial T}{\partial x}}\sim {\frac {U_{\infty }\Delta T}{L}},\quad v{\frac {\partial T}{\partial y}}\sim {\frac {U_{\infty }\delta _{T}\Delta T}{L\delta _{T}}}$

where ΔT=T₀​−T_∞​ is the temperature difference between the surface and the free-stream fluid.

The conduction term scales as:

$\quad \alpha {\frac {\partial ^{2}T}{\partial y^{2}}}\sim {\frac {\alpha \Delta T}{\delta _{T}^{2}}}$

Balancing the convection and conduction terms gives:

${\frac {U_{\infty }\Delta T}{L}}\sim {\frac {\alpha \Delta T}{\delta _{T}^{2}}}$

which simplifies to:

$\delta _{T}\sim {\frac {L}{\sqrt {Re_{L}Pr}}}$

where $\quad Pr={\frac {\nu }{\alpha }}$​ is the Prandtl number. This shows that the thermal boundary layer thickness δ_T​ is smaller than the velocity boundary layer thickness δ when $Pr$ > 1 (for example, in oils).

Laminar Flow Over a Flat Plate: Key Equations

Skin Friction Coefficient

The skin friction coefficient is a dimensionless number that represents the ratio of the wall shear stress to the dynamic pressure of the fluid. From scaling analysis, we have:

$C_{f}={\frac {\tau }{{\frac {1}{2}}\rho U_{\infty }^{2}}}\sim Re_{L}^{-1/2}$

This indicates that the friction decreases as the Reynolds number increases.

Heat Transfer Coefficient

The heat transfer coefficient depends on the thermal boundary layer thickness δ_T​. It is given by:

$h\sim {\frac {k}{\delta _{T}}}$

where k is the thermal conductivity of the fluid. Using the expression for δ_T​ from the scaling analysis, we get:

$h\sim {\frac {k}{L}}Re_{L}^{1/2}Pr^{1/2}$

This shows that heat transfer is more efficient at higher Reynolds and Prandtl numbers.

Boundary Layer Equations: Exact vs. Scaling Method

The boundary layer equations can be solved exactly (e.g., using the Blasius solution for momentum) or approximately using scaling analysis. The exact method is more precise but computationally expensive, while scaling analysis provides a simpler way to estimate quantities like skin friction and heat transfer.

Exact Solution for Skin Friction

The Blasius solution gives the exact skin friction coefficient as:

$C_{f}={\frac {0.664}{Re_{L}^{1/2}}}$

which is consistent with the result from scaling analysis.

Exact vs. Scaling for Heat Transfer

For heat transfer, the exact solution using similarity methods provides the Nusselt number as:

$Nu=hL/k\sim Re_{L}^{1/2}Pr^{1/3}$

which is close to the scaling result.

Applications of Boundary Layer Theory

Boundary layer theory is crucial in many practical applications:

• Aerodynamics: Drag reduction on aircraft wings and vehicle surfaces.
• Heat Exchangers: Optimising heat transfer in systems like radiators.
• Environmental Flows: Modeling pollutant dispersion in the atmosphere or oceans.

Conclusion

Scale analysis provides an invaluable tool for simplifying the complex equations governing laminar boundary layers. By understanding how velocity and temperature profiles behave near a surface, engineers can predict drag forces, heat transfer rates, and more, with reasonable accuracy.

Project Team

• Aryan Parihar (Roll No : 21134006), Indian Institute of Technology (BHU) Varanasi
• Ashutosh Thakur (Roll No : 21135034), Indian Institute of Technology (BHU) Varanasi
• Kushagr Kapoor (Roll No : 21134015), Indian Institute of Technology (BHU) Varanasi
• Priyanshu Gautam (Roll No : 21135104), Indian Institute of Technology (BHU) Varanasi
• Tushar Shingane (Roll No : 21135122), Indian Institute of Technology (BHU) Varanasi

References

1. Bejan, Adrian. Convection Heat Transfer. 4th Edition. Wiley, 2013.
2. White, Frank M. Viscous Fluid Flow. 4th Edition. McGraw-Hill Education, 2011.
3. Kundu, P. K., & Cohen, I. M. Fluid Mechanics. 5th Edition. Academic Press, 2016.
4. Schlichting, Hermann, and K. Gersten. Boundary-Layer Theory. 9th Edition. Springer, 2016.
5. Pritchard, P. E. Introduction to Fluid Mechanics. 4th Edition. Cengage Learning, 2012.
6. Cengel, Yunus A., & Ghajar, Afshin J. Heat and Mass Transfer: Fundamentals and Applications. 5th Edition. McGraw-Hill Education, 2015.
7. Miller, David G., and Harold D. Doughty. “Boundary Layer Flow over a Flat Plate.” NASA Technical Memorandum, 1999.
8. Wikipedia Contributors. "Boundary Layer." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Available at: Boundary Layer
9. Wikipedia Contributors. "Reynolds Number." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Available at: Reynolds Number
10. "Introduction to Boundary Layer Theory." Engineering Toolbox. Available at: Engineering Toolbox