Hundred years of the boundary layer - Some aspects

Abstract

The concept of the boundary layer was proposed by Ludwig Prandtl in 1904. This concept has allowed prediction of skin friction drag, heat transfer from the wall and separation of the boundary layer, which in turn enables proper design of airplanes, ships, other vehicles and equipment through/around which fluid flow takes place. The centenary of the proposal by Prandtl is being celebrated in various ways. This article is an attempt at presenting some of the developments in boundary layers. The article begins with a brief description of Prandtl's work. Subsequent sections deal with (a) a brief account of his 1904 paper, (b) some aspects of developments in boundary layer research and applications, (c) discussion of a few contributions from India in the area of boundary layers, and concluding remarks.