Estimation of boundary layer thickness and drag coefficients in a fluid system

Abstract

Over the years, many of the most demanding industries have relied on fluid flow analysis and process design to ensure proper operation and to maximize profitability and operational safety. It is well known that many of the fluids used in industrial applications behave in turbulent regime. As a result, clear and proper understanding of parameters such as transitional flow, measurement of instantaneous velocity in a fluid stream, flow behavior at lower and higher velocities inside tubes or pipes and resistance of an object in a fluid environment is important. In the present paper we study the laminar boundary layer on a flat plate and also discuss the case of turbulent flow using integral momentum balance for the boundary layer to obtain a general momentum integral relation after using an empirical or assumed velocity distribution. Furthermore, we determine the boundary layer thickness and discuss two methods to estimate drag coefficient at different distances from the leading edge. Results from the current research can be applied by the industry to model complex parameter dependencies and to estimate and simulate the presence of drag on solids with particular geometrical properties of size and shape.