NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SINGAPORE

Department of Mechanical Engineering

ME2135 Fluid Mechanics II
Part 2 External Incompressible Viscous Flow
Solution to Tutorial 1
1. The average pressure and shear stress acting on the surface of the 1-m square flat plate are as
indicated in Fig. 1. Determine the lift and drag
generated. Determine the lift and drag if the shear
stress is neglected. Compare these two sets of
results.
Fig. 1
Flow past an inclined flat plate; adapted from [1]

=
ave A
ave A and w dA
pdA p=
Drag D = p 2 A 2sina p1A1sina + 2 A2 cosa + 1 A1cosa
A=
A=
1m 2 a =7
1
2
D = A1sina (p 2 p1 ) + A1cosa ( 2 + 1 )

= 1sin7 [ 2.3 (1.2) ] + 1cos7(7.6 x102 + 5.8 x102 ) kN/ m 2

= 0.427 + 0.133 = 0.560 kN/m 2

If shear sress negleced, =

0, D = 0.427 kN/m 2
=
2
1
Lif L = p 2 A 2 cosa p1A1cosa 2 A2sina 1 A1sina
= A1cosa (p 2 p1 ) A1sina ( 2 + 1 )

= 1cos7 [ 2.3 (1.2) ] 1sin7(7.6 x102 + 5.8 x102 ) kN/ m 2

=
3.47 0.0163 =
3.45 kN/m 2
If shear sress negleced, L = 3.47 kN/m 2

2. An atmospheric boundary layer is formed when the wind blows over the earths surface.
Typically, such velocity profiles can be written as a power law: u = ayn, where the constants a
and n depend on the roughness of the terrain. As is indicated in Fig. 2, typical values are n = 0.40
for urban areas, n = 0.28 for woodland or suburban areas, and n = 0.16 for flat open country.
(a) If the velocity is 6 m/s at the bottom of the sail
on your boat (y = 1.2 m), what is the velocity at the
top of the mast (y = 9 m)? (b) If the average
velocity is 16 km/h on the tenth floor of an urban
building, what is the average velocity on the
sixtieth floor?
Fig. 2 Atmospheric boundary layer flow over different terrains; from [1]
(a ) u = ay 0.16 , where a is a constant
y
u2
= 2
u1
y1

0.16

0.16

9
u2 = 6

1.2
= 8.28 m/s

(a ) u = by 0.4 , where b is a constant

y
u2
= 2
u1
y1

0.4

0.4

60
u2 = 16
10
= 32.8 km/h

3. The velocity profile in a laminar boundary layer is approximated by a sinusoidal function

(Fig. 3):
u
y
= sin

U
2d
Does this expression satisfy the boundary conditions applicable to the laminar boundary-layer
velocity profile? Evaluate the non-dimensional displacement thickness */
Applicable boundary conditions are:
u=0
=
u

at y = 0 (no slip)

U
=
at y

(continuity with freestream)

du
= 0=
at y
d
dy
(no shear stress at freestream)

Fig 3. Laminar boundary layer velocity profiles; from [2]

u
y
= sin

U
2d
at y = 0 u = sin 0 = 0 which satisfy no slip condition
u
d
ay y=
=d
sin
=

1 which satisfy continuity with freestream

U
2d
1 du
y
cos
= =
0 at y=d which satisfy zero stress condition at freestream
U dy 2d
2d
Boundary layer displacement thickness d * is defined as

*
d=
bU

(U u )b dy

1
d*
u
y
= (1 ) d
0
U
d
d
1

= (1 sin ) d
0

where b is plate width

y
where =

cos

2
2
=1 =0.363

0
2
1

4. Air enters a square duct through a 0.3 m opening as is shown in Fig. 4. Because the boundary
layer displacement thickness increases in the direction of flow, it is necessary to increase the
cross-sectional size of the duct if a constant U = 0.6 m/s velocity is to be maintained outside the
boundary layer. Plot a graph of the duct
size, d, as a function of x for 0 x 3 m if
U is to remain constant. Assume laminar
flow with boundary layer displacement
thickness d* = 1.721 (nx/U)1/2, where
-5

kinematic viscosity of air is n = 1.5 x 10

m2/s

Fig. 4 Flow through a square duct; adapted from [1]

For continuity of mass, flowrate at location x is: Q( x) = Q0
x0.32 0.054m3 / s
=
=
where inlet flowrate
Q0 0.6
Also Q(x) = UA = U(d - 2d *) 2
0.3+2d * = d

nx

where d * = 1.721

= 1.721

1.5 x 10-5 x
= 0.0085 x
0.6

d = 0.3 + 0.017 x

0.35

0.3
0.25
0.2
0.15
0.1
0.05
0
0

0.5

1.5

2.5

5. Because of the velocity deficit, U - u, in the boundary layer, the streamlines for flow past a flat
plate are not exactly parallel to the plate. This deviation can be determined by use of the
displacement thickness, d*. For air blowing past the flat plate shown in Fig. 5, plot the streamline
A - B that passes through the edge of the boundary layer (y = dB at x = ) at point B. That is,
plot y = y (x) for streamline A - B. Assume laminar boundary layer flow with boundary layer
thickness d = 5 (nx/U)1/2 and displacement thickness d* = 1.721 (nx/U)1/2, where kinematic
-5
viscosity of air is n = 1.5 x 10 m2/s.

Fig. 5 Boundary layer flow

past a flat plate; from [1]

1.5 x 105 4
= 0.0387 m
U
1
Flow in boundary layer is (from definition of
displacement thickness d*) equal to that of uniform
velocity above the plate displaced by amount d*.
at B, B = 5

=5

There is no flow through plate or streamline A B

(by definition of streamline)
QA = QB
=
Uy A U (d B d B* )
=
y A (d B d B* )

nx
U

streamline is: y = 0.0254 + 0.00667 x m

5

3.5

2.5

1.5

1.25

1.5 x 105 x
1

0.75

0.5

y = 0.0254 + 1.721

nx

0.25

y = y A + d * = y A + 1.721

0.375

flowrate is: Q = Q A or U ( y-d * ) = Uy A

0.04
0.035
0.03
0.025
0.02
0.015
0.01
0.005
0
0.125

At any location x, from continuity of flow

below streamline A - B,

0.0625

1.5 x 105 4
21
0.0133m
=
d B* 1.7
=
1
y A = (d B d B* ) = 0.0387 0.0133 = 0.0254m

where d * = 1.721