Method of Assumed Profiles

Here are the basic steps:

1. Assume some basic boundary velocity profile for u ( x, y ) . For example, this is a
crude approach but illustrates the ideas:

 y
u( x, y )  ,0 ≤ y < δ ( x )
=  δ ( x)
ue ( x ) 
 1, y ≥ δ ( x )

where δ (x) is the single unknown describing the velocity distribution.

2. Calculate δ * , θ (or H ) , and C f for the assumed profile:

∞ δ δ
 u  y  1 y2 
δ = ∫  1 −  dy = ∫  1 −  dy =  y −
*

0
ue  0
δ  2 δ 0

1
⇒ δ* = δ
2

∞ δ δ
u u y y  1 y2 1 y3 
θ = ∫  1 −  dy = ∫  1 −  dy =  − 2 
u
0 e 
ue  0
δ δ  2 δ 3 δ 0

1
⇒θ= δ
6

1
δ * δ
Note: H= = 2 =3
θ 1δ
6

∂u
Finally, to find C f we need τ w = µ
∂y y =0

∂u ∂  y u
= ue   = e , for 0 ≤ y < δ
∂y ∂y  δ  δ
 Method of Assumed Profiles

ue
τw µ 2µ
⇒ Cf = = δ =
1
ρ eue2
1
ρ eue2 ρ eueδ
2 2

3. Plug results from step 2 into integral b.l. equation:

Cf dθ θ du
= + (2 + H ) e
2 dx u e dx

So, for our assumed linear profile:

µ 1 d δ 5δ due
= + (1)
ρ eueδ 6 dx 6ue dx

where δ (x) is the only unknown. We can solve this by specifying u e (x) , setting
an initial value for δ at x = 0 (i.e. the leading edge) and then integrate in x .
Note: in many cases, this integration will need to be done numerically.

Example: Flat Plate

y
Ue(x)=U ρe=ρ 8
8

U δ*(x)
8 8

ρ x

Since u e ( x) = u ∞ is a constant, the governing equation (1) becomes:

µ 1 dδ
=
ρ ∞ u ∞δ 6 dx

Re-arrange and integrate:

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 Method of Assumed Profiles

6µ dδ
=δ
ρ ∞U ∞ dx
6µ 1 d (δ 2 )
=
ρ ∞U ∞ 2 dx
6µ 1 d (δ 2 )
x x

∫0 ρ ∞U ∞ dx =
2 ∫0 dx
dx

6µ 1
x = δ 2 ( x ) − δ 2 (0) 
ρ ∞U ∞ 2

But, our initial condition is δ (0) = 0 .

6µ 1
x = δ 2 ( x)
ρ ∞U ∞ 2

δ 12 µ 2 3 3.464
⇒ = = =
x ρ ∞U ∞ x Re x Re x

δ* 1 δ 1 2 3
⇒ = 2
=
x x 2 Re x

δ* 3 1.732
= =
x Re x Re x

and C f :
2µ 2µ Re x
Cf = =
ρ eueδ ρ ∞u∞ x 2 3
1
Cf =
3 Re x
0.577
Cf =
Re x

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 Method of Assumed Profiles

Comparison with Blasius solution:

Blasius Int. Method with linear velocity

δ*
Re x 1.720 1.732
x

C f Re x 0.664 0.577

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