Experimental investigation and a novel analytical solution of turbulent boundary layer flow over a flat plate in a wind tunnel

• Published in: International journal of mechanical sciences 2017-11, Vol.133, p.121-128
• Main Authors: Shahmohamadi, Hamed, Rashidi, Mohammad Mehdi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Boundary layer; Skin friction; Thin-oil-film technique; Turbulent flow; Variational Iteration Method (VIM); Wind tunnel
• ISSN: 0020-7403; 1879-2162
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmecsci.2017.08.043

•The fluid mechanics of incompressible turbulent boundary layers air flow over a flat plate is investigated.•Thin-Oil-film technique is used to determine skin friction of the plate.•Reynolds averaged Navier-Stokes equations are normalized by appropriate similarity transformations.•Variational Iteration Method (VIM) was applied for finding the analytical solution.•New correlations for skin friction coefficient and boundary layer thickness of turbulent flow over flat plate are proposed. The fluid mechanics of incompressible turbulent boundary layers air flow over a flat plate is investigated using an open-ended suction wind tunnel. The wall shear stress is measured by a distinct method using Thin-Oil-film technique in order to determine skin friction of the plate. On theoretical side, the governing partial differential equations are transformed to an ordinary differential equation with inconsistent coefficients using similarity variables and they are solved by variational iteration method. The distribution of the velocity, friction coefficient and thickness of the boundary layer are obtained analytically and experimentally, and compared with the previously reported results, where good agreements are observed. New correlations for skin friction coefficient and boundary layer thickness of turbulent flow over flat plate are proposed. [Display omitted]