Objective

● To measure the velocity profile for different flat plates with differing surface
roughness.
● Compare the experimental values to those from theory.
● Determine which type of boundary layer is present.
Theory

Boundary layer is a thin region of flow near a solid wall. In this region, viscous force and
rotationally can be ignored. Boundary layer thickness is thin once it encounters the surface and
becomes thicker as it flows. Types of flow that are available in a boundary layer are laminar,
transitional and turbulent. Reynold’s Number is used to determine the type of flow in a boundary
layer.

Figure 1: Boundary layer.

(Source: https://www.nuclear-power.net/nuclear-engineering/fluid-dynamics/boundary-
layer/velocity-boundary-layer-thermal-boundary-layer/)

The objectives of the experiment are, to plot the boundary layer velocity profile and
observe the development of boundary layer for the plate with smooth and rough surface, to
compute the properties of the boundary layer for the developed velocity profile and to investigate
the effects of surface roughness on the development of boundary layer.

In laminar flow, the flow is steady and smooth, and the boundary layer thickness is very thin.
The velocity gradient is moderate. In a turbulent flow, the flow is unsteady. It has higher velocity
gradient comparing to laminar flow.
 Figure 2: Boundary layer thickness.

(Source: http://www.engineeringenotes.com/fluids/boundary-layer/boundary-layer-fluid-flow-
notes-layer-thickness-equations-and-solved-problems-fluid-mechanics/47875)

The boundary layer thickness, , is defined as the distance from the surface to the point where
the velocity is within 0.99% of the velocity.

Uy=𝛿 ≡ 0.99𝑈

The displacement thickness, *, is the distance by which the solid boundary would have to be
displaced in a frictionless flow to give the same mass deficit as exists in the boundary layer.

∞
∗ 𝑢
𝛿 =∫ (1− ) 𝑑𝑦
0 𝑈

The momentum thickness, , is define as the thickness of a layer of fluid of velocity, U (free
stream velocity).

∞
𝑢 𝑢
𝜃=∫ ( 1 − ) 𝑑𝑦
0 𝑈 𝑈

The Blasius’s exact solutions to the laminar boundary gives the following equations.
There is no exact solution to the turbulent boundary layer due to its complexity. The velocity
profile within the boundary layer is approximated using the 1/7 power law.

The properties of boundary layer are approximated using the momentum integral equation,
which produces the following expression.