NUMERICAL SOLUTION OF THE INCOMPRESSIBLE AND COMPRESSIBLE LAMINAR BOUNDARY LAYER EQUATIONS WITH ASSIGNED CONSTANT WALL SHEAR STRESS

Abstract : Numerical solutions of the boundary layer equations with arbitrary initial profiles and an assigned constant wall shear stress were carried out. Results show that after an initial non-similar flow all initial profiles for incompressible flow asymptotically approach similar profiles corresponding exactly to the Falkner-Skan similar solution. The streamwise distance required for any arbitrary initial profile to approach this similar profile depends upon the extent of departure of the initial profile from the beta = 1/2 similar profile (the larger the difference the longer the distance). For compressible boundary layers, constant wall shear stress solutions give rise to asymptotic locally similar profiles, with no particular similar profile having been determined in the present analysis. (Author)