ME-662 CONVECTIVE HEAT AND MASS

TRANSFER
A. W. Date
Mechanical Engineering Department
Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay
Mumbai - 400076
India
LECTURE-6 SIMILARITY METHOD

()

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LECTURE-6 SIMILARITY METHOD

1
2
3

Notion of Similarity of Profiles

Condition for Existence of Similarity Solutions
Similarity Equation and Boundary Conditions

()

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1
2D BL Eqns - L6( 12
)

u v
+
= 0
x
y


u
dp
2u
u
+ v
=
+ 2
u
x
y
dx
y

(1)
(2)

dp
d U
= U
dx
dx

(3)

Boundary Conditions:
1
at y = 0, u = 0, v = Vw ( x ) ( Suction/Blowing Velocity )
2
as y , u = U ( x ) ( Free Stream Velocity )

()

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2
Notion of Similarity of Profiles - L6( 12
)
1

The term similarity is

associated with the
possibility that under
certain conditions , the
velocity profiles at different
streamwise locations (
x1 , x2 , x3 say ) in the
boundary layer will be
u (x, y ) = u ()
(4)
similar in shape.
v (x, y ) = v () and, (5)
Then, actual magnitudes of
= y S (x) (6)
u at same y at different
locations may differ by a
stretching factor s ( x ) that
is called Similarity Variable
is a function of the
streamwise distance x only.
8

()

x2

FREE STREAM VELOCITY

U ( X2, Y )

U ( X1, Y )

x1

( x )

x3

U ( X3, Y )

POROUS
SURFACE /
INTERFACE

Vw ( x )
SUCTION / BLOWING
VELOCITY

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3
Search for Similarity Condition - I - L6( 12
)
1

The relations suggest that if similarity exists then velocity

profiles u ( x, y ) and v ( x, y ) at any streamwise location
can be collapsed on a single curve
This is because u and v that were functions of two
independent variables x and y are now functions of a single
variable only
The Partial Differential Equations ( PDEs ) of the boundary
layer can therefore be reduced to Ordinary Differential
Equations. ( ODEs )
Such a reduction is however possible only when U (x),
Vw (x) and S (x) assume certain restricted forms known as
similarity conditions.

()

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4
Search for Sim Cond - II - L6( 12
)

u
u
d U
2u
u
+ v
= U
+ 2
x
y
dx
y


(7)

Define Stream Function ( x, y ) such that continuity equation

u/x + v /y = 0 is satisfied.

u
y

v
x

(8)

Substitution gives Equation

d U
2
2
3

= U
+
y xy
x y 2
dx
y 3

()

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(9)

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5
Search for Sim Cond - III - L6( 12
)

Define

(x, y) n(x) Z () (10)

u
dZ

(11)
U
d
Then
u
U
dZ
d
dZ
d

Hence
y
()

1
U
1
=
U
n
=
U
U
=
n
=

y
dZ

d y
= S(x)

y
2
y 2
3
y 3

x
2

xy

dZ
d
2
U d 2 Z
n d 2
3
d 3Z
U
n2 d 3
dn
dZ
Z
+n
dx
d x

dZ
(U
)
x
d
dZ d U
d d x
d 2 Z
U
d 2 x

= U
=
=
=
=
=
+

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6
Search for Sim Cond - IV - L6( 12
)

Replacing derivatives in the equation 9

000

00

02

Z + 1 Z Z + 2 (1 Z ) = 0

1
2

(12)

= dZ / d
n dn
=
U d x
n 2 d U
=
2 d x
U

(13)
(14)
(15)

Boundary Conditions:
1
Vw = (/x)y=0 = Z (0) dn/dx. Hence,
Z (0) = Vw (x)/(dn/dx)
0
2
Z (0) = 0 ( No-Slip Condition )
0
3
Z () = 1 ( Free Stream Condition )
()

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7
Search for Sim Con - V - L6( 12
)
000

00

02

Equation Z + 1 Z Z + 2 (1 Z ) = 0 will be an ODE if 1 , 2

and Z ( 0 ) are absolute constants . Hence, Consider
 2 
2n d n
n 2 d U
d
n
21 2 =

=
2
U d x
U d x
d x U
or, integrating from x = 0 to x = x,
n2
(2 1 2 ) x =
U
1
Multiplying both sides by U
d U /d x,

2
dx
d U
=(
)
U
21 2 x
Integration gives Similarity conditions.
()

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8
Search for Sim Cond - VI - L6( 12
)

U = C x 21 2
p
U (2 1 2 ) x
n(x) =
= y S(X ) =

y U
=y
n

(16)
(17)
s

U
(2 1 2 ) x

p
= Z () U (2 1 2 ) x
Vw (x)
Z (0) =
= constant
dn/dx

()

(18)
(19)
(20)

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9
Useful Deduction - L6( 12
)
Without loss of generality, we set 1 = 1 and 2 = . Then
Z

000

00

02

+ ZZ + (1 Z ) = 0

)
( 2

= 0
FLAT PLATE FLOW

0< < 1

U = C x
p
n(x) =
U (2 ) x
s
U
= y
(2 ) x
p
= Z () U (2 ) x Potential Flow Theory shows

Vw (x)
that U = C x ( 2 ) represents
Z (0) =
= constant
flow over a Wedge of angle .
dn/dx
< 0.2 represents Flow
Separation . Hence Elliptic Flow
( See Next Lecture )
WEDGE FLOW

=1

< 0.2

ZERO
SHEAR

FLOW SEPARATION

STAGNATION POINT FLOW

()

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Change of Definitions - L6( 10

12 )
For convenience, we redefine parameters as
U = C x m

2m
m =
or =
2
m+1
r
p
U
= y
= 2
x
u
0
0
f () = z () =
U

()

(21)
(22)
(23)
(24)

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New Similarity Equation - L6( 11

12 )

Then, the Z-equation will transform to

f

000

m+1
00
02
) f f + m (1 f ) = 0
2
p

f () U x v =
x 

m+1
m1
0
(
) f +(
)f
2
m+1
2
)
Bf (
m+1
0
0 and f () = 1
U x
Vw (x)
Rex0.5 Rex =
U (x)

+ (

=
v
Rex0.5 =
U
f (0) =
0

f (0) =
Bf =

(25)
(26)
(27)
(28)
(29)
(30)

Bf is called Blowing Parameter and must be constant for

similarity solutions to exist.
()

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Summary - L6( 12
12 )
1

3
4

We have transformed the 2D Boundary Layer PDE to a 3rd

000
00
02
order ODE f + ( m+1
) f f + m (1 f ) = 0
2
The ODE is valid for U = C x m and
(Vw (x)/U (x)) Rex0.5 = Bf = constant only.
p
The independent similarity variable is = y U /( x)
For m > 0, we have Accelerating Flow and hence the
Pressure Gradient dp / dx = - U dU /dx is negative .
This is called Favourable Pressure Gradient
For m < 0, we have De-celerating Flow and Adverse
Pressure Gradient .
For m = 0, we have U = constant and dp / dx = 0. It is
called Flat Plate Flow. For m = 1, we have Stagnation Point
Accelerating Flow
Hence, m is called Pressure Gradient Parameter
()

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