As the undisturbed flow encounters the plate, the velocity at y=0 is suddenly

forced to zero. Likewise the temperature is suddenly forced to Tw . Initally, a

laminar boundary layer grows according to
5x
δ= √ (1)
Rex
where
U∞ x
Rex = (2)
ν
but, at a certain critical Reynolds number, the becomes unstable and devel-
ops into turbulent flow. At this point the flow is of course unsteady and three
dimensional and the heat and momentum transfer is significantly enhanced due
to turbulent fluctuations. We shall limit our discussion to the time averaged tur-
bulent boundary layer. The turbulent boundary layer grows more quicky than
the laminar boundary layer (since momentum transport is enhanced). Rex,c ,
the critical Reynolds number for transition to turbulence, is often taken to be
Rex,c = 5 × 105 . In reality though this is not an abrupt change – it occurs
through a transition region and is affected by many things, including surface
roughness (recall the golf ball).
Let us examine some velocity profiles in the laminar regime. For air, at 3.0
m.s, xc = (1.5 × 10−5 · 5 × 105 )/3.0 = 3m, so we expect laminar flow up to
x=3.0m.
x = 1m x = 2m x = 3m
0.03 0.03

0.025 0.025

0.02 0.02

0.015 0.015

0.01 0.01

0.005 0.005

0 0
0 1 2 3 0 1 2 3 0 1 2 3

Figure 1: Velocity profiles at three locations along the plate.

As an aside, if we plot the three velocity profiles of Figure 1 on a single axis,

it is very clear that the gradient at the wall decreases with increasing distance
along the plate. Clearly, the shear stress decreases with distance along the plate

1
as well. By analogy. we can expect that h(x) and Nu(x) will also decrease with
distance along the plate.

0.03

x=1m
x=2m
0.025 x=3m

0.02
y [m]

0.015

0.01

0.005

0
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3
u [m/s]

Figure 2: Velocity profiles at three locations along the plate plotted on a sinlge
axis.

The rate of heat transfer will be highest where the gradients are highest,
and clearly this occurs at the leading edge. From our dimensional analysis, we
expect
h ∝ cf P r n (3)
since

cf = f (x, Re) (4)

Nu = f (x, Re, P r) (5)

Example
Consider airflow over a plate of length 1m. Assume transition to turbulence
occurs at xc = 0.5m, with Rec = 5 × 105 . Given hl am(x) = Clam x−0.5 and
hturb (x) = Cturb x−0.2 , with Cl am = 8.845W/(m3/2 K) and Cturb = 49.75W/(m1.8K).
1. Using air at 350 K determine U∞
2. Develop an expression for the average convection coefficient as a function
of distance from the leading edge, for the laminar region.
3. Develop an expression for the average convection coefficient, hturb (x) as a
function of distance from the leading edge, for the turbulent region.

2
 4. Plot the local and average coefficients for (0  x  L)

Solution
a)
Assumptions: hlam (x) is as given, constant fluid properties.
Properties: Air @350K, Table A.4 ν = 20.92 × 10−6 m2 /s

U∞ xc
Rex,c = (6)
ν

Rex,cν 5 × 105 20.92 × 10−6

U∞ = = = 20.9[m/s] (7)
xc 0.5

b)


1 x
hlam (x) = hlam (x)dx
x 0
1
= Clam (2)x1/2
x
Clam
= 2 1/2
x
At any point, the average convection coefficient up to that point is twice the
local value.

c)
The average convection coefficient in the turbulent region must account for the
laminar portion at the beginning of the plate.

xc
x
1 1
hturb (x) = hlam (x)dx + hturb (x)dx
xc 0 x − xc xc
x
2Clam x0.5
c Cturb x0.8 
= +
xc x − xc 0.8 xc
 
Clam −0.2 x0.8
c
= 2 1/2 + 1.25Cturb x −
x x

d)

3
 Variation of Average and local h
80
hlam
Average(hlam)
hturb
70 Average(hturb)

60

50
h [W/m2K

40

30

20

10
0 0.5 1 1.5
x [m]

Figure 3: Convection coefficients along the plate.