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Fluid Mechanics Lesson 13C

Displacement thickness (δ*) is the distance that a streamline just outside the boundary layer is deflected away from the wall due to the boundary layer. It represents the apparent increase in wall thickness felt by the outer flow. In wind tunnel design, the core flow speed must increase downstream to account for the growing displacement thickness, unless the tunnel walls diverge by the amount of δ* to keep the core speed constant. An example calculates the displacement thickness for a laminar boundary layer on a flat plate and compares it to the boundary layer thickness. Another example determines how much to expand the bottom wall of a wind tunnel test section to counteract increasing displacement thickness and keep the core speed constant.

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38 views5 pages

Fluid Mechanics Lesson 13C

Displacement thickness (δ*) is the distance that a streamline just outside the boundary layer is deflected away from the wall due to the boundary layer. It represents the apparent increase in wall thickness felt by the outer flow. In wind tunnel design, the core flow speed must increase downstream to account for the growing displacement thickness, unless the tunnel walls diverge by the amount of δ* to keep the core speed constant. An example calculates the displacement thickness for a laminar boundary layer on a flat plate and compares it to the boundary layer thickness. Another example determines how much to expand the bottom wall of a wind tunnel test section to counteract increasing displacement thickness and keep the core speed constant.

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BOUNDARY LAYER DISPLACEMENT THICKNESS

In this lesson, we will:


• Define Displacement Thickness and discuss its significance in fluid flows
• Briefly introduce Momentum Thickness
• Do some example problems
Definition of Displacement Thickness
δ * = the distance that a streamline just outside the BL is deflected away from the wall due to
the effect of the BL; the distance in which the outer flow is “displaced” away from the wall.

Note: Neither δ nor δ * are streamlines.


In fact, streamlines cross lines of δ and δ *
inside the boundary layer.

Figures from Çengel and Cimbala, Ed. 4.

Alternate Definition:
δ * = the imaginary increase in wall thickness seen by the outer flow, due to the presence of
the BL. [The outer flow “feels” like the wall is thicker than it actually is.]

Actual wall case: Apparent wall case:


Application of Displacement Thickness – Wind Tunnel Design
In these exaggerated drawings, as the boundary layer grows along the walls of the wind
tunnel, the speed in the core flow U(x) must increase because the core flow “feels” like the
wind tunnel walls are converging, due to the displacement thickness effect.

Actual wall case, viscous flow: Apparent wall case, irrotational flow:

To avoid this effect, and to keep U(x) constant, we would need to make the wind tunnel walls
diverge out with downstream distance by the amount of the displacement thickness δ *:

Actual wall case, viscous flow: Apparent wall case, irrotational flow:
Example: Displacement Thickness on a Flat Plate with Laminar Boundary Layer
Given: Craig buys a standard 4 × 8 ft (1.219 × U 4 × 8 ft sheet of plywood
2.438 m) sheet of plywood at Lowe’s and
mounts it on the roof rack of his car. He drives µ, ρ
FD
(carefully) at 15.65 m/s. The air density and
kinematic viscosity are ρ = 1.204 kg/m3 and ν =
1.516×10-5 m2/s, respectively.
To do: Estimate the boundary layer displacement thickness at the end of the plate (at x = L)
in millimeters and compare to the boundary layer thickness.
Solution:
Example: Displacement Thickness in a Wind Tunnel Test Section
Given: Professor Wakeflow studies the far wakes of objects using a small low-speed wind
tunnel. For her experimenst, she needs the freestream flow to remain constant with
downstream distance in the test section of the wind tunnel. Because of displacement
thickness, however, the air speed increases downstream. To counteract this effect, she
decides to expand the cross-sectional area of the test section as discussed in this lesson. Here
are some values:
• The air density and kinematic viscosity are ρ = 1.204 kg/m3 and ν = 1.516×10-5 m2/s,
respectively
• The wind tunnel test section speed is 6.50 m/s
• The length of the test section is 0.510 m
• The cross section of the wind tunnel is rectangular, 0.633 m wide × 0.412 m high
To do: Professor Wakeflow decides to tilt only the bottom wall of the wind tunnel to
counteract displacement effects. Calculate how much she should increase the test section
height at the end of the test section.
Solution:

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