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Mandatory Assignment 2024 2

The document is an assignment for a course on Viscous Flow and Turbulence, focusing on three main problems related to velocity profiles, numerical solutions of the Blasius equation, and the stability of a membrane in a uniform flow. It discusses the use of a sine-wave velocity profile for better accuracy, numerical methods for solving differential equations, and the dynamics of a membrane under fluid pressure. Each problem includes specific calculations and theoretical questions to explore the underlying principles of fluid mechanics.

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20 views2 pages

Mandatory Assignment 2024 2

The document is an assignment for a course on Viscous Flow and Turbulence, focusing on three main problems related to velocity profiles, numerical solutions of the Blasius equation, and the stability of a membrane in a uniform flow. It discusses the use of a sine-wave velocity profile for better accuracy, numerical methods for solving differential equations, and the dynamics of a membrane under fluid pressure. Each problem includes specific calculations and theoretical questions to explore the underlying principles of fluid mechanics.

Uploaded by

for any
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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MEK4300: Viscous Flow and Turbulence

Mandatory assignment 2
October 24, 2024

Problem 1. Better guessed velocity profile


In this course, after defining the boundary layer thickness δ, displacement thickness δ ∗ ,
momemtum thickness θ, we used a guess velocity profile

2y y 2
 
u≈U − 2
δ δ

over a flat plate to estimate δ ∗ , θ and Cf,plate . However, Schilichting (1979, p. 206) points
out that the simple flat-plate velocity profile
 πy 
u ≈ U sin
2δ
gives a much better accuracy for δ ∗ , θ and Cf,plate . Calculate them using the new velocity
profile and compare them with the results from Blasius similarity solutions
δ∗ p θp p
Rex ≈ 1.721, Rex ≈ 0.664, Cf,plate Rex ≈ 0.664.
x x
Does this sine-wave shape satisfy any additional boundary conditions at the solid wall?

Problem 2. Trick to make life easier


The Blasius similarity solution is given by

f ′′′ (η) + f (η)f ′′ (η) = 0,

with boundary conditions


f (0) = f ′ (0) = 0, f ′ (∞) = 1.
This problem does not have analytical solution and thus must be solved numerically. A
simple numerical scheme is to let g0 (η) = f (η), g1 (η) = f ′ (η), g2 (η) = f ′′ (η), and solve the
following system of first order ODEs

g0′ (η) = g1 (η),


g1′ (η) = g2 (η),
g2′ (η) = −g0 (η)g2 (η).

(a) Let g = (g0 , g1 , g2 ), and h[g] = (g1 , g2 , −g0 g2 ), one immediate idea is to let solve the
ODEs by iterating g(η + ∆η) = g(η) + ∆ηh[g(η)]. Comment on the plausibility of this
idea. (Hint: this iteration only goes one way.)

(b) Define f (η) = αF (αη) where α is a constant, show that F also satisfies the Blasius
equation.

1
MEK4300: Viscous Flow and Turbulence

(c) If arbitrarily set an initial condition F ′′ (0) = 1, explain how α can be found after
solving F (η) numerically. If the numerical solution of F (η) gives F (∞) = 1.6552,
what is α?

(d) Why is F useful for numerical solution of Blasius equation?

Problem 3. Waving flag


As a simplified version of flag waving, consider the stability of a simple membrane in a
uniform flow. Here, the undisturbed membrane lies in the x − z plane at y = 0, the flow
is parallel to the x−axis at speed U , and the fluid has density ρ. The membrane has mass
per unit area ρm and uniform tension per unit length T . The membrane satisfies a dynamic
equation based on pressure forces and internal tension combined with local surface curvature

∂ 2ξ
 2
∂ 2ξ

∂ ξ
ρ m 2 = p2 − p 1 + T + .
∂t ∂x2 ∂z 2

Here, the vertical membrane displacement is given by y = ξ(x, z, t) and p1 , p2 are pressures
acting on the membrane from both sides. The velocity potentials for the undisturbed flow
are ϕ1 = ϕ2 = U x. Assume a small perturbation on the membrane

δξ(x, t) = εξ0 R{eik(x−ct) },

where R denotes the real part of an imaginary number, k is a real parameter, and fluctuations
are uniform in z direction.

(a) Use the dynamic equation, determine the propagation speed of the membrane wave c,
in the absence of fluid loading (i.e. when p2 − p1 = 0).

(b) Suppose the fluid on both sides satisfies the Bernoulli equation

∂ϕi ρ
pi = patm − ρ − |∇ϕi |2 , for i = 1, 2,
∂t 2
write down the linearised perturbation in pressure, δp2 − δp1 .

(c) Together with the conservation of mass and dynamic boundary condition, perform the
linear stability analysis and derive the dispersion relation between c and k.

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