LABORATORY MANUAL for ENGR2860U-Fluid Mechanics

Experiment # 15

Boundary Layer Apparatus

(Air Flow Bench Unit)

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 LABORATORY MANUAL for ENGR2860U-Fluid Mechanics

Experiment # 15: Boundary Layer Apparatus (Air Flow Bench Unit)

1.1 Objective

The objective of this experiment is to study the boundary layer phenomenon by measuring the
distribution of air velocity along a flat plate in both tangential and normal directions.

1.2 Introduction and Theoretical Background

Boundary layer is caused by the shearing stresses resulting from the flowing fluid’s interaction with
the surface of an object submerged in the flow (i.e. viscosity). As fluid passes over a solid surface
(e.g. flat plate, airfoil, surface of a baseball, etc.), the fluid particles immediately in contact with the
surface are brought to rest. Moving away from the surface, successive layers of fluid are slowed by
the shearing stresses produced by the inner layers. The term “layers” is used only as a convenience in
describing the fluid behavior. So, the fluid shears in a continuous manner (not in discrete layers). The
result is a thin layer of slower moving fluid, known as the boundary layer, adjacent to the surface.

When a fluid is flowing over a flat plate, both laminar and turbulent boundary layers occur. As seen
in Figure 1, near the front of the plate, the boundary layer is very thin, and the flow within it is smooth
without any random or turbulent fluctuations. Here, the fluid particles might be described as moving
along in the layer on parallel planes; hence, the flow is referred to as laminar. At some distance back
from the leading edge of the plate, disturbances to the flow (e.g. from surface roughness) are no
longer damped out. These disturbances suddenly amplify, and the laminar boundary layer undergoes
transition to a turbulent boundary layer. This layer is considerably thicker than the laminar one and is
characterized by a mean velocity profile on which small, randomly fluctuating velocity components
are superimposed. Since the turbulence brings about an intensive exchange of energy in the boundary
layer between layers close to the wall and those further away from it, the velocity profile is no longer
linear in the y (normal to the plate) direction.

Figure 1. Boundary layer on a flat plate.

A dimensionless parameter, Reynolds number Re is usually used to indicate the flow regime (how
laminar or turbulent the flow is). In the case of Figure 1, if the freestream velocity V∞ and the
dynamic viscosity of the fluid ν are known, we can determine the type of flow regime along the flat
plate in the x (tangential) direction by calculating the Reynolds number locally at each x location
(local Reynolds number Rex). The local Reynolds number Rex is given by:

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V∞ x
Re x = (1)
ν

The higher the value of the Reynolds number, the more the turbulent the flow is. Since the thickness
of the turbulent boundary layer is thicker than that of the laminar boundary layer, we can say that the
higher the value of the Reynolds number, the thicker the boundary layer. Equation (1) can be used to
interpret the boundary layer thickness in this manner: the boundary layer thickness at the same
location decreases with the flow velocity and the boundary layer thickness increases as the distance x
from the leading edge increases.

In order to visualize the boundary layer thickness δ, we have to define a boundary between the
freestream flow and the edge of the boundary layer. Conventional practice uses the region whose
local flow velocity is approximately 99% of the freestream velocity to define the outermost edge of
the boundary layer. Therefore, by measuring the local flow velocity along the flat plate in both
tangential (x) and normal (y) directions, the thickness of the boundary layer δ can be determined.

1.3 Equipment

The photos of the boundary layer apparatus are shown in Figures 2 and 3, while a schematic of the air
flow bench unit with manometer is illustrated in Figure 4.

Figure 2. A photo of the boundary layer apparatus

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Figure 3. Two photos of the boundary layer apparatus installed on the air flow bench unit.

Air source

Manometer

Figure 4. A schematic of the air flow bench unit with manometer.

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Figures 5 and 6 illustrate a boundary layer apparatus and a Pitot tube, respectively.

1. Main housing
2. Clamp clip fixtures
3. Front panel with scale
4. Vertically adjustable
plate
5. Fixing screw
6. Pitot tube
7. Micrometer screw
8. Removable side insert

Figure 5. Boundary layer apparatus.

Air in

To
manometer

Figure 6. Pitot tube.

The air flow bench provides a source of undisturbed and steady flow. The boundary layer apparatus
provides solid surfaces for flow over either the smooth flat plate or the rough surface. The side inserts
of the boundary layer apparatus can be configured for adverse pressure gradient ∂p/∂x > 0 (Figure 7a)
or favorable pressure gradient ∂p/∂x < 0 (Figure 7b).

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(a) (b)
Figure 7. (a) Adverse pressure gradient setting and (b) Favorable pressure gradient setting.

1.4 Operating Instructions and Procedure

1. Configure the side inserts of the boundary layer apparatus for the adverse pressure gradient
setting (Figure 7a).
2. Insert the plate in the measurement section (Figure 8) by slotting the plate (4) from below into the
grooves of the base section, so that the tilted edge points away from the Pitot tube (6). Then push
the plate to the position x = 0 mm and tighten it with the knurled screw (5). CAUTION: Avoid
touching the fragile Pitot tube needle when setting up the experiment.

Figure 8. Installing the plate in the measurement section.

3. Connect the Pitot tube unit to the measuring glands of the manometer.
4. Adjust the micrometer screw (Figure 8) to half the diameter of the measuring tube at 0.35 mm (a).
Loosen the M2.5 hexagon socket screw on the Pitot fixture (b), push the Pitot tube against the

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plate until it just makes contact with it (light gap) (c), then retighten the hexagon socket screw.
For safety reasons, move the Pitot tube back approximately 2 mm.
5. Connect the boundary layer apparatus to the air flow bench and ensure that the clamp clip fixtures
are securely locked.
6. Determine the current air density according to the ambient air pressure and temperature
measurements.
7. Read the ambient pressure pamb from the manometer.
8. Run the wind channel up to the desired speed (i.e. low-flow setting: 4’80”).
9. Move the Pitot tube close up to the plate and read off the first measured value for pdyn. As a result
of the tube diameter of 0.7 mm, this value corresponds to a height of y = 0.35 mm.
10. Record pdyn values up to a height of y = 5 mm according to the increments shown on the
worksheet in Section 1.6. Also, record the freestream pdyn at y = 8 mm.
11. Repeat procedures #1 – 10 for positions x = 5, 10, 20, 50, and 100 mm. Slide the plate down
along the grooves of the base section in order to adjust the x position.
12. Repeat procedures #1 – 11 for the favorable pressure gradient setting (Figure 7b).
13. Repeat procedures #1 – 12 for the rough surface.
14. Press the stop button of the air flow bench.
15. Turn off the power switch of the air flow bench.
16. Calculate the flow velocities V (x, y) along the plate using the relations given in Section 1.5.

1.5 Calculations
The Pitot tube we use here is different from the Prandtl tube we use for the Bernoulli’s Equation
experiment because the Pitot tube only measures the total pressure pt. Here, if we assume the static
pressure pstat is approximately the same as the ambient pressure pamb, the total pressure pt can be
expressed as:
p t (Pa ) = p stat + p dyn = p amb + p dyn (2a)

or in terms of pressure heads

h t (mWC) = h stat + h dyn = h amb + h dyn (2b)

Then, the dynamic pressure pdyn is the difference between pt and pamb as illustrated in Figure 9.

pstat= pamb

Manometer

Figure 9. Measurement of dynamic pressure pdyn.

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From the measurement of the dynamic pressures (or dynamic pressure heads) at each x and y location,
the local flow velocity V(x, y) can be calculated by

V(x , y )(m / s) = 2p dyn (x, y )(Pa ) / ρ(kg / m 3 ) (3a)

or
V(x , y )(m / s) = 2g(m / s 2 )h dyn (mWC) (3b)

where ρ is the air density evaluated at the ambient pressure and temperature.

An Illustrative Example

In the following, an illustrative example is given for better understanding the relations used in the
calculations as well as determining the boundary layer of a flat plate subjected to a longitudinal flow.
Using Equation (3a) and the dynamic pressure values obtained from the measurements, the local flow
velocities are calculated. The velocity distributions V(x,y) are shown graphically in Figure 10.

Table 1. Velocity distribution in the boundary layer

Type of plate
Smoot plate Rough plate

V∞ = 27 m/s ρ = 1.29 kg/m3

y x = 10 mm x = 20 mm x = 50 mm x = 100 mm
pdyn V (x, y) pdyn V (x, y) pdyn V (x, y) pdyn V (x, y)
(mm)
(Pa) (m/s) (Pa) (m/s) (Pa) (m/s) (Pa) (m/s)
0.35 30 6.82 280 20.84 260 20.08 250 19.69

0.50 100 12.45 290 21.20 290 21.20 280 20.84

0.75 180 16.71 320 22.27 310 21.92 300 21.57

1.00 250 19.69 330 22.62 340 22.96 330 22.62

1.25 320 22.27 330 22.62 370 23.95 360 23.62

1.50 410 25.21 340 22.96 370 23.95 370 23.95

2.00 450 26.41 340 22.96 390 24.59 390 24.59

2.50 460 26.71 350 23.29 420 25.52 420 25.52

3.00 470 26.99 360 23.62 430 25.82 430 25.82

4.00 470 26.99 410 25.21 450 26.41 450 26.41

5.00 470 26.99 460 26.71 460 26.71 460 26.71

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V∞

V ∞)

V (x,y)

Figure 10. The velocity distribution and boundary layer thickness in the boundary layer of
a flat plate subjected to a longitudinal flow.

1.6 Worksheet for Experimental Data

Type of plate
Smoot plate Rough plate

V∞ = m/s Tamb= o
C pamb= Pa ρ= kg/m3

y x = 5 mm x = 10 mm x = 20 mm x = 50 mm x = 100 mm
hdyn V (x, y)* hdyn V (x, y)* hdyn V (x, y)* hdyn V (x, y)* hdyn V (x, y)*
(mm) (mWC) (m/s) (mWC) (m/s) (mWC) (m/s) (mWC) (m/s) (mWC) (m/s)

* Calculate using Equation (3b)

1 mmWC (or mmH2O) = 0.0980665 mbar ≈ 0.1 mbar = 0.0001 bar = 10 Pa

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Nomenclature

hamb : Ambient pressure head (mWC)

hdyn : Dynamic pressure head (mWC)
hstat : Static pressure head (mWC)
ht : Total pressure head (mWC)
p : Pressure (Pa)
pamb : Ambient pressure (Pa)
pdyn : Dynamic pressure (Pa)
pstat : Static pressure (Pa)
pt : Total pressure (Pa)
Re : Reynolds number (dimensionless)
Rex : Local Reynolds number (dimensionless)
V : Velocity (m/s)
V∞ : Freestream velocity (m/s)

Greek Letters

δ : Boundary layer thickness (m)

ρ : Density (kg/m3)

References

1. Equipment for Engineering Education, Instruction and Operation Manuals, Gunt Hamburg
Germany, 1998.
2. Munson, B. A., Young, D. F., and Okiishi, T. H. Fundamentals of Fluid Mechanics. 4th Edition.
John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, 2002.

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