A Similarity Solution for Slow Viscous Flow Down an Inclined Plane,

Abstract

A similarity solution is found for the distribution of layer thickness in the slow flow of a three-dimensional, thin, viscous jet down an inclined plane. In the context of a formal asymptotic expansion in inverse powers of x, the distance downstream from the source, the solution is recognized as the zeroth-order asymptotic limit. Making use of physical arguments to exclude certain complementary functions, the solution of the first-order problem is found to be a polynomial of fourth degree. A simple experiment confirms the major features of the similarity solution. Deviations of the layer thickness measurements from the parabolic profile follow the trend predicted by the first-order corrections in the portion of flow near the edge, whereas systematically high values in the central region are explained qualitatively in terms of waves at the free surface. (Author)

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 01, 1972
Accession Number
AD0737399

Entities

People

  • Peter C. Smith

Organizations

  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Asymptotic Series
  • Flow
  • Geometry
  • Mathematics
  • Measurement
  • Physical Properties
  • Polynomials
  • Sizes (Dimensions)
  • Thickness
  • Three Dimensional
  • Viscous Flow

Fields of Study

  • Mathematics

Readers

  • Fluid Dynamics.
  • Theoretical Analysis.