Flow in the laminar boundary layer near separation

Abstract

Summary.--A simple formula is derived for the separation of the laminar boundary layer. The method of derivation and a key test suggest that it should be reasonably accurate and of general application, including particularly the range of sharp pressure gradients and small pressure rises to separation. In addition a partially new exact solution is found for the boundary-layer equations of motion; also the pressure distribution is obtained for continuously zero skin friction, this pressure distribution being expected to attain any given pressure rise in the shortest distance possible for a given laminar boundary layer provided that there is neither transition nor boundary-layer control. The final formula of the paper is given by equation (41); equation (43) is a simpler but rather less accurate formula. The pressure distribution for continuously zero skin friction is represented by equation (39) and is shown in Fig. 3 as curve (c).