KUNWAR SATYAVIRA COLLEGE

OF ENGINEERING & MANAGEMENT,

BIJNOR
(COLLEGE CODE : 017)

DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

F/ME/FM/08

MANUAL
FOR

WIND TUNNEL
F/ME/FM/08

KUNWAR SATYAVIRA COLLEGE

OF ENGINEERING & MANAGEMENT,
BIJNOR
(COLLEGE CODE : 017)

DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

F/ME/FM/08

KUNWAR SATYAVIRA COLLEGE

OF ENGINEERING & MANAGEMENT,
BIJNOR
(COLLEGE CODE : 017)

DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

F/ME/FM/08

EXPERIMENT NO.8
OBJECT:To study the boundary layer velocity profile and to determine boundary
layer thickness and displacement thickness. Also to determine the exponent in the power
law of velocity distribution.

EXPERIMENTAL SET-UP:The basic equipment consists of a self-contained

wind tunnel. Tunnel is having the test section. Tunnel is having honey comb at air entry
for uniform steady air flow. The test section is provided with transparent Perspex sheet
for visualization studies in the test section. The test section has the arrangement of
moving the pitot static gauge and pitot tube for measuring the velocities at different
points along the vertical. The test section can be opened. A low angle diffuser at the
outlet end contributes the reduction in exit velocity. The wind speed inside the tunnel
can be regulated by means of a dimmerstat (variac). The tunnel is mounted on a strong
steel section frame.
A Prandtl pitot tube is fitted to an inclined manometer for measuring the differential
head.

THEORY:Because of viscous characteristics of a fluid flowing past a body, the fluid

has a tendency to adhere to the body. As a result, no slip condition prevails and the
fluid at the boundary has the same velocity as that of the boundary. If the boundary is at
rest, the fluid at the boundary has zero velocity and away from the boundary, the
velocity increases. Thus, there is a thin layer in the vicinity of the boundary within
which the velocity has been affected because of the boundary and viscous effects. This
layer has been termed as the boundary layer.
Consider a fluid flow past a flat plate which is placed parallel to the flow as shown in
figure.

KUNWAR SATYAVIRA COLLEGE

OF ENGINEERING & MANAGEMENT,
BIJNOR
(COLLEGE CODE : 017)

DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

F/ME/FM/08

At the leading edge, x=0, of the plate, the thickness of the boundary layer zone
is zero. Thickness of this zone increases with increase in x. In the initial portion
of the flat plate (i.e. small values of x), the flow within the boundary layer is
laminar (i.e. the fluid moves in parallel layers) and, accordingly, the boundary
layer is termed as the laminar boundary layer. After some distance downstream
of the leading edge the flow within the boundary layer is however, turbulent (i.e.
the fluid does not move in parallel layers but moves in a way that the fluid
particles have transverse motion as well) and accordingly, the boundary layer is
called the turbulent boundary layer. In between the laminar boundary layer zone
and turbulent boundary layer zone exists a transition zone. Velocity distribution
in the laminar boundary layer zone follows parabolic variation while the
turbulent boundary layer zone the velocity variation is logarithmic in nature.
Extent of the viscous effects near a boundary is measured in terms of boundary
layer thickness. Two commonly used thicknesses are the nominal thickness and
the displacement thickness of the boundary layer. The nominal thickness of a
boundary layer, is defined as that value of y (as in following figure) at which
the velocity of flow is 99% of the free stream velocity. In other words, at y = , u

KUNWAR SATYAVIRA COLLEGE

OF ENGINEERING & MANAGEMENT,
BIJNOR
(COLLEGE CODE : 017)

DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

F/ME/FM/08
= 0.99 Uo. Here, u represents velocity of flow at a distance y from the boundary
and Uo is the free stream velocity.

Displacement thickness, o is defined as the distance by which the boundary

should be shifted so that the resulting volume of fluid flowing with uniform
velocity distribution is the same as that of the actual flow. Obviously, from
figure
Area ABC
o = ---------------Uo
Here, area ABC represents the reduction in flow rate (per unit width of plate)
due to the boundary effects.
Velocity variation in a turbulent boundary layer is given by
u
-------- =
Uo

-----

(1)

in which n varies from 1/7 to 1/10.

KUNWAR SATYAVIRA COLLEGE

OF ENGINEERING & MANAGEMENT,
BIJNOR
(COLLEGE CODE : 017)

DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

F/ME/FM/08

EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE:
Step 1:

Place the flat plate at the test section of the wind tunnel.

Step 2:

Switch on the blower and let the Pitot tube touch the bottom of
the flat plate.

Step 3:Note down the manometer readings h1 and h2.

Step 4:Raise the Prandtle tube by 2 mm and repeat step 3.
Step 5:

Repeat step-4 till the centre of the tunnel is reached or when no

change in manometer readings is observed for five different
successive positions of Prandtle tube.

GRAPHS TO PLOT AND CALCULATIONS:

Velocity of air, Vair can be calculated by following formula
_________________________
Uair = c 2g x hwater x sin x Vwater/vair

Where,
hwater =

vair
Vwater
c

sin

difference of water head in U-tube manometer

=
inclination of manometer
=
0.001208 kg/cm3
=
1.000 kg/cm3
=
Coefficient of pitot tube = 0.99
=
Inclination of the manometer, 15o
=
Slope of inclined manometer, 0.2599

Plot y u/s u (with u on x-axis) on an ordinary graph paper. Fit in a smooth

curve to the plotted data points. This is the velocity profile. Determine Uo i.e. the
free stream velocity. Find out the value of y at which u = 0.99 U o. This value
of y is the boundary layer thickness .

KUNWAR SATYAVIRA COLLEGE

OF ENGINEERING & MANAGEMENT,
BIJNOR
(COLLEGE CODE : 017)

DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

F/ME/FM/08
Estimate the area ABC, as marked in Figure, on the plotted velocity profile.
Then,

Area ABC
o = ---------------- =
Uo
Using the values of Uo and complete the last two columns of observations and
computations sheet for y . Now plot u/U o v/s y/ (with y/ on x-axis) on a loglog graph paper. Fit in a straight line to these plotted points. The slope of the line
is the exponent in Eq. 1. Thus n =

SAMPLE DATA SHEET:

Diameter of pitot static tube, d, cm

Inclination of the manometer,

Slope of inclined manometer, sin

Reading of pitot static gauge while

touching bottom of conduit, ho

Coefficient of pitot tube, c
Sl.
No.

Reading
of pitot
static
gauge hf
(cm)

y = hf-ho+d
2
(cm)

Reading
of
manometer
h1
h2
(cm)
(cm)

=
hwater =
(h1 h2)
(cm)

Uair
(cm/sec)

u/Uo

PRECAUTIONS

Apparatus should be in levelled condition.

Reading must be taken in steady or near by steady conditions.

y/

KUNWAR SATYAVIRA COLLEGE

OF ENGINEERING & MANAGEMENT,
BIJNOR
(COLLEGE CODE : 017)

DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

F/ME/FM/08

There should not be any air bubble in the manometer.

Holes of pitot static tube must be free from dust and be kept open.

Discharge must be varied very gradually from a higher to smaller values.

While taking reading for velocity distribution profile the travel of pitot
static gauge should be kept small.