Motilal Nehru National

Institute of Technology, Allahabad

Lab Report On
Flow Over Flat Submitted
Plate in
Wind
to : Dr. A. R. Paul
Dr. V. K. Patel
Tunnel
Submitted by: Group 1

Overview
Objectives
Introduction
Apparatus
Test procedure
Approach
Calculations and results
Computational analysis
Observations

Objectives
To experimentally determine velocity profile on a smooth
flat plate at various distances.
Computational analysis of flow over flat plate inside a
subsonic wind tunnel.

Introduction
When real fluid flows past a solid body or a solid wall, the
fluid particles adhere to the boundary and condition of no slip
occurs.
This is the region where viscous forces are dominant.
Important terms in boundary layer
1. No slip condition
2. Laminar boundary layer
3. Transition boundary layer
4. Turbulent boundary layer
. Laminar sub layer
. Buffer layer
. Turbulent layer

Turbulent Boundary Layer

Growth of boundary layer over flat

plate

Test Apparatus Schematic diagram

Test Apparatus (wind tunnel) Components

It is a device in form of a long duct for producing a moving
airstream for experimental purposes.
It is used to study the effects of air moving past solid
objects ( in our case it is a flat plate).
There are three essential components:
1. Effuser
2. Working section
3. Diffuser
4. Driving unit

1. Effuser:

.This is placed upstream of the working section.

. In it the fluid is accelerated from rest to approximately at
upstream end to the required conditions at the working
section.
2. Working section:

.It is here that the model is placed is in the air stream leaving
the downstream end of the effuser and the required
observations are made.
. The working section consists of accessories to hold the
instruments and models and devices for facilitating the motion
of the model in all directions relative to airstream .

3. Diffuser

The function of the diffuser is to recover the kinetic energy of the airstream leaving the
working section efficiently as possible
Test section: length 50*.08*.30

4. Driving

unit:

Power is supplied continuously to maintain the flow through suction (at

variable condition).
This is done using a fan and a motor.
Power is given by 2 motors of .75kw and 2800 rpm each.
Velocity of incoming air can be controlled by adjusting the control
valve which further controls the suction by maintaining the upstream
opening.

Accessories
1) Pitot Static Tube

Pitot tube is a pressure measurement instrument used to measure fluid flow

velocity.
Stagnation pressure =Static pressure + dynamic pressure

V : Velocity
Pt : Stagnation Pressure
Ps : Static pressure
: Density

2 ) The Multitube Manometer :

The different tubes are used in pairs to show static and dynamic pressure.
The manometer liquid is of low specific gravity usually water.
Specification: 60cm x 8.
Formula used to convert reading in terms of velocity = (2gh)
where, h=x((Sm/S)-1).

 3 ) Flat Plate :
A smooth flat surface to define a clear leading edge having
dimensions:
Length = 25 cm
Width = 5 cm
Thickness= 3 mm

Multitube
manometer

Flat Plate

Test Procedure
The flat smooth surface was kept on a stand firmly, at the test
section of the wind tunnel.
The wind tunnel was set up with a Pitot tube, and the flat plate is
made movable so that analysis could be made at different section
from the leading edge, attached to a multi-tube manometer to get
the pressure differentials.
Then the wind tunnel was turned on, and the manometer was
calibrated.
The pressure differentials readings were taken at 4 points within
the boundary layer gradually increasing y (distance measured
from the surface).
The pressure difference was noted carefully.
The test was repeated adjusting the pitot tube at 5, 10, 15, 20 cm
from the leading edge of the glass plate.

Approach
We have calculate the readings on the points(mentioned in
previous slide) and on four different velocities.
To reduce the no. of readings we have taken the help of
Minitab Software in which Taguchi method was used.
Number of parameters:
Velocity(u).
Distance from leading edge(x).
Distance from plate surface (y).
No. of levels used in each parameters = 4

So from Taguchi chart

By using above values the table provides the orthogonal array

L16 table .

Taguchi orthogonal array L16

Minitab result
The result of Taguchi method had been validated
from Minitab Software.

 L16 array has reduced the 64 readings (that has

to be calculated) to 16 readings.

Experiment
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16

Velocity(m/s)
10
10
10
10
15
15
15
15
20
20
20
20
25
25
25
25

X distance(m)
.05
.10
.15
.20
.05
.10
.15
.20
.05
.10
.15
.20
.05
.10
.15
.20

Y distance(m)
.002
.004
.006
.008
.004
.002
.008
.006
.006
.008
.002
.004
.008
.006
.004
.002

Shortcomings of taguchi
Taguchi method is mainly used to reduced the no. of
experiments where few variables contribute significantly.
But in our experiments each of the variables have equal
contribution.
So taguchi method was not compatible with the objective
of our experiment as it was not providing the sufficient no.
of readings to plot a graph different variables.

Approach
Because of non applicability of taguchi we proceeded with
the calculation of 64 readings.
For that we have taken four velocities and for each velocity
there were four different x values and at each x velocities
were calculated at different y values.

Observations and Calculations

At u= 10m/s
2.5
2
At
At
At
At

1.5
y/

1
0.5
0
-0.1 0.1 0.3 0.5 0.7 0.9 1.1 1.3 1.5
u/U

x=.05m
x=0.1m
x=0.15m
x=0.20m

At u= 15m/s
1.6
1.4
1.2
at
at
at
at

1
y/ 0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0
0

0.5

1
u/U

1.5

x=.05m
x=.10 m
x=.15 m
x=.20 m

At u= 20m/s
2.5
2
at
at
at
at

1.5
y/

1
0.5
0
0

0.5

1
u/U

1.5

x= .05 m
x= .10 m
x=.15 m
x=.20 m

At u= 25m/s
2.5
2
at
at
at
at

1.5
y/

1
0.5
0
-0.1 0.1 0.3 0.5 0.7 0.9 1.1 1.3 1.5
u/U

x=
x=
x=
x=

.05
.10
.15
.20

m
m
m
m

Boundary layer at different velocity

Boundary Layer Thickness
2.5
2
At
At
At
At

1.5
in mm

1
0.5
0
0

0.05

0.1

0.15

x in m

0.2

0.25

U=10m/s
U=15m/s
U=20m/s
U=25 m/s

Computational Analysis
Flat plate was analyzed for the above mentioned velocities
in Ansys Fluent. Velocity were calculated at the above
mentioned points.
Geometry:
Dimension for geometry were in accordance to the
laboratory apparatus-

Geometry with domain used in CFD analysis

Meshing :
Mesh was generated by sizing technique with bias near the plate resulting finer mesh. While coarse
was maintained away from the plate.

Zoomed view of mesh near plate

Mesh Details :
Statistics

Maximum value

Minimum value

Skewness

1.23E-2

1.30E-10

Aspect ratio

36.945

1.019

Orthogonality

0.33

Solver Settings:

Because of the turbulent flow standard k- epsilon model was used with
standard wall function for near wall treatment. With defaults constants
settings.

Boundary conditions:
At inlet: velocity inlet
Velocities given 10, 15, 20, 25 m/s
At outlet: pressure outlet
Gauge pressure zero Pascal.
Flat plate: wall
No slip and stationary.
Domain boundary: wall
No slip and stationary.

Velocity and Pressure contours

Pressure contours :

Total pressure is the summation of the static and dynamic pressure.

From the above contour it can be seen that it is minimum at the
surface of plate this is because at the plate because of no slip
condition dynamic pressure is zero, so as the total pressure. With
increase in lateral height from the plate total pressure is increasing
this is because of increase in value of dynamic pressure which is
due to increase in velocity . Red region shows the constant value of

Velocity and Pressure contours

Velocity contours :

From the velocity contour it can be seen that velocity is minimum at

the flat plate and is increasing in the lateral direction it is so
because of no slip condition at the flat plate and with increasing
lateral height viscous effect decreases. This contour is at 15 m/s but
maximum velocity is 16.6 m/s (intense red region). This is because
mass flow rate is constant, but average velocity at the boundary
layer is less than 15 so to maintain constant flow velocity above

Velocity and Pressure contours

Velocity vector
contours :

Comparison b/w experimental and computational

results
At 10 m/s
0
exp
com

y 0
0
0

10

12

At 15 m/s
0
exp
com

y 0
0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16
U

At 20 m/s
0
0
exp
com

y 0
0
0
0

10

15

20

25

At 25 m/s
0
0

exp
com

y 0
0
0
0

10

15
U

20

25

30

Observations
With increase in axial distance from the leading edge , boundary
layer thickness increases .
With increase in velocity ,at same axial distance , Boudary layer
thickness decreases .
Total Pressure increase with increase in lateral height from
plate .
Static pressure remain constant throughout the domain except
at the leading edge .

Thank U