The drag of a compressible turbulent boundary layer on a smooth flat plate with and without heat transfer

Abstract

The theoretical treatments given by earlier authors are classified, reviewed and where necessary extended; then the predictions of twenty of these theories are evaluated and compared with all available experimental data, the root-meansquare error being computed for each theory. The theory of van Driest-II gives the lowest root-mean-square error (11.0%).A new calculation procedure is developed from the postulate that a unique relation exists betweencfFcandRFRwherecfis the drag coefficient,Ris the Reynolds number, andFcandFRare functions of Mach number and temperature ratio alone. The experimental data are found to be too scanty for bothFcandFRto be deduced empirically, soFcis calculated by means of mixing-length theory andFRis found semi-empirically. Tables and charts of values ofFcandFRare presented for a wide range ofMGandTS/TG. When compared with all experimental data, the predictions of the new procedure give a root-mean-square error of 9.9%.