Similarity and stability of the laminar boundary layer in a streamwise corner

Abstract

The study of laminar viscous flow along the line of intersection of two solid surfaces at right angles is examined in its present state, and out­standing differences between various experimental and theoretical results are analysed. New experimental results are presented in which the stability of the corner boundary layer is examined in terms of the degree of streamwise similarity of its velocity profiles. Conclusive evidence is found that the layer does not exist in stable laminar form when the streamwise pressure gradient is zero and the Reynolds number much above about 10 4 . The new results also help to explain the differences between various experimental results, and between theory and experi­ment, which have characterized the corner boundary layer problem for several years. By extrapolation, an approximate prediction is obtained of what the velocity profile of the corner boundary layer would be in the limiting case of zero pressure gradient, if the layer were stable in that state. The predicted profile is compared with the results of current theories.