Laminar Frictional Resistance with Pressure Gradient

Abstract

T E increasing importance of an extended laminar flow region in reducing the total frictional drag of a body has stimulated investigation of the effect of various influences, including the pressure (velocity) gradient outside of the boundary layer. In addition to altering the Reynolds Number of transition, pressure gradient has considerable influence on the coefficient of local friction, for the calculation of which a simple method is highly desirable. For the purpose of conducting a fundamental investigation of the effect of pressure gradient, a boundary layer research tunnel, sponsored by the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, was constructed a t the Massachusetts Inst i tute of Technology. Test data from this tunnel for zero pressure gradient (constant potential velocity) have been discussed recently by Peters.