The Derivation of von Kármán Momentum Integral Balance Equation of Boundary Layer

Let us start from the Prandtl boundary layer equation and equation of continuity,

∂vx ∂vy
+ =0 (4.4-9)
∂x ∂y

∂vx ∂v ∂v ∂ 2 vx
vx + v y x = ve e + ν (4.4-11)
∂x ∂y ∂x ∂y 2
Integrating Eq.(4.4-9) from y=0 to y=y, we have
y ∂vy y ∂vx
∫0 ∂y
dy = − ∫
0 ∂x
dy

y ∂vx
vy = − ∫ dy
0 ∂x
Inserting it into Eq.(4.4-11), we get

∂vx ⎛ y ∂vx ⎞ ∂vx ∂v ∂ 2 vx

vx −⎜∫ dy ⎟ = ve e + ν (4.4-12)
∂x ⎝ 0 ∂x ⎠ ∂y ∂x ∂y 2
Integrate it from y=0 to y=∞,
∞ ∂vx ∞ ⎡⎛ y ∂v ⎞ ∂vx ⎤ ∞ ∂ve ∞ ∂ 2 vx
∫0
vx
∂x
dy − ∫ ⎢⎜ ∫
0
⎣⎝ ∂x
0
x
dy ⎟
⎠ ∂y ⎦
⎥dy = ∫0 ve
∂x
dy + ∫ ν
0 ∂y 2
dy (#1)

Since,
∞ ⎡⎛ y ∂vx ⎞ ∂vx ⎤ ve ⎛ y ∂v ⎞
∫0
⎢⎜ ∫0
⎣⎝ ∂x
dy ⎟ ⎥dy = ∫0 ⎜ ∫0
⎠ ∂y ⎦ ⎝ ∂x
x
dy ⎟ dvx
⎠
∞ ∂vx ∞ ∂v
= ve ∫ dy − ∫ vx x dy
0 ∂x 0 ∂x
∞
∞∂ 2 vx µ ∂v µ ∂vx
∫0 ν ∂y 2 dy = ρ ∂yx =−
ρ ∂y
y =0 y =0

Hence Eq.(#1) can be rewritten as

∞ ∂vx ∞ ∂v ∞ ∂v µ ∂vx
2 ∫ vx dy − ∫ ve x dy = ∫ ve e dy −
0 ∂x 0 ∂x 0 ∂x ρ ∂y y =0

µ ∂vx ∞ ∂ve ∞ ∂v
2
∞ ∂v v ∞ ∂v
or =∫ ve dy − ∫ x
dy + ∫ e x
dy − ∫ vx e dy
ρ ∂y y =0
0 ∂x 0 ∂x 0 ∂x 0 ∂x

∂vx d ∞ dv ∞
Then, µ = ∫ ρ vx ( ve − vx ) dy + e ∫ ρ (v e − vx ) dy (4.4-13)
∂y y =0
dx 0 dx 0

The equation is known as the von Kármán momentum integral balance equation of boundary layer. It can
further be written as

d ⎡ 2 ∞ vx ⎛ vx ⎞ ⎤ ⎛ dve ⎞ ∞ ⎛ vx ⎞
⎢ ρ ve ∫0
⎝ dx ⎠ ∫0 ⎝ ve ⎠
−τ 0 = ⎜ 1 − ⎟ dy ⎥ + ρ ve ⎜ ⎟ ⎜ 1 − ⎟ dy (#2)
dx ⎣ v e ⎝ ve ⎠ ⎦

d dv
or −τ 0 = ( ρ ve2δ 2 ) + ρ ve ⎛⎜ e ⎞⎟ δ1 (#3)
dx ⎝ dx ⎠
Here

∞ ⎛ vx ⎞ δ⎛ vx ⎞
δ1 = ∫ ⎜1 − ⎟ dy = ∫0 ⎜1 − ⎟ dy
0
⎝ ve ⎠ ⎝ ve ⎠
is known as the displacement thickness and represents the thickness needed for the flow rate decrease in boundary
layer flowing at the outer velocity ve, that is the displacement of the streamline moving from the wall.
And

∞ vx ⎛ vx ⎞
δ2 = ∫ ⎜1 − ⎟ dy
0 ve ⎝ ve ⎠
is known as the momentum loss thickness and represents the equivalent thickness for comparing the momentum
loss in boundary layer with the outer momentum flux.
Eq.(#2) can be expanded and rearranged as

dδ 2 1 ⎛ dve ⎞ τ0
+ ⎜ ⎟ ( 2δ 2 + δ1 ) = − 2
dx ve ⎝ dx ⎠ ρ ve

dδ 2 v'e τ
or + δ2 (2 + H ) = − 0 2 (#4)
dx ve ρ ve
This is the original expression given by von Kármán.

From Eq.(4.4-3) or Eq.(#2) we see that the drag on the wall can be calculated provided the dimensionless velocity
profile vx / ve is known. But the profile cannot be found by von Kármán momentum integral balance equation of
boundary layer itself.
von Kármán proposed an approximate method to found the drag by the equation as follows.
1) Expand the dimensionless velocity as the Taylor series of y / δ at y=0,
2 3
vx ⎛y⎞ ⎛y⎞ ⎛y⎞
= A + B⎜ ⎟ + C ⎜ ⎟ + D⎜ ⎟ +" (#5)
ve ⎝δ ⎠ ⎝δ ⎠ ⎝δ ⎠
2) The the dimensionless velocity must satisfy the following boundary conditions
vx
=0 at y = 0
ve
vx
=1 at y = δ
ve
∂ ⎛ vx ⎞
⎜ ⎟=0 at y = δ
∂y ⎝ ve ⎠
 ∂ 2 ⎛ vx ⎞
⎜ ⎟=0 at y = δ
∂y 2 ⎝ ve ⎠
"
3) Use the B.C.s to determine the coefficients A, B, C and D in Eq.(#5) to find
3 1
A = 0, B = , C = 0, D=−
2 2
The terms of higher than fourth order are neglected, then
3
vx 3 ⎛ y ⎞ 1 ⎛ y ⎞
= ⎜ ⎟− ⎜ ⎟ (4.4-14)
ve 2 ⎝ δ ⎠ 2 ⎝ δ ⎠
4) Insert it into Eq.(4.4-13) and integrate the resulted equation to get Eq.(4.4-16).
5) Following the steps in our textbook.