External flow: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 12:20, 23 October 2015

Revision as of 16:14, 12 April 2021

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{{unreferenced|date=January 2007}}

In [[fluid mechanics]], '''external flow''' is such a flow that [[boundary layer]]s develop freely, without constraints imposed by adjacent surfaces. Accordingly, there will always exist a region of the flow outside the boundary layer in which velocity, temperature, and/or [[concentration gradient]]s are negligible. It can be defined as the flow of a fluid around a body that is completely submerged in it.

An example includes fluid motion over a flat plate (inclined or parallel to the free stream velocity) and flow over curved surfaces such as a sphere, cylinder, [[airfoil]], or [[turbine blade]], air flowing around an airplane and water flowing around the submarines.