Home
Back
Formula Used:
| From: | To: |
The skin friction coefficient is an important dimensionless parameter in boundary-layer flows. It specifies the fraction of the local dynamic pressure that contributes to skin friction drag on a surface.
The calculator uses the formula for laminar flow over a flat plate:
Where:
Explanation: This formula provides the skin friction coefficient for laminar incompressible flow over a flat plate, where the flow is parallel to the plate surface.
Details: The skin friction coefficient is crucial for calculating drag forces on surfaces in fluid flow, designing efficient aerodynamic and hydrodynamic systems, and analyzing boundary layer behavior in various engineering applications.
Tips: Enter the Reynolds Number value. The value must be valid (Re > 0). This formula is specifically valid for laminar flow conditions (Re < 5×105).
Q1: What is the range of validity for this formula?
A: This formula is valid for laminar flow over a flat plate, typically for Reynolds numbers below 5×105.
Q2: How does skin friction coefficient relate to drag?
A: The skin friction coefficient is used to calculate the skin friction drag, which is the component of drag due to viscous forces acting tangential to the surface.
Q3: What factors affect the skin friction coefficient?
A: The skin friction coefficient depends on Reynolds number, surface roughness, flow regime (laminar or turbulent), and pressure gradient.
Q4: How does turbulent flow affect skin friction?
A: Turbulent flow typically results in higher skin friction coefficients compared to laminar flow at the same Reynolds number due to increased momentum transfer.
Q5: Can this formula be used for curved surfaces?
A: This specific formula is derived for flat plates. For curved surfaces, additional corrections for pressure gradient effects are typically required.