ABSTRACT

Laminar boundary layers have velocity and temperature profile shapes which remain unchanged with respect to their shape. In similarity solution methods, we take advantage of this observation and attempt to define an independent variable so that with a coordinate transformation we will transform the boundary layer equations (which are partial differential equations originally) into ordinary differential equations. The benefit of this transformation is enormous. Similarity solutions are not possible for all flow fields and boundary conditions. However, when similarity solution is possible, the solution can be considered exact.