New Closed-Form Thermal Boundary Layer Solutions in Shear Flow With Power-Law Velocity

Abstract

The forced convection problem for a developing thermal boundary layer in a parallel shear flow is studied. If the shear flow has a power-law velocity profile, exact similarity thermal boundary layer solutions in terms of Gamma functions can be found. Specifically, three types of thermal boundary conditions are considered: a step temperature change, a step flux change, and a concentrated heat source. The latter is also analogous to mass diffusion form an isolated source. The mixing index for mass diffusion is found exactly.