Small Reynolds Number Flow around Flat Plate

[uby]

Hello,

I have a problem I am trying to model analytically (please note: I am NOT a fluid mechanics expert -- I come from a chemistry background):

A semi-infinite plate is oriented axially in the direction of flow.

Please refer to the following page for an illustration of my problem:
http://www.ecourses.ou.edu/cgi-bin/eBook.cgi?doc=&topic=fl&chap_sec=09.3&page=theory

The third picture is the Blasius solution, which does not apply at small Reynolds numbers. I am looking for an expression to tell me the thickness of the shaded viscous region from the top two pictures (i.e. - for small Reynolds numbers!) as function of position from the leading edge.

Any references would be appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[RTW69]

What is the fluid, it's velocity and the size of the plate?

 

[uby]

hi RTW:

the fluid is argon at 1100 degrees celsius (kinematic viscosity 1.6 cm^2/sec) , traveling at 10 cm/s over a square rod (0.635x0.635cm, ~10cm length)

based on these values, i expect the reynolds number to vary from < 1 near the leading edge to ~60 far from the leading edge.

the blasius solution is only valid for reynolds numbers greater than about 1000, so i feel safe in assuming that it doesn't apply.