An exact periodic solution of the energy equation

Abstract

An exact periodic solution of the unsteady energy equation for an incompressible fluid with constant properties is derived to illustrate the effect of an oscillation through the viscous dissipation on a temperature field. The flow field used here is a generalization of the well-known Couette flow solution of steady flow, in which one wall is at rest and the other wall oscillates in its own plane about a constant mean velocity. The solution is subject to two boundary conditions that correspond to the heat-transfer and thermometer problems. In order to have some suggestions about the approximate solutions, the solution is compared with its own approximate form. The temperature field consists of a time-mean, first and second harmonic fluctuation. The time-mean temperature profiles show the large influence of oscillation. The time-mean heat flux into or the time-mean temperature of the oscillating wall increases with frequency, and is ultimately proportional to the square root of the frequency. In § 4 the present exact solution of the Couette flow is compared with the formerly obtained approximate solution of the flat plate boundary-layer flow in terms of the wall characteristic values at high frequencies.