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MITx: Advanced Fluid Mechanics 3: Potential Flows & Boundary Layers

Learn to analyze the structure of high Reynolds number inviscid flows using potential flow theory, the roles of vorticity generation in viscous boundary layers, circulation and lift, flow separation, and transition to turbulence.

12 weeks
8–12 hours per week
Self-paced
Progress at your own speed
This course is archived

About this course

Skip About this course

This course covers potential flow analysis for inviscid flows, the generation of vorticity in viscous boundary layers, connections between circulation and lift, generation of drag in the boundary layer, geometric effects in flow separation, and transition to turbulence. A separate final short module briefly introduces the role of surface tension in engineering fluid mechanics. This course features lecture and demo videos, lecture concept checks, practice problems, and extensive problem sets.

This course is the final module of a three-course sequence in incompressible fluid mechanics: Advanced Fluid Mechanics:1. Fundamentals; Advanced Fluid Mechanics: 2. The Navier-Stokes Equations for Viscous Flows, and Advanced Fluid Mechanics: 3. Potential Flows, Lift, Circulation & Boundary Layers. The series is based on material in MIT’s class 2.25 Advanced Fluid Mechanics, one of the most popular first-year graduate classes in MIT’s Mechanical Engineering Department. This series is designed to help people gain the ability to apply the governing equations, the principles of dimensional analysis and scaling theory to develop physically-based, approximate models of complex fluid physics phenomena. People who complete these three consecutive courses will be able to apply their knowledge to analyze and break down complex problems they may encounter in industrial and academic research settings.

The material is of relevance to engineers and scientists across a wide range of mechanical, chemical and process industries who must understand, analyze and optimize flow processes and fluids handling problems. Applications are drawn from hydraulics, aero & hydrodynamics as well as the chemical process industries.

At a glance

  • Institution: MITx
  • Subject: Engineering
  • Level: Advanced
  • Prerequisites:

    Comfort with undergraduate-level fluid mechanics, multivariable calculus and undergraduate differential equations: elementary vector and tensor manipulation, Fourier transforms, solving second order linear ODEs and PDEs. Students without this background will find there is a steep learning curve and may have to put in more than the estimated time effort.

    Note: it is highly recommended to have completed all of the material in Module 2 (2.25.2x) before commencing study of this module.

  • Language: English
  • Video Transcript: English
  • Associated skills:Physically Based Animation, Fluid Dynamics, Fluid Mechanics, Data-Flow Analysis, Hydraulics, Stokes Equation, Process Manufacturing, Physics, Chemical Process, Mechanical Engineering, Boundary Layer, Dimensional Analysis

What you'll learn

Skip What you'll learn
  • Inviscid flows
  • Potential flow solutions
  • Vorticity
  • Circulation
  • Drag and lift
  • Boundary layers
  • Flow Separation and transition to turbulence
  • Surface Tension Phenomena in engineering systems
  1. Potential Flow Solutions for Ideal Inviscid Flows
  2. Vorticity, Circulation and Lift
  3. The Viscous Boundary layer and transition to turbulence
  4. Flow Separation, and the effect on drag and lift
  5. Brief introduction to surface tension phenomena in fluid mechanics

Who can take this course?

Unfortunately, learners residing in one or more of the following countries or regions will not be able to register for this course: Iran, Cuba and the Crimea region of Ukraine. While edX has sought licenses from the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) to offer our courses to learners in these countries and regions, the licenses we have received are not broad enough to allow us to offer this course in all locations. edX truly regrets that U.S. sanctions prevent us from offering all of our courses to everyone, no matter where they live.

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