Laminar free convection from a vertical plate

An asymptotic solution of the Navier-Stokes and energy equations for the problem of free convection from a vertical finite plate is considered. Boundary-layer interaction with the external flow is studied by the method of matched asymptotic expansions. The effect of the leading edge has been analyzed with the aid of a deformed longitudinal coordinate. The flow structure and heat transfer in the vicinity of the trailing edge of the plate are studied within the confines of the two-layer boundary-layer model. It is found that the wake effect on the boundary layer at the plate is manifested through the external flow. The solution results have been supported by experimental data on the velocity and temperature profiles and on heat transfer coefficients, both in the case of the first-kind boundary conditions for the plate and in the case of constant heat flux.