The dawn of fluid dynamics : a discipline between science and technology / Michael Eckert.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Eckert, Michael, 1949-

Contributor:

Edward Potts Cheyney Memorial Fund.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Prandtl, Ludwig, 1875-1953.

Prandtl, Ludwig.

Fluid dynamics--History.

Fluid dynamics.

Fluid dynamics--Research--History.

Fluid dynamics--Research.

History.

Physical Description:

x, 286 pages : illustrations ; 25 cm

Place of Publication:

Weinheim : Wiley-VCH ; Chichester : John Wiley [distributor], [2006]

Summary:

A remarkable account of the interaction between basic research and application, taking as its example the historical development of fluid dynamics in the first half of the 20th century. The book centers on the work of Ludwig Prandtl, founder of the widely renowned Gottingen research facilities on fluid dynamics. Prandtl's boundary layer concept, wing theory, mixing length ansatz in the theory of turbulence and other experimental and theoretical achievements paved the way for the development of modern fluid dynamics. However, this is not a biography of Prandtl, but a history of fluid dynamics as viewed by Prandtl's impact on it, focusing on the science/technology dualism. Although aeronautical interests served as a major stimulus for the growth of 20th century aerodynamics, the emergence of fluid dynamics is described from a broader perspective as a major field in modern science and engineering. While certainly suitable for other readers, this book is intended for natural scientists and engineers, as well as historians of science and technology.

Contents:

1 Diverging Trends before the Twentieth Century 1

1.1 Galileo's Abstraction 1

1.2 Hogs' Bladders in St. Paul's Cathedral 6

1.3 Ballistics 9

1.4 D'Alembert's Paradox 13

1.5 New Attempts to Account for Fluid Friction 75

1.6 Revival of Ideal Fluid Theory 18

1.7 Reynolds's Investigations of "Direct or Sinuous" Flow 22

1.8 Hydraulics and Aerodynamics: A Turn Towards Empiricism 24

1.9 Fluid Mechanics ca. 1900 28

2 The Beginnings of Fluid Dynamics in Gottingen, 1904-1914 31

2.1 Prandtl's Route to Boundary Layer Theory 32

2.2 "Per Experimentum et Inductionem Omnia" 38

2.3 The First Doctoral Dissertations on Boundary Layers 42

2.4 Airship Research 45

2.5 The Discovery of the Turbulent Boundary Layer 49

2.6 The Beginnings of Airfoil Theory 52

3 Aviation and the Rise of Aerodynamics in the First World War 57

3.1 A Symbiotic Relationship 59

3.2 War Contracts 63

3.3 Gottingen Profiles 67

3.4 Max Munk and the Foundation of Airfoil Theory 73

3.5 Theory and Practice in Airplane Design 76

4 The Internationalization of Fluid Mechanics in the 1920s 83

4.1 American Emissaries at Prandtl's Institute 84

4.2 Standardization 91

4.3 International Conferences 96

4.4 Applied Mathematics and Mechanics: A New International Discipline 100

4.5 Internationality in Practice: Max Munk at the NACA 102

5 A "Working Program" for Research on Turbulence 107

5.1 Turbulent Pipe Flow 108

5.2 Prandtl's Research Program on Turbulence 111

5.3 The Mixing Length Concept for the Fully Developed Turbulence 116

5.4 A Kind of Olympic Games 118

5.5 Wind Tunnel Turbulence 124

6 Aerodynamics Comes of Age 129

6.1 How Aerodynamics Became Institutionalized at Technical Universities 129

6.2 Glider Flight 134

6.3 Karman and Junkers: The Beginnings of Industrial Consulting in Aeronautics 138

6.4 Profile Measurements 142

6.5 Airfoil Theory 148

7 New Applications 153

7.1 Gas Dynamics 154

7.2 Cavitation 162

7.3 Meteorological and Geophysical Fluid Dynamics 167

7.4 The Scope of Fluid Dynamics by the Early 1930s 174

8 Prandtl, Fluid Dynamics and National Socialism 177

8.1 Preparing for War: Increased Funding for Prandtl's Institute 179

8.2 Aeronautical Science as an Instrument of Nazi Propaganda 187

8.3 Goodwill Ambassador 190

9 New Centers 195

9.1 Aachen 196

9.2 Pasadena 201

9.3 Zurich 207

10 Fluid Dynamics on the Eve of the Second World War 213

10.1 Airfoil Theory 213

10.2 Turbulence 220

10.3 Gas Dynamics 225.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Local Notes:

Acquired for the Penn Libraries with assistance from the Edward Potts Cheyney Memorial Fund.

ISBN:

3527405135

OCLC:

63386712

Publisher Number:

9783527405135