Thread: reynolds number
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Old August 30th 09, 02:32 AM posted to rec.aviation.homebuilt
Fred the Red Shirt
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Default reynolds number


Sorry, Google won't let me post this as a follow-up.

In the broadest sense, the reynolds number is a measure of the
degree of turbulence. * A low reynolds number corresponds to
laminar flow while a high reynolds number corresponds to turbulent
flow. *However, as turbulence is fundamentally a chaotic
phenomenon, it is possible to maintain laminar flow at a higher
reynolds number until a perturbation initiates the turbulence.

The reynolds number is important for determining boundary layer
separation, drag and convective heat transfer coefficients.