SINOPSIS

In this paper, a new approach is proposed to determine the momentum thickness within laminar boundary layers over a flat plate. A new coefficient, C_m, is introduced in which relates the momentum thickness to the distance from the edge of the plate. This coefficient is independent from the distance from the edge and could be determined easily using a proposed graph which relates the C_m to the upstream flow velocity and the fluid temperature. The results of the sensitivity analysis showed that as the upstream flow velocity increases, the C_m coefficient is less dependent to the velocity. Also, an illustrative example is solved which indicates the benefits of the proposed approach in compare with the traditional methods as Blasius solution.