Wu number
The Wu number is a nondimensional quantity in fluid mechanics describing the effects of rotating axisymmetric bodies on wall-bounded sheer flows. The parameter is named after the Chinese scientist Yongxiang Wu during his work on boundary layer instabilities.Definition
The Wu number is defined as.
where is the circular frequency, the diameter of the axisymmetric body and the local flow velocity at the top of the body. It is therefore the ratio of the velocities of the body edge and the surrounding flow.Applications
Rotating bodies on boundary layers are a means of active flow control on wings, empanage or stabilizers on airplanes. For large Wu numbers, the instability mechanisms are governed by the rotation of the body. For small Wu numbers the stability-related effects of the body itself may outweigh its rotatory effects
