An approximate compact analytical expression for the Blasius velocity profile

A single-term, two-parameter, hyperbolic tangent function is presented to describe the flow profiles in the Blasius boundary layer, which reproduces the streamwise velocity profile within 0.003 (0.3% of free stream velocity) of its numerical exact solution throughout the flow. The function can be inverted for an implicit description of the velocity profile.

► A single-term hyperbolic tangent function describes the Blasius profile. ► Analytic description of the flow profile over a flat plate at zero incidence. ► The function can be inverted for an implicit description of the velocity profile. ► The single term expression approximates the exact numerical solution well.