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Can pitot tube measure boundary layer? Why? Why not?

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    $\begingroup$ Welcome to Aviation.SE! I don't quite understand what you are asking. A pitot tube is measuring pressure. What do you mean by "measure boundary layer"? Do you mean measure inside the boundary layer? $\endgroup$
    – Bianfable
    Commented Oct 25, 2021 at 10:40

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To measure the boundary layer (BL) mean velocity profile the most used techniques are two:

  • Use of hot wires: these techniques are subject to the error that can be caused by the body thermal conductivity or the changes in the air conditions and should be calibrated before the experiment (usually with a Pitot tube in clean air);

  • use of Pitot tubes : these techniques requires corrections for near wall and shear effects, and in the most of the case also because of the structure elastic effects.

For what it concerns the local thickness of the BL, you can use one of the definitions by analysing the boundary layer mean velocity profile.

You can find a nice article about these techniques here or refer to the "bible" of experimental fluid mechanics here.

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