The hydrodynamic interaction of two unequal spheres moving under gravity through quiescent viscous fluid

Abstract

The hydrodynamic forces and couples that act on two spherical particles in slow motion through a quiescent fluid are determined as functions of the relative configuration of the particles from the solution of the Stokes equation for the motion of the fluid in the vicinity of the particles. General formulae that relate the translational and rotational velocities of the particles to the ratios of their radii a = a₂/a₁ and net densities I are obtained, as are asymptotic forms for the velocities in the limiting cases of very large and very small interparticle separation. Relative trajectories of the particles when they move solely under gravity and their own interaction are calculated for several values of I and a. A particularly interesting feature of the results is that, for certain ranges of values of I and a, trajectories of finite length and trajectories having the form of closed periodic orbits may occur.