The lateral migration of a spherical particle in two-dimensional shear flows

Abstract

The lateral migration of a solid spherical particle suspended in a fluid flowing between parallel vertical walls is investigated theoretically using a method developed by Cox & Brenner (1968). Buoyant and neutrally buoyant, freely rotating and non-rotating particles in the fluid flow are considered as is also the case of a sedimenting particle in a quiescent fluid. The results obtained are applied to the special cases of plane Poiseuille flow and of plane shear flow, these situations being investigated in detail.