AN EVALUATION OF THE KUWABARA MODEL

Abstract

ABSTRACT The Kuwabara model was developed to provide an approximate method of calculating the forces experienced by randomly distributed spheres or parallel circular cylinders in Stokes' flow. Although not specifically designed for the purpose, Kuwabara's model has frequently been used to describe the flow surrounding the individual fibers of a fibrous filter. In this paper an attempt is made to evaluate this application by comparing the Kuwabara flow field to that obtained by a numerical solution of Stokes' flow over an array of cylinders.