1

Notes on
1.63 Advanced Environmental Fluid Mechanics
Instructor: C. C. Mei, 2001
ccmei@mit.edu, 1 617 253 2994
December 1, 2002
2-5Stokes.tex

2.5

Stokes flow past a sphere

[Refs]
Lamb: Hydrodynamics
Acheson : Elementary Fluid Dynamics, p. 223
One of the fundamental results in low Reynolds hydrodynamics is the Stokes solution for
steady flow past a small sphere. The apllicatiuon range widely form the determination of
electron charges to the physics of aerosols.
The continuity equation reads
~q = 0
(2.5.1)
With inertia neglected, the approximate momentum equation is
0=

p
+ 2 ~q

(2.5.2)

Physically, the presssure gradient drives the flow by overcoming viscous resistence, but does
aect the fluid inertia significantly.
Refering to Figure 2.5 for the spherical coordinate system (r, , ). Let the ambient
velocity be upward and along the polar (z) axis: (u, v, w) = (0, 0, W ). Axial symmetry
demands

= 0, and ~q = (qr (r, ), q (r, ), 0)

Eq. (2.5.1) becomes

1 2
1
q
)
+
(2.5.3)
(r
(q sin ) = 0
r
r2 r
r
As in the case of rectangular coordinates, we define the stream function to satisify the
continuity equation (2.5.3) identically
1
1
,
q
=

(2.5.4)

r2 sin
r sin r
At infinity, the uniform velocity W along z axis can be decomposed into radial and polar
components
qr =

qr = W cos =

r2

1
,
sin

q = W sin =

1
,
r sin r

(2.5.5)

o
f

x
Figure 2.5.1: The spherical coordinates
The corresponding stream function at infinity follows by integration
W 2 2
r sin ,
2

(2.5.6)

Using the vector identity

( ~q) = ( ~q) 2 ~q

(2.5.7)

2 ~q = ( ~q) = ~

(2.5.8)

and (2.5.1), we get

Taking the curl of (2.5.2) and using (2.5.8) we get
~ =0
( )

(2.5.9)

After some straightforward algebra given in the Appendix, we can show that

~e
~q =
r sin

(2.5.10)

and
~ = ~q =

~e
r sin

~e
=
r sin

2 sin
+ 2
r2
r

1
sin

Now from (2.5.9)

"

~e
( ~q) =
r sin

!#

=0

!!

(2.5.11)

3
hence, the momentum equation (2.5.9) becomes a scalar equation for .

sin
2
+ 2
2
r
r

1
sin

!!2

=0

(2.5.12)

The boundary conditions on the sphere are

qr = 0 q = 0 on r = a
The boundary conditions at is

(2.5.13)

W 2 2
r sin
2

(2.5.14)

Let us try a solution of the form:

(r, ) = f (r) sin2

(2.5.15)

then f is governed by the equi-dimensional dierential equation:

"

d2
2
2
2
dr
r

#2

f =0

(2.5.16)

whose solutions are of the form f (r) rn , It is easy to verify that n = 1, 1, 2, 4 so that
f (r) =
or

A
+ Br + Cr2 + Dr4
r

A
+ Br + Cr2 + Dr4
= sin
r
To satisfy (2.5.14) we set D = 0, C = W/2. To satisfy (2.5.13) we use (2.5.4) to get
2

qr = 0 =

W
A B
+ 3 + = 0,
2
a
a

Hence

A B
+ =0
a3
a

3
B = Wa
4

1
A = W a3 ,
4

Finally the stream function is

q = 0 = W

"

W 2 a3 3ar
r +

sin2
=
2
2r
2

(2.5.17)

Inside the parentheses, the first term corresponds to the uniform flow, and the second term
to the doublet; together they represent an inviscid flow past a sphere. The third term is
called the Stokeslet, representing the viscous correction.
The velocity components in the fluid are: (cf. (2.5.4) :
qr
q

"

a3
3a
= W cos 1 + 3
2r
2r
"
#
3
a
3a
= W sin 1 3
4r
4r

(2.5.18)
(2.5.19)

2.5.1

Physical Deductions

1. Streamlines: With respect to the the equator along = /2, cos and qr are odd while
sin and q are even. Hence the streamlines (velocity vectors) are symmetric fore and
aft.
2. Vorticity:

3
1 (rq ) 1 qr
sin
~e = W a 2 ~e
~ = ~e

r r
r
2
r
3. Pressure : From the r-component of momentum equation
W a
p
= 3 cos (= ( ~q))
r
r
Integrating with respect to r from r to , we get
p = p
4. Stresses and strains:

3 W a
cos
2 r3

(2.5.20)

1
qr
3a
3a3
err =
= W cos

2
r
2r2 2r4
On the sphere, r = a, err = 0 hence rr = 0 and

3 W
cos
2 a

rr = p + rr = p +

(2.5.21)

On the other hand

er

=r
r

q
1 qr
3 W a3
=
+
sin
r
r
2 r4

Hence at r = a:

3 W
sin
2 a
The resultant stress on the sphere is parallel to the z axis.
r = r = er =

z = rr cos r sin = p cos +

(2.5.22)

3 W
2 a

The constant part exerts a net drag in z direction

D=

ad

d sin z ==

3 W
4a2 = 6W a
2 a

(2.5.23)

This is the celebrated Stokes formula.

A drag coecient can be defined as
CD =

D
1
W 2 a2
2

6W a
1
W 2 a2
2

24
W (2a)

24
Red

(2.5.24)

5
5. Fall velocity of a particle through a fluid. Equating the drag and the buoyant weight
of the eparticle
4 3
a (s f )g
6Wo a =
3
hence

2
a2
Wo = g
9
f

a2
= 217.8
f

in cgs units. For a sand grain in water,

2.5 1
= 1.5,
=
f
1

= 102 cm2 /s

Wo = 32, 670 a2 cm/s

(2.5.25)

To have some quantitative ideas, let us consider two sand of two sizes :
a = 102 cm = 104 m :
Wo = 3.27cm/s;
a = 103 cm = 105 = 10m, Wo = 0.0327cm/s = 117cm/hr
For a water droplet in air,

1
= 3 = 103 ,
f
10

= 0.15 cm2 /sec

then
Wo =

(217.8)103 2
a
0.15

(2.5.26)

in cgs units. If a = 103 cm = 10m, then Wo = 1.452 cm/sec.

Details of derivation
Details of (2.5.10).

~e
r sin

= ~er

~
e
1 r

= 2
r sin r
0

1
2
r sin

~e

~e r sin ~e

1
r sin r

6
Details of (2.5.11).
~e
= ~q
r sin

~er
r~e
r sin ~e
1

= 2

r sin 1r 1
0
r2 sin
sin r

"

~e
2 sin
=
+ 2
r sin r2
r

1
sin

!#