The flow around a macroscopical body by a colloid solution and the drag crisis

Abstract

The motion of colloids in the flow field of a viscous liquid is investigated. The small colloid size compare to the macroscopical scale of the flow allow to calculate their velocity relative to that of the liquid. If the inner colloid density is larger then the density of the liquid the flow field has the domains where the colloid velocity is close to the liquid velocity. But in the domains with a strong braking of the liquid velocity the colloids are accelerated relative to the liquid. This effect is used for the qualitative explanation of the drag reduction in the flow around macroscopical bodies and in the pipes.