Fundamental solutions for micropolar fluids

Abstract

New fundamental solutions for micropolar fluids are derived in explicit form for two- and three-dimensional steady unbounded Stokes and Oseen flows due to a point force and a point couple, including the two-dimensional micropolar Stokeslet, the two- and three-dimensional micropolar Stokes couplet, the three-dimensional micropolar Oseenlet, and the three-dimensional micropolar Oseen couplet. These fundamental solutions do not exist in Newtonian flow due to the absence of microrotation velocity field. The flow due to these singularities is useful for understanding and studying microscale flows. As an application, the drag coefficients for a solid sphere or a circular cylinder that translates in a low-Reynolds-number micropolar flow are determined and compared with those corresponding to Newtonian flow. The drag coefficients in a micropolar fluid are greater than those in a Newtonian fluid.