Wall shear rate distribution for flow in random sphere packings.
The wall shear rate distribution P(gamma) is investigated for pressure-driven Stokes flow through random arrangements of spheres at packing fractions 0.1< or =varphi< or =0.64. For dense packings, P(gamma) is monotonic and approximately exponential. As varphi-->0.1, P(gamma) picks up additional structure which corresponds to the flow around isolated spheres, for which an exact result can be obtained. A simple expression for the mean wall shear rate is presented, based on a force-balance argument.
Warren
Patrick B
PB
Unilever R&D Port Sunlight, Bebington, Wirral, CH63 3JW, United Kingdom.
Stepanek
Frantisek
F