The slow stationary flow of incompressible micropolar fluid past a spheroid

Abstract

The paper examines the slow stationary flow of incompressible micropolar fluid past a spheroid (prolate and oblate) adopting the Stokesian approximation, so that the inertial terms in the momentum equation and the bilinear terms in the balance of first stress moments are neglected. The flow over the space outside the body is analyzed and the velocity, microrotation, stress and couple stress are obtained analytically in infinite series form. The drag on the body is determined and it is observed that there is no couple exerted on the body. Numerical studies are undertaken to see the variation of the drag with respect to the geometric as well as the physical flow parameters. These have been presented in the form of figures. Micropolarity of the fluid has an augmenting effect on the drag. In an Appendix, an alternative method of determining the drag is indicated.