Force-coupling method for particulate two-phase flow: Stokes flow

In this paper we describe a force-coupling method for particle dynamics in fluid flows. The general principles of the model are described and it is tested on three different Stokes flow problems; a single isolated sphere, a pair of otherwise isolated spheres, and a single sphere in a channel. For sphere to sphere or sphere to wall distances larger than 1/4 of the sphere radius the force-coupling results compared well with analytical and accurate numerical values.

For smaller distances the results agree qualitatively, but lubrication effects are not included and this leads to a quantitative discrepancy.