Modeling microflow and stirring around a microrotor in creeping flow using a quasi-steady-state analysis
Abstract
The microflow and stirring around paramagnetic particle microchains, referred to as microrotors, are modeled as a circular cylinder rotating about its radial axis at very low Reynolds number. Time scales for momentum transfer under these conditions are determined to be much smaller than those for boundary movement, hence a quasi-steady approximation can be used. The flow is derived at every instant from the case of a steady motion of a horizontally translating cylinder, with the rotation approximated to a series of differential incremental translations. A numerical simulation is used to determine the pathlines and material lines of virtual point fluid elements, which were analyzed to understand the behavior of the flow around the microrotor. The results indicate the flow to be unsteady, with chaotic advection observed in the system. The fluid motion is primarily two-dimensional, parallel to the rotational plane, with