This specific computational method utilizes a dual integral approach to determine the creeping motion of a viscous fluid around a sphere near a wall. It involves solving the Stokes equations with boundary conditions reflecting no-slip at both the sphere and wall surfaces. A typical application involves calculating the hydrodynamic force experienced by the sphere as it approaches the wall.
The method’s strength lies in its accurate representation of the hydrodynamic interactions in the thin lubricating film between the sphere and the wall. This accuracy is critical in diverse fields like colloid science, microfluidics, and biophysics, where understanding particle-wall interactions is crucial. Historically, this approach built upon earlier work in lubrication theory and provided a more rigorous framework for analyzing these near-contact scenarios. It enables the prediction of phenomena such as particle deposition rates and the forces required for particle manipulation near surfaces.
