Motion of a Sphere in a Rotating Fluid at Small Reynolds Numbers

The slow steady rise of a solid sphere along the axis of a uniformly rotating viscous liquid is studied when the Reynolds number, based on the translational velocity along the axis of rotation, is less than unity. The terminal velocity of a sphere rising slowly along the axis of a uniformly rotating viscous liquid has been determined experimentally. Spheres of varying sizes with a density less than that of the fluid were released at the bottom of a rotating cylinder filled with castor oil. The subsequent terminal velocities along the axis of rotation were measured. It has been found that the rise velocity decreases from the Stokes velocity as the angular speed of rotation is increased. The governing equations show that this is due to the Coriolis acceleration.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/70953/2/PFLDAS-8-4-560-1.pd