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Rotational propulsion enabled by inertia

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Abstract

The fluid mechanics of small-scale locomotion has recently attracted considerable attention, due to its importance in cell motility and the design of artificial micro-swimmers for biomedical applications. Most studies on the topic consider the ideal limit of zero Reynolds number. In this paper, we investigate a simple propulsion mechanism --an up-down asymmetric dumbbell rotating about its axis of symmetry-- unable to propel in the absence of inertia in a Newtonian fluid. Inertial forces lead to continuous propulsion for all finite values of the Reynolds number. We study computationally its propulsive characteristics as well as analytically in the small-Reynolds-number limit. We also derive the optimal dumbbell geometry. The direction of propulsion enabled by inertia is opposite to that induced by viscoelasticity.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Commissariat à l’Energie Atomique, 33114, Le Barp, France

    François Nadal

  2. Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Princeton University, 08544-5263, Princeton, NJ, USA

    On Shun Pak

  3. Linné Flow Center, KTH Mechanics, S-100 44, Stockholm, Sweden

    LaiLai Zhu & Luca Brandt

  4. Laboratory of Fluid Mechanics and Instabilities, EPFL, CH1015, Lausanne, Switzerland

    LaiLai Zhu

  5. Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, University of Cambridge, Center for Mathematical Sciences, Wilberforce Road, CB3 0WA, Cambridge, UK

    Eric Lauga

Authors
  1. François Nadal
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  2. On Shun Pak
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  3. LaiLai Zhu
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  4. Luca Brandt
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  5. Eric Lauga
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Correspondence to François Nadal.

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Nadal, F., Pak, O.S., Zhu, L. et al. Rotational propulsion enabled by inertia. Eur. Phys. J. E 37, 60 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1140/epje/i2014-14060-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1140/epje/i2014-14060-y

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