Choice of computational method for swimming and pumping with nonslender helical filaments at low Reynolds number

Loading...
Thumbnail Image

Authors

Martindale, J. D.
Jabbarzadeh, M.
Fu, Henry C.

Issue Date

2016

Type

Article

Language

Keywords

Research Projects

Organizational Units

Journal Issue

Alternative Title

Abstract

The flows induced by biological and artificial helical filaments are important to many possible applications including microscale swimming and pumping. Microscale helices can span a wide range of geometries, from thin bacterial flagella to thick helical bacterial cell bodies. While the proper choice of numerical method is critical for obtaining accurate results, there is little guidance about which method is optimal for a specified filament geometry. Here, using two physical scenarios-a swimmer with a head and a pump-we establish guidelines for the choice of numerical method based on helical radius, pitch, and filament thickness. For a range of helical geometries that encompass most natural and artificial helices, we create benchmark results using a surface distribution of regularized Stokeslets and then evaluate the accuracy of resistive force theory, slender body theory, and a centerline distribution of regularized Stokeslets. For the centerline distribution of regularized Stokeslets or slender body theory, we tabulate appropriate blob size and Stokeslet spacing or segment length, respectively, for each geometry studied. Finally, taking the computational cost of each method into account, we present the optimal choice of numerical method for each filament geometry as a guideline for future investigations involving filament-induced flows. (C) 2016 AIP Publishing LLC.

Description

Citation

Martindale, J. D., Jabbarzadeh, M., & Fu, H. C. (2016). Choice of computational method for swimming and pumping with nonslender helical filaments at low Reynolds number. Physics of Fluids, 28(2), 021901. doi:10.1063/1.4940904

Publisher

Journal

Volume

Issue

PubMed ID

ISSN

1070-6631

EISSN

Collections