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A thermodynamic efficiency for Stokesian swimming

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 February 2012

Stephen Childress
Stephen Childress*
Affiliation:
Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences, New York University, 251 Mercer Street, New York, NY 10012, USA
*
†Email address for correspondence: [email protected]
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Abstract

Since free Stokesian swimming does no work external to fluid and body, the classical thermodynamic efficiency of this activity is zero. This paper introduces a potential thermodynamic efficiency by partially tethering the body so that work is done externally and instantaneously. We compare the resulting efficiency with other definitions utilized in Stokes flow, extend the instantaneous definition to encompass a full swimming stroke, and compute it for propulsion of a spherical body by a helical flagellum.

JFM classification

Biological Fluid Dynamics: Micro-organism dynamics Low-Reynolds-number flows: Stokesian dynamics Biological Fluid Dynamics: Swimming/flying
Type
Papers
Information
Journal of Fluid Mechanics , Volume 705: Special issue dedicated to Professor T. J. Pedley on his 70th birthday , 25 August 2012 , pp. 77 - 97
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2012

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