Effects of particle shape on settling velocity at low Reynolds numbers

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Abstract
Extensive theoretical and experimental studies have been conducted at the Iowa Institute of Hydraulic Research in an investigation of the effect of shape on the settling velocity of particles. A number of representative axisymmetric shapes were used in the experiments, the Reynolds numbers of the particle motion ranging from 10−4 to 10+1. Stability of orientation was also investigated. Analytical results were obtained for the motion of ellipsoids within the Stokes range by solving Oberbeck's integral equation. The ratio of the principal‐axis lengths was found to be by far the most significant of the various shape factors which have been proposed. In fact, the settling velocities of particles over a wide range of shape can be estimated within ten per cent from the theoretical results for ellipsoids.

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