Control-volume drag formula for a sphere in a tube ($F=\pi a^2\Delta P+2\pi a\mu (4U{I}_1-6q{I}_2)$)

Take a fluid control volume spanning a nearly occluding sphere. The pressure difference contributes $\pi a^2\Delta P$ upwards, while the outer-wall shear in the sphere frame contributes $2\pi a\mu \int u_y(h)dz$. Since sphere-frame flux in a tube gives $u_y(h)=4U/h-6q/h^2$, the drag on the sphere is $F=\pi a^2\Delta P+2\pi a\mu (4U{I}_1-6q{I}_2)$. Using the wall shear avoids integrating traction over the strongly curved sphere directly. The remaining tube pressure drop is fixed by Hagen-Poiseuille flow.

Use $F^{\ast }=F/(6\pi \mu aU)$ and $L^{\ast }=4L/(3a)$. The control-volume drag formula for a sphere in a tube gives the displayed uniform leading drag. If $L^{\ast }\ll {ϵ}^{-1/2}$, $F^{\ast }\sim (4\pi /3){ϵ}^{-1/2}$ and local annular shear dominates. If ${ϵ}^{-1/2}\ll L^{\ast }\ll {ϵ}^{-5/2}$, $F^{\ast }\sim L^{\ast }$ and the Hagen-Poiseuille flow resistance of the long tube dominates. If $L^{\ast }\gg {ϵ}^{-5/2}$, $F^{\ast }\sim 3\pi {ϵ}^{-5/2}$ and pressure-driven bypass through the narrow gap dominates. The laboratory flow is piston-like in the first two limits and negligible in the third.

Use radius-deficit $ϵ$, $F^{\ast }=F/(6\pi \mu aU)$ and $\delta =3a/(4L)$. The control-volume drag formula for a sphere in a tube and the radius-deficit normalization of sphere-tube lubrication integrals give three leading resistances: $c_3{ϵ}^{-5/2}$ for $\delta \ll {ϵ}^{5/2}$, $1/\delta$ for ${ϵ}^{5/2}\ll \delta \ll {ϵ}^{1/2}$, and $2\pi \sqrt{2}/(3\sqrt{ϵ})$ for $\delta \gg {ϵ}^{1/2}$. They correspond to gap bypass with almost no tube throughflow, pressure resistance of tube throughflow, and local annular resistance, respectively.

Two identical well-separated spheres falling at the same speed share one laboratory volume flux, rather than producing twice the single-sphere piston flux. In the middle of the three drag regimes for a nearly occluding sphere, the same overall Hagen-Poiseuille flow pressure drop is divided equally between them, halving each sphere's drag. In the local-shear and local-gap-pressure regimes each sphere retains its own leading resistance, so the drag per sphere is unchanged. This conclusion assumes nonoverlapping lubrication regions and sufficient separation from the tube ends.