Externally driven two-sphere pump

Two spheres whose prescribed translations have a phase lag can exert a nonzero mean force on the fluid while each returns to its starting position. Their changing separation correlates the interaction strength with the other sphere's velocity. This pump is externally driven, so it is distinct from force-free swimming governed by the scallop theorem.

The centre separation for equal-amplitude oscillations has minimum ${\ell }_0-2\delta |\sin (\varphi /2)|$. A bound ${\ell }_0\ge \delta$ alone cannot guarantee nonoverlap. An asymptotic mobility calculation needs this minimum much larger than the sphere radii.

For equal oscillation amplitudes $\delta$, frequency $\omega$, mean separation ${\ell }_0$ and phase lag $\varphi$, the leading mean total force on the fluid is $9\pi \mu a_1{a}_2{\delta }^2\omega \sin \varphi /{\ell }_0^2$. Each sphere supplies half. The large-separation calculation expands the Stokeslet interaction; reciprocal in-phase and antiphase motions have zero mean force.