Past exam of the fluids course of the University of Oxford / 2021 / 1 / e / Solution

Given an admissible velocity field, recover the pressure gradient from the Stokes equation, $\nabla p=\mu {\nabla }^2\mathbf{v}$, and integrate it, fixing the additive constant by matching to the bath pressure near the open ends. The biharmonic equation ensures the compatibility of this integration. For a freely moving hinge, the laboratory velocity field also contains the unknown rigid translation and rotation. Solve the interior and exterior Stokes flows with these wall velocities, then impose zero total external force and torque on the complete apparatus if its motor supplies only internal actuation. The pinned solution alone cannot determine that free motion.

At a fixed angle, the actuation velocity scale is $U\sim L|\dot{\alpha }|$. The Stokes equation gives $\Delta p\sim \mu U/L\sim \mu |\dot{\alpha }|$. Integrating normal traction over a plate of length $L$ gives a force per unit width of scalewith a dimensionless signed coefficient depending on geometry and exterior matching. Normal viscous stress has the same dimensional scale and is included in $C$. The force reverses when the actuation reverses. A narrow gap can make $|C|$ large.

More specifically, the corrected local streamfunction gives, up to a reference pressure,Indeed, inserting $\mathbf{v}=(-\dot{\alpha }r{G}^{\prime }/2,\dot{\alpha }rG)$ into the vector Laplacian gives $p_r=-\mu \dot{\alpha }(G^{\prime \prime \prime }+4G^{\prime })/(2r)=\mu \dot{\alpha }K/r$ and $p_{\theta }=0$. For $\alpha <\pi /2$, opening produces reduced pressure toward the hinge when matched at $r_{\ast }\sim L$. The logarithmic singularity is integrable: ${\int }_0^L\log (L/r)dr=L$, consistent with the stated force scale. A real hinge regularizes the singularity; the local formula is not a full end-matched solution.

The scallop theorem applies to a single periodically actuated hinge in a stationary Newtonian fluid with negligible fluid and body inertia. At each shape, Linearity of Stokes flow makes its rigid velocity proportional to $\dot{\alpha }$. Closing retraces the sequence of shapes and reverses the corresponding motion, irrespective of different opening and closing rates. The hinge may move during each half-cycle, butA motor can generate instantaneous forces and consume energy through viscous dissipation without producing sustained swimming. Additional independently controlled shape changes, appreciable inertia, or a fluid with memory would require a different analysis.