THE INERTIAL LIFT ON A RIGID SPHERE IN A LINEAR SHEAR-FLOW FIELD NEAR A FLAT WALL

An expression which predicts the inertial lift, to lowest order, on a rigid sphere translating in a linear shear flow field near a flat infinite wall has been derived. This expression may be used when the wall lies within the inner region of the sphere's disturbance flow. It is valid even when the gap is small compared to the radius of the sphere. When the sphere is far from the wall, the lift force predicted by the present analysis converges to the value predicted by earlier analyses which consider the sphere as a point force or a force doublet singularity. The effect of rotation of the sphere on the lift has also been analysed.