ABSTRACT
The motion of flexible particles in a confined domain, such as a fluid-filled channel or tube, is of interest to a variety of natural and biological processes and industrial applications. Much of early interest in this subject has been motivated by its relevance to the motion of blood cells through the capillaries of the human circulation. However, similar flow problems also arise in industrial applications involving the production of cosmetics and various pharmaceutical, agricultural, and food products. Aside from its significance in these practical applications, the motion of deformable particles through tubes with constant and variable cross-section has received special attention as a pore-scale model in the study of two-phase flow through porous materials.
