Abstract
Two dimensional slow viscous flow around two counter-rotating equal cylinders is investigated based on Stokes'approximation. An exact formal expression of the stream function is obtained by using the bipolar cylinder coordinates and Fourier series expansion. From the stream function obtained, the streamline patterns around the cylinders are shown and the pressure distribution in the flow field is determined. By integrating the stress distributions on the cylinder, the force and the moment exerted on the cylinder are calculated. The flow rate through the gap between the two cylinders is also determined as the distance between two cylinders varies. Special attention is directed to the case of very small distance between two cylinders concerned with the lubrication theory and the minimum pressure is calculated to explain a possible cavitation.