Geometrical automata for two phase flow simulation

An automaton is an entity defined by a mathematical state which changes following iterative rules representing the interaction with the neighborhood. A model of automata for two-phase flow simulation consisting in a field of disks which are allowed to change their radii and move in a plane is presented. The model is more general than the classical cellular automata in two respects: (1) the grid of cellular automata is dismissed in favor of a trajectory generator; and (2) the rules of interaction involve parameters intended to represent some of the most relevant variables governing the actual physical interactions between phases. Computational experiments show that the algorithm captures the essential physics underlying two-phase flow problems such as bubbly-slug pattern transition and void fraction development along tubes. A comparison with experimental data of void fraction profiles is presented, showing excellent agreement.