Numerical Simulation of the Motion of Rigid Spheres in Potential Flow

A numerical method for the simulation of the motion of a number of rigid spheres in a potential flow is described. The equations derived are applicable to the case of spheres in an unbounded fluid or in a circular tube of variable cross section. The method itself is, however, more general and can be applied to a variety of situations. The maximum number of spheres is only limited by the available computational resources. Some numerical examples are described both as a test of the method and for their intrinsic interest. The ultimate aim of the study is to develop a tool capable of shedding light on the nature of the inertial coupling in two-phase disperse flows.