arXiv subjects

Diego A. de Aguiar

Publications and source records attributed to Diego A. de Aguiar.

2 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Prediction of Viscoelastic Droplet Impact Dynamics Using a Vision Transformer-Based Approach

Droplet impact on solid surfaces is a complex fluid dynamics problem with applications in spray cooling, inkjet printing, and pharmaceutical processing. Although numerical simulations are widely used to investigate these dynamics, their computational cost becomes significant when multiple parametric variations are considered. In this work, we investigate the use of a Video Vision Transformer (ViViT) architecture to predict the temporal evolution of viscoelastic droplets impacting solid surfaces using volume fraction fields obtained from the Volume of Fluid (VOF) method. In Newtonian fluids, impact dynamics are mainly characterized by the Reynolds number $Re$, representing the ratio of inertial to viscous forces, and the Weber number $We$, representing the ratio of inertial to surface tension forces. For viscoelastic fluids, additional parameters are required to account for elastic effects, namely the solvent viscosity ratio $β$ and the Weissenberg number $Wi$, increasing simulation complexity and cost. Instead of simulating the entire droplet dynamics, the proposed approach uses only the initial 10% to 20% of the simulation to predict the remaining evolution. Depending on the prediction configuration, this strategy reduces computational cost by approximately 80% to 90% compared to full numerical simulations. The ViViT produces physically consistent predictions across different parameters and prediction horizons, successfully capturing both spreading and bouncing regimes while preserving geometric features and structural similarity. Since volume fraction fields can also be extracted from experimental videos, the proposed framework could be extended to incorporate experimental data during training, potentially improving the physical fidelity of the predicted dynamics.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2025

Predicting Energy Budgets in Droplet Dynamics: A Recurrent Neural Network Approach

Neural networks in fluid mechanics offer an efficient approach for exploring complex flows, including multiphase and free surface flows. The recurrent neural network, particularly the Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) model, proves attractive for learning mappings from transient inputs to dynamic outputs. This study applies LSTM to predict transient and static outputs for fluid flows under surface tension effects. Specifically, we explore two distinct droplet dynamic scenarios: droplets with diverse initial shapes impacting with solid surfaces, as well as the coalescence of two droplets following collision. Using only dimensionless numbers and geometric time series data from numerical simulations, LSTM predicts the energy budget. The marker-and-cell front-tracking methodology combined with a marker-and-cell finite-difference strategy is adopted for simulating the droplet dynamics. Using a recurrent neural network (RNN) architecture fed with time series data derived from geometrical parameters, as for example droplet diameter variation, our study shows the accuracy of our approach in predicting energy budgets, as for instance the kinetic, dissipation, and surface energy trends, across a range of Reynolds and Weber numbers in droplet dynamic problems. Finally, a two-phase sequential neural network using only geometric data, which is readily available in experimental settings, is employed to predict the energies and then use them to estimate static parameters, such as the Reynolds and Weber numbers. While our methodology has been primarily validated with simulation data, its adaptability to experimental datasets is a promising avenue for future exploration. We hope that our strategy can be useful for diverse applications, spanning from inkjet printing to combustion engines, where the prediction of energy budgets or dissipation energies is crucial.

physics.flu-dyn↗