Bubble & Particle Fluid Simulation Project

A multi-language scientific computing project designed to model, simulate, and analyze fluid dynamics, specifically focusing on bubble detection, tracking, particle dynamics, and optical systems. This project integrates physics solvers (C/C++), processing/analysis scripts (Python, MATLAB), a graphical user interface (GUI), and hardware integration (Arduino).

Overview

This repository contains a comprehensive suite of tools to handle fluid simulation workflows:

• Simulation Solvers: Core physics calculations handled via C/C++ (e.g., wave modeling, triangulation, Courant number calculations).
• Computer Vision & Analysis: Python and MATLAB scripts dedicated to detecting, tracking, and vector mapping of bubbles.
• Hardware Integration: Arduino code to manage physical particle drop experiments.
• User Interface: A Python-based GUI/App for easy interaction with the data and models.

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Repository Structure

Here is an overview of the key files and directories in this repository:

File / Folder	Language / Type	Description
mesh/	Directory	Contains mesh generation files for fluid domains.
plots/	Directory	Output directory for generated figures and data plots.
app.py / gui	Python	Main application entry point and Graphical User Interface files.
bubbleDetection.py	Python	Computer vision script to isolate bubbles from images/video.
bubbleIDs.py	Python	Tracks and assigns unique identifiers to individual bubbles across frames.
bubbleVectors.py	Python	Calculates velocity and direction vectors for detected bubbles.
brightestPoint.py	Python	Detects laser/light intensity peaks or particle centers.
courant.py	Python	Computes the Courant–Friedrichs–Lewy (CFL) condition for simulation stability.
flowModel.py	Python	Mathematical modeling of the fluid flow characteristics.
opticalSystem.py	Python	Simulates or processes data from the camera/lens setup.
tpc.py	Python	Three-Phase Contact line or specialized tracking module.
bubble.m	MATLAB	Prototype script for bubble analysis and data visualization.
wave.cpp	C++	Physics solver for wave propagation or free-surface flows.
triangulation.cpp	C++	Spatial discretization or 3D reconstruction geometry logic.
collision.h / hydrophobicity.H	C++ Headers	Physics parameters for particle collisions and surface tension/wetting properties.
particleDrop.ino	Arduino	Firmware for controlling physical particle dropping mechanisms in experiments.
stokes.html	HTML	Web-based documentation or visualization for Stokes flow equations.
makefile	Build Script	Compilation configuration script for the C/C++ source code.

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Getting Started

Prerequisites

Ensure you have the following installed on your system:

• GCC/Clang (with make support for building C++ files)
• Python 3.8+
• MATLAB (Optional, for running .m analysis)
• Arduino IDE (Optional, for uploading hardware controls)

Installation & Setup

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone [https://github.com/jkiesenhofer/flowLab.git](https://github.com/jkiesenhofer/flowLab.git)
   cd flowLab