A Cartesian Cut-Cell Two-Fluid Method for Two-Phase Diffusion Problems

Abstract: We present a Cartesian cut-cell finite-volume method for sharp-interface two-phase diffusion problems in static geometries. The formulation follows a two-fluid approach: independent diffusion equations are discretized in each phase on a fixed staggered Cartesian grid, while the phases are coupled through embedded interface conditions enforcing continuity of normal flux and a general jump law. Cut cells are treated by integrating the governing equations over phase-restricted control volumes and faces, yielding discrete divergence and gradient operators that are locally conservative within each phase. Interface coupling is achieved by introducing a small set of interfacial unknowns per cut cell on the embedded boundary; the resulting algebraic system involves only bulk and interfacial averages. A key feature of the method is the use of a reduced set of geometric information based solely on low-order moments (trimmed volumes, apertures and interface measures/centroids), allowing robust implementation without constructing explicitly cut-cell polytopes. The method supports steady (Poisson) and unsteady (diffusion) regimes and incorporates Dirichlet, Neumann, Robin boundary conditions and general jumps. We validate the scheme on one-, two- and three-dimensional mono- and diphasic benchmarks, including curved embedded boundaries, Robin conditions and strong property/jump contrasts. The results demonstrate the expected convergence behavior, sharp enforcement of interfacial laws and excellent conservation properties. Extensions to moving interfaces and Stefan-type free-boundary problems are natural perspectives of this framework.