[thorpie]

Hello
I know nothing of fluid dynamics and am seeking advice on how much I need to learn to solve a particular problem.
My problem is that I need to evenly distribute a number of points within a confined space.
A simple 2D example is that I start with 256 deflated balloons at specified starting locations and all are inflated slowly but simultaneously until they all have final diameter of 1. The balloons are constrained within a box 16 * 16 * 1.
To my simple mind what would occur is that as the balloons inflate they would push against each other and move in the pushed direction until a continuous contact line between the constraining walls occurs. As the balloons are further inflated the constraint would then force the balloons to start moving differently, and sliding against each other.
The end result required would always be the 256 balloons in an even 16 * 16 lattice. However I can see that this would not always be achievable from simply inflating spherical balloons as they could become jammed. If the final required lattice result is attainable the location of each balloon could vary dependent upon the size of the inflation increment, the order of application of the balloon inflation and the slipperiness of the balloon surfaces. There are no doubt many other factors that I do not know about or understand.
While my view of a balloon is valid I understand that there would be various other views of the problem, such as pressure equalization, that are probably more pertinent to fluid dynamics.
To solve the problem using fluid dynamics and fluid dynamic software I need to study some aspects of the discipline. I really hope that I do not need to undertake a full undergraduate course to comprehend the bits that I am seeking. I would appreciate any advise on what areas would be most pertinent for an overall understanding of the subject and what type of solution methods would be used to solve my problem.
Thank you for your time
Glenn.