  We developed analytical and numerical methods to study a transport of
non-interacting particles in large networks consisting of M d-dimensional
containers C_1,...,C_M with radii R_i linked together by tubes of length l_{ij}
and radii a_{ij} where i,j=1,2,...,M. Tubes may join directly with each other
forming junctions. It is possible that some links are absent. Instead of
solving the diffusion equation for the full problem we formulated an approach
that is computationally more efficient. We derived a set of rate equations that
govern the time dependence of the number of particles in each container
N_1(t),N_2(t),...,N_M(t). In such a way the complicated transport problem is
reduced to a set of M first order integro-differential equations in time, which
can be solved efficiently by the algorithm presented here. The workings of the
method have been demonstrated on a couple of examples: networks involving
three, four and seven containers, and one network with a three-point junction.
Already simple networks with relatively few containers exhibit interesting
transport behavior. For example, we showed that it is possible to adjust the
geometry of the networks so that the particle concentration varies in time in a
wave-like manner. Such behavior deviates from simple exponential growth and
decay occurring in the two container system.
