Computational Design of Microfluidic Structures

本研究计划将发展新的数值技术，用于微流体装置中多相/多流体流动的优化/设计和模拟。将开发新的技术来模拟表面张力和表面活性剂的影响，与最先进的方法相比，这将大大减少模拟时间。应开发新的、非侵入性/无衍生物的优化技术，以控制液滴的产生并最大限度地减少液滴重新聚结。“芯片实验室”设备为推进蛋白质组学、诊断学和药物发现方面的研究带来了巨大希望。 最常用的微流体操作之一是将水性试剂分离成液滴。 例如，这些液滴可以存储在液滴捕获阵列中，然后在稍后的时间释放/处理。 微流体装置的另一个操作是产生乳液。 更好地理解表面活性剂和微流体装置几何形状如何影响液滴破裂和重新聚结是理解乳化过程的基础。 除了作为用于微流体芯片实验室装置的设计的使能技术之外，辅助与多相流和/或表面活性剂相关联的设计过程的数值方法在船舶船体设计、喷墨装置、离岸结构的设计、海滩防侵蚀装置的设计以及分散剂的设计和应用中具有应用，以便在空气/水界面处分解油乳液（浮油）。

This research project will develop new numerical techniques for the optimization/design and simulation of multi-phase/multi-fluid flow in microfluidic devices. Novel techniques will be developed for modeling the effect of surface tension and surfactants which will significantly reduce the simulation time in comparison to state-of-the-art methods. Novel, non-intrusive/derivative-free optimization techniques shall be developed for controlling the creation of droplets and minimizing droplet re-coalescence."Lab on a chip" devices hold great promise for advancing research in proteomics and diagnostics and drug discovery. One of the most frequently used microfluidic operations is the separation of aqueous reagents into droplets. For example, these droplets can be stored in a droplet trap array and then released/processed at a later time. Another operation of microfluidic devices is the creation of emulsions. A better understanding of how surfactants and microfluidic device geometries affect droplet rupture and re-coalescence is fundamental in understanding the emulsification process. Besides being an enabling technology for the design of microfluidic lab-on-a-chip devices, numerical methods that aid in the design process associated with multi-phase flow and/or surfactants have applications in ship hull design, ink-jet devices, design of off-shore structures, design of beach erosion prevention devices, and the design and application of dispersants in order to break up oil emulsions (oil slicks) at air/water interfaces.