Role of active particles and solid-fluid interactions in interfacial fluid mechanics: a microfluidic approach

加拿大拥有世界第三大石油储量，主要分布在稠油和油砂储层中。现有的提取过程是能源密集型的，排放大量二氧化碳，必须大幅减少。为了保护我们的环境，同时继续为我们的经济安全提供能源，我们需要创造和测试新技术。对实际储集层样品进行实验室实验既昂贵又耗时。这一提议是由研究开发透明的类似水库的设备的需要推动的，这些设备的行为像真正的岩石和土壤。这些可用于能源部门解决方案的快速原型制作。在实验室中，这些设备被用来进行实验，以评估溶剂和蒸汽与被称为表面活性剂(类似于洗涤剂)的长链分子、微粒和纳米颗粒的组合，以从岩石表面分离重油。其目的是找到能够以更少的能源开采石油从而减少二氧化碳排放的组合。*该研究计划利用油藏中自然存在的活性物质和界面流体力学知识来减少石油开采中化学物质的使用，降低二氧化碳排放，并增加加拿大丰富的石油和天然气储量的经济可行性。对于油藏中存在的多种流体和流固体系，界面流体力学取决于特定的物理、化学和电性条件。水-空气、水-玻璃等流体-流体、流固界面广泛存在于自然界和日常生活中。对界面流体力学的了解有助于推动石油和天然气以外的许多技术的发展，包括乳液和微乳液的形成、药物输送、高速打印、3D生物打印、绘画和涂层。在这个项目中，我们将进行发现新现象的实验，并开发多孔介质中界面流体力学的标度定律。这种高度集成的方法对于发现控制界面流动的物理机制是必要的。所获得的知识将在广泛的领域中发挥重要作用。*该计划将培训一群多元化和多元文化的高素质人员，他们可以利用自己的技能来填补行业的技能缺口，并培训能够为行业和社会的重要挑战提供独特解决方案的学者。**

Canada has the third largest reserves of oil in the world, mostly in heavy oil and oil sand reservoirs. The existing extraction processes are energy intensive and emit large amounts of CO2 that must be dramatically reduced. To protect our environment while continuing to provide energy for our economic security, we need to create and test new technologies. Laboratory experiments on actual reservoir samples are expensive and time consuming. This proposal is driven by the need for research to develop transparent reservoir-like devices that behave like actual rocks and soils. These can be used for rapid prototyping of energy sector solutions. In the lab, these devices are used to conduct experiments to assess combinations of solvents and steam with long chain molecules known as surfactants (similar to detergents), microparticles and nanoparticles to detach heavy oil from rock surfaces. The aim is to find combinations that are able to extract oil using less energy and hence lead to less CO2 emissions.******This research program takes advantage of naturally existing active materials in oil reservoirs and the knowledge of interfacial fluid mechanics to reduce the use of chemicals for oil recovery, lower CO2 emissions, and increase the economic viability for recovery of Canada's vast oil and gas reserves. For the multiple fluid and fluid-solid systems present in the reservoir, the interfacial fluid mechanics is dependent on specific physical, chemical and electrical conditions. Fluid-fluid and fluid-solid interfaces such as water-air or water-glass abound in nature and everyday life. Understanding of interfacial fluid mechanics facilitates the advancement of many technologies besides oil and gas including emulsion and microemulsion formation, drug delivery, high-speed printing, 3D bio-printing, painting and coating. Within this program, we will perform experiments for the discovery of new phenomena and develop scaling laws for interfacial fluid mechanics in porous media. The highly integrated methodology is necessary to discover the physical mechanisms that control interfacial flows. The knowledge gained will be valuable in a wide range of fields. ***The program will train a diverse and multicultural group of highly qualified personnel who can bring their skills to fill skill gaps for industry and to train academics who can drive unique solutions to important challenges for industry and society. **