SIMCOMICS

Simulation of droplets in complex microchannels

Coordinatore	ECOLE POLYTECHNIQUE FEDERALE DE LAUSANNE    more Spiacenti, non ci sono informazioni su questo coordinatore. Contattare Fabio per maggiori infomrazioni, grazie.
Nazionalità Coordinatore	Switzerland [CH]
Totale costo	1˙405˙796 €
EC contributo	1˙405˙796 €
Programma	FP7-IDEAS-ERC Specific programme: "Ideas" implementing the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (2007 to 2013)
Code Call	ERC-2011-StG_20101014
Funding Scheme	ERC-SG
Anno di inizio	2012
Periodo (anno-mese-giorno)	2012-01-01   -   2016-12-31

 Partecipanti

#	participant	country	role	EC contrib. [€]
1	ECOLE POLYTECHNIQUE FEDERALE DE LAUSANNE  Organization address address: BATIMENT CE 3316 STATION 1 city: LAUSANNE postcode: 1015 contact info Titolo: Ms. Nome: Caroline Cognome: Vandevyver Email: send email Telefono: +41 21 693 4977 Fax: +41 21 693 5585	CH (LAUSANNE)	hostInstitution	1˙405˙796.00
2	ECOLE POLYTECHNIQUE FEDERALE DE LAUSANNE  Organization address address: BATIMENT CE 3316 STATION 1 city: LAUSANNE postcode: 1015 contact info Titolo: Prof. Nome: Francois Cognome: Gallaire Email: send email Telefono: 41216933365	CH (LAUSANNE)	hostInstitution	1˙405˙796.00

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 Obiettivo del progetto (Objective)

'In droplet-based microfluidics, the elementary units transporting reagents from one functional site to another (mixer, sensor or analyzer) are droplets, which are carried by an inert wetting fluid. This research project aims at the development of numerical models of flowing droplets in thin spatially extended microchannels, designed at avoiding the exponential complexity of parallelized 1-D networks. We aim at simulating the trajectory of droplets transported by a pressure-driven carrier fluid, as they evolve in a surface energy gradient, generated by channel depth variations or surface tension inhomogeneities.

To this end, we exploit the remarkable aspect ratio of these microfluidic devices to propose a depth-averaged description of the pancake shaped droplets. The resulting equations, called Brinkman's equations, combine the 2D Stokes equations with 2D Darcy potential-flow-like equations. Their diphasic simulation relies on the adaptation of existing algorithms to this particular free interface problem. Pressure corrections due to the thickness variations of the lubricating thin films will also be included.

Surfactant and heat dynamics will then be added to model thermo- and soluto-capillary forcing. The depth-averaged model will be finally generalized to account for arbitrary depth variations, so as to add dynamics to the quasi-static description of droplets moving along successive minimal surface energy locations.

A specific part of the project is also devoted to the development of an experimental expertise: it is indeed essential to the success of the project to conduct fundamental microfluidic experiments in order to validate our new models. While SIMCOMICS aims at shrinking the gap between present computations of droplets flowing in microchannels and the increasing number of application-oriented experimental studies, it both raises fundamental questions and opens promising perspectives for the engineering design of new microcarved microchannels.'