Research Topics
In the MIGRATE innovative training network, the aforementioned challenges with regard to heat and mass transfer in gas-based micro-scale processes are addressed. Different aspects of enhanced heat transfer and thermal effects in gases are defined to build the research topics of the 15 Early-Stage Researchers (ESRs).
In the following, the research topics of the 15 ESR projects are listed. On the global project level these are cross-linked with the overall topics of the work package tasks and research groups of MIGRATE. The intersectoral and multidisciplinary collaboration network offers training to combine these sub-topics.
ESR 1 research topic - Micro Pirani Pressure Sensor
Development, modelling, generation and characterization of a micro sensor for pressure measurements based on the Pirani principle. The sensor shall be applicable for various microstructure equipments.
ESR 2 research topic - Heat Flux, Temperature and Pressure Micro sensors
Development of innovative micro-sensors for weakly intrusive local measurements in microdevices. Combined experimental tests and numerical simulations.
ESR 3 research topic - Micro Photo Ionization Detector for VOC Gases
Development of miniaturized photoionization detectors for the measurement of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) at very low concentrations compatible with microfluidic flows
ESR 4 research topic - Interferometric and Colorimetric Based Sensing
Development of miniaturized photoionization detectors for the measurement of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) at very low concentrations compatible with microfluidic flows.
ESR 5 research topic - Micro Molecular Tagging Thermometry - µMTT
Implementation of a molecular tagging technique for the measurement of temperature fields in gas microflows. An innovative experimental setup will be developed, validated on benchmark cases and used for analyzing more complex non-isothermal gas flows.
ESR 6 research topic - Thermally Driven Vacuum Micro Pumps
Computational and experimental investigation of the performance characteristics of a multi-stage thermally driven micropump without any moving part (Knudsen pump) including the quantitative comparison and optimisation of various designs plus the fabrication and testing of a prototype to optimize efficiency and low energy consumption.
ESR 7 research topic - Temperature Gradient Driven Gas μFlow
Experimental investigation of the temperature gradient driven flow through the microsystems and/or porous media, including the study of interaction between gases and different solid surfaces. Development of the mathematical models, allowing the simulation of the temperature gradient driven flows.
ESR 8 research topic - Thermal Gas Separation
Experimental investigation of the gas separation phenomenon in a microchannel under temperature gradient applied to the channel’s surface. Development of the mathematical models allowing the simulation of the gas separation induced by the temperature gradients.
ESR 9 research topic - Gas-Liquid Surface Micro Separators - VOCs trapping
Development of a miniaturized gaseous formaldehyde micro-analyzer based on gas uptake into an aqueous reagent coupled to fluorescence or colorimetric detection in microfluidic devices. Liquid-surface-gas interactions will be modeled for the optimization of the gas uptake operating at low gaseous sampling flow. An upgraded version of an existing operational prototype for formaldehyde quantitative detection will be developed and tested.
ESR 10 research topic - Gas-Solid Surface Micro Separators - VOCs Trapping
Development of an analytical microfluidic method able to adsorb benzene and its derivatives and to desorb them quantitatively and rapidly by heating.
ESR 11 research topic - Pulsatile Gas Microflows for Electronics Cooling
Obtain a fundamental understanding of heat exchange processes using pulsatile gas flows at the microscale. Develop experiments to perform high-fidelity measurements of conjugate heat transfer and perform validation with kinetic modeling techniques.
ESR 12 research topic - Thermal gas mixing in micro scale
Development of efficient DSMC and DVM numerical algorithms and comparison to standard computational modeling to predict and improve the process of gas mixing in 2D and 3D micro mixers.
ESR 13 research topic - Gas Micro Heat Exchangers
Experimental and theoretical analysis of the influence of the main scaling effects (i.e. gas-walls conjugate heat transfer, gas compressibility and rarefaction effects) on thermal performances of micro heat exchangers in which a gas is used as working fluid.
ESR 14 research topic - Thermal Conditioning by Nozzle Gas Microflows
Investigate solid-gas heat transport phenomena at the microscale. Perform experiments and simulation of thermal properties and surface effects of diverse materials and their effect on transport in rarefied nozzle gas flows.
ESR 15 research topic - Heat Recovery from Microturbines
Design, fabrication, description and experimental characterization of a micro heat exchanger for heat recovery operating with turbine exhaust gases at high temperatures.