Microhydrodynamics
Description
Microhydrodynamics examines the processes occurring in fluid flow when the characteristic length of the flow field is in the order of one micron. These fluid flows are often encountered in various industrial, biophysical, and natural processes. In this course, you will review the basics of fluid dynamics and macro, micro and molecular perspectives. You will explore the equations of mass, momentum, and energy, derived for incompressible fluids and simplified to the slow-flow limit, and examine transport phenomena on various flows. You will learn about the many applications of this study in microfluidics, complex fluids, and biology.
What you will learn
- How to examine flows in a wide range of situations, from thin films, porous media, and narrow channels.
- How to use analytical and mathematical tools to describe the motion of small particles suspended in viscous fluids.
- How applications of this field are growing, including how increased computational power has expanded the range of solvable problems.
Prerequisites
Fluid Mechanics (CHEMENG 120A), Energy and Mass Transport (CHEMENG 120B), and Applied Mathematics in the Chemical and Biological Sciences (CHEMENG 300) or equivalents
Topics include
- Solution techniques utilizing expansions of harmonic and Green's functions
- Singularity solutions
- Flows involving rigid particles and fluid droplets
- Applications to suspensions
- Lubrication theory for flows in confined geometries
- Slender body theory
- Capillarity and wetting
Course Availability
The course schedule is displayed for planning purposes – courses can be modified, changed, or cancelled. Course availability will be considered finalized on the first day of open enrollment. For quarterly enrollment dates, please refer to our graduate education section.