Fluid Mechanics Laboratory , Brown University

[arunraje]

Micron and Nanometer scale fluid mechanics:

Fluids behave in different and interesting ways when they are confined. Some of our current projects include the breakdown of the no-slip boundary condition, the behavior of small particles, molecules and cells near solid surfaces, and droplet streams generated by electrosprays.






--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bacterial Fluid Mechanics:
We are studying how flagellated bacteria move, how their flagella deform, coordinate and bundle in viscous flows, how bacteria can be used to enhance mixing and generate pumping in microgeometries.

http://microfluids.engin.brown.edu/rese ... mmary.html





--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bat Flight Mechanics:
In collaboration with Sharon Swartz, we are studying the mechanics of bats and the ways in which their unique morphology enables their extraordinary flight performance. We take high speed video, particle image velocimetry of the wake behind the bats during flight, detailed measurements of physical models that capture key features of bat flight.

http://microfluids.engin.brown.edu/rese ... light.html

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Diagnostic Techniques for Microflows:

We are developing innovative techniques for the measurement of microfluidic phenomena, including IR velocimetry, the use of evanescent wave illumination for ultra-near-wall 3D velocimetry, Quantum Dots as nanoscale tracer particles for both velocity and temperature measurements.

http://microfluids.engin.brown.edu/rese ... _dots.html


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Turbulent shear flows, and drag reduction:

We make high resolution measurements of turbulent flows over novel surfaces (e.g. ultrahydrophobic surfaces), and with active forcing (Lorentz forces or using feedforward control) to determine the effects on turbulent structure and hydrodynamic drag.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Past Projects:

Bypass Transition, Receptivity and Transient Growth
Micromachined Sensors and Actuators
Active control of tip leakage flows in turbomachinery
Gas flows in micron-scale channels
DSMC computations of high-pressure rarefied flows typical of MEMS devices
Analysis, numerical simulations and experiments of high-speed micro-bearings
Analysis and experiments of viscous damping in high-Q resonating micro-devices
Simulations of low Reynolds number, high Mach number flows appropriate to micro-space propulsion systems

http://microfluids.engin.brown.edu/research/index.html