Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 13, 2026
05:10
A Microfluidic Platform to Study Bioclogging in Porous Media
Published on: October 13, 2022
2.6K
Microfluidic Model Porous Media: Fabrication and Applications.
Alimohammad Anbari1, Hung-Ta Chien1, Sujit S Datta2
1Department of Mechanical Engineering, The City College of New York, New York, NY, 10031, USA.
Small (Weinheim an Der Bergstrasse, Germany)
|March 13, 2018
Summary
Micromodels, transparent microfluidic systems, enable direct visualization of complex fluid flow in porous media. This review covers their fabrication, research, and diverse industrial applications.
Area of Science:
- Fluid Dynamics
- Porous Media Science
- Microfluidics
Background:
- Complex fluid flow in porous media is vital for natural and industrial processes.
- Direct visualization is crucial but challenging due to media opacity.
- Micromodels offer a transparent solution for pore-scale flow studies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review micromodel fabrication, research, and applications.
- To highlight their utility in various engineering and industrial sectors.
- To propose future research directions for micromodel technology.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication techniques for creating microfluidic model porous media.
- Optical visualization methods for observing fluid dynamics at the pore scale.
- Review of existing research and applications utilizing micromodels.
Main Results:
- Micromodels provide clear optical access to pore-scale fluid flow.
- Established applications in petroleum, geologic, environmental, food, and wood industries.
- Demonstrated potential for broader interdisciplinary applications.
Conclusions:
- Micromodels are essential tools for understanding complex fluid flow in porous media.
- Their versatility spans numerous scientific and industrial fields.
- Further research is needed to address key challenges and expand applications.
Related Concept Videos
01:27Microbial Growth Media
2.3K
Microbial growth media are essential tools in microbiology, providing the nutrients and conditions necessary to cultivate and study microorganisms. These media are categorized by their composition, consistency, and functional roles, enabling researchers to investigate microbial physiology, behavior, and interactions.Types and Consistencies of Growth MediaGrowth media can be solid, liquid, or semisolid. Solid media, often agar-based, allow visible colony growth for isolation and enumeration.
2.3K
01:28Applications of Logarithms
292
Logarithmic functions are powerful tools for simplifying the mathematical representation of phenomena involving exponential changes. Their ability to convert multiplicative relationships into additive ones is especially valuable in various scientific and engineering contexts. One notable application of logarithms is measuring sound intensity, specifically through the decibel (dB) scale used in acoustics.Sound intensity levels vary over an extensive range, from the faintest audible whisper to...
292
01:14Photoluminescence: Applications
1.1K
Photoluminescence offers a wide range of applications due to its inherent sensitivity and selectivity. This technique allows for both direct and indirect analyses of the analyte. Direct quantitative analysis is possible when the analyte exhibits a favorable quantum yield for fluorescence or phosphorescence. However, an indirect analysis may be feasible if the analyte is not fluorescent or phosphorescent, or if the quantum yield is unfavorable. Indirect methods include reacting the analyte with...
1.1K
01:17Radiation: Applications
1.8K
The average temperature of Earth is the subject of much current discussion. Earth is in radiative contact with both the Sun and dark space; it receives almost all its energy from the radiation of the Sun and reflects some of it into outer space. Dark space is very cold, about 3 K, so Earth radiates energy into it. For instance, heat transfer occurs from soil and grasses, the rate of which can be so rapid that frost can occur on clear summer evenings, even in warm latitudes.
The average...
The average...
1.8K
01:04Applications of Stress
686
Consider a structure made of a boom and a rod designed to support a load. These two components are connected by a pin and stabilized by brackets and pins. The boom and the rod are detached from their supports to assess the different stresses imposed on this structure, and a free-body diagram is drawn. Then, all the forces applied, including the load acting on the structure, are identified. The reaction forces exerted on both the boom and the rod are computed using the equilibrium equations.
The...
The...
686
01:30Environmental Applications of Microorganisms
1.2K
Microorganisms play a pivotal role in maintaining ecosystem balance by recycling essential elements such as carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus, as well as supporting processes like bioremediation, wastewater treatment, and biofuel production.Microbes in Elemental CyclesIn the carbon cycle, microorganisms decompose organic matter, releasing carbon dioxide via aerobic respiration. This carbon dioxide is subsequently used by photosynthetic organisms to synthesize organic compounds, closing the...
1.2K