Microfluidics for Energy Applications

Abstract

Microfluidic methods developed primarily for medical applications have much to offer energy applications. This short paper will provide the motivation and outline my group’s recent work in two such areas: (1) microfluidics and optics for bioenergy and (2) microfluidics for carbon management. Full details will be provided in talk. Within the bioenergy theme, we are developing photobioreactor architectures that leverage micro-optics and microfluidics to cater both light and fluids to maximize productivity of microalgae. Within the carbon management theme we are developing a suite of methods to study porescale transport and reactivity in carbon sequestration and enhanced oil recovery. Results indicate potential for order of magnitude gains in photobioreactor technology and a 100-fold improvement over current subsurface fluid transport analysis methods.