10th International conference on Nanochannles, Microchannels and Minichannels 2012, Rio Grande, PR, July 8-12, 2012

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy NY

Investigators

Abstract

Peles 1239123 Intellectual Merit: This travel/conference proposal seeks support for twenty-six U.S. participants (including six keynote speakers and twenty students) to attend the ASME 2012 International Conference on Nanochannels, Microchannels and Minichannels (ICNMM) that will take place on July 8-11, 2012 in Puerto Rico. This conference provides a unique forum for interdisciplinary researchers to exchange ideas about fundamental heat transfer and fluid flow processes at the microscale. Previous conferences have focused on nanochannels for the first time in response to the applications in the area of optics and processes occurring at molecular levels, and there were conflicting reports. These issues are expected to become even more relevant and important than in previous conferences. The key focus area of this year's conference is on nanostructures. The 10th ICNMM is expected to address challenges in the following topics: effect of nanoparticles on transport processes, surface tension effect at microscale, two-phase flows at microscale, new medical diagnostic devices utilizing specific fluid properties, novel drug delivery systems, micro-heat exchangers, digital microfluidics, and water management in PEM fuel cells. Broader Impacts: The new emerging areas of microscale and nanoscale transport are expected to fundamentally transform many applications for which current solutions do not exist or are too expensive. These areas have practical applications to biological sciences (DNA detection), microprocessor chip cooling, pharmaceutical sciences (micromixers and micro-reactors), optics (switching devices), fuel cells (gas diffusion channels and gas diffusion layer), micropower generation, microturbines, etc. Therefore, it is crucial for U.S. scientists and engineers to participate in activities that foster collaboration and exchanging of new ideas in these important areas. This NSF grant will provide support for post-doctoral researchers and recent tenure-track professors. Special emphasis will be placed on soliciting participation from minority and underrepresented groups. The special symposium on Micro and Nanoengineered Surfaces: Transport Phenomena and Thermal Fluid Applications sponsored by the Thermal Transport Processes program at NSF will include a panel discussion, in which a position paper will be written afterwards to help researchers set their research directions.