Microfluidics Lab

The Microfluidics Laboratory develops micro- and milli-scale flow technologies for intensified and sustainable chemical processing. We combine experimental investigations with computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to study single- and multiphase flows, mixing, reaction engineering, heat and mass transfer, and flow distribution in miniaturized reactors.

Our primary goal is to transform micro- and milli-reactor technologies from laboratory-scale concepts into reliable, scalable, and industry-ready systems for applications across the chemical, petrochemical, pharmaceutical, energy, biofuel, and environmental sectors.

Research Focus

A central research theme is the design of single- and multiphase distributors that ensure uniform flow across parallel micro- and milli-channels. This addresses a major challenge in the numbering-up of microreactors: increasing throughput without compromising the transport, mixing, safety, and process-control advantages that make these systems attractive.

Research areas and projects include:

  • Sustainable maleic anhydride production through the selective oxidation of n-butane, in collaboration with Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL)
  • Swiss Collaborative Project on Micro/Milli-Fluidic Reactor Design and Scale-out, with Haute école d’ingénierie et d’architecture Fribourg (HEIA-FR), Switzerland; the collaboration involves Prof. Ludovic Gremaud (HEIA-FR), Prof. Subhabrata Sen, and Dr. V. M. Rajesh (SNIoE)
  • Continuous biodiesel synthesis and upgrading in milli-reactors
  • Visible-light-induced degradation of 1,4-dioxane in contaminated water
  • Conversion of waste-derived feedstocks into value-added fuels and chemicals
  • Development of structured reactors, catalytic flow systems, and advanced distributor geometries
  • Numbering-up and scale-out of micro- and milli-reactors for industrial implementation

Facilities

The Microfluidics Laboratory comprises dedicated experimental and computational facilities. The experimental laboratory includes high-speed imaging systems, precision syringe pumps, mass-flow controllers, multi-wavelength LED-based photochemical reactor systems, and continuous-flow micro- and milli-reactor setups for biodiesel synthesis. It also houses instruments for measuring the viscosity and density of working fluids.

A separate CFD Computational Laboratory is equipped with high-performance multicore workstations for computationally intensive flow simulations and reactor modeling. ANSYS Fluent, COMSOL Multiphysics, and OpenFOAM are used for flow visualization, multiphase-flow analysis, reactor design, optimization, numbering-up, and scale-up.

Through fundamental research, industry collaboration, and student-led innovation, the laboratory works to bridge the gap between bench-scale discovery and industrial implementation, enabling cleaner, safer, and more efficient chemical-processing technologies.

Location: D113A
Faculty-in-Charge: Dr. V. M. Rajesh