Research Area A

Research Area A focuses on the development of experimental methods designed to obtain fundamental understanding about the mutual interaction of transport and wetting processes (Aim 1 ). Generic experiments are used, from which results are applicable to a broad range of applications. In these experiments special emphasis is placed on well controlled boundary conditions, and typically high spatial and temporal resolution of the measurement quantities are necessary.

While standard measurement techniques such as thermocouples, pressure sensors and high-speed visualization will be employed, more advanced techniques must also be developed and refined for certain purposes, for instance infrared thermography, particle image velocimetry, confocal microscopy or nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) (Aim 3 ).

Exploratory projects are planned in which an attempt will be made to measure the mass transfer at the three-phase contact line using Raman spectroscopy and NMR. Furthermore, in Research Area A a multitude of diverse fluids will be used in order to cover a wide dimensionless parameter space. The results obtained in Research Area A are essential for the model development and validation of numerical simulations foreseen in Research Area B , and for a fundamental understanding of phenomena encountered in Research Area C .

The overall collaborative goal of the projects in Research Area A is a deeper physical insight into the processes and mechanisms involved in the interaction of transport and wetting phenomena (Aim 1 ). These then form the basis for improvement and/or optimization of practical applications (Aim 4 )

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