Industrial Mathematics Group

Unifying scientific disciplines to understand and solve emerging membrane filtration challenges, 9-11 January 2017

Organizers: Ian Griffiths & Sourav Mondal (Oxford), Davide Mattia & Darrell Patterson (Bath)

Objectives

Filtration science has reached a stage where independent research in any one scientific discipline is inadequate to advance the field. Presently research can be broadly categorized into three main areas: Molecular Dynamics that simulates the behaviour on the microscale; continuum modelling of large-scale filter behaviour for field implementation; and experimentation, which explores new material behaviour and offers understanding of real-life behaviour. The next stage of advances requires unification of these areas, to enable the development of new practical tools for discovery and optimization. This workshop will bring together world leaders, mid-career researchers and early-career researchers from the three respective disciplines who have not had the opportunity to interact with one another before.

Six cutting-edge topics in membrane science will be focused on, all of which demand the three distinct disciplines in order to make the next generation of advances:

• New membranes for the future
• Molecular simulations
• Process modelling
• Membrane characterization
• Experiment and modelling for porosity-graded filters
• Fluid transport modelling

Venue, accommodation and travel

• The workshop will take place at Chicheley Hall, Chicheley Road, Milton Keynes, MK16 9JJ. Participants will also stay here for the duration of the workshop.
• All Accommodation costs, travel and subsistence will be provided for participants during the event.
• For those arriving at Heathrow, one option is to take the National Express coach from Heathrow to Milton Keynes coachway, and then take a taxi from here.

Schedule

(Click names for abstracts.)

Monday 9 January

19:30: Arrival. Informal discussions and getting-to-know-you event over drinks and light buffet.
20:30: Informal presentation. Ian Griffiths. Introduction and workshop objectives.

Tuesday 10 January

07:30-08:30: Breakfast.

Session 1: New membranes for the future (Leads: Davide Mattia & Darrell Patterson)

9:00-9:30: Georges Belfort: Can we emulate nature's exquisite selectivity for water, ions and proteins?
9:30-10:00: Andrew G. Livingston: Stability, Selectivity and Permeance - Where to for OSN?
10:00-10:25: Davide Mattia: Predicting permeability in nanotube membranes.
10:25-10:50: Darrell Patterson: Tunable molecular separation and in-situ fouling control using smart polyaniline membranes.

10:50-11:15: Coffee and preliminary discussions.

Session 2: Molecular Simulations (Lead: Jason Reese)

11:15-11:45: Jason Reese: Water flow in nanotubes: hybrid multiscale simulation for future membrane design.
11:45-12:15: Erich Muller: Multiscale molecular simulations of the formation and structure of polyamide membranes created by interfacial polymerization.

12:15-13:15: Focus Groups in parallel on Sessions 1 and 2.

13:15-14:15: Lunch and continued discussion.

Session 3: Process Modelling (Lead: Ian Griffiths)

14:15-14:40. Peter Stewart: Network models for filtration simulation.
14:40-15:05: Ian Griffiths. Filtration and separation science research in Oxford.
15:05-15:30: Sourav Mondal: Simultaneous adsorption and diffusion in membrane separation of liquid stream.

15:30-16:00: Coffee and discussion.

16:00-18:00: Focus Group on Session 3. Continued discussions on Sessions 1 and 2.

19:00-20:00: Dinner.

20:00: Continued discussion on all Focus Groups.

Wednesday 11 January

07:30-08:30: Breakfast.

Session 4: Membrane characterization (Lead: Guy Ramon)

9:00-9:30: Suzana P. Nunes: Modeling, visualization and membrane development.
9:30-9:55: Guy Ramon: Connecting the dots: membrane formation-morphology-performance studied with simplified models and microfluidic platforms.
9:55-10:20: Matthias Wessling: Designing membrane processes across length-scale.

10:20-10:50: Coffee and preliminary discussions.

Session 5: Experiment and modelling for porosity-graded filters (Lead: Maria Bruna)

10:50-11:15: Peichun Amy Tsai: Nano- and micro-fluidic platforms for membrane applications.
11:15-11:40: Maria Bruna: Multiscale modelling in separation processes: particle interactions, homogenization and the role of gradients.

11:40-13:00: Focus Groups in parallel on Sessions 4 and 5.

13:00-14:00: Lunch and continued discussion.

Session 6: Fluid Transport Modelling (Lead: Zhong Zheng)

14:00-14:30: Francesco Calabro: Modelling flow slip: how to translate the effects of solid-liquid interaction at the nanoscale to a continuous model.
14:30-14:55: Zhong Zheng: Fluid-structure interaction problems in the viscous limit.

15:00 - 15:20: Focus Group on Session 6 with Coffee 15:20-15:50.

16:00-17:00: Closing remarks and discussion of the way forward. Discussing the future direction in how membrane science must blend polymer chemistry, environmental science, molecular science, surface science, transport process, porous material science and fluid flow technologies in order to advance.