Finite element methods for multuphase flow in microscales

This doctoral research project aims the study of finite element methods discretized in dynamic meshes in order to simulate fluid-solid interaction and multiphase flow phenomena, particularly flows involving phenomena that are most significant in microfluidic and biofluidic applications. The equations that model multiphase flow will be treated in an arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian framework, when required, with several types of boundary conditions at the interfaces, depending on the nature of the phases. The numerical challenges found in this application range from the correct representation of the interface between fluids, passing through geometric challenges in the maintainability of the computer mesh, to the challenges posed by microscales. Special attention is given to squimer models, by means of a general formulation of the swimming problem as well as the steps to transform a standard fluid-solid model to a squirming model. (AU)