2018 Nonequilibrium Multiphase Systems Symposium

Nonequilibrium multiphase systems (NEMS) are systems in which particles, droplets, and clusters, are suspended in a background gas, and there are high fluid velocities, high thermal gradients, or high external fields. Examples include but are not limited to dusty plasmas, particle-laden or particle-nucleating supersonic and hypersonic flows, and laser vaporization systems. Interfaces play an important role in NEMS. Many such NEMS are at the forefront in development of next-generation technologies for material processing, energy conversion and storage, transportation, and defense. However, there are considerable challenges in understanding the behavior of NEMS. In nonequilibrium systems, many of the standard assumptions are no longer valid.

Complicating matters, the study of NEMS is highly multidisciplinary, and presentation of results is typically scattered across multiple sub-disciplines of physical science and engineering including plasma sciences, chemical physics, aerosol science, combustion, and gas dynamics. There is a need for improved basic understanding in NEMS, and a need for a forum to present fundamental studies. The purpose of this symposium is to bring together leading researchers across different disciplines where NEMS are encountered. Invitees are requested to focus their presentations on fundamental studies of NEMS behavior, not on the application of NEMS for a desired outcome. The goal of the symposium is to provide a unique venue for researchers from a wide range of fields to share ideas and to identify promising new directions for research.

Systems of interest include particle/droplet/cluster laden flows with:
1) High velocities (e.g. supersonic and hypersonic flows)
2) High gradients (e.g. thermal gradients in chemically reacting flows)
3) High fields (e.g. plasma and laser systems)

Approaches of interest include:
1) Development of advanced measurement techniques for NEMS
2) Use of advanced measurement techniques to gain new insight into NEMS behavior
3) Theory: development of kinetic rate equations and predictive nonequilibrium thermodynamic frameworks that are applicable to NEMS
4) Modeling: the implementation of numerical approaches to describe