Interface Fluidics, 11421 Saskatchewan Dr. NW, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
Lab Chip. 2017 Aug 8;17(16):2740-2759. doi: 10.1039/c7lc00301c.
Microfluidic systems that leverage unique micro-scale phenomena have been developed to provide rapid, accurate and robust analysis, predominantly for biomedical applications. These attributes, in addition to the ability to access high temperatures and pressures, have motivated recent expanded applications in phase measurements relevant to industrial CO, oil and gas applications. We here present a comprehensive review of this exciting new field, separating microfluidic and nanofluidic approaches. Microfluidics is practical, and provides similar phase properties analysis to established bulk methods with advantages in speed, control and sample size. Nanofluidic phase behaviour can deviate from bulk measurements, which is of particular relevance to emerging unconventional oil and gas production from nanoporous shale. In short, microfluidics offers a practical, compelling replacement of current bulk phase measurement systems, whereas nanofluidics is not practical, but uniquely provides insight into phase change phenomena at nanoscales. Challenges, trends and opportunities for phase measurements at both scales are highlighted.
微流控系统利用独特的微尺度现象，已经被开发出来用于提供快速、准确和稳健的分析，主要是用于生物医学应用。除了能够接触高温和高压的能力之外，这些特性还激发了最近在与工业 CO、石油和天然气应用相关的相测量方面的扩展应用。在这里，我们全面回顾了这个令人兴奋的新领域，将微流控和纳流控方法分开。微流控是实用的，它提供了与已建立的体相方法类似的相性质分析，具有速度、控制和样品尺寸方面的优势。纳流控的相行为可能与体相测量不同，这对于新兴的非常规石油和天然气从纳米多孔页岩中的开采尤其重要。简而言之，微流控为当前的体相测量系统提供了一种实用的、引人注目的替代方案，而纳流控虽然不实用，但却能独特地提供对纳米尺度相变现象的深入了解。强调了在这两个尺度上进行相测量的挑战、趋势和机会。
