Multiphase flows characterize numerous engineering applications, both in industrial contexts (fluid transport in pipelines, filtration systems, production of insulation materials based on rock wool) and in fields such as biomedical engineering (infusion catheters) and aerospace engineering (propulsion systems for micro-satellites). They are also of fundamental importance in many environmental processes, such as the dispersion of microplastics in the ocean or the atmosphere, the exchange of carbon dioxide at the atmosphere–ocean interface, and the geological sequestration of carbon dioxide and hydrogen.
The Department of Multiphase Fluid Dynamics (DFM) has long been active in the multiscale characterization of multiphase flows, in close collaboration with industrial partners, public institutions, and international research networks. The primary objective of the DFM is to combine state-of-the-art numerical and experimental techniques to improve the physical understanding of mass, momentum, and heat transport phenomena, using the acquired knowledge to develop reliable and accurate predictive models.
Some applications recently investigated by the DFM are:
1. Production of rock wool–based insulation materials – Since 2025, the DFM has been collaborating with the Rockwool group on a research project aimed at optimizing the production processes of rock wool–based insulation materials. In particular, the project studies the melting phase of basaltic rock, which transforms it into small fibers characterized by non-spherical shapes, asymmetric mass distribution, and an (undesirable) tendency to form aggregates. The study focuses on the dispersion dynamics of rock wool fibers and on the mechanisms responsible for aggregate formation.
2. Underground Hydrogen Storage – The DFM coordinates a research project, recently funded by the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region, aimed at characterizing potential sites for underground hydrogen storage and possible reservoirs of geological hydrogen (white hydrogen). The project includes the establishment of a laboratory available to public and private sectors involved in fundamental research, exploration, and applied activities for regional development. The laboratory is equipped with state-of-the-art geophysical instrumentation for the accurate characterization of hydrogen dynamics in porous rocks.
3. Fluid transport in pipelines – Experimental activities are currently underway to characterize friction-reduction mechanisms in fiber suspensions at high Reynolds numbers. Measurements are carried out in an industrial-scale setup for different types of fibers and varying concentrations.
4. Environmental dispersion of microplastics – For several years, the DFM has been conducting cutting-edge research aimed at understanding the physical mechanisms that determine the dispersion dynamics and preferential accumulation of microplastics in oceans and in the atmosphere. The goal of this research is to predict where microplastics tend to accumulate based on their physicochemical properties (e.g., density and stiffness) and geometric characteristics (e.g., shape and length), in order to facilitate their removal and reduce the negative effects (pollution) resulting from their release into the environment.