Microfluidics
presents an unprecedented opportunity to understand
fluid properties and phase measurements at extreme conditions relevant
to energy applications. Since the 1950s, when a simple micromodel
system was built to visualize fluid behavior in porous media, microfluidics
has matured and has been adapted to help address the biggest fluid
challenges within the energy industry. Modern microfluidic systems
are robust at high temperatures and pressures and can provide phase
property analyses competitive with the most established bulk methods.
In contrast to bulk methods, microfluidic approaches offer advantages
in speed, cost, control, and sample size. Here, we review and highlight
the past and present of microfluidic-based fluid analysis and look
ahead to future applications and the opportunity presented by the
energy sector transition ahead.
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