Hans Kuipers

Hans Kuipers leads the research group Multiscale Modelling of Multiphase Flows. Using highly advanced computer simulations, Kuipers develops accurate models for new chemical reactors in the process industry, allowing the large-scale production of synthetic fuels, fertiliser, laundry soap, polymers and numerous other products.

Over the years the Kuipers group has made seminal contributions to the fundamentals of chemical reaction engineering. The current focus is on two topics:

Multiphase reactors. Here an important area of attention is the development of advanced reactor models for multiphase reactors of industrial relevance. The research focuses on the hydrodynamics since these pose major difficulties in the design and scale-up of multiphase reactors. The study of the interplay of flow phenomena with chemical reactions is also studied. Various types of CFD models (mainly based on “in house” codes) are used to study the relevant phenomena at all relevant length and time scales. This regards both multi-fluid models and models that treat the dispersed phase (particles, bubbles or droplets) in a discrete manner (accounting for possible encounters between the dispersed elements).

Non-invasive monitoring of multiphase flows. This is intimately connected to the first research topic and deals with the development of advanced experimental techniques to measure key quantities (i.e. local volume fractions and velocities of the dispersed and continuous phase). An example is the development of the 'Digital Particle Image Velocimetry' technique to measure in a non-intrusive manner the velocity map of both the liquid phase and dispersed gas bubbles in (dense) gas-liquid dispersions. This type of flow arises in a variety of gas-liquid contactors/reactors.