Leading experts provide a timely overview of the key developments in the physics, chemistry and uses of magnetorheological fluids.

This book reflects changes that have occurred during the last two decades in theoretical understanding and practical implementation of magnetic techniques in materials treatment. Research and development needs, based on the current strategic thinking and on principles of sustainable development are outlined. Development of magnetic separators based on powerful permanent magnetic materials, construction of reliable superconducting separators, design of efficient eddy-current separators and industrial implementation of magnetic carriers and magnetic fluids are examples of innovative changes that have taken place during the last twenty years. The book reflects the current technological trends and re-positions the research, development and practice of magnetic methods of material treatment in such areas as minerals beneficiation, recycling, waste treatment and biomedical and clinical applications.

Micro process engineering is approaching both academia and industry. With the provision of micro devices, systems and whole plants by commercial suppliers, one main barrier for using these units has been eliminated. This book focuses on processes and their plants rather than on devices: what is 'before', 'behind' and 'around' micro device fabrication - and gives a comprehensive and detailed overview on the micro-reactor plants and three topic-class applications which are mixing, fuel processing, and catalyst screening. Thus, the book reflects the current level of development from 'micro-reactor design' to 'micro-reactor process design'.

Seldom does a physical system, particularly one as apparently simple as the flow of a Newtonian fluid between concentric rotating cylinders, retain the interest of scientists, applied mathematicians and engineers for very long. Yet, as this volume goes to press it has been nearly 70 years since G. I. Taylor's outstanding experimental and theoretical study of the linear stability of this flow was published, and a century since the first experiments were performed on rotating cylinder viscometers. Since then, the study of this system has progressed enormously, but new features of the flow patterns are still being uncovered. Interesting variations on the basic system abound. Connections with open flows are being made. More complex fluids are used in some experiments. The vigor of the research going on in this particular example of nonequilibrium systems was very apparent at the NATO Advanced Research Workshop on "Ordered and Turbulent Patterns in Taylor Couette Flow," held in Columbus, Ohio, USA May 22-24, 1991. A primary goal of this ARW was to bring together those interested in pattern formation in the classic Taylor Couette problem with those looking at variations on the basic system and with those interested in related systems, in order to better define the interesting areas for the future, the open questions, and the features common (and not common) to closed and open systems. This volume contains many of the contributions presented during the workshop.

Cilia are tiny hairs covering biological cells to generate and sense fluid flow. Millions of years of evolution have inspired a novel technology which is barely a decade old. Artificial cilia have been developed to control and sense fluid flow in microscopic systems, presenting new and interesting options for flow control in lab-on-a-chip devices. This appealing link between nature and technology has seen rapid development in the last few years, and this book presents a review of the state-of-the-art in the form of a professional reference book. The editors have pioneered the field, having initiated a major European project on this topic soon after its inception. Active researchers in academia and industry will benefit from the comprehensive nature of this book, while postgraduates and those new to the field will gain a clear understanding of the theory, techniques and applications of artificial cilia.

Accompanying DVD-ROM contains ... "all chapters of the Springer Handbook."--Page 3 of cover.