Fundamental questions about liquids
He started at the University of Twente as a lecturer, but was soon drawn to research. As a professor in the Physics of Fluids group, Devaraj van der Meer now studies granular materials that behave like a liquid when dry or in suspension, and the behavior of bubbles and liquids, especially at their boiling point.
Although Van der Meer works in the Physics of Fluids group, he has a great deal of expertise in the field of dry, granular materials. Solids that is, which may sound strange, but actually isn’t. “A material like sand is mobile and flows like a liquid, for example when it flows through a funnel,” he says. “But unlike a liquid, such a granular material sometimes forms clusters, especially when there is a small amount of moisture between the grains.”
Van der Meer studies such clusters, as well as the behavior of sand that is completely surrounded by liquid, or how a single drop falls on dry sand and mixes with it. “Although we try to understand the behavior of sand and liquid very fundamentally, I think it is important that what we do is also applicable,” says Van der Meer. “We always look at what is happening from a physics point of view, but aim to eventually solve real problems. For example, what we learn from our experiments provides the building blocks and knowledge for new solutions to improve the absorption of water in soil that is too dry.”
In 2019 Van der Meer received a Vici grant from NWO to study the impact behavior of liquids near their boiling point. “The physics of these liquids is extremely interesting, but it is also very relevant,” he says. “During container transport of LNG, the contents of the containers often start to slosh, which may have detrimental impact on the container walls.”
For their experiments, Van de Meer and his colleagues often use scale models and liquids with similar properties to LNG, but with a boiling point closer to room temperature. “We are very keen on integrating experiments, numerical analysis and theory, so that we can actually translate our findings to the situation in practice,” he says. “What we are learning about LNG is also relevant for liquid hydrogen, for example, of which the boiling point is even lower. With the production of hydrogen, the behavior of bubbles is important too, because during electrolysis gas bubbles form at the electrodes, which block the electrolysis process. We are also investigating this together with other colleagues within the Physics of Fluids group.”
Education
Devaraj van der Meer started his career at the University of Twente as a lecturer at the Institute for Physics Education, which made him involved in teaching and coordinating several subjects in the curriculum of the Applied Physics program for many years.
As a researcher, Van der Meer continues to be involved in education, although his role is now often more organizational. He is the discipline chair of Applied Physics and coordinates one of the modules in the Bachelor's program. He also supervises Master's students and PhD students in their projects.
“All work that has my name on it, has actually been done by a whole team of mostly young people who work hard and achieve great results,” says Van der Meer. “It's great to see them grow. I am extremely proud when I see how our PhD students and postdocs find their place in the world where they do beautiful and useful work.”
About Devaraj van der Meer
After studying physics in Leiden, where he graduated in theoretical high energy physics, Devaraj van der Meer briefly rolled into a career in the advertising world. However, physics continued to attract and after completing the teacher training course at the University of Twente, he stayed to work there as a teacher and researcher. Van der Meer obtained his PhD on dry granular matter in 2004 in the Physics of Fluids group, where he was appointed as professor of physics of granular matter and interstitial fluids in 2012. He received both a Vici and a Vidi grant from NWO and was selected as a fellow of the prestigious American Physical Society in 2022.
Press photos
These press photos can be used, please include the name of the photographer, Fokke Eenhoorn.