As of 2008, AOES is involved in the FP7 ITN project.

The goal of the project is to train PhD students and post-docs. More details can be found at the following address:
http://www.microfluidique.insa-toulouse.fr/gasmems.htm

Gas flows in microsystems are of great interest for various applications that touches upon almost every industrial field. This diversity is typified through the following examples: fluidic microactuators for active control of aerodynamic flows, vacuum generators for extracting biological samples, mass flow and temperature micro-sensors, pressure gauges, micro heat-exchangers for the cooling of electronic components or for chemical applications, micropumps and microsystems for mixing or separation for local gas analysis, mass spectrometers, vacuum and dosing valves.

The main characteristic of gas microflows is their rarefaction, the level of which often requires a modeling both by continuum and kinetic approaches. The role played by the interaction between the gas and the wall becomes essential and this is rarely known. Numerical models of the interaction are currently in confrontation and require an empirical adjustment that is strongly depending on the micro manufacturing techniques. On the other hand, the experimental data are fragmentary and difficult to gather. Most of the times, heat transfer and gas mixtures issues are not properly addressed.

The GASMEMS network has been built from several existing collaborations within bilateral programs, from scientific collaborations and national networks. However, there was no global coordination of the research efforts in the field of gas microflows at the European level.

Therefore, the two primary objectives of this ITN project are:

• to structure research in Europe in the field of micro gas flows improving global fundamental knowledge and enabling technological applications at an industrial and commercial level;

• to train ESR (Early Stage Researchers - PhD Researchers) and ER (Experienced Researchers - Post-doctoral Researchers) at a pan-European level, with the aim to provide both a global overview of challenges linked to gas flow and heat transfer in microsystems and advanced skills in specific domains of this research field.