vahid.niasar@manchester.ac.uk +44 (0) 161 52 93 082

IMPRES is hiring!

IMPRES is offering PhD and Postdoctorial Research Assistant positions. Self-funded PhD students might be also admitted subject to interview and eligibility review.

Integrated Multiscale
Porous Media Research

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Sharing Solutions for Diverse Problems

The Integrated Multiscale Porous media RESearch (IMPRES) Group, established and led by Prof Dr Vahid Niasar in 2014, delivers engineering solutions to diverse porous media topics from subsurface hydrology and petroleum engineering to reneable energy, fuel cells and batteries. IMPRES group researchers develop computational and experimental techniques to investigate multiphase flow, reactive transport, solid-fluid and fluid-fluid interfaces, and non-classical theories of porous materials to address fundamental problems in science and engineering. Our mission is to enhance the in-depth understanding of fundamental porous media processes as well as to improve the numerical upscaling methods for multi-scale coupled problems. Research portfolio comprises

Expertise:
  • Optical and X-ray imaging of porous materials,
  • Pore-scale modelling using GPU-accelerated pore-network modelling, Lattice-Boltzmann, and Volume-of-Fluid methods,
  • Darcy-scale, reservoir scale modelling and simulations,
  • Physics of porous media, flow and reactive transport in porous media.
Industrial Applications:
  • Subsurface energy engineering,
  • Geological CO2 and hydrogen storage,
  • Reservoir engineering and enhanced oil recovery,
  • Electrochemical energy engineering, e.g., fuel cells and flow batteries,
  • Soil physics and contaminant hydrogeology.
For list of publications please check the google scholar link:

Prof Dr Vahid Niasar

I am a professor of subsurface engineering and porous media physics at the department of Chemical Engineering. I joined the University of Manchester in 2014, after few years of experience in upstream research at Shell Global Solutions in the Netherlands. My research interests and expertise cover diverse topics of multi-phase flow and reactive transport in porous media, hydrogeology and subsurface energy engineering (including geothermal energy, CO2 and hydrogen storage, enhanced oil recovery), flow and transport modelling in electrochemical systems such as PEM fuel cells and redox flow batteries, flow and transport in manufactured porous media such as membranes, filters and catalysts. A summary of my career:

  • Since 2023, President-Elect, Intenational Society of Porous Media (InterPore)
  • Since 2022, Professor, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Manchester, UK.
  • Since 2021, Deputy Head of Research, School of Engineering, University of Manchester, UK.
  • Since 2021, Director of Subsurface Energy Engineering MSc Programme, University of Manchester, UK.
  • 2020- 2022, Reader, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Manchester, UK.
  • 2018- 2020, Senior Lecturer, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Manchester, UK.
  • 2014- 2018, Lecturer, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Manchester, UK.
  • 2011- 2014, Research Reservoir Engineer, Shell, The Netherlands.

Expertise and Facilities

Development of advanced computational and experimental methods to characterise and simulate processes in porous materials, application of porous media physics to subsurface processes and engineering applications.

Pore-network modelling

In-house development of GPU-accelerated pore-network models for simulating single-phase flow, two-phase flow, reactive transport (coupled with PHREEQC), electrochemical transport, non-Newtonian fluids flow through porous materials. Applied for various subsurface engineering projects, e.g., CCS, EOR, Hydrogen storage as well as electrochemcial devices such as PEM fuel cells and redox flow batteries.

Lattice-Boltzmann modelling

In-house development of GPU-accelerated lattice-Boltzmann models for simulating single-phase flow, two-phase flow, reactive transport (coupled with PHREEQC), wettability alteration in porous materials. Applied for various subsurface engineering projects, e.g., CCS, EOR, Hydrogen storage.

Optical microscopy and micromodels

Design and fabrication of PDMS micromodels, high-pressure and high-temperature glas micromodel experiments, advanced optical microscopy that allows optical visulation with the aspect ratio of 5:1, with the optical resolution of 1.7 micrometer per pixel.

microCT X-ray imaging

3D and 4D X-ray imaging of processes in porous materials using the in-house Henry-Moseley X-ray imaging facilities as well as Diamond Light Source.

Fluids characterisation

Characterisation of fluids rheology, interfacial tension, contact angle measurement, zeta potential, and particle size distribution.

Core-flooding experiments

High-pressure and high-temeprature of core-flooding experiments in tri-axial cells for subsurface applications.

Our Team

Prof Dr Vahid Niasar

Team Lead

Dr Mehrdad Vasheghani

Post-Doctoral Research Associate

Javad Shokri

Research Associate

Amna Al-Qenae

PhD student

Farzaneh Nazari

PhD student

Grace Esu-Ejemot Aquah

PhD student

Ehsan Vahabzadeh

PhD student

Tongke Zhou

PhD student

Shanshan Zhou

Visiting PhD student

Sina Omrani

PhD student

Saleh Mohammadrezaei

PhD student

Research Portfolio

Our research portfolio covers a wide range of techniques, applications at various physical scales from pore to continuum and reservoir scale. Some of the key research areas are covered here.

Subsurface Renewable Energy and Storage

Fuel Cells and Batteries

Enhanced Oil Recovery

Soil and Groundwater

Fundamentals of Two-phase Flow and Transport

Non-Newtonian Fluid Flow in Porous Media

Funders and Industrial Clients

Intense collaboration with energy industries, funding acquisition from UKRI and industries.

Publications

List of full publications can be found in the google scholar of Prof Vahid Niasar, link: .

Testimonial of IMPRES alumni

Since 2014, I had the opportunity to collaborate with several talented PhD students and PDRA staff in IMPRES group.

The three years that I spent working with Prof. Niasar and the IMPRES group and the later continuous collaborative work, have been a pure pleasure on all levels. Serious scientific work is being done, including collaborations with renowned (inter-)national partners, in combination with a social and friendly environment, promoting all aspects of a professional well-being.

Dr Nikolaos Karadimitriou

Former PDRA during 2014-2017; now Senior Research Fellow at the University of Stuttgart

A collaborative, supportive environment with culture of curiosity and adventuring in the unknown with enthusiasm. It was a nice mix of science and socials.

Dr Rimsha Aziz

Former PhD student during 2015-2018; now reservoir engineer in TOTAL energies

During my time in IMPRES, I had the opportunity to improve my skills, develop new ones under Prof. Vahid Niasar’s supervision. I was part of a highly talented team with a wide array of different skills and a keen eye for quality research.

Dr Omar Emmanuel Godinez Brizuela

Former MPhil and PhD student during 2015-2020; now post-doctoral researcher in NTNU

The experience in IMPRES group was great and eye-opening, and the chance to go to the Diamond Light Source twice was a cherished moment. Above all, the word of wisdom that I gain throughout my PhD journey is ‘Understand the subject matter and never memorize’

Dr Sharul Nizam Hasan

Former PhD student during 2016-2020, now assistant Professor in UTM

As a post-doc, IMPRES was where I transitioned from being a research student to an independent academic starting a faculty position a year after my PhD. Along the way we produced excellent soil sustainability research working with groups across the North Sea.

Dr Daniel Magnone

Former postdoctoral researcher during 2017-2018; now Deputy Head of Life and Environmental Sciences (Geography) at University of Lincoln

Being part of the collaborative modelling group enhanced my exploratory research into novel concepts for predicting polymer electrolyte fuel cell performance. The connections I developed here have had long lasting impact on my career going forward.

Dr Daniel Niblett

Former PhD student during 2017-2021; now PDRA with Newcastle University

During my time at IMPRES as a PhD student I had the chance to work on both modelling and experimental aspects of flow and transport in porous media. I really enjoyed IMPRES dynamic, friendly, supportive, and collaborative environment.

Dr Hamidreza Erfani

Former PhD student during 2017-2020; now reservoir engineer at Equinor

Being a part of IMPRES group is a fantastic and impressive experience. I would like to extend my sincere thanks to all group members, especially Professor Vahid Niasar, for their solid support.

Dr Senyou An

Former PhD student during 2018-2021; now postdoctoral researcher at Imperial College of London

I spent two years in IMPRES group. During this time, I published in reputable journals and improved my research skills a lot. I would thank Prof Niasar for his leadership and huge support. I would also cherish the happy memories with the colleagues. I wish that I could always be in IMPRES.

Dr Yongqiang Chen

Former PDRA during 2019-2021, now Assistant Professor

In the IMPRES group, I did a microfluidic visualisation experiment as part of my PhD research. These investigations assisted me in gaining a fundamental understanding of the flow of polymeric non-Newtonian fluids at the pore scale and enhancing the numerical approach.

Dr Takshak Shende

Former PhD student during 2019-2022; Now PDRA at University of Manchester

Contact Us

Please note the postal address is different than the visiting address.

Postal Address

Prof Vahid Niasar, Department of Chemical Engineering, Oxford Road, M13 9PL, Manchester, UK

Visiting Address

Department of Chemical Engineering, MECD Engineering Building A, Booth Street East, M13 9SS, Manchester, UK