


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.
- 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.
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 studentResearch 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.
Funders and Industrial Clients
Intense collaboration with energy industries, funding acquisition from UKRI and industries.
Testimonial of IMPRES alumni
Since 2014, I had the opportunity to collaborate with several talented PhD students and PDRA staff in IMPRES group.
Contact Us
Please note the postal address is different than the visiting address.