Field of expertise: water and energy systems, with a focus on physics-based modelling (CFD, thermofluids, thermodynamics) combined with machine-learning acceleration and data-driven surrogates for design, monitoring, and control.
Ongoing projects: task leader in bi0SpaCE (Horizon Europe); WP leader and co-supervisor on two Industrial PhD projects with Grundfos (Innovation Fund Denmark), on pump hydraulics and on vacuum degassing of heating systems; system-level modelling and techno-economic assessment in a direct air capture project (Novo Nordisk Foundation CORC); hydrodynamics of recirculating aquaculture systems.
Relevant publications: 1. N. Zehtabiyan-Rezaie et al., “Electrohydrodynamic water desalination: Evaluating the productivity and energy consumption”, Desalination, 497(2021) 114768. 2. N. Zehtabiyan-Rezaie et al., “On the evaporation enhancement from saline water due to corona discharge generated EHD flow: A numerical and experimental study”, Int. Comm. in Heat and Mass Transfer, 119(2020) 104988. 3. N. Zehtabiyan-Rezaie et al., “A solar-powered solution for water shortage problem in arid and semi-arid regions in coastal countries”, Sust. Energy Tech. and Assessments, 35(2019) 1-11.
Topic 1. Integrated Monitoring and Assessment for Sustainable Water Management
Topic 3. Smart, Secure and Adaptive Water Infrastructures for Sustainable Water Management
Theme. Digital modelling and control of water treatment and water distribution systems, with an emphasis on reducing their energy demand. The work couples physics-based simulation (CFD, thermofluid and process modelling) with machine-learning surrogates, so that detailed process understanding becomes usable in real time for monitoring, optimisation, and control. Current activity spans membrane separation, pump and flow-system hydraulics, aeration and degassing, and system-level techno-economic assessment.
Contribution offered. Leadership of a modelling and simulation work package: model development, surrogate training, digital twin construction and design optimisation. I can also host PhD and postdoc positions attached to the work and contribute to dissemination.
Partners sought. Experimental and pilot-scale facilities for validation; water utilities, industrial water users or technology providers able to host a demonstration case and share operational data; complementary expertise in membrane materials, water microbiology or sensing; and a coordinator, if the consortium is still forming.
digital modelling, machine-learning-accelerated and hybrid modelling, membrane and separation processes, nature-based solutions, transport phenomena, techno-economic assessment, energy-water nexus.