Communication through complex media: a novel interdisciplinary paradigm to bridge information theory and multiscale flow and transport theory.

A variety of industrial applications are faced with challenges in understanding and control reactive transport processes in complex heterogeneous media. In particular, the Oil&Gas and renewable energy sector strongly relies on the modelling and simulation of multiscale porous materials, as well as complex downstream refining and chemical processing operations. Extracting valuable data and information from these systems for monitoring and control is crucial to ensure safety and increase efficiencies. Networks of nano-sensors for embedded sensing and actuation are currently being developed and tested to this aim.
However, the design of robust and optimal communication strategies, in presence of complex transport phenomena and harsh environments remains challenging. New communication paradigms, such as the nature-inspired molecular communication, have been developed to study the communication content of chemical simple advection-diffusion processes. However, we currently have no understanding of the potential for communication of more complex transport models.
The goal of the project is, therefore, to develop the mathematical basis of an information theoretical framework for transport of particles and waves in complex multiscale environments.
Fluid dynamics model suitable for modelling the transport of solutes and particles in realistic porous media will be developed and studied analytically and numerically, by quantifying communication-relevant quantities of interest. The communication channel can be then optimised varying controlling physicochemical parameters and different signal encoding. This will be applied to nanoparticle technologies application thanks to the collaboration of TOTAL.