Lectures given at the 4th Session of the Centro Internazionale Matematico Estivo (C.I.M.E.)

This book is devoted to the presentation of some flow problems in porous media having relevant industrial applications. The main topics covered are: the manufacturing of composite materials, the espresso coffee brewing process, the filtration of liquids through diapers, various questions about flow problems in oil reservoirs and the theory of homogenization. The aim is to show that filtration problems arising in very practical industrial context exhibit interesting and highly nontrivial mathematical aspects. Thus the style of the book is mathematically rigorous, but specifically oriented towards applications, so that it is intended for both applied mathematicians and researchers in various areas of technological interest. The reader is required to have a good knowledge of the classical theory of PDE and basic functional analysis.