Drying sewage sludge using hot oil. The project seeks to investigate and develop an entirely new area of fundamental and applied research involving the process, mechanisms and kinetics of direct dehydration of sewage sludge by fry-drying in hot oil. Frying can be carried out as a drying process, though it not widely recognized or applied in this way, and has consequently not been exploited outside of the traditional food industries. It potentially provides a wide range of significant benefits ....Drying sewage sludge using hot oil. The project seeks to investigate and develop an entirely new area of fundamental and applied research involving the process, mechanisms and kinetics of direct dehydration of sewage sludge by fry-drying in hot oil. Frying can be carried out as a drying process, though it not widely recognized or applied in this way, and has consequently not been exploited outside of the traditional food industries. It potentially provides a wide range of significant benefits for sludge drying, including high efficiency and low costs, and produces a non-offensive product with a high energy value suitable for (renewable) power generation.Read moreRead less
Amelioration strategies to reduce environmental deterioration and agricultural production losses in water repellent regions. Millions of hectares of potentially productive agricultural land in Australia are affected by water-repellency. Water repellency causes non-uniform infiltration of water in soils and promotes surface erosion. Consequently, water repellent soils cannot be satisfactorily used for agricultural production, resulting in production losses of millions of dollars annually. This in ....Amelioration strategies to reduce environmental deterioration and agricultural production losses in water repellent regions. Millions of hectares of potentially productive agricultural land in Australia are affected by water-repellency. Water repellency causes non-uniform infiltration of water in soils and promotes surface erosion. Consequently, water repellent soils cannot be satisfactorily used for agricultural production, resulting in production losses of millions of dollars annually. This investigation is part of a genuine international effort that will develop new procedures to ameliorate water-repellent soils. New and improved mathematical models and decision support tools will also be developed to improve water-repellent land management, reduce environmental risk and minimise agriculture production loss.Read moreRead less
Degradation of Trace Contaminants Using Sonochemistry and Peroxide Scavenging Advanced Oxidation Processes. Sonochemical degradation of hazardous organic compounds in aqueous solution has been examined extensively in recent years and found to be an effective means of waste treatment however the scavenging of hydroxyl radicals by the relatively high concentrations of hydrogen peroxide produced limits the amount of reactive radicals accessible to target molecules. In this project we will investiga ....Degradation of Trace Contaminants Using Sonochemistry and Peroxide Scavenging Advanced Oxidation Processes. Sonochemical degradation of hazardous organic compounds in aqueous solution has been examined extensively in recent years and found to be an effective means of waste treatment however the scavenging of hydroxyl radicals by the relatively high concentrations of hydrogen peroxide produced limits the amount of reactive radicals accessible to target molecules. In this project we will investigate, by both experimental and computational means, options for the regeneration of hydroxyl radicals through use of hydrogen peroxide. Methods of particular interest include use of Fenton's reagent and ozone.Read moreRead less
Novel nitrogen removal process via nitrite in a biofilm system and analysis of microbial community dynamics. Nitrogen removal from wastewater is essential to protect our unique aquatic environment. This removal is typically achieved via two steps: Nitrification converts ammonium via nitrite to nitrate; denitrification converts nitrate via nitrite again to harmless nitrogen gas. This project will develop a biofilm reactor system, which enables this process to run via nitrite only, instead of nitr ....Novel nitrogen removal process via nitrite in a biofilm system and analysis of microbial community dynamics. Nitrogen removal from wastewater is essential to protect our unique aquatic environment. This removal is typically achieved via two steps: Nitrification converts ammonium via nitrite to nitrate; denitrification converts nitrate via nitrite again to harmless nitrogen gas. This project will develop a biofilm reactor system, which enables this process to run via nitrite only, instead of nitrate. Savings of 40% carbon and 25% oxygen requirements are possible this way. This process has not yet been demonstrated under controlled conditions, but recent progress in the research groups in Australia and Korea now offer novel ways to accomplish this promising process.Read moreRead less