Machine Learning and Shape Optimisation of Fluid-Structure Interactions. This project aims to address vibrations of solid structures by utilising a combination of advanced experimental and computational methods. This project expects to generate new knowledge in the area of flow-induced vibrations utilising the new techniques of machine learning and evolutionary shape optimisation. Expected outcomes of this project include greatly accelerated discovery of mechanisms leading to structural vibratio ....Machine Learning and Shape Optimisation of Fluid-Structure Interactions. This project aims to address vibrations of solid structures by utilising a combination of advanced experimental and computational methods. This project expects to generate new knowledge in the area of flow-induced vibrations utilising the new techniques of machine learning and evolutionary shape optimisation. Expected outcomes of this project include greatly accelerated discovery of mechanisms leading to structural vibrations and optimising structure geometries to either enhance or suppress the vibrations. This should provide significant benefits, such as the design strategies for improved energy harvesters, such as current oscillators, or more stable structures, such as platforms for offshore wind turbines.
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Advanced Combustion Modelling for Scramjets and Rotating Detonation Engines. This project will develop new fundamental knowledge and engineering models underpinning air-breathing high speed propulsion engines employing complex hydrocarbon fuels. Extensive data and new physical understanding will be garnered through analysis of direct numerical simulations of supersonic reacting mixing layers including impinging shock waves. That data will be employed to isolate, test and develop computationally ....Advanced Combustion Modelling for Scramjets and Rotating Detonation Engines. This project will develop new fundamental knowledge and engineering models underpinning air-breathing high speed propulsion engines employing complex hydrocarbon fuels. Extensive data and new physical understanding will be garnered through analysis of direct numerical simulations of supersonic reacting mixing layers including impinging shock waves. That data will be employed to isolate, test and develop computationally efficient engineering models that are accurate and efficient for high speed combustion in rotating detonation engines and scramjets. Expected outcomes are knowledge and tools needed to develop practical and effective supersonic propulsion engines for access to space, defence and high speed point-to-point flight.
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Enhancing passive cooling using flexible baffles. The project aims to develop a novel passive strategy using fluid-structure-thermal interactions to enhance passive cooling by natural convection and improve the energy efficiency of engineering systems. Comparing to the existing strategies, the new strategy does not require driving fan or pump and is quiet, reliable, self-adaptive and economical. The Multiphysics embodied in the proposal is at the leading edge of the field. Expected outcomes incl ....Enhancing passive cooling using flexible baffles. The project aims to develop a novel passive strategy using fluid-structure-thermal interactions to enhance passive cooling by natural convection and improve the energy efficiency of engineering systems. Comparing to the existing strategies, the new strategy does not require driving fan or pump and is quiet, reliable, self-adaptive and economical. The Multiphysics embodied in the proposal is at the leading edge of the field. Expected outcomes include advanced understanding of the complex Multiphysics and design rules for enhancing passive cooling by natural convection using flexible baffles. The research is expected to bring direct economic benefit to relevant industry and significant environmental and social benefit to the general public.Read moreRead less
Large Scale Natural Convection Boundary Layers with Non-Boussinesq Effects. This proposal aims to understand and predict heat transfer by turbulent natural convection in two scenarios, firstly at very large environmental scales, such as occur on melting Antarctic ice sheets, and secondly convection involving very large temperature differences such as occur in solar thermal power plants and industrial processes. These natural convection flow regimes are incredibly difficult to investigate directl ....Large Scale Natural Convection Boundary Layers with Non-Boussinesq Effects. This proposal aims to understand and predict heat transfer by turbulent natural convection in two scenarios, firstly at very large environmental scales, such as occur on melting Antarctic ice sheets, and secondly convection involving very large temperature differences such as occur in solar thermal power plants and industrial processes. These natural convection flow regimes are incredibly difficult to investigate directly but by focusing on the fundamental dynamics of the turbulent flows using large scale numerical simulations and innovative experiments, the project is expected to develop better analytical and computational models which will underpin improvements in
global ocean models and improve energy efficiency.Read moreRead less
Engineered interlayers of bio-retardant and nano-reinforcement on polymers. This project will address the important need for a highly effective lightweight coating. Different interlayers of bio-retardants derive from organic compounds and two-dimensional sheet-like nanomaterials are fabricated to enhance the charring, thermal barrier and flammability resistance. Molecular dynamics are adopted to deliver more targeted fabrication to achieve increased efficacy of the engineered interlayers and pro ....Engineered interlayers of bio-retardant and nano-reinforcement on polymers. This project will address the important need for a highly effective lightweight coating. Different interlayers of bio-retardants derive from organic compounds and two-dimensional sheet-like nanomaterials are fabricated to enhance the charring, thermal barrier and flammability resistance. Molecular dynamics are adopted to deliver more targeted fabrication to achieve increased efficacy of the engineered interlayers and provide important insights on the combustibility of polymers undergoing mass diffusivity, thermal diffusion and oxidation process at high temperatures. Expected outcomes of the project are lightweight coated polymers possessing elevated resistance to fire with a significant reduction of toxic gas emissions and smoke releases. Read moreRead less
The Fluid-Particle Mechanics of a Synthetic Jet-based Dry Powder Inhaler. This project aims to untangle the fundamental principles that govern the fluid mechanics and particulate interactions in a novel concept chip-based micro-zero-net-mass-flux (micro-ZNMF) jet-assisted dry powder inhaler (DPI). Respiratory diseases affect 6.2 million Australians. The treatment of these diseases is hampered by the poor efficiency of current delivery systems, with conventional DPI devices exhibiting sub-optimum ....The Fluid-Particle Mechanics of a Synthetic Jet-based Dry Powder Inhaler. This project aims to untangle the fundamental principles that govern the fluid mechanics and particulate interactions in a novel concept chip-based micro-zero-net-mass-flux (micro-ZNMF) jet-assisted dry powder inhaler (DPI). Respiratory diseases affect 6.2 million Australians. The treatment of these diseases is hampered by the poor efficiency of current delivery systems, with conventional DPI devices exhibiting sub-optimum performance, delivering typically less than 20% of the loaded dose to the target site, the lungs. The new fundamental knowledge resulting from this research will enable the engineering of a high-efficiency groundbreaking DPI, with the potential to be fully adaptive user-specific benefiting millions of Australians. Read moreRead less
Gravity Current Driven Smoke Dispersion In a Stratified Ambient. Smoke from bushfires transported by gravity currents, and known to occur nationwide, caused the shutdown of businesses, education and events in Canberra in 2019. Recent scientific investigations have shown that the speed of propagation and concentration of smoke in these three-dimensional gravity currents have a long term ‘memory’ of their initial configuration. In this project, high-fidelity computational and experimental techniq ....Gravity Current Driven Smoke Dispersion In a Stratified Ambient. Smoke from bushfires transported by gravity currents, and known to occur nationwide, caused the shutdown of businesses, education and events in Canberra in 2019. Recent scientific investigations have shown that the speed of propagation and concentration of smoke in these three-dimensional gravity currents have a long term ‘memory’ of their initial configuration. In this project, high-fidelity computational and experimental techniques will be used to elucidate the fundamental mechanisms of gravity current entrainment and propagation. This knowledge will set a strong foundation to improve operational forecasts of smoke transport that will allow government agencies to better respond to the negative impact of these complicated flows.Read moreRead less
Wall turbulence control: beyond the canonical smooth wall case. This project aims to fill a critical knowledge gap in the area of wall turbulence by investigating how a rough wall turbulent boundary layer responds to changes, such as wall suction and blowing. The economic and environmental costs caused by the roughening of surfaces on moving vehicles is staggering in the transport industry (roads, rails, air and sea) and ultimately for Australia. This project will generate new knowledge to ascer ....Wall turbulence control: beyond the canonical smooth wall case. This project aims to fill a critical knowledge gap in the area of wall turbulence by investigating how a rough wall turbulent boundary layer responds to changes, such as wall suction and blowing. The economic and environmental costs caused by the roughening of surfaces on moving vehicles is staggering in the transport industry (roads, rails, air and sea) and ultimately for Australia. This project will generate new knowledge to ascertain whether or not turbulent flows over rough surfaces can be controlled or managed to achieve outcomes such as reducing the drag of a roughened bluff body, for example a ship whose hull is roughened by fouling. The project expects to improve understanding of wall turbulence control, and will lead to significant benefits such as improved control technologies and better prediction and description of wall turbulence.Read moreRead less
Understanding combustion in gasoline compression ignition conditions. This project aims to provide the first fundamental-level understanding of the processes of ignition, combustion, and pollutant formation relevant to a new, highly efficient combustion mode known as gasoline compression ignition (GCI). This project aims to provide information using a unique combination of direct numerical simulations, advanced transported probability density function modelling and a suite of laser measurements ....Understanding combustion in gasoline compression ignition conditions. This project aims to provide the first fundamental-level understanding of the processes of ignition, combustion, and pollutant formation relevant to a new, highly efficient combustion mode known as gasoline compression ignition (GCI). This project aims to provide information using a unique combination of direct numerical simulations, advanced transported probability density function modelling and a suite of laser measurements in a high-pressure combustion chamber. GCI engines have significant potential to improve fuel economy and reduce emissions harmful to health and the environment. The outcomes from this project will lead to accelerated development of the GCI engine, and more optimal GCI solutions to be found.Read moreRead less
5D Imaging Flow Cytometry for in vivo Quantification of Biological Fluids. Rapid and accurate quantification of live biological fluid properties at sub-cellular and molecular levels forms the bedrock of biofluidic sciences. Majority of the biofluidic devices rely on quantifying biological fluids after its removal from the body in an in vitro Flow Cytometer (FC). FC faces many caveats i.e. biological degradation and small volume etc. In this project, we shall engineer the first in vivo 5D imaging ....5D Imaging Flow Cytometry for in vivo Quantification of Biological Fluids. Rapid and accurate quantification of live biological fluid properties at sub-cellular and molecular levels forms the bedrock of biofluidic sciences. Majority of the biofluidic devices rely on quantifying biological fluids after its removal from the body in an in vitro Flow Cytometer (FC). FC faces many caveats i.e. biological degradation and small volume etc. In this project, we shall engineer the first in vivo 5D imaging flow cytometer (5D IFC) capable of continuous assessment of potentially entire blood volume in a living mice without removing fluid out of the body. The project represents a major advancement beyond any existing flow cytometer and overcome the engineering limits of state-of-art laser scanning imaging devices.Read moreRead less