Turbulent wall-bounded flow in adverse pressure gradient environments. This research will create additional research capacity in turbulence control and drag reduction. It will have direct benefits to the Australian economy via the transport industry by reducing the adverse impact of the carbon tax and rising fuel prices on long-haul air, water and road transport, on which Australia is disproportionately reliant.
Optimising flex fuel engine performance. This project will enable alternative fuels to be used optimally in engines for transport and distributed electricity generation. This will benefit Australian industry through better engine control technology and the Australian public through reduced emissions and cost in running engines using natural gas or LPG.
A molecular understanding of transport fuels to drive clean and efficient combustion. A molecular understanding of hydrocarbon combustion remains incomplete and this inhibits the deployment of alternative fuels and clean/efficient engine technologies. This project will develop the chemistry that will enable accurate combustion models to accelerate developments towards clean and efficient fuels for the twenty-first century.
Geometry of wall-turbulence and its potential to advance scalable models. This project aims to unravel the connections between the statistical geometry of wall-turbulence and the dynamical interactions of its instantaneous motions. Predicting the complex behaviour of turbulent fluid flow over surfaces in relative motion is central to atmospheric modelling for climate and agriculture, and reducing the environmental effect of fossil fuel usage. Wall-turbulence statistics organise according to a pr ....Geometry of wall-turbulence and its potential to advance scalable models. This project aims to unravel the connections between the statistical geometry of wall-turbulence and the dynamical interactions of its instantaneous motions. Predicting the complex behaviour of turbulent fluid flow over surfaces in relative motion is central to atmospheric modelling for climate and agriculture, and reducing the environmental effect of fossil fuel usage. Wall-turbulence statistics organise according to a predictable geometric structure, and the notorious complexity of turbulent wall-flow dynamics could be clarified through its inherent geometry. This project expects to construct a basis for predicting engineering and atmospheric wall-flows, which would enhance atmospheric flow prediction, reduce energy consumption and further environmental sustainability.Read moreRead less
A novel surface preparation for manipulation of turbulent boundary layers. Australia's geographic isolation means that we are unusually dependent on long-haul transportation systems for sustaining our economy. This project seeks to examine novel surface coatings to reduce the drag of large transport systems. A successful outcome would ultimately reduce Australia's fuel costs and environmental footprint.
Elucidating the inertial force mechanisms of turbulence. The turbulent flow of fluids (for example, air, water) near a solid surface is of enormous technological importance. The proposed research will advance engineering prediction and control capabilities by revealing how the unsteady eddying motions produce the apparent inertial force that distinguishes turbulent flows from their laminar counterparts.
The Transitional and Turbulent Structure of Rotating Disk Boundary Layers. Design optimization in areas of energy, materials processing, manufacturing and aerodynamics often depends on fluid flows adjacent to surfaces (wall-flows), and many such flows are three-dimensional (3-D). At present, 3-D wall-flows are poorly understood, and thus we aim to provide the first comprehensive study of the prototypical 3-D wall-flow on a rotating disk. Experiments in a bespoke facility will cover the importan ....The Transitional and Turbulent Structure of Rotating Disk Boundary Layers. Design optimization in areas of energy, materials processing, manufacturing and aerodynamics often depends on fluid flows adjacent to surfaces (wall-flows), and many such flows are three-dimensional (3-D). At present, 3-D wall-flows are poorly understood, and thus we aim to provide the first comprehensive study of the prototypical 3-D wall-flow on a rotating disk. Experiments in a bespoke facility will cover the important flow regimes (transitional and turbulent), and novel sensors will quantify the detailed 3-D flow structure. By clarifying critical instability scenarios and revealing turbulent flow scaling structure, this project will fundamentally advance physical understanding and analytical and computational models of 3-D wall-flowsRead moreRead less
Molecular design of complex lubricants to reduce friction. We will investigate the molecular level design of friction modifiers for a new generation of industrial lubricants. The goal is to dramatically reduce friction between moving mechanical parts, hence increasing energy efficiency in machines and reducing global greenhouse gas emissions. We will design and test these new friction modifiers by a combination of theoretical and computational methods based in statistical mechanics and nonequili ....Molecular design of complex lubricants to reduce friction. We will investigate the molecular level design of friction modifiers for a new generation of industrial lubricants. The goal is to dramatically reduce friction between moving mechanical parts, hence increasing energy efficiency in machines and reducing global greenhouse gas emissions. We will design and test these new friction modifiers by a combination of theoretical and computational methods based in statistical mechanics and nonequilibrium molecular dynamics and directly compare results with experimental measurements. Our investigations will pave the way to develop new cost-effective friction modifiers without the need for traditional and costly trial and error laboratory based experimentation.Read moreRead less
Dynamics and Resilience of Complex Network Systems with Switching Topology . This project aims to develop a breakthrough methodology and new technology to analyse and integrate large-scale network systems, such as power grids, that involve large networks of components with switching connections. The project expects to create a new theoretical framework to tackle the challenges arising from switching topology resulted from switching connections, and methods to understand their behaviours and desi ....Dynamics and Resilience of Complex Network Systems with Switching Topology . This project aims to develop a breakthrough methodology and new technology to analyse and integrate large-scale network systems, such as power grids, that involve large networks of components with switching connections. The project expects to create a new theoretical framework to tackle the challenges arising from switching topology resulted from switching connections, and methods to understand their behaviours and design intervention strategies to achieve optimal outcomes. The expected outcome is a practical technology for industry applications, such as smart power grids. This should increase the reliability and resilience of the electricity networks against faults and cyber attacks.
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Self-similar scale interactions in turbulent boundary layers. Predicting and controlling turbulent fluid flow next to a solid surface (the turbulent boundary layer) is of critical importance to ensuring a sustainable energy and environmental future. While recent research has yielded a clearer physical understanding of these flows, converting this understanding into tools useful to engineering practice remains a central obstacle. The proposed research directly addresses this fundamental challenge ....Self-similar scale interactions in turbulent boundary layers. Predicting and controlling turbulent fluid flow next to a solid surface (the turbulent boundary layer) is of critical importance to ensuring a sustainable energy and environmental future. While recent research has yielded a clearer physical understanding of these flows, converting this understanding into tools useful to engineering practice remains a central obstacle. The proposed research directly addresses this fundamental challenge by precisely connecting the eddy interactions of the turbulence to the mathematical equations that rigorously describe these flows. As such it holds breakthrough potential toward the development of turbulent boundary layer prediction and control schemes that do not rely on ad hoc models or assumptions.Read moreRead less