Localised instabilities in magnetically confined plasmas heated by radio waves. The H-1 Heliac Major National Facility will be used for experiments to search for localised plasma "ballooning" instabilities. These instabilities, studied theoretically but not yet identified in experiments, are thought to limit the pressure achievable in plasmas of interest for production of renewable, low-greenhouse gas emission, fusion power, and are also invoked to explain magnetospheric phenomena like auroral s ....Localised instabilities in magnetically confined plasmas heated by radio waves. The H-1 Heliac Major National Facility will be used for experiments to search for localised plasma "ballooning" instabilities. These instabilities, studied theoretically but not yet identified in experiments, are thought to limit the pressure achievable in plasmas of interest for production of renewable, low-greenhouse gas emission, fusion power, and are also invoked to explain magnetospheric phenomena like auroral substorms. The flexible magnetic configuration, radio frequency (rf) and microwave plasma heating systems, and diagnostic set of H-1 are uniquely suited to this program. Advances in rf plasma techniques and diagnostics will also benefit the development of novel communications and instrumentation technologies.Read moreRead less
Development of new membrane-electrode assemblies for low temperature fuel cells. New electrodes and electrolytes for low temperature fuel cells will herald in a new epoch in the hydrogen economy for Australia. The IP developed in this project will form the basis for new transportation systems that do not lead to chemical pollution in Australia's cities. The new materials and processing techniques will lead to cheaper and more efficient fuel cells, allowing their use in portable computers, small ....Development of new membrane-electrode assemblies for low temperature fuel cells. New electrodes and electrolytes for low temperature fuel cells will herald in a new epoch in the hydrogen economy for Australia. The IP developed in this project will form the basis for new transportation systems that do not lead to chemical pollution in Australia's cities. The new materials and processing techniques will lead to cheaper and more efficient fuel cells, allowing their use in portable computers, small electrical appliances, public transport and in private cars in about ten years. Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0453629
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$322,077.00
Summary
Integrated Combustion Research Facility for Biomass Derived Fuels. Bio-mass derived fuels are gaining in importance because they can contribute to solving the problems arising from the world wide decline in the reserve to production ratio of crude oil, the emission of greenhouse gases and energy security. In Australia they can also assist in mitigating dry-land salinity by increasing the viability of large-scale plantation of locally indigenous trees. However significant technical and political ....Integrated Combustion Research Facility for Biomass Derived Fuels. Bio-mass derived fuels are gaining in importance because they can contribute to solving the problems arising from the world wide decline in the reserve to production ratio of crude oil, the emission of greenhouse gases and energy security. In Australia they can also assist in mitigating dry-land salinity by increasing the viability of large-scale plantation of locally indigenous trees. However significant technical and political issues remain to be addressed before this potential can be realised. The Integrated Combustion Research Facility for Biomass Derived Fuels to be established by this grant will provide the necessary infrastructure to address these issues.Read moreRead less
Designing New Visible-light Active Photocatalysts for Efficient CO2 Reduction. The increasing concern over Climate Change has triggered great efforts in developing new CO2 capture technologies. The outcomes of this program will lead to a new class of photocatalysts that underpin the development of economical CO2 reduction for clean fuel production using sunlight. Such technologies will speed up the transition of Australian environmental and energy industries from fossil fuel economy to renewable ....Designing New Visible-light Active Photocatalysts for Efficient CO2 Reduction. The increasing concern over Climate Change has triggered great efforts in developing new CO2 capture technologies. The outcomes of this program will lead to a new class of photocatalysts that underpin the development of economical CO2 reduction for clean fuel production using sunlight. Such technologies will speed up the transition of Australian environmental and energy industries from fossil fuel economy to renewable energy economy. The research program will contribute significantly to knowledge advancement in nanomaterials, surface chemistry, and photochemistry, and falls in the National Research Priority Area of 'Environmentally Sustainable Australia' addressing the key goals of Climate Change and low emission energy supply.Read moreRead less
Present-Day Crustal Stress Field of North-Eastern Australia. The key project benefit is to advance fundamental understanding of crustal dynamics in NE Australia and thus Australia as a whole. The project will improve our knowledge of both the nature and sources of the present-day crustal stresses in NE Australia. The project has implications for seismicity and neotectonics in NE Australia. Furthermore, the project has significant implications for both hydrocarbon and hot dry rock geothermal ener ....Present-Day Crustal Stress Field of North-Eastern Australia. The key project benefit is to advance fundamental understanding of crustal dynamics in NE Australia and thus Australia as a whole. The project will improve our knowledge of both the nature and sources of the present-day crustal stresses in NE Australia. The project has implications for seismicity and neotectonics in NE Australia. Furthermore, the project has significant implications for both hydrocarbon and hot dry rock geothermal energy exploration and development.Read moreRead less
Supercomputer Simulation of Multiscale Dynamic Behaviour in Multiphase Deformable Porous Media. This project will establish and consolidate links between leading groups in China and Australia to develop a new and unique multiscale computational model and algorithm for simulating multiphase nonlinear behaviours of the porous media under dynamic loading conditions, and improve technology transfer between the two groups by the mobility of the ARC International Fellow. This will aid Australian geosc ....Supercomputer Simulation of Multiscale Dynamic Behaviour in Multiphase Deformable Porous Media. This project will establish and consolidate links between leading groups in China and Australia to develop a new and unique multiscale computational model and algorithm for simulating multiphase nonlinear behaviours of the porous media under dynamic loading conditions, and improve technology transfer between the two groups by the mobility of the ARC International Fellow. This will aid Australian geoscience and mining industry, such as in HFR geothermal/UCG energy facility design, construction, risk assessment and production and could help Australia shift away from greenhouse gases and become a world leader in the emerging worldwide HFR geothermal/UCG industry.Read moreRead less
A New Window on Photosynthesis: Ultrafast Coherence Dynamics in Biomolecules and Semiconductor Nanostructures. Recent research has indicated that the remarkable efficiency of energy capture and transfer in photosynthesis may be due to the effects of quantum coherence, which is an intrinsically non-classical phenomenon. We will investigate these effects in biological and nanofabricated systems using ultrafast laser spectroscopy . An understanding of these energy transfer processes may open the d ....A New Window on Photosynthesis: Ultrafast Coherence Dynamics in Biomolecules and Semiconductor Nanostructures. Recent research has indicated that the remarkable efficiency of energy capture and transfer in photosynthesis may be due to the effects of quantum coherence, which is an intrinsically non-classical phenomenon. We will investigate these effects in biological and nanofabricated systems using ultrafast laser spectroscopy . An understanding of these energy transfer processes may open the door to the development to a range of new technologies, including clean and virtually limitless energy sources that convert solar energy directly into useful power and quantum computers that will revolutionize our ability to process information.Read moreRead less
Shear heating in granular materials: micromechanics of thermal conduction and production. Oil, gas and geothermal exploration are amongst the major energy industries in Australia and must be optimised to enable efficient production. These processes are dominated by the transfer of heat through granular soil media. Past research was based on continuum heat-flow solutions, but these problems are governed by distinct networks of particle-particle contacts and interparticle pore-fluids. Heat-flow so ....Shear heating in granular materials: micromechanics of thermal conduction and production. Oil, gas and geothermal exploration are amongst the major energy industries in Australia and must be optimised to enable efficient production. These processes are dominated by the transfer of heat through granular soil media. Past research was based on continuum heat-flow solutions, but these problems are governed by distinct networks of particle-particle contacts and interparticle pore-fluids. Heat-flow solutions depend on effective terms of thermal conduction, production and convection, but these change with loading. A systematic study must therefore be accomplished to formulate the micromechanics of the effective thermal properties, such that continuum solutions are refined to optimise energy exploration.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0989408
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$150,000.00
Summary
A multiple-ion membrane inlet mass spectrometer. There is a compelling need for a modern isotope-ratio mass spectrometer to facilitate a range of innovative studies of chemical and biochemical processes. Mass spectrometers operated with a thin permeable membrane over a vacuum inlet allow small gas molecules to be continuously monitored inside specific gas or liquid phase sample chambers. The proposed instrumentation will enable simultaneous and highly sensitive measurement of 10 different isot ....A multiple-ion membrane inlet mass spectrometer. There is a compelling need for a modern isotope-ratio mass spectrometer to facilitate a range of innovative studies of chemical and biochemical processes. Mass spectrometers operated with a thin permeable membrane over a vacuum inlet allow small gas molecules to be continuously monitored inside specific gas or liquid phase sample chambers. The proposed instrumentation will enable simultaneous and highly sensitive measurement of 10 different isotopic species and the capability for detection of hydrogen. This equipment will provide the many researchers and students with opportunities to determine isotopic signatures of isolated chemical reactions through to complex biochemical systems of whole living cells.Read moreRead less
Near zero-emission hydrogen and carbon production from natural gas and bio-methane. Hydrogen is envisaged as a clean fuel for power generation particularly for the transportation sector. In the short- and mid-term future, hydrogen will be derived from fossil fuels. Based on the conventional processes, the route from fossil fuels to hydrogen invariably produces greenhouse gases. Geosequestration is a viable technique of storing carbon dioxide but has an uncertain long-term environmental ramifi ....Near zero-emission hydrogen and carbon production from natural gas and bio-methane. Hydrogen is envisaged as a clean fuel for power generation particularly for the transportation sector. In the short- and mid-term future, hydrogen will be derived from fossil fuels. Based on the conventional processes, the route from fossil fuels to hydrogen invariably produces greenhouse gases. Geosequestration is a viable technique of storing carbon dioxide but has an uncertain long-term environmental ramification. In contrast, our proposed technique avoids the production of greenhouse gases and, instead, engenders high value added graphitized carbon as a by-product. Given the relative stability and value of graphitized carbon, our catalytic cracking process provides another option to geosequestration.Read moreRead less