Energy capture from polymer based synthetic foliage. Wind powered renewable energy technologies are rejected in urban or natural environments because of their noise and perceived danger to avian wildlife from conventional rotary wind turbines. The synthetic foliage will be used as a device for low energy applications which is expected to be more socially acceptable in urban settings. We anticipate that this will lead to increased adoption of renewable energy by the Australian public. Success of ....Energy capture from polymer based synthetic foliage. Wind powered renewable energy technologies are rejected in urban or natural environments because of their noise and perceived danger to avian wildlife from conventional rotary wind turbines. The synthetic foliage will be used as a device for low energy applications which is expected to be more socially acceptable in urban settings. We anticipate that this will lead to increased adoption of renewable energy by the Australian public. Success of the project will lead to long term benefits for Australia including reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and the creation of jobs in the sustainable energy sector.Read moreRead less
Innovative and human-centred design in underground coalmining: a new concept vehicle for safe personnel transport. Australian coalminers commute daily on a system of underground roads to the ‘longwall’, the site where their work can begin, in vehicles that are primitive by aboveground standards. These current vehicles contribute to short- and long-term injuries amongst mining personnel. This project will develop benchmark standards for an innovative underground personnel carrier that promotes a ....Innovative and human-centred design in underground coalmining: a new concept vehicle for safe personnel transport. Australian coalminers commute daily on a system of underground roads to the ‘longwall’, the site where their work can begin, in vehicles that are primitive by aboveground standards. These current vehicles contribute to short- and long-term injuries amongst mining personnel. This project will develop benchmark standards for an innovative underground personnel carrier that promotes a safer and healthier working environment by contributing to reduced injury rates and ensuring the comfort of workers. This project contributes to the health and welfare of coalminers in regional Australia and in the international mining sector through innovative and ’human-centred’ design.Read moreRead less
Three-dimensional atmospheric acoustic tomography using unmanned aerial vehicles. This project will develop technology that uses the sound of a small robotic aircraft as it passes overhead to visualise a complex array of properties of the intervening atmosphere in three dimensions. This will allow measurements to be taken in otherwise inaccessible locations and improve the understanding of atmospheric dynamics and meteorological phenomena.
INTEGRATED PASSIVE AND ACTIVE CONTROL OF HUMMING NOISE FROM KCGM’S HAUL TRUCKS. This project aims to resolve an environmental noise issue caused by the humming noise of Kalgoorlie Consolidated Gold Mines haul trucks in the areas of Kalgoorlie, Boulder, and Williamstown. This solution utilises integrated passive and active control systems to attenuate the frequency components of humming noise from a truck’s exhaust and engine. A novel aspect of this technique is the use of passive micro-perforate ....INTEGRATED PASSIVE AND ACTIVE CONTROL OF HUMMING NOISE FROM KCGM’S HAUL TRUCKS. This project aims to resolve an environmental noise issue caused by the humming noise of Kalgoorlie Consolidated Gold Mines haul trucks in the areas of Kalgoorlie, Boulder, and Williamstown. This solution utilises integrated passive and active control systems to attenuate the frequency components of humming noise from a truck’s exhaust and engine. A novel aspect of this technique is the use of passive micro-perforated structures to provide the necessary sound absorption capability and to alter the sound propagation and radiation properties of the truck exhaust and engine, and increase the effectiveness of active control.Read moreRead less
Surf sounds: predicting the valuable data of bubble sound emissions. This project aims to predict natural bubble sounds. These audio signals contain data on the bubble size, which controls oxygen absorption, and thus product quality, in minerals, food, pharmaceuticals and water industries. Bubbles also control ocean carbon-dioxide absorption. Such gas absorption is almost impossible to monitor with laboratory sensors. In the ocean, sensors are quickly blocked by algae. In industry, liquids are o ....Surf sounds: predicting the valuable data of bubble sound emissions. This project aims to predict natural bubble sounds. These audio signals contain data on the bubble size, which controls oxygen absorption, and thus product quality, in minerals, food, pharmaceuticals and water industries. Bubbles also control ocean carbon-dioxide absorption. Such gas absorption is almost impossible to monitor with laboratory sensors. In the ocean, sensors are quickly blocked by algae. In industry, liquids are opaque or too hot. However, the easily-measured sounds get through. Experiments and computer simulations would allow the sound volume as well as frequencies emitted by bubbles to be predicted. This would enable valuable data to be interpreted from complex sounds, transforming industrial and environmental measurements.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE180100041
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$680,320.00
Summary
National laser-based non-destructive evaluation system. This project aims to establish the first Australian national facility for non-destructive evaluation, consisting of a three-dimensional scanning laser vibrometer, laser shearography, and an optical de-rotator, to enable full-field characterisation of the deformation and damage state of materials and structures. This solution is expected to perform rapid, broad-area scans, characterise dynamic response and wave propagation in human-engineere ....National laser-based non-destructive evaluation system. This project aims to establish the first Australian national facility for non-destructive evaluation, consisting of a three-dimensional scanning laser vibrometer, laser shearography, and an optical de-rotator, to enable full-field characterisation of the deformation and damage state of materials and structures. This solution is expected to perform rapid, broad-area scans, characterise dynamic response and wave propagation in human-engineered or natural structures, and diagnose rotating systems. This will enhance experimental capabilities, with uses spanning many industry sectors including aerospace, naval, automotive and medical.Read moreRead less
Variable Geometry Cooling Intakes for Passenger Vehicles. Cars reject engine heat via air forced through the grille, radiator and engine bay. The associated "cooling drag" increases total aerodynamic drag by 10-15% hence increasing fuel consumption. The highest heat load that needs to be rejected by the engine determines the quantity of cooling air, resulting in systems that are over designed for typical driving. This research provides a strategy of adjusting the cooling airflow to match the ....Variable Geometry Cooling Intakes for Passenger Vehicles. Cars reject engine heat via air forced through the grille, radiator and engine bay. The associated "cooling drag" increases total aerodynamic drag by 10-15% hence increasing fuel consumption. The highest heat load that needs to be rejected by the engine determines the quantity of cooling air, resulting in systems that are over designed for typical driving. This research provides a strategy of adjusting the cooling airflow to match the engine requirements (via variable geometry intakes that can be under the control of the engine management computer) offering substantial reductions in fuel consumption and emissions.Read moreRead less
Using solar photocatalytic oxidation processes to treat organic pollutants in wastewater. The proposal is to use physical-chemical and solar engineering approaches to increase the efficiency of solar photons in the photocatalytic oxidation process applied to the detoxification of organic pollutants in wastewater. New photocatalyists and the effects of photocatalysts's superficial characteristics on the treatment perfomance will be studied. A specific structure for a solar collector for the proce ....Using solar photocatalytic oxidation processes to treat organic pollutants in wastewater. The proposal is to use physical-chemical and solar engineering approaches to increase the efficiency of solar photons in the photocatalytic oxidation process applied to the detoxification of organic pollutants in wastewater. New photocatalyists and the effects of photocatalysts's superficial characteristics on the treatment perfomance will be studied. A specific structure for a solar collector for the process will be developed. A more efficient way to use solar photons in the process and a better conceptual design of solar collector will be two main outcomes expected from the project.Read moreRead less