Predictive models for the combustion of multi-component bio-fuels. This project will develop advanced, computationally efficient models for predicting pollutant emissions from the combustion of bio-fuels. The models will target practical engineering-scale applications with the aim of achieving improved energy conversion and improved urban air quality.
Phase stability of biomass fast pyrolysis bio-oil: behaviour and control. This project aims to carry out a systematic investigation into the phase behaviour and control of biomass fast pyrolysis into bio-oil and its derived fuels. The project addresses the major problem of fuel phase separation during processing and handling that cause significant operational challenges, for example pumping difficulties and line clogging, during storage, transport and applications of these fuels. The outcomes in ....Phase stability of biomass fast pyrolysis bio-oil: behaviour and control. This project aims to carry out a systematic investigation into the phase behaviour and control of biomass fast pyrolysis into bio-oil and its derived fuels. The project addresses the major problem of fuel phase separation during processing and handling that cause significant operational challenges, for example pumping difficulties and line clogging, during storage, transport and applications of these fuels. The outcomes include the discovery of fundamental knowledge on the phase structure, stability and behaviour of the products of biomass fast pyrolysis bio-oil and its derived fuels and the development of essential engineering tools for predicting and controlling phase behaviour and stability of these fuels.Read moreRead less
Transport of nucleotide sugars and their roles in cell wall biosynthesis. This project aims to define and manipulate transporters involved in the delivery of activated sugars for cell wall polymer biosynthesis. Cell wall polymers play important structural and functional roles in plants. They also represent an important renewable resource in the form of biomass and contribute to the nutritional value of food. The project will complete the characterisation of cell wall-associated transporters, app ....Transport of nucleotide sugars and their roles in cell wall biosynthesis. This project aims to define and manipulate transporters involved in the delivery of activated sugars for cell wall polymer biosynthesis. Cell wall polymers play important structural and functional roles in plants. They also represent an important renewable resource in the form of biomass and contribute to the nutritional value of food. The project will complete the characterisation of cell wall-associated transporters, apply new technologies to visualise cell wall biosynthesis in growing plants and leverage this knowledge to manipulate biomass in rice. This information will provide fundamental knowledge on a crucial process in plants that can be used the development of functional foods for agriculture and tailored biomass for industry.Read moreRead less
Coproduction of Bioslurry and Liquid Transport Fuels from Biomass Pyrolysis. This project aims to develop a novel technology from biomass pyrolysis for coproducing a diesel/biodiesel/bio-oil blend as a liquid transport fuel for local use and a high-quality bioslurry fuel suitable for transport to centralised stationary applications. The technology aims to address key issues associated with current biofuel production from biomass pyrolysis due to the undesired high acidity, poor stability and hig ....Coproduction of Bioslurry and Liquid Transport Fuels from Biomass Pyrolysis. This project aims to develop a novel technology from biomass pyrolysis for coproducing a diesel/biodiesel/bio-oil blend as a liquid transport fuel for local use and a high-quality bioslurry fuel suitable for transport to centralised stationary applications. The technology aims to address key issues associated with current biofuel production from biomass pyrolysis due to the undesired high acidity, poor stability and high oxygen content of bio-oil. The liquid transport fuel is expected to be produced without the expensive bio-oil hydrotreating for deep de-oxygenation, which is otherwise required for using bio-oil as feedstock in conventional petroleum refining process. Both biofuel products can be adoptable for wide applications in the existing vast infrastructure.Read moreRead less
Probing microbial emulsions to break barriers to green oil production. This project aims to understand ultrasonic processing of concentrated slurries of oil-bearing yeast and algae. Humans must reduce their dependency on petroleum. While microorganisms can produce oils as replacement fuels and base chemicals, the processes for extracting these oils are inefficient. Ultrasound could improve oil recovery by replacing toxic solvents. Understanding the effects of ultrasound on microbial emulsions is ....Probing microbial emulsions to break barriers to green oil production. This project aims to understand ultrasonic processing of concentrated slurries of oil-bearing yeast and algae. Humans must reduce their dependency on petroleum. While microorganisms can produce oils as replacement fuels and base chemicals, the processes for extracting these oils are inefficient. Ultrasound could improve oil recovery by replacing toxic solvents. Understanding the effects of ultrasound on microbial emulsions is expected to develop solvent-free oil recovery processes that improve the economic and environmental benefits of microbial oil production. Such processes would greatly increase the efficiency and reduce the cost of producing microbial oils that can be used as green alternatives to petroleum fuels and chemicals.Read moreRead less
The Permeation of Water through Industrial Membrane Systems. This project aims to understand the permeation of water through commercially relevant non-porous polymeric membranes. Permeation, solubility and diffusivity will be studied in the vicinity of the glass transition temperature to elucidate the changes in free volume that occur through this transition. Non-linear concentration gradients due to anisotropic swelling will be probed using novel laminated membrane systems. Water clustering wil ....The Permeation of Water through Industrial Membrane Systems. This project aims to understand the permeation of water through commercially relevant non-porous polymeric membranes. Permeation, solubility and diffusivity will be studied in the vicinity of the glass transition temperature to elucidate the changes in free volume that occur through this transition. Non-linear concentration gradients due to anisotropic swelling will be probed using novel laminated membrane systems. Water clustering will be evaluated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance. Results are proposed to be used to build a new phenomenological model of water permeation that can be used directly by engineers in the design of industrial membrane systems.Read moreRead less
Atomic scale information for the design of nanomaterials. This project aims to develop a new tool to measure the 3-D distribution of atoms within nanoparticles. For the rational design of nanoparticles, it is necessary to compare the atomic scale structure to the resulting performance. But this information is hard to access. This projects aims to develop new methods so that atom probe microscopy can be applied to experimentally measure the precise 3-D location and identity of the individual atom ....Atomic scale information for the design of nanomaterials. This project aims to develop a new tool to measure the 3-D distribution of atoms within nanoparticles. For the rational design of nanoparticles, it is necessary to compare the atomic scale structure to the resulting performance. But this information is hard to access. This projects aims to develop new methods so that atom probe microscopy can be applied to experimentally measure the precise 3-D location and identity of the individual atoms within nanoparticles, and apply them in the development of alloy catalyst nanoparticles that could make the sustainable production of liquid fuels from biomass commercially viable. These new tools would be useful across the wide range of engineering applications for which nanomaterials are currently being developed.Read moreRead less
Yeast cell-cell communication of overcrowding and nutrient limitation: novel signalling systems and their impact on fermentation. The project will investigate known and novel signalling molecules that allow communication between yeast cells and impact on fermentation dynamics, specifically in a nutrient-depleted environment. The mechanisms by which these molecules exert their effect will be defined using a systems biology approach that integrates many analyses and data sets.
The role of Fld1p protein in lipid droplet formation and growth in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This project aims to characterize Fld1p/seipin, an important protein that controls lipid storage in the form of lipid droplets. Knowing the molecular function of Fld1p will provide important insights into how lipid droplets originate and grow. Such knowledge will help improve the quality and quantity of oil and biodiesel production.
Maximising Bioenergy Recovery from Sewage Sludge. Sewage treatment is producing large amounts of sewage sludge, which represents a substantial, but largely untapped, energy source. This project aims to develop and demonstrate an innovative, economically attractive and environmentally friendly technology, and the underpinning science, to maximize bioenergy recovery from sewage sludge. The technology is based on the treatment of sludge using free ammonia, a by-product of sewage treatment. This pro ....Maximising Bioenergy Recovery from Sewage Sludge. Sewage treatment is producing large amounts of sewage sludge, which represents a substantial, but largely untapped, energy source. This project aims to develop and demonstrate an innovative, economically attractive and environmentally friendly technology, and the underpinning science, to maximize bioenergy recovery from sewage sludge. The technology is based on the treatment of sludge using free ammonia, a by-product of sewage treatment. This project is expected to benefit Australia by substantially reducing the reliance on fossil fuels and accelerating a shift to affordable renewable energy. The outcomes of the project would provide significant energy, economic, environmental and social benefits for Australians. Read moreRead less