A Wearable Motion Analysis System: Novel Clinical and Research Applications. Because the biomechanical analysis of human motion is confined to the laboratory, it often has restricted applicability. This is a recognized limitation, because laboratory studies cannot capture the true picture of how individuals move under conditions encountered during daily living. Consequently there are many situations where a more complete and realistic knowledge of biomechanics would be significant advantage such ....A Wearable Motion Analysis System: Novel Clinical and Research Applications. Because the biomechanical analysis of human motion is confined to the laboratory, it often has restricted applicability. This is a recognized limitation, because laboratory studies cannot capture the true picture of how individuals move under conditions encountered during daily living. Consequently there are many situations where a more complete and realistic knowledge of biomechanics would be significant advantage such as in the diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of movement disorders and injuries. The research project described in this proposal would for the first time, obtain comprehensive biomechanical data outside the laboratory using a fully integrated wearable motion analysis system.Read moreRead less
Gigabit Wireless: Setting the Standard for Tomorrow's Broadband. This project will strengthen a long-term alliance between researchers at the University of Melbourne and NEC Australia, one of the few multinational research laboratories with significant R & D presence in Australia. Researchers at the University of Melbourne with expertise in communication theory fundamentals will collaborate with experienced research and design engineers at NEC, to produce fundamental research, and the resulting ....Gigabit Wireless: Setting the Standard for Tomorrow's Broadband. This project will strengthen a long-term alliance between researchers at the University of Melbourne and NEC Australia, one of the few multinational research laboratories with significant R & D presence in Australia. Researchers at the University of Melbourne with expertise in communication theory fundamentals will collaborate with experienced research and design engineers at NEC, to produce fundamental research, and the resulting design tools and intellectual property that will provide a new direction for wireless broadband access. The project will provide high-quality postgraduate and postdoctoral training in an area of great relevance to the Australian telecommunications industry.Read moreRead less
Enhancing the productivity of wastewater desalination. Climate change is causing reduced rainfall over much of populated Australia. New technology to enable membrane desalination of wastewater treatment effluent will be developed to provide secure reliable water supplies for Australian (and international) urban and regional communities. Application of the technology to Western Treatment Plant at Werribee will provide up to 10 gigalitres/year of recycled water to the local agricultural, business ....Enhancing the productivity of wastewater desalination. Climate change is causing reduced rainfall over much of populated Australia. New technology to enable membrane desalination of wastewater treatment effluent will be developed to provide secure reliable water supplies for Australian (and international) urban and regional communities. Application of the technology to Western Treatment Plant at Werribee will provide up to 10 gigalitres/year of recycled water to the local agricultural, business and tourism precincts. The economy, community and environment will benefit due to reduced use of potable, river and ground water. Wide application of this technology to wastewater and brackish water will lead to similar benefits and an environmentally sustainable Australia.
Read moreRead less
Optimising dissolved air flotation (DAF) for algae removal by bubble modification in drinking water and advanced wastewater systems. Algal blooms in potable water reservoirs and advanced wastewater treatment lagoons can impact the performance and economic viability of water treatment processes resulting in taste and odour episodes and the risk of algal toxins as well as causing further limitation to already stressed water resources in Australia. This project aims to develop an adaptation of the ....Optimising dissolved air flotation (DAF) for algae removal by bubble modification in drinking water and advanced wastewater systems. Algal blooms in potable water reservoirs and advanced wastewater treatment lagoons can impact the performance and economic viability of water treatment processes resulting in taste and odour episodes and the risk of algal toxins as well as causing further limitation to already stressed water resources in Australia. This project aims to develop an adaptation of the dissolved air flotation process that is already used for algae treatment that will provide a more robust, economic and sustainable barrier to algal cells in accordance with the Australian Drinking and Recycled Water Guidelines.Read moreRead less
Synthesis of Activated Carbon Supported Zero Valent Iron Nanoparticles and Application to Contaminant Degradation in Benthic Sediments. Sediment contamination is a major problem in harbours and estuaries around Australia. For example, in Sydney Harbour, a total fishing ban has been implemented as a result of excessive levels of dioxins and benzofurans in fish tissues. There is also concern at the possibility of large scale contamination of Botany Bay as a result of historic industrial activity a ....Synthesis of Activated Carbon Supported Zero Valent Iron Nanoparticles and Application to Contaminant Degradation in Benthic Sediments. Sediment contamination is a major problem in harbours and estuaries around Australia. For example, in Sydney Harbour, a total fishing ban has been implemented as a result of excessive levels of dioxins and benzofurans in fish tissues. There is also concern at the possibility of large scale contamination of Botany Bay as a result of historic industrial activity around the Bay. While dredging and on-land treatment of sediments is being adopted at the most severely contaminated sites, the cost of this approach is exorbitant. For sites where removal of contaminated sediments cannot be justified, the approach proposed in this study of a technology that entraps contaminants and enhances their in situ biodegradation is potentially a way forward.Read moreRead less
Hybrid cooling for coal fired power stations. Water shortage is a nation wide problem facing Australian industries. The project will directly benefit the Victorian power industry through water saving. If the new proposed hybrid cooling system concept is proved to be practically feasible, it will put the Australian power industry in a strong competitive position in terms of its efficiencies and waste heat recovery technology. Lowering the temperature of water into the cooling tower by 2 degree, b ....Hybrid cooling for coal fired power stations. Water shortage is a nation wide problem facing Australian industries. The project will directly benefit the Victorian power industry through water saving. If the new proposed hybrid cooling system concept is proved to be practically feasible, it will put the Australian power industry in a strong competitive position in terms of its efficiencies and waste heat recovery technology. Lowering the temperature of water into the cooling tower by 2 degree, by using the hybrid cooling system, it would save over 17,500,000 tons of makeup water per year for the Victorian power industry alone. At the same time, the waste heat recovered by the heat pump can be fed back to the power generation cycle. Read moreRead less
Smart Polymer Hydrogels for Simultaneous Waste Heat Utilisation and Wastewater Treatment for Sustainable Manufacturing. This project aims to develop dual-functionality, temperature-responsive polymer hydrogels as draw agents for continuous, forward osmosis wastewater treatment processes. It intends to use low–and-medium temperature waste heat as a green input into the process and thus significantly reduce the costs of wastewater treatment, and fresh water consumption, whilst effectively utilisin ....Smart Polymer Hydrogels for Simultaneous Waste Heat Utilisation and Wastewater Treatment for Sustainable Manufacturing. This project aims to develop dual-functionality, temperature-responsive polymer hydrogels as draw agents for continuous, forward osmosis wastewater treatment processes. It intends to use low–and-medium temperature waste heat as a green input into the process and thus significantly reduce the costs of wastewater treatment, and fresh water consumption, whilst effectively utilising waste heat generated in the manufacturing industry. The outcomes of this research aim to provide a unique opportunity for Australian researchers to become world leaders in the rapidly-emerging, energy-efficient forward osmosis technology which is very relevant not only to wastewater treatment, but also to desalination.Read moreRead less
The Effective Treatment of Hot Dip Galvanizing Effluent Streams. Hot Dip galvanizing effluent represents a significant environmental hazard. This wastewater is currently trucked offsite and treated by contractors to precipitate a heavy metal sludge that is disposed of through landfill. Industrial Galvanisers, as the largest hot dip galvanizing company within Australia, are keen to eliminate this hazard. We will consider the use of an innovative membrane based process for this purpose; to recover ....The Effective Treatment of Hot Dip Galvanizing Effluent Streams. Hot Dip galvanizing effluent represents a significant environmental hazard. This wastewater is currently trucked offsite and treated by contractors to precipitate a heavy metal sludge that is disposed of through landfill. Industrial Galvanisers, as the largest hot dip galvanizing company within Australia, are keen to eliminate this hazard. We will consider the use of an innovative membrane based process for this purpose; to recover valuable zinc and iron compounds from the effluent and allow the water to be re-utilised. If successful, this project will lead to a pilot plant wastewater treatment plant being constructed at an Industrial Galvanizers site.Read moreRead less
The Treatment Of Galvanizing Wastewater: Delivering An Environmentally And Economically Sustainable Approach. This project will investigate a process to treat wastewater from industrial galvanizing sites around Australia. When implemented, the process will substantially reduce the consumption of acid and fresh water at these sites. Further, the process will recover the zinc content of the wastewater in a saleable form and can also generate ferric chloride for sale as a water treatment chemical. ....The Treatment Of Galvanizing Wastewater: Delivering An Environmentally And Economically Sustainable Approach. This project will investigate a process to treat wastewater from industrial galvanizing sites around Australia. When implemented, the process will substantially reduce the consumption of acid and fresh water at these sites. Further, the process will recover the zinc content of the wastewater in a saleable form and can also generate ferric chloride for sale as a water treatment chemical. The quantity of heavy metals disposed to landfill will also be dramatically reduced. Scientific knowledge of multicomponent liquid-liquid equilibria will be of value to a wider range of solvent extraction processes including zinc and copper metal refining.Read moreRead less
High performance conductive mesoporous carbon electrodes: a low energy desalination alternative. The high cost of existing desalination technology has limited its wider application. There is an urgent need for alternatives which require less energy than current methods. The proposed electrosorption process utilising porous carbon electrodes has the advantage of very low energy demand. Electrosorption therefore has the opportunity to become an alternative desalination option for application in a ....High performance conductive mesoporous carbon electrodes: a low energy desalination alternative. The high cost of existing desalination technology has limited its wider application. There is an urgent need for alternatives which require less energy than current methods. The proposed electrosorption process utilising porous carbon electrodes has the advantage of very low energy demand. Electrosorption therefore has the opportunity to become an alternative desalination option for application in a national and global water desalination market. Advancement in water desalination technology has the potential for a profound social, economical and environmental impact. This vital research is aligned with the National Research Priority 1, An Environmentally Sustainable Australia; Priority Goal: Water, A critical resource.Read moreRead less