Volatile Organic Compound removal from indoor air environments by an integrated photocatalytic/filtration system. This project promotes the development of technology for providing improved air quality in indoor environments. Mentoring by internationally renowned experts of young Australian researchers on this issue of high importance will be undertaken by the Chief and Partner Investigators. Success from this project will place Australia as a leader in the global community for developing technol ....Volatile Organic Compound removal from indoor air environments by an integrated photocatalytic/filtration system. This project promotes the development of technology for providing improved air quality in indoor environments. Mentoring by internationally renowned experts of young Australian researchers on this issue of high importance will be undertaken by the Chief and Partner Investigators. Success from this project will place Australia as a leader in the global community for developing technology in air pollution quality control.Read moreRead less
Designing integrated photocatalytic systems for simultaneous clean energy generation and water remediation. The proposal addresses the core issues of energy and water, two highly critical resources in Australia as well as worldwide. Utilising our geographically-abundant solar energy and through designing novel photocatalytic systems, the proposed research provides an ultimately clean solution by efficiently harnessing and converting the solar energy to hydrogen while remediating wastewater. Give ....Designing integrated photocatalytic systems for simultaneous clean energy generation and water remediation. The proposal addresses the core issues of energy and water, two highly critical resources in Australia as well as worldwide. Utilising our geographically-abundant solar energy and through designing novel photocatalytic systems, the proposed research provides an ultimately clean solution by efficiently harnessing and converting the solar energy to hydrogen while remediating wastewater. Given the high intensity and consistent solar output in Australia, such technology provides an almost ideal and sustainable outcome in terms of clean energy and water supply. Success in this area will place Australian researchers at the forefront of practical and functional photocatalytic technologiesRead moreRead less
Sequestration of CO2 with enhanced methane recovery from deep coal. Coal and gas represent the main energy source for the Australian and many other national economies into the foreseeable future. The continuing use of these critical resources requires that greenhouse gas emission issues be addressed. Any serious attempt to achieve reduced emission of CO2 from power generation requires sequestration as a necessary element. A plausible method for cost effective sequestration of large amounts of ....Sequestration of CO2 with enhanced methane recovery from deep coal. Coal and gas represent the main energy source for the Australian and many other national economies into the foreseeable future. The continuing use of these critical resources requires that greenhouse gas emission issues be addressed. Any serious attempt to achieve reduced emission of CO2 from power generation requires sequestration as a necessary element. A plausible method for cost effective sequestration of large amounts of CO2 is by geological fixing in deep, unminable coal. The key technological and scientific issues regarding capacity, rate, technical viability and site selection form the basis of this proposal.Read moreRead less
Optical fibre photoreactor for removing airborne molecular contaminants and volatile organic carbons for semiconductor fabrication and fuel cell applications. The collaboration integrates concepts from photocatalysis, optical fibre technology and filtration, to solve important issues in the semiconductor fabrication and fuel cell industries. The project will place Australia amongst the world-leaders in novel integrated photocatalytic/filtration techniques and provide significant opportunities fo ....Optical fibre photoreactor for removing airborne molecular contaminants and volatile organic carbons for semiconductor fabrication and fuel cell applications. The collaboration integrates concepts from photocatalysis, optical fibre technology and filtration, to solve important issues in the semiconductor fabrication and fuel cell industries. The project will place Australia amongst the world-leaders in novel integrated photocatalytic/filtration techniques and provide significant opportunities for penetration, in particular, into the US filtration market. The collaboration will afford young Australian-based researchers the opportunity to access technology, expertise and knowledge developed in the US, which is currently unavailable in Australia. It will strengthen ties between UNSW and UMN and provide opportunities for further collaboration.Read moreRead less
Doped Nanocrystalline TiO2 - Synthesis and application for photoreduction reactions. The proposed project aims to develop a novel photocatalyst, prepared by doping nanocrystalline TiO2 with noble metals, for use in photoreduction reactions. The ability of this photocatalyst to reduce heavy metals and its potential to generate H2 in an inert environment will be explored. The project will benefit the environment by removing toxic compounds from polluted wastewaters as well as potentially generatin ....Doped Nanocrystalline TiO2 - Synthesis and application for photoreduction reactions. The proposed project aims to develop a novel photocatalyst, prepared by doping nanocrystalline TiO2 with noble metals, for use in photoreduction reactions. The ability of this photocatalyst to reduce heavy metals and its potential to generate H2 in an inert environment will be explored. The project will benefit the environment by removing toxic compounds from polluted wastewaters as well as potentially generating substantial levels of H2 (an attractive energy source). Project outcomes include the development of an economical and cleaner process for treating waters contaminated with heavy metals and providing a valuable knowledge base from which photoreductive efficiencies can be drawn.Read moreRead less
Engineering defect-intensive ozonation catalysts to degrade micropollutants. This project aims to engineer unique particles containing defect-intensive surfaces which are designed to accelerate the catalytic ozonation of waters contaminated with pharmaceuticals and other recalcitrant pollutants. This will enable timely treatment of industrial waste water as well as sewerage treatment plant effluents using simple and cheap catalyst materials. Wet- and flame-based particle fabrication technologies ....Engineering defect-intensive ozonation catalysts to degrade micropollutants. This project aims to engineer unique particles containing defect-intensive surfaces which are designed to accelerate the catalytic ozonation of waters contaminated with pharmaceuticals and other recalcitrant pollutants. This will enable timely treatment of industrial waste water as well as sewerage treatment plant effluents using simple and cheap catalyst materials. Wet- and flame-based particle fabrication technologies paired with unique post-synthesis treatment strategies, including either a coupled hydrogenation-illumination approach or plasma exposure, will be implemented for defect manipulation so as to produce new cheaper, stable, and higher-performing catalysts for activating ozone to treat water containing pharmaceutical and endocrine disrupting micro-pollutants under different process conditions.Read moreRead less
Modelling of Nitric Oxides and Carbon Monoxide Emissions from Bagasse-Fires Boilers. The project aims to develop computational models to predict emissions of nitric oxides and carbon monoxide from sugar-mill boilers burning bagasse. Bagasse combustion does not contribute to greenhouse gas emissions and clean and efficient combustion of this fuel has become very important for the sugar industry and for Australia. The project combines the opportunity of direct boiler measurements by SRI with the m ....Modelling of Nitric Oxides and Carbon Monoxide Emissions from Bagasse-Fires Boilers. The project aims to develop computational models to predict emissions of nitric oxides and carbon monoxide from sugar-mill boilers burning bagasse. Bagasse combustion does not contribute to greenhouse gas emissions and clean and efficient combustion of this fuel has become very important for the sugar industry and for Australia. The project combines the opportunity of direct boiler measurements by SRI with the modelling expertise at the University to develop combustion-kinetics models for these species. The models will be incorporated into the previously developed computational fluid dynamics - combustion code of the furnace to give the capability of emission prediction as a function of burner operating conditions and fuel parameters.Read moreRead less
Novel inkjet-printed organic solvent nanofiltration membranes. The pharmaceutical industry is one of fastest growing industries in Australia. Manufacturing pharmaceutical products requires the use of hazardous and expensive organic solvents, which are toxic for the environment and expensive to recover due to the energy intensive thermal process required. This project aims to discover and manufacture a novel, low-cost, chemically robust nanomaterial-based membrane using an industry scalable inkje ....Novel inkjet-printed organic solvent nanofiltration membranes. The pharmaceutical industry is one of fastest growing industries in Australia. Manufacturing pharmaceutical products requires the use of hazardous and expensive organic solvents, which are toxic for the environment and expensive to recover due to the energy intensive thermal process required. This project aims to discover and manufacture a novel, low-cost, chemically robust nanomaterial-based membrane using an industry scalable inkjet printing process. The membrane will be resistant to organic solvents while efficiently recovering valuable and hazardous organic solvents with minimum environmental footprint. It will effectively provide for the future growth of the Australian pharmaceutical industry while also having global applications.Read moreRead less
Special Research Initiatives - Grant ID: SR180200015
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$589,007.00
Summary
Combination of electrochemistry with sono to destroy and detoxify PFAS. Previously the major means of dealing with per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) is by adsorption, to collect and remove PFAS from contaminated sites. However, PFAS still exist, non-degraded and waiting for destruction. Targeting slurry waste from current remediation / adsorption plants, this project aims to efficiently degrade PFAS by combining electrochemical oxidation with sono-chemistry to enhance degradation capac ....Combination of electrochemistry with sono to destroy and detoxify PFAS. Previously the major means of dealing with per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) is by adsorption, to collect and remove PFAS from contaminated sites. However, PFAS still exist, non-degraded and waiting for destruction. Targeting slurry waste from current remediation / adsorption plants, this project aims to efficiently degrade PFAS by combining electrochemical oxidation with sono-chemistry to enhance degradation capacity, to accelerate PFAS desorption / transportation from slurry waste, to avoid electrode fouling and to detoxify PFAS. The expected outcome of this project is to clean up contaminated sites, including PFAS / precursors and other persistent organic pollutants, leading to significant environmental benefits.Read moreRead less
Cost effective in-line filtration system to improve water quality in rainwater tanks. This research will provide the basis for developing an affordable and innovative water treatment solution for domestic rainwater collection systems. The main elements of this research are:
. Provision of a cost -effective submerged membrane operated under gravity to provide water of potable standard.
. Establishing an adaptive membrane cleaning system using the concept of volume control.
. Characterisati ....Cost effective in-line filtration system to improve water quality in rainwater tanks. This research will provide the basis for developing an affordable and innovative water treatment solution for domestic rainwater collection systems. The main elements of this research are:
. Provision of a cost -effective submerged membrane operated under gravity to provide water of potable standard.
. Establishing an adaptive membrane cleaning system using the concept of volume control.
. Characterisation protocol of membrane fouling and stored rain water.
. Sizing of a permeate tank for storing treated water through demand management.
This project will increase the use of rainwater tanks, helping available water resources to go further.Read moreRead less