On the mechanism of boiling instability in microchannels. This project will enable designers to create highly efficient miniaturised devices based on the boiling of fluids such as water or organics. These devices include micro-power generation systems, coolers for computer chips and solar collectors, and micro-chemical process systems. Such devices provide environmental, safety and economic benefits.
Heat Transfer Characteristics of Biological Tissues with Nanoparticles. Heat transfer of laser-irradiated nanoparticles in biological tissues requires a basic knowledge of the unique strong resonance absorption properties and a fundamental understanding of the thermal and chemical conversions as a consequence of these heated nanoparticles. This project aims to investigate the extent of the non-equilibrium heating effects of heated nanoparticles on the destruction of biological tissues. Comprehen ....Heat Transfer Characteristics of Biological Tissues with Nanoparticles. Heat transfer of laser-irradiated nanoparticles in biological tissues requires a basic knowledge of the unique strong resonance absorption properties and a fundamental understanding of the thermal and chemical conversions as a consequence of these heated nanoparticles. This project aims to investigate the extent of the non-equilibrium heating effects of heated nanoparticles on the destruction of biological tissues. Comprehensive experimental studies and computational modelling to be performed are expected to significantly enhance the understanding of laser-induced heating phenomena of embedded nanoparticles in biological tissues and the prediction of the level of destruction that can be experienced by these heated nanoparticles.Read moreRead less
Purging and destratifying of thermal and saline pools in Australia's inland rivers. The health of inland Australian rivers is significantly affected by saline intrusions into deep river pools. This study will provide tools which can be immediately used to predict required flow releases and understand river response to natural or managed flow release. This will improve the efficiency with which water resources can be used.
Derivation and calculation of onsager transport coefficients in mass transport and thermotransport. The transport of matter and heat within solids has a profound effect on the functional properties of engineering components. The current description of mass and heat transport has major failings which then lead to major failings for property predictions. This project will establish a new mathematical framework that will redress the problems.
Horizontal convection at ocean-relevant proportions. This project aims to determine the role of buoyancy differences from solar radiation and vertical confinement. Flows created by lateral variation in heat or buoyancy are poorly understood when the horizontal length greatly exceeds the height, precisely the conditions relevant to industry and understanding the role of horizontal convection in Earth's oceans and in turn the delicate current system that maintains Earth's temperate climate. This p ....Horizontal convection at ocean-relevant proportions. This project aims to determine the role of buoyancy differences from solar radiation and vertical confinement. Flows created by lateral variation in heat or buoyancy are poorly understood when the horizontal length greatly exceeds the height, precisely the conditions relevant to industry and understanding the role of horizontal convection in Earth's oceans and in turn the delicate current system that maintains Earth's temperate climate. This project proposes computational and experimental efforts to probe the ultimate regime of heat transport in very shallow horizontal convection, benefiting humankind through improvements to future ocean and climate modelling efforts.Read moreRead less
The elusive upper bound of heat transfer in horizontal convection. The question as to whether lateral variation in global ocean buoyancy resulting from low solar radiation near the poles and higher temperatures in the tropical regions (known as horizontal convection) is a driver for global ocean currents is critical to our understanding of this complex and delicate system that maintains Earth's temperate climate. This question hinges on the relationship between heat transport and strength of buo ....The elusive upper bound of heat transfer in horizontal convection. The question as to whether lateral variation in global ocean buoyancy resulting from low solar radiation near the poles and higher temperatures in the tropical regions (known as horizontal convection) is a driver for global ocean currents is critical to our understanding of this complex and delicate system that maintains Earth's temperate climate. This question hinges on the relationship between heat transport and strength of buoyancy forcing towards global scales; this project proposes a landmark experimental effort supported by detailed simulations to probe the ultimate regime of heat transport in horizontal convection. The project is expected to inform the direction of future ocean and climate modelling efforts to the benefit of humanity.Read moreRead less
Gravity Current Driven Smoke Dispersion In a Stratified Ambient. Smoke from bushfires transported by gravity currents, and known to occur nationwide, caused the shutdown of businesses, education and events in Canberra in 2019. Recent scientific investigations have shown that the speed of propagation and concentration of smoke in these three-dimensional gravity currents have a long term ‘memory’ of their initial configuration. In this project, high-fidelity computational and experimental techniq ....Gravity Current Driven Smoke Dispersion In a Stratified Ambient. Smoke from bushfires transported by gravity currents, and known to occur nationwide, caused the shutdown of businesses, education and events in Canberra in 2019. Recent scientific investigations have shown that the speed of propagation and concentration of smoke in these three-dimensional gravity currents have a long term ‘memory’ of their initial configuration. In this project, high-fidelity computational and experimental techniques will be used to elucidate the fundamental mechanisms of gravity current entrainment and propagation. This knowledge will set a strong foundation to improve operational forecasts of smoke transport that will allow government agencies to better respond to the negative impact of these complicated flows.Read moreRead less
Conjugate natural convection boundary layers. Conjugate natural convection systems occur when a conducting vertical wall separates fluids at different temperatures (that is at a window separating the interior of a room from the outside or when a container of fluid is placed in a refrigerator). This project will provide accurate predictions of such flows together with scaling relations.
Enhancing passive cooling using flexible baffles. The project aims to develop a novel passive strategy using fluid-structure-thermal interactions to enhance passive cooling by natural convection and improve the energy efficiency of engineering systems. Comparing to the existing strategies, the new strategy does not require driving fan or pump and is quiet, reliable, self-adaptive and economical. The Multiphysics embodied in the proposal is at the leading edge of the field. Expected outcomes incl ....Enhancing passive cooling using flexible baffles. The project aims to develop a novel passive strategy using fluid-structure-thermal interactions to enhance passive cooling by natural convection and improve the energy efficiency of engineering systems. Comparing to the existing strategies, the new strategy does not require driving fan or pump and is quiet, reliable, self-adaptive and economical. The Multiphysics embodied in the proposal is at the leading edge of the field. Expected outcomes include advanced understanding of the complex Multiphysics and design rules for enhancing passive cooling by natural convection using flexible baffles. The research is expected to bring direct economic benefit to relevant industry and significant environmental and social benefit to the general public.Read moreRead less
Combined strategies to extinguish underground coal fires and to extract geothermal energy. This project addresses two serious environmental issues that occur worldwide. Firstly, it aims to develop strategies to combat underground coal fires which are a serious environmental problem. It has been estimated that underground coal fires in China alone contribute 2 to 3 per cent of the total world output of carbon dioxide (CO2) from burning fossil fuel. Concentrations of CO2 and CO (carbon monoxide) o ....Combined strategies to extinguish underground coal fires and to extract geothermal energy. This project addresses two serious environmental issues that occur worldwide. Firstly, it aims to develop strategies to combat underground coal fires which are a serious environmental problem. It has been estimated that underground coal fires in China alone contribute 2 to 3 per cent of the total world output of carbon dioxide (CO2) from burning fossil fuel. Concentrations of CO2 and CO (carbon monoxide) of up to 2200 ppm and 1000 ppm, respectively, have been measured in gases produced by underground coal fires. Secondly, the project is a proof of concept to validate the feasibility of production of geothermal energy from burning coal seams. This aspect has the potential to harvest large amounts of geothermal energy which is currently wasted.Read moreRead less