CONTROL AND INTERFACING OF GRID-CONNECTED IGBT INVERTERS FOR SMALL-SCALE WIND GENERATORS. The project aims to investigate methods for extracting and converting intermittent energy from variable speed wind generators and supplying to electricity grids. Low cost power conditioning units for integrating small-scale wind generators will be designed, developed and commercialised. It is expected that this project will lead to a systematic design procedure for grid connected inverter technology using ....CONTROL AND INTERFACING OF GRID-CONNECTED IGBT INVERTERS FOR SMALL-SCALE WIND GENERATORS. The project aims to investigate methods for extracting and converting intermittent energy from variable speed wind generators and supplying to electricity grids. Low cost power conditioning units for integrating small-scale wind generators will be designed, developed and commercialised. It is expected that this project will lead to a systematic design procedure for grid connected inverter technology using a novel current control technique, and extraction of more energy from small scale wind turbines especially at low wind speeds. Successful commercialisation will result in significant reduction in cost resulting wider application of wind turbines, substantial economic benefit to the commercial partners as well as Australian communities in rural areas.Read moreRead less
Advanced microelectronic transistor structures for novel biosensor technology. This international, interdisciplinary team aims to develop an electronic biosensor technology that will significantly advance biomedical research to combat human disease. This is likely to have a major social impact on the community, improve health outcomes and generate substantial economic potential for the pharmaceutical industry. The principal benefit of this research will be the fabrication of electronic devices b ....Advanced microelectronic transistor structures for novel biosensor technology. This international, interdisciplinary team aims to develop an electronic biosensor technology that will significantly advance biomedical research to combat human disease. This is likely to have a major social impact on the community, improve health outcomes and generate substantial economic potential for the pharmaceutical industry. The principal benefit of this research will be the fabrication of electronic devices based on advanced materials, significantly reducing the time, the biological material used and the complexity of assessing human cell function. In addition to improving health through novel biosensor techniques, this technology is expected to lead to the creation of commercially important intellectual property.Read moreRead less
Special Research Initiatives - Grant ID: SR0354735
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$10,000.00
Summary
Australian Network on Microelectronics, Optoelectronics and Microelectromechanical Systems. The Network will encompass semiconductor microelectronics, optoelectronics, sensors and microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). Fundamental research in these areas enables the technological advances that underpin rapidly developing industries such as information and telecommunications technologies, defence, aerospace, medicine, and remote sensing. Exciting challenges exist in designing new devices that exp ....Australian Network on Microelectronics, Optoelectronics and Microelectromechanical Systems. The Network will encompass semiconductor microelectronics, optoelectronics, sensors and microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). Fundamental research in these areas enables the technological advances that underpin rapidly developing industries such as information and telecommunications technologies, defence, aerospace, medicine, and remote sensing. Exciting challenges exist in designing new devices that exploit unique semiconductor systems and technologies. By sharing capabilities and resources (both capital and human), the network will enable the issues associated with such novel materials and devices to be addressed in a targeted manner. The network will also guarantee the ongoing future of research in the area by actively involving early career researchers and postgraduate students.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0238960
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$940,000.00
Summary
High Performance Semiconductor Micromachining Facility. The purpose of this project is to make available to the Australian semiconductor research community a facility to undertake specialist deposition and etching tasks needed for fabrication of next generation solar cells, microelectronics, optronics, and micro-electromechanical systems. The facility will have the flexibility to allow independent control of major process parameters, allowing development of new fabrication technologies which wi ....High Performance Semiconductor Micromachining Facility. The purpose of this project is to make available to the Australian semiconductor research community a facility to undertake specialist deposition and etching tasks needed for fabrication of next generation solar cells, microelectronics, optronics, and micro-electromechanical systems. The facility will have the flexibility to allow independent control of major process parameters, allowing development of new fabrication technologies which will be generic to a wide range of semiconductor materials. In particular, the facility will be unique in its ability to perform processes at low temperatures, and under conditions that allow optimisation of the deposition and etching processes, without compromising the performance of delicate devices or exceeding the maximum process temperature limitations found in many mainstream semiconductor materials technologies.Read moreRead less
A Novel Inline High-Efficiency Motor/Pump System. Around 19% of the world’s and 30% of the Australia’s electric energy is consumed by pump technologies. Significant energy savings are possible if the major components of pump systems, including inverter, motor and pump, operate at their maximum possible efficiency under varying loads. A novel pump design in this project accommodates integrated electronics in a submersible housing. A seal-less design helps mitigate several aspects of pump failure ....A Novel Inline High-Efficiency Motor/Pump System. Around 19% of the world’s and 30% of the Australia’s electric energy is consumed by pump technologies. Significant energy savings are possible if the major components of pump systems, including inverter, motor and pump, operate at their maximum possible efficiency under varying loads. A novel pump design in this project accommodates integrated electronics in a submersible housing. A seal-less design helps mitigate several aspects of pump failure and its in-line structure reduces assembly cost. Accurately measured efficiency maps will be utilised to demonstrate the non-linear relationship between motor and pump quantities as well as developing models for indirectly estimating feedback quantities and achieving the highest system efficiency.Read moreRead less
Microwave characterisation of new magnetic and dielectric structures and materials. The main goal of the project is to characterize electromagnetic properties of single crystal dielectric and polycrystalline ferrite materials at microwave frequencies, from room temperature down to liquid helium temperature. Also cylindrical and spherical resonant Bragg structures will be investigated using some of these materials. The dielectric rod resonator technique will be used for all materials and the whis ....Microwave characterisation of new magnetic and dielectric structures and materials. The main goal of the project is to characterize electromagnetic properties of single crystal dielectric and polycrystalline ferrite materials at microwave frequencies, from room temperature down to liquid helium temperature. Also cylindrical and spherical resonant Bragg structures will be investigated using some of these materials. The dielectric rod resonator technique will be used for all materials and the whispering gallery mode technique will be used to measure the lowest loss materials. Very accurately measured microwave parameters of electric and magnetic materials will be made available to designers of new components and systems (especially useful for operation at cryogenic temperatures).Read moreRead less
Investigations and characterization of new materials for wireless communications. The main goal of the project is to characterize electromagnetic properties of single crystal dielectric materials available from different sources at microwave frequencies, in a wide range of temperatures from room down to liquid helium temperatures. Two measurement techniques are proposed to be used for this purpose: the dielectric rod resonator technique for all materials and the whispering gallery mode technique ....Investigations and characterization of new materials for wireless communications. The main goal of the project is to characterize electromagnetic properties of single crystal dielectric materials available from different sources at microwave frequencies, in a wide range of temperatures from room down to liquid helium temperatures. Two measurement techniques are proposed to be used for this purpose: the dielectric rod resonator technique for all materials and the whispering gallery mode technique to measure the lowest loss materials. A principal benefit to wireless communication is that very accurately measured microwave parameters of electronic materials will be made available to designers of new components and systems (especially useful for operation at cryogenic temperatures).Read moreRead less
A novel nanoimprinting technology for infrared photovoltaic sensor applications. There is a demonstrated need for state-of-the-art optoelectronic infrared sensors to be available to Australian industry to enable it to be more competitive in national and international marketplaces in strategically important fields such as defence, remote sensing, agriculture, medicine and the environment. The world market for IR optoelectronic sensors is expanding, but at present there is no manufacturer of devic ....A novel nanoimprinting technology for infrared photovoltaic sensor applications. There is a demonstrated need for state-of-the-art optoelectronic infrared sensors to be available to Australian industry to enable it to be more competitive in national and international marketplaces in strategically important fields such as defence, remote sensing, agriculture, medicine and the environment. The world market for IR optoelectronic sensors is expanding, but at present there is no manufacturer of devices in Australia, which puts Australian industry and national security at a disadvantage. This project will go a long way towards providing a national capability by developing a very low cost, simple infrared sensor fabrication process, based on nanoimprint technology. Read moreRead less
Micro-electromechanical Systems (MEMS) and Nano-electromechanical Systems (NEMS) Technologies for Temperature Sensitive Semiconductors and Smart Materials. The development of a generic MEMS/NEMS technology will place Australia at the forefront of MEMS science and technology and will form a platform for new and innovative products using new science developed from the capabilities to be established in this project. This project and the results it will generate will have significant impact in devel ....Micro-electromechanical Systems (MEMS) and Nano-electromechanical Systems (NEMS) Technologies for Temperature Sensitive Semiconductors and Smart Materials. The development of a generic MEMS/NEMS technology will place Australia at the forefront of MEMS science and technology and will form a platform for new and innovative products using new science developed from the capabilities to be established in this project. This project and the results it will generate will have significant impact in developing technologies that can transform Australian industry in biomedical and agricultural instrumentation and will be key to future optoelectronic defence systems for surveillance, and chemical and biological threat warning. It will have the potential to establish new industries, as well as generate disruptive technologies directly relevant to several industry sectors already established in Australia.Read moreRead less
Vegetable Oils as Dielectric Liquid for Oil Filled Distribution and Power Transformers. A new transformer cooling and insulating liquid is proposed from vegetable oil seeds available in Australia. The proposed liquid will be fully biodegradable and non-toxic and will cause no harm in the event of explosions or accidental leakage from a transformer. Approximately, 30 to 40 billion liters of oils are in use in transformers worldwide. The development of this liquid requires selection of suitable ve ....Vegetable Oils as Dielectric Liquid for Oil Filled Distribution and Power Transformers. A new transformer cooling and insulating liquid is proposed from vegetable oil seeds available in Australia. The proposed liquid will be fully biodegradable and non-toxic and will cause no harm in the event of explosions or accidental leakage from a transformer. Approximately, 30 to 40 billion liters of oils are in use in transformers worldwide. The development of this liquid requires selection of suitable vegetable oil base;thermal and oxidation stabilization; electrical performance,biodegradability,and endurance testings, viscosity and pour point improvements, compatibility tests with existing oils, and characterization of its gassing phenomena. The development of this new liquid from local oil seeds will provide the Australian industry huge export potentials. The prject will also provide Australian farmers a new avenue for their oilseed market.Read moreRead less