PREDICTING THE CLOGGING OF STORM WATER INFILTRATION SYSTEMS. Infiltration systems are widely used in sustainable management of stormwater in both urban and rural areas. They are also an integral part of large stormwater-harvesting facilities. However, they tend to fail due to clogging (infiltration medium gets filled by silt from runoff), and this phenomenon is far from being understood. The aim of this project is to develop a new prediction method of clogging of stormwater infiltration systems. ....PREDICTING THE CLOGGING OF STORM WATER INFILTRATION SYSTEMS. Infiltration systems are widely used in sustainable management of stormwater in both urban and rural areas. They are also an integral part of large stormwater-harvesting facilities. However, they tend to fail due to clogging (infiltration medium gets filled by silt from runoff), and this phenomenon is far from being understood. The aim of this project is to develop a new prediction method of clogging of stormwater infiltration systems. Extensive 1D and 2D laboratory experimental programmes will be carried out. Models of unit processes that occur in infiltration systems will be defined/developed and built into a physically based model of an infiltration system. This model could be used for reliable design of stormwater drainage and harvesting systems, bringing major benefits to the people of drier and more populated areas of Australia.Read moreRead less
Sustainability and innovation in outer-suburban housing developments. This project will investigate the sustainability outcomes that are possible in outer suburban project homes using current building and design technologies, and the barriers to the uptake of these technologies more broadly in outer suburban project home developments. The outcomes will include a critically needed decision support tool to help the industry to meet regulatory requirements for more sustainable housing. The project ....Sustainability and innovation in outer-suburban housing developments. This project will investigate the sustainability outcomes that are possible in outer suburban project homes using current building and design technologies, and the barriers to the uptake of these technologies more broadly in outer suburban project home developments. The outcomes will include a critically needed decision support tool to help the industry to meet regulatory requirements for more sustainable housing. The project is strongly supported by a consortium of industry partners including the Urban and Regional Land Corporation, Metricon Homes, Building Commission, Origin Energy, City West Water, Melbourne Water, Sustainable Energy Authority of Victoria and Hassell Architects.
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Mimicking natural ecosystems to improve green roof performance. This project will transform the Australian green roof industry by specifying plants and substrates according to ecological theory. New substrates will create markets for waste products, and diverse and resilient plant mixes will optimise nutrient and water use. Both will reduce urban energy use and stormwater runoff adapting Australian cities to climate change.
Special Research Initiatives - Grant ID: SR0354551
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$20,000.00
Summary
ARC Research Network for Renewable Energy. The proposed Research Network will integrate and coordinate the entire research field of renewable energy in Australia. This Network covers a diverse range of technologies, and includes all prominent researchers in the area of renewable energy in Australia. The Network is strengthened by the inclusion of key people from government agencies, industry, industry associations and international research organisations.
Australia is a leading player in the ....ARC Research Network for Renewable Energy. The proposed Research Network will integrate and coordinate the entire research field of renewable energy in Australia. This Network covers a diverse range of technologies, and includes all prominent researchers in the area of renewable energy in Australia. The Network is strengthened by the inclusion of key people from government agencies, industry, industry associations and international research organisations.
Australia is a leading player in the world's renewable energy industry. An effective structure for networking and for the exchange of people, information and research results will maintain and improve Australia's position in this rapidly growing industry.Read moreRead less
Optimization of fuel consumption and vehicle emission by simulating the integrated air conditioning and engine controls. As public interest on environmental conservation increases, tougher regulations on vehicle emission and fuel consumption will be implemented causing likely further restrictions on fuel consumption while operating the air conditioning system. Currently air conditioning and engine systems are controlled by two separate programs and lack effective communication between each other ....Optimization of fuel consumption and vehicle emission by simulating the integrated air conditioning and engine controls. As public interest on environmental conservation increases, tougher regulations on vehicle emission and fuel consumption will be implemented causing likely further restrictions on fuel consumption while operating the air conditioning system. Currently air conditioning and engine systems are controlled by two separate programs and lack effective communication between each other. This research aims to gain better understanding of the quantitative effects of car air-conditioning systems on fuel consumption and various air pollutant emissions, and develop an integrated simulation tool that links the air conditioning, engine fuel consumption and emission to assist the achievement of optimum vehicle energy and emission management.Read moreRead less
Thermal isolation: a novel pathway to transforming complex waste. This project aims to establish a novel pathway for transforming complex waste otherwise destined for landfill into valuable products and resources. By leveraging high temperature reactions, the team plans to thermally isolate useful carbons and silica from within automotive shredder residue (ASR) in situ, to produce activated carbon products and silica layers, and so completely recycle this bulk toxic waste for the first time. Suc ....Thermal isolation: a novel pathway to transforming complex waste. This project aims to establish a novel pathway for transforming complex waste otherwise destined for landfill into valuable products and resources. By leveraging high temperature reactions, the team plans to thermally isolate useful carbons and silica from within automotive shredder residue (ASR) in situ, to produce activated carbon products and silica layers, and so completely recycle this bulk toxic waste for the first time. Such innovative new pathways for separating out valuable materials from complex and toxic wastes offer industries an alternative low-cost and sustainable source of raw materials, while reducing pressures on landfills and finite natural resources.Read moreRead less
Optimal management of corrosion and odour problems in sewer systems. Pollutants in wastewater undergo complex changes in sewers, leading to the production and release of odorous and corrosive compounds. Despite major efforts and expenditure by water utilities to mitigate these problems, odorous emissions from sewers are still commonly occurring in urban areas. Furthermore, the value of public assets is significantly diminished due to sewer corrosion, costing hundreds of millions of dollars a yea ....Optimal management of corrosion and odour problems in sewer systems. Pollutants in wastewater undergo complex changes in sewers, leading to the production and release of odorous and corrosive compounds. Despite major efforts and expenditure by water utilities to mitigate these problems, odorous emissions from sewers are still commonly occurring in urban areas. Furthermore, the value of public assets is significantly diminished due to sewer corrosion, costing hundreds of millions of dollars a year in Australia alone. This project is a major joint effort by the Australian water industry and world-leading scientists to generate advanced knowledge and develop effective technologies for optimal odour and corrosion management in sewers, delivering large social, environmental and economic benefits.Read moreRead less
Understanding and mitigating nitrous oxide emission from wastewater treatment plants. Climate change caused by greenhouse gas emissions is one of the most serious challenges that mankind is facing. Substantial reduction in emissions must be achieved, with responsibility to be shared by all industrial sectors. Wastewater systems contribute to greenhouse gas emissions through not only energy consumptions but also direct emissions of fugitive greenhouse gases such as nitrous oxide. This project aim ....Understanding and mitigating nitrous oxide emission from wastewater treatment plants. Climate change caused by greenhouse gas emissions is one of the most serious challenges that mankind is facing. Substantial reduction in emissions must be achieved, with responsibility to be shared by all industrial sectors. Wastewater systems contribute to greenhouse gas emissions through not only energy consumptions but also direct emissions of fugitive greenhouse gases such as nitrous oxide. This project aims to provide knowledge and technology support to the Australian wastewater industry to minimize the emission of nitrous oxide during biological nitrogen removal from wastewater. This is critically important for this industry to achieve greenhouse gas neutral wastewater management.Read moreRead less
Sewer corrosion reduction through model-supported ventilation control. Ventilation is one of the key technologies for sewer corrosion control. However, its design and operation are currently based on experience and empirical equations, often leading to unsatisfactory results. By integrating in-depth laboratory and pilot-sewer studies under defined conditions with extensive field investigations, this multidisciplinary project aims to develop critical models to predict the corrosion process in res ....Sewer corrosion reduction through model-supported ventilation control. Ventilation is one of the key technologies for sewer corrosion control. However, its design and operation are currently based on experience and empirical equations, often leading to unsatisfactory results. By integrating in-depth laboratory and pilot-sewer studies under defined conditions with extensive field investigations, this multidisciplinary project aims to develop critical models to predict the corrosion process in response to ventilation and dynamic wastewater and atmospheric conditions, enabling model-based sewer ventilation design and operation. The project also aims to deliver novel, field-demonstrated ventilation strategies. The project findings will be incorporated in the Australian ventilation design and operation guidelines.Read moreRead less
An integrated approach to iron salt use in urban water systems. The project aims to develop and demonstrate an integrated and innovative strategy, and the associated science and technologies, to achieve multiple beneficial uses of iron salts in an urban water system. The project intends to use iron chloride to replace the most commonly used alum as a coagulant in water treatment. The same iron is then further used for corrosion and odour control in sewers, phosphorus removal in wastewater treatm ....An integrated approach to iron salt use in urban water systems. The project aims to develop and demonstrate an integrated and innovative strategy, and the associated science and technologies, to achieve multiple beneficial uses of iron salts in an urban water system. The project intends to use iron chloride to replace the most commonly used alum as a coagulant in water treatment. The same iron is then further used for corrosion and odour control in sewers, phosphorus removal in wastewater treatment reactors and hydrogen sulfide removal from biogas in an anaerobic digester. The strategy is expected to substantially reduce the use of chemicals in the entire urban water system, delivering large economic and environmental benefits to urban water utilities.Read moreRead less