Characterization of Fast Propagating Fires in Green Buildings. This project aims to gain a better understanding of the mechanisms of fast-propagating fires and to address the deficiency in current fire models in assessing the fire safety requirement of green buildings. Although there are many compelling advantages associated with green building designs, because they promote better natural ventilation they could pose a significant fire hazard to occupants due to the propensity of rapid fire and s ....Characterization of Fast Propagating Fires in Green Buildings. This project aims to gain a better understanding of the mechanisms of fast-propagating fires and to address the deficiency in current fire models in assessing the fire safety requirement of green buildings. Although there are many compelling advantages associated with green building designs, because they promote better natural ventilation they could pose a significant fire hazard to occupants due to the propensity of rapid fire and smoke spread within the enclosed space. The new predictive fire model in this project is expected to promote a safer and sustainable building environment.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE140101546
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$288,900.00
Summary
Development of computer-based optimisation to improve hypersonic aerodynamic design. Next-generation launch vehicles using high-speed jet engines will make it cheaper and more reliable for humankind to engage in activities in space. This project will contribute to the technology of high-speed jet engines by developing optimised air intake systems. The research aims to advance the use of computational engineering and apply this to improve the design of air intake systems. The outcomes of this pro ....Development of computer-based optimisation to improve hypersonic aerodynamic design. Next-generation launch vehicles using high-speed jet engines will make it cheaper and more reliable for humankind to engage in activities in space. This project will contribute to the technology of high-speed jet engines by developing optimised air intake systems. The research aims to advance the use of computational engineering and apply this to improve the design of air intake systems. The outcomes of this project will advance the technology of high-speed jet engines with the goal of replacing existing rocket systems.Read moreRead less
Robust fluid mixing through topological chaos. The Australian chemicals and plastics industry has an annual turnover of over $20 billion and employs over 77,000 people; fluid mixing is fundamental to this industry, yet the industry is recognised as underinvesting in research and development in this essential area. Furthermore, frontier technologies such as biotechnology and the next generation of smart materials also crucially rely on fluid mixing. This project aims to evaluate a new paradigm ( ....Robust fluid mixing through topological chaos. The Australian chemicals and plastics industry has an annual turnover of over $20 billion and employs over 77,000 people; fluid mixing is fundamental to this industry, yet the industry is recognised as underinvesting in research and development in this essential area. Furthermore, frontier technologies such as biotechnology and the next generation of smart materials also crucially rely on fluid mixing. This project aims to evaluate a new paradigm (topological chaos) for the design of mixers, to provide better and more robust mixers that work from microscopic to industrial scales.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE130101183
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$361,880.00
Summary
Next-generation expanders for renewable power applications: dealing with variability and uncertainty. This project will develop new strategies to design optimum expanders capable of maintaining good performance under uncontrollable working conditions. If these innovative design methods can be applied to engineering applications they will assist Australia to meet the Renewable Energy Target and to become an international leader in the field.
Micro Process Plants - Non-Newtonian flow and particle synthesis in confined geometries. Understanding the flow behaviour of well characterised non-Newtonian fluids within microfluidic and nanofluidic devices is of vital importance to development of novel high-value added services, products and devices within Australia's burgeoning biotechnology, environmental technology, communications and information technology industries. The outcomes of this project will provide new 'systematic' design stand ....Micro Process Plants - Non-Newtonian flow and particle synthesis in confined geometries. Understanding the flow behaviour of well characterised non-Newtonian fluids within microfluidic and nanofluidic devices is of vital importance to development of novel high-value added services, products and devices within Australia's burgeoning biotechnology, environmental technology, communications and information technology industries. The outcomes of this project will provide new 'systematic' design standards for microdevice manufacture for these industries, ultimately leading to the creation of new, exciting avenues for tailoring novel biotechnology and 'point-of-care' products for Australia.Read moreRead less
Heat Transfer Mechanisms in an Indirectly Fired Rotary Kiln with Lifters and Its Role in Scaling. This project will apply heat transfer principles to improve and optimise the design and performance of ANSAC's innovative kiln technology for a wide range of process applications. By understanding the mechanisms of heat transfer involved in the working of the proprietary technology, major factors limiting the performance of the kiln can be identified, resulting in design criteria that link key opera ....Heat Transfer Mechanisms in an Indirectly Fired Rotary Kiln with Lifters and Its Role in Scaling. This project will apply heat transfer principles to improve and optimise the design and performance of ANSAC's innovative kiln technology for a wide range of process applications. By understanding the mechanisms of heat transfer involved in the working of the proprietary technology, major factors limiting the performance of the kiln can be identified, resulting in design criteria that link key operating parameters for the kiln scaling and performance forecast. The research outcomes will provide a scientific basis that underpins the development of an Australian technology and supports the growth of a new Australian small business, creating employment opportunities within Australia.Read moreRead less
Unravelling the mysteries of turbulent drag at the air-sea interface. 70% of the Earth's surface is the air-sea interface. A huge amount of energy and gas is exchanged between the atmosphere and ocean; exchanges that are crucial for life on earth. Climate models, weather and wave forecasts depend on oversimplified models for these exchanges. Oversimplification limits accuracy, with outcomes ranging from inaccurate climate predictions to costly and unnecessary rerouting of ships or evacuations of ....Unravelling the mysteries of turbulent drag at the air-sea interface. 70% of the Earth's surface is the air-sea interface. A huge amount of energy and gas is exchanged between the atmosphere and ocean; exchanges that are crucial for life on earth. Climate models, weather and wave forecasts depend on oversimplified models for these exchanges. Oversimplification limits accuracy, with outcomes ranging from inaccurate climate predictions to costly and unnecessary rerouting of ships or evacuations of oil platforms. This project promises new knowledge of the turbulent air flow above waves through innovative, ambitious experiments in our laboratory wind-wave tanks. Concurrently, novel numerical simulations will enable new models for sea drag coefficient, the most critical component in air-sea interaction models. Read moreRead less
Study of a turbulent boundary layer over 2D and 3D rough walls. The project is aimed at resolving critical issues related to turbulent flows over rough walls, which hinder the engineer's ability to model these flows. The research will provide key answers to these issues and lead to more realistic models as well as strategies for controlling drag, sedimentation and heat transport.
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE150101347
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$375,000.00
Summary
Characterising the hazard, structure and impacts of convective wind storms. This project aims to characterise probabilistically the severe convective wind storm risk (thunderstorm and tornado) to Australia under current and future climates. This will be achieved using a new coupled analysis-simulation based approach to wind hazard analysis. It will also characterise the complex wind structure within these wind storms by integrating three-dimensional data from novel high-resolution observation ne ....Characterising the hazard, structure and impacts of convective wind storms. This project aims to characterise probabilistically the severe convective wind storm risk (thunderstorm and tornado) to Australia under current and future climates. This will be achieved using a new coupled analysis-simulation based approach to wind hazard analysis. It will also characterise the complex wind structure within these wind storms by integrating three-dimensional data from novel high-resolution observation networks into a unifying wind field model. The project aims to generate the requisite information that allows convective wind storms to be explicitly accounted for in national and international wind-resistant design standards, thus acting to mitigate the devastating impacts of future events.Read moreRead less
New generation microfluidic devices using light responsive hydrogels. This project aims to develop a new way of fabricating microfluidic devices using light-degradable hydrogels as its core element. This approach would allow researchers to rapidly construct and modify microfluidic devices within their own laboratories, without the need for specialised clean rooms or expensive equipment. The versatility of the microfluidic device is designed to be demonstrated by the manufacture of mature T cells ....New generation microfluidic devices using light responsive hydrogels. This project aims to develop a new way of fabricating microfluidic devices using light-degradable hydrogels as its core element. This approach would allow researchers to rapidly construct and modify microfluidic devices within their own laboratories, without the need for specialised clean rooms or expensive equipment. The versatility of the microfluidic device is designed to be demonstrated by the manufacture of mature T cells, which continues to be a major challenge in stem cell science and which could have fundamental biological and commercial significance.Read moreRead less