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
Sustainable wastewater management. This project aims to extract high-value liquid products (medium-chain fatty acids) from wastewater with minimised greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption, in addition to clean water. Traditional wastewater treatment removes organic carbon and nutrients by using vast amounts of energy and releasing greenhouse gas. However, wastewater is a substantial but largely untapped renewable resource. The intended outcome is to transform wastewater from a troubleso ....Sustainable wastewater management. This project aims to extract high-value liquid products (medium-chain fatty acids) from wastewater with minimised greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption, in addition to clean water. Traditional wastewater treatment removes organic carbon and nutrients by using vast amounts of energy and releasing greenhouse gas. However, wastewater is a substantial but largely untapped renewable resource. The intended outcome is to transform wastewater from a troublesome pollutant to a valuable resource and reduce carbon footprints.Read moreRead less
Sewer Monitoring and Management in the Digital Era. Overflow, flooding, corrosion, and odorous emissions are persistent issues for utilities managing sewers. Current sewer maintenance is reactive, and focuses on solving problems in local networks, despite that optimal solutions require a system-wide approach. Capitalising on recent development in IoT sensors, wireless transmission, and machine learning, this multidisciplinary project aims to develop digital-twin supported data analytics for proa ....Sewer Monitoring and Management in the Digital Era. Overflow, flooding, corrosion, and odorous emissions are persistent issues for utilities managing sewers. Current sewer maintenance is reactive, and focuses on solving problems in local networks, despite that optimal solutions require a system-wide approach. Capitalising on recent development in IoT sensors, wireless transmission, and machine learning, this multidisciplinary project aims to develop digital-twin supported data analytics for proactive sewer management including network-wide real-time control. The project aims to generate significant social, environmental and economic benefits by enabling utilities to better protect public and environmental health, reduce sewer odour and greenhouse gas emissions, and extend sewer asset life.Read moreRead less
Reducing direct greenhouse gas emissions from urban wastewater systems. This project aims to develop a systematic framework for water utilities to monitor and reduce direct greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from wastewater systems. A standardised monitoring protocol will be developed to conduct an unprecedented nationwide sampling campaign. The obtained data, with microbial characterisation and mechanism analysis, will be used to develop novel models for accurate prediction of GHG emissions. Expect ....Reducing direct greenhouse gas emissions from urban wastewater systems. This project aims to develop a systematic framework for water utilities to monitor and reduce direct greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from wastewater systems. A standardised monitoring protocol will be developed to conduct an unprecedented nationwide sampling campaign. The obtained data, with microbial characterisation and mechanism analysis, will be used to develop novel models for accurate prediction of GHG emissions. Expected outcomes include protocol to accurately monitor emissions, models to predict emission under various conditions, and mitigation guideline for typical plant configurations. The anticipated benefit is a significant reduction in GHG emissions from urban water industry and support it to meet net-zero-emission goal by 2050.Read moreRead less
A Novel Surrogate Framework for evaluating THM Properties of Bentonite. Compacted bentonite as favoured engineered barrier material is widely used in environmental geotechnics and its failure can incur huge societal, economic and environmental loss. The project aims to develop a novel surrogate model to identify the optimal controllable factors' value to increase barrier's integrity and reliability. It expects to advance the fundamental knowledge of bentonite thermo-hydro-mechanical properties t ....A Novel Surrogate Framework for evaluating THM Properties of Bentonite. Compacted bentonite as favoured engineered barrier material is widely used in environmental geotechnics and its failure can incur huge societal, economic and environmental loss. The project aims to develop a novel surrogate model to identify the optimal controllable factors' value to increase barrier's integrity and reliability. It expects to advance the fundamental knowledge of bentonite thermo-hydro-mechanical properties through advanced molecular dynamics modelling, statistic learning and machine learning. It will deliver revolution design approach for bentonite used in engineered barriers in Australia and internationally. In the long-time it will bring huge economic, societal and environmental benefits to our community.Read moreRead less
Understanding pollutant transport in estuaries and coastal rivers. By advancing pollutant transport modelling that use recent developments in drift sensors, this project aims to investigate water quality of estuaries and coastal rivers under pressure from urban growth. The project expects to generate a new capability for quantitative particle concentration predictions through detection and innovative analysis of Lagrangian Coherent Structures. The expected outcome is a new particle transport mod ....Understanding pollutant transport in estuaries and coastal rivers. By advancing pollutant transport modelling that use recent developments in drift sensors, this project aims to investigate water quality of estuaries and coastal rivers under pressure from urban growth. The project expects to generate a new capability for quantitative particle concentration predictions through detection and innovative analysis of Lagrangian Coherent Structures. The expected outcome is a new particle transport modelling framework and algorithms for shallow water systems, which effectively exploit extensive datasets becoming available from GPS-enabled drifters. This should provide significant benefits such as reliable assessment of possible effects of catchment and waterway changes on pollutant and sediment concentration which can impact waterway health.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE200100970
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$426,966.00
Summary
A novel technology for enhancing resource recovery from wastewater. This DECRA project aims to improve the performance and economics of wastewater management, by developing an innovative technology and the underpinning science that will enhance renewable energy production and nutrient recovery from sludge. This technology is based on the enhancement of resource recovery from anaerobic digestion using waste iron scraps that can be acquired from the waste of metal industry. The intended outcome of ....A novel technology for enhancing resource recovery from wastewater. This DECRA project aims to improve the performance and economics of wastewater management, by developing an innovative technology and the underpinning science that will enhance renewable energy production and nutrient recovery from sludge. This technology is based on the enhancement of resource recovery from anaerobic digestion using waste iron scraps that can be acquired from the waste of metal industry. The intended outcome of the project will substantially increase the profit and reduce the environmental burden of waste treatment, supporting Australia in the transition to a low carbon economy and a secure resource future. This project will produce significant economic, environmental and social benefits to water utilities.Read moreRead less
Quantifying the impact of infiltration on dune erosion under waves & surge. Through a series of controlled laboratory experiments and numerical model development, this project aims to determine and quantify for the first time the role of water infiltration on sandy soil stability at actively eroding coastal sand dunes. This project expects to generate much-needed understanding of fundamental dune erosion processes using innovative instrumentation to obtain continuous measurements of wave-dune in ....Quantifying the impact of infiltration on dune erosion under waves & surge. Through a series of controlled laboratory experiments and numerical model development, this project aims to determine and quantify for the first time the role of water infiltration on sandy soil stability at actively eroding coastal sand dunes. This project expects to generate much-needed understanding of fundamental dune erosion processes using innovative instrumentation to obtain continuous measurements of wave-dune interactions, dune profile evolution, and water infiltration. Expected outcomes of this project include improved coastal engineering models to predict dune erosion under waves and increasing water levels. This should provide significant benefit to the future management of coastal assets using nature-based solutions.Read moreRead less
Early Career Industry Fellowships - Grant ID: IE230100422
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$386,637.00
Summary
Feasible quantification of greenhouse gas emitted from wastewater treatment. This project aims to develop an accurate and practical approach to quantify greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from wastewater treatment. Australian water utilities have pledged to net-zero emissions. However, most utilities do not know its actual emissions due to lack of feasible quantification method. This project will apply an interdisciplinary approach via mechanism investigations, mathematical modelling, and field work ....Feasible quantification of greenhouse gas emitted from wastewater treatment. This project aims to develop an accurate and practical approach to quantify greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from wastewater treatment. Australian water utilities have pledged to net-zero emissions. However, most utilities do not know its actual emissions due to lack of feasible quantification method. This project will apply an interdisciplinary approach via mechanism investigations, mathematical modelling, and field works to develop and validate a new feasible quantification method. This project will also advance knowledge on GHG emissions to guide quantification design. The outcomes will be translated into industry protocols and disseminated into industry. The outcomes provide timely support to water sector on its pathway to net-zero.Read moreRead less
A balancing act: Resolving coastal wetland water, carbon and solute fluxes. Coastal wetlands offer an impressive capacity to regulate the Earth’s climate by altering the way carbon dioxide is extracted from the atmosphere and stored while simultaneously influencing the water cycle, thus providing ecosystem services such as carbon storage, abating flood waters, improving water quality and protecting the coastline from sea level rise. This project aims to address the current gaps in understanding .... A balancing act: Resolving coastal wetland water, carbon and solute fluxes. Coastal wetlands offer an impressive capacity to regulate the Earth’s climate by altering the way carbon dioxide is extracted from the atmosphere and stored while simultaneously influencing the water cycle, thus providing ecosystem services such as carbon storage, abating flood waters, improving water quality and protecting the coastline from sea level rise. This project aims to address the current gaps in understanding the critical exchanges of water and greenhouse gases (GHGs) combining field methodologies and hydrological models, under different climatic conditions. The intended outcomes will benefit management of GHG emissions, coastal flooding and vulnerable groundwater dependent habitats.Read moreRead less