Industrial Transformation Research Hubs - Grant ID: IH130200025
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,181,756.00
Summary
ARC Research Hub for transforming waste directly in cost-effective green manufacturing. ARC Research Hub for transforming waste directly in cost-effective green manufacturing. This Research Hub aims to create a unique opportunity for completely different industries to come together, with a common goal of creating value from mixed plastic and glass waste in manufacturing. Starting with fundamental investigations of the transformation behaviour of waste materials under high temperature conditions, ....ARC Research Hub for transforming waste directly in cost-effective green manufacturing. ARC Research Hub for transforming waste directly in cost-effective green manufacturing. This Research Hub aims to create a unique opportunity for completely different industries to come together, with a common goal of creating value from mixed plastic and glass waste in manufacturing. Starting with fundamental investigations of the transformation behaviour of waste materials under high temperature conditions, the hub will focus on developing scalable solutions for its manufacturing partners towards reducing the consumption of primary resources while simultaneously diverting waste streams from landfill. Additionally, the potential of using such transformations to yield improved products such as wear-resistant grinding media and light-weight building materials will be investigated to enhance Australian manufacturing.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
Industrial Transformation Research Hubs - Grant ID: IH190100009
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$3,317,500.00
Summary
ARC Research Hub for Microrecycling of battery and consumer wastes . This project aims to transform Australia’s waste and resource recovery industry by equipping it with scientifically developed advanced manufacturing capability, focusing on small-scale processing of materials produced from battery and consumer wastes which would otherwise mostly end up in landfill. The project will deliver new knowledge in high-temperature reactions of waste and selective synthesis techniques to transform waste ....ARC Research Hub for Microrecycling of battery and consumer wastes . This project aims to transform Australia’s waste and resource recovery industry by equipping it with scientifically developed advanced manufacturing capability, focusing on small-scale processing of materials produced from battery and consumer wastes which would otherwise mostly end up in landfill. The project will deliver new knowledge in high-temperature reactions of waste and selective synthesis techniques to transform waste into valuable materials and products, including metallic alloys, oxides and carbon. Expected outcomes include industry adoption of commercially viable technology and processes where low value or complex waste is reformed into higher value materials, creating jobs and significant environmental and social benefits.Read moreRead less
Synthesis of Activated Carbon Supported Zero Valent Iron Nanoparticles and Application to Contaminant Degradation in Benthic Sediments. Sediment contamination is a major problem in harbours and estuaries around Australia. For example, in Sydney Harbour, a total fishing ban has been implemented as a result of excessive levels of dioxins and benzofurans in fish tissues. There is also concern at the possibility of large scale contamination of Botany Bay as a result of historic industrial activity a ....Synthesis of Activated Carbon Supported Zero Valent Iron Nanoparticles and Application to Contaminant Degradation in Benthic Sediments. Sediment contamination is a major problem in harbours and estuaries around Australia. For example, in Sydney Harbour, a total fishing ban has been implemented as a result of excessive levels of dioxins and benzofurans in fish tissues. There is also concern at the possibility of large scale contamination of Botany Bay as a result of historic industrial activity around the Bay. While dredging and on-land treatment of sediments is being adopted at the most severely contaminated sites, the cost of this approach is exorbitant. For sites where removal of contaminated sediments cannot be justified, the approach proposed in this study of a technology that entraps contaminants and enhances their in situ biodegradation is potentially a way forward.Read moreRead less
Recycling lignocellulosic agricultural waste as an iron oxide reductant in ferrous processing. This project seeks to recycle agricultural waste as a renewable carbon resource to replace coal-based metallurgical coke as a raw material in ferrous processing. This approach will lead to an innovative recycling of this waste, wherein nothing is wasted and maximum value is extracted from agricultural materials.
Novel recycling approach for automotive waste glass and plastics. This project will develop innovative recycling of automotive waste containing glass and plastics by converting them into value-added material resources. The project outcomes will allow industries to tackle this global waste challenge, reduce landfill burden and enhance waste recycling in Australia.
Enhancing Biological Denitrification by Addition of External Carbon Sources: What, Where and When. External carbon addition for enhancing nitrogen removal is being increasingly used by wastewater treatment industry both in Australia and worldwide. This technology adds considerably to the operating cost, to which the non-optimal use of carbon sources has contributed significantly. To ensure long-term optimal denitrification performance with minimal use of external carbon, we will perform the firs ....Enhancing Biological Denitrification by Addition of External Carbon Sources: What, Where and When. External carbon addition for enhancing nitrogen removal is being increasingly used by wastewater treatment industry both in Australia and worldwide. This technology adds considerably to the operating cost, to which the non-optimal use of carbon sources has contributed significantly. To ensure long-term optimal denitrification performance with minimal use of external carbon, we will perform the first comprehensive study of the impact of external carbon addition on the denitrifying community and denitrification performance and, on this basis, answer the questions of what carbon sources should be used, where and when/how they should be added under various process design and operational conditions.Read moreRead less
Australian Laureate Fellowships - Grant ID: FL140100215
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,370,000.00
Summary
Fundamental high temperature e-waste investigations for high-value products. Fundamental high temperature e-waste investigations for high-value products. This project aims to transform toxic electronic waste (e-waste) into value added metals and alloys, simultaneously segregating hazardous constituents and preventing the generation of harmful emissions during processing. Huge stockpiles of this fast growing waste stream are creating a crisis of quantity as well as of toxic ingredients posing ser ....Fundamental high temperature e-waste investigations for high-value products. Fundamental high temperature e-waste investigations for high-value products. This project aims to transform toxic electronic waste (e-waste) into value added metals and alloys, simultaneously segregating hazardous constituents and preventing the generation of harmful emissions during processing. Huge stockpiles of this fast growing waste stream are creating a crisis of quantity as well as of toxic ingredients posing serious health and environmental problems. Using atomic-level simulations, rapid heating, high temperatures (1000-1600 C) and selective thermal transformations, this project aims to establish novel pathways for a controlled transformation of e-waste. Microrecycling fundamentals on high temperature transformations of metals, plastics and oxides and other micro-level phenomena will be established.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 the Biotransformation Processes in a Sewer System to Achieve Optimal Management. Sewer corrosion and odour emissions are incurring massive costs to the wastewater management authorities. These problems are primarily caused by the hydrogen sulfide produced by the in-sewer biotransformation processes. Through integrating controlled laboratory experiments, extensive field measurement/experiments and advanced computer modelling, the project aims to generate a fundamental understanding ....Understanding the Biotransformation Processes in a Sewer System to Achieve Optimal Management. Sewer corrosion and odour emissions are incurring massive costs to the wastewater management authorities. These problems are primarily caused by the hydrogen sulfide produced by the in-sewer biotransformation processes. Through integrating controlled laboratory experiments, extensive field measurement/experiments and advanced computer modelling, the project aims to generate a fundamental understanding of the in-sewer biotransformation processes, in particular those occurring in sewer biofilms and sediments, and to provide scientific and engineering support to the wastewater authorities to manage their sewers in a more cost-effective way. Emphasis is placed on the integrated sewer and wastewater treatment performance to achieve overall optimal wastewater management.Read moreRead less