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
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE200100661
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$426,551.00
Summary
Nanoparticle with Metal Organic Framework for Lithium Recovery from Brine. The project aims to develop technology enabling lithium to be cost-effectively extracted from brine. Today Australia meets the increasing demand for lithium by mining hardrock lithium, an environmentally damaging activity. An alternative is to source lithium from brine produced as industrial wastewater (in desalination or shale gas production). The main challenge that brine presents to selectively extracting lithium is co ....Nanoparticle with Metal Organic Framework for Lithium Recovery from Brine. The project aims to develop technology enabling lithium to be cost-effectively extracted from brine. Today Australia meets the increasing demand for lithium by mining hardrock lithium, an environmentally damaging activity. An alternative is to source lithium from brine produced as industrial wastewater (in desalination or shale gas production). The main challenge that brine presents to selectively extracting lithium is competing ions. By advancing knowledge of nanomaterials and membrane distillation, the project expects to overcome both this technical challenge and other practical challenges. From wastewater, the anticipated system will produce additional clean water and a valuable commodity that can offset the cost of water treatment. Read moreRead less
Understanding the role of terrain geometry in eruptive bushfire behaviour. This project aims to improve understanding of the physical processes that cause eruptive bushfire behaviour, otherwise known as fire blow-up. Eruptive fire behaviour, characterised by rapid and unexpected escalation in fire intensity and rate of spread, is a global phenomenon that poses a major threat to fire-fighter safety and can seriously compromise bushfire suppression efforts. This project will address the role that ....Understanding the role of terrain geometry in eruptive bushfire behaviour. This project aims to improve understanding of the physical processes that cause eruptive bushfire behaviour, otherwise known as fire blow-up. Eruptive fire behaviour, characterised by rapid and unexpected escalation in fire intensity and rate of spread, is a global phenomenon that poses a major threat to fire-fighter safety and can seriously compromise bushfire suppression efforts. This project will address the role that terrain geometry plays in the incidence of fire eruption, through consideration of its effect on the attachment of flames to a surface. Expected outcomes include a dynamic fire spread modelling framework and the provision of better advice to bushfire authorities concerning fire blow-up.Read moreRead less
Disassembly Automation of End-of-Life Electric Vehicle Batteries. This project aims to develop an automated disassembly solution for End-of-Life (EOL) Electric Vehicle (EV) batteries, which is flexible and modular to handle the uncertainties associated with model changes, condition of the EOL battery packs as well as the projected volume growth. The outcome of this project will lead to a better separation of EV battery components and materials. This will allow recycling of EOL EV batteries with ....Disassembly Automation of End-of-Life Electric Vehicle Batteries. This project aims to develop an automated disassembly solution for End-of-Life (EOL) Electric Vehicle (EV) batteries, which is flexible and modular to handle the uncertainties associated with model changes, condition of the EOL battery packs as well as the projected volume growth. The outcome of this project will lead to a better separation of EV battery components and materials. This will allow recycling of EOL EV batteries with a higher material recovery efficiency and a lower cost due to the significantly reduced labor cost; hence substantially reduce the environmental footprint associated with EOL treatment of these batteries.Read moreRead less
Algal control using multi-functional, cold plasma activated microbubbles . Climate change is driving a proliferation of nuisance and harmful algal blooms in our water supply systems, which urgently require cost efficient and effective control strategies. Paradoxically, algal biotechnology is a growth industry with application in food, agriculture and energy; realising this potential requires state-of-the-art technology to optimise production, harvesting and extraction. The aim of this proposal i ....Algal control using multi-functional, cold plasma activated microbubbles . Climate change is driving a proliferation of nuisance and harmful algal blooms in our water supply systems, which urgently require cost efficient and effective control strategies. Paradoxically, algal biotechnology is a growth industry with application in food, agriculture and energy; realising this potential requires state-of-the-art technology to optimise production, harvesting and extraction. The aim of this proposal is to develop cutting edge technology that uses cold plasma activated microbubbles to control algal populations. We propose that by tuning the plasma composition, this technology could both selectively disrupt and destroy algal matter and enhance algal cell growth, benefiting both water and biotechnology industries. Read moreRead less
Engineering defect-intensive ozonation catalysts to degrade micropollutants. This project aims to engineer unique particles containing defect-intensive surfaces which are designed to accelerate the catalytic ozonation of waters contaminated with pharmaceuticals and other recalcitrant pollutants. This will enable timely treatment of industrial waste water as well as sewerage treatment plant effluents using simple and cheap catalyst materials. Wet- and flame-based particle fabrication technologies ....Engineering defect-intensive ozonation catalysts to degrade micropollutants. This project aims to engineer unique particles containing defect-intensive surfaces which are designed to accelerate the catalytic ozonation of waters contaminated with pharmaceuticals and other recalcitrant pollutants. This will enable timely treatment of industrial waste water as well as sewerage treatment plant effluents using simple and cheap catalyst materials. Wet- and flame-based particle fabrication technologies paired with unique post-synthesis treatment strategies, including either a coupled hydrogenation-illumination approach or plasma exposure, will be implemented for defect manipulation so as to produce new cheaper, stable, and higher-performing catalysts for activating ozone to treat water containing pharmaceutical and endocrine disrupting micro-pollutants under different process conditions.Read moreRead less
Understanding the fate and transport of selected biomarkers in sewers. This project aims to improve estimates of population drug use and chemical exposure by systematically studying the fate of drugs, organic pollutants (e.g. pesticides) and human biomarkers in sewers. The project aims to combine advanced experimental sewer research facilities with an analytical set-up and modelling expertise to address critical gaps in our knowledge of the fate of chemicals in sewers. The information could be u ....Understanding the fate and transport of selected biomarkers in sewers. This project aims to improve estimates of population drug use and chemical exposure by systematically studying the fate of drugs, organic pollutants (e.g. pesticides) and human biomarkers in sewers. The project aims to combine advanced experimental sewer research facilities with an analytical set-up and modelling expertise to address critical gaps in our knowledge of the fate of chemicals in sewers. The information could be used to provide accurate, cost-effective and near real-time estimates of chemicals entering the sewer system which could allow us to better estimate changes in population drug use, chemical exposure and health status.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE180101441
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$322,446.00
Summary
A new approach for characterising soils based on electric parameters. This project aims to develop a predictive methodology based on electromagnetic sensors to quantify soil state variables that influence hydraulic and mechanical processes. These processes affect the safety of man-made and natural geo-structures such as dams or embankments. Conventional monitoring methods are outdated and unreliable, reducing our capability of detecting threats to these structures. The outcomes of the project wi ....A new approach for characterising soils based on electric parameters. This project aims to develop a predictive methodology based on electromagnetic sensors to quantify soil state variables that influence hydraulic and mechanical processes. These processes affect the safety of man-made and natural geo-structures such as dams or embankments. Conventional monitoring methods are outdated and unreliable, reducing our capability of detecting threats to these structures. The outcomes of the project will improve protection of major geo-structures, trigger novel applications in civil engineering and foster the development of patentable sensors and data analysis methodology.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE170100694
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$360,000.00
Summary
Building resilience in wastewater infrastructure with self-healing bioconcrete. This project aims to develop a microbial self-healing bio-concrete to extend the service life of wastewater collection and treatment facilities. Water utilities worldwide struggle with asset management, because global warming and extreme weather age and corrode concrete infrastructure. This project will use microbially-induced calcium carbonate precipitation by bacteria to treat wastewater. The bacteria, added to bio ....Building resilience in wastewater infrastructure with self-healing bioconcrete. This project aims to develop a microbial self-healing bio-concrete to extend the service life of wastewater collection and treatment facilities. Water utilities worldwide struggle with asset management, because global warming and extreme weather age and corrode concrete infrastructure. This project will use microbially-induced calcium carbonate precipitation by bacteria to treat wastewater. The bacteria, added to bio-concrete, can fill cracks or reseal corroded areas by using organic substrates from wastewater to generate concrete, thus maintaining structural strength and preventing further damage. This project is expected to enhance the resilience and sustainability of wastewater infrastructure in ever more demanding environments.Read moreRead less
Advances in real-time satellite monitoring of flow in rivers and estuaries. This project plans to improve the monitoring of our waterways by developing a novel moving drifter system that takes flow and water quality measurements along the pathlines of the drifters. One of the key challenges for Australian water management lies in monitoring and managing rivers and estuaries effectively over large geographical areas. Traditionally, instrumentation at stationary points has been used for such monit ....Advances in real-time satellite monitoring of flow in rivers and estuaries. This project plans to improve the monitoring of our waterways by developing a novel moving drifter system that takes flow and water quality measurements along the pathlines of the drifters. One of the key challenges for Australian water management lies in monitoring and managing rivers and estuaries effectively over large geographical areas. Traditionally, instrumentation at stationary points has been used for such monitoring, under the simplifying assumption that a single point adequately represents a very large region of water. By contrast, the Real-Time Flow Logging of Water (RT-FLOW) system expects to provide information from large regions of our waterways, providing stakeholders with more information to enable them to better manage issues including storm surge and erosion. The project also aims to provide improved validation of hydrodynamic models.Read moreRead less