Understanding and modifying vortex structures in wind turbine wakes. At a fundamental research level, Australia's active participation in this area of national priority and research strength will be advanced through our published research, which will increase our understanding of wind turbine wakes and their effects in wind farms. This understanding will then be used to produce improved methods of predicting wind turbine performance. Such methods are needed by wind energy designers to produce b ....Understanding and modifying vortex structures in wind turbine wakes. At a fundamental research level, Australia's active participation in this area of national priority and research strength will be advanced through our published research, which will increase our understanding of wind turbine wakes and their effects in wind farms. This understanding will then be used to produce improved methods of predicting wind turbine performance. Such methods are needed by wind energy designers to produce better wind farms. It will also be used to recommend how to improve the aerodynamic design of turbine components, such as the blades and hub. Numerical tools will be developed for industry use, and training will be provided to personnel, thereby increasing the capabilities of Australia's growing wind energy industry.Read moreRead less
Investigation into flow over complex topography and escarpments for wind turbine siting using experimental and computational methods. This project will improve national capability to optimise power production from wind turbine farms in complex terrain by improving the understanding of the flow regime. By better understanding separated regions and the turbulent structures within these regions power production can be optimised and fatigue risks associated with turbine positioning in complex sites ....Investigation into flow over complex topography and escarpments for wind turbine siting using experimental and computational methods. This project will improve national capability to optimise power production from wind turbine farms in complex terrain by improving the understanding of the flow regime. By better understanding separated regions and the turbulent structures within these regions power production can be optimised and fatigue risks associated with turbine positioning in complex sites can be reduced. This will improve confidence in wind farm site assessment techniques and consequently reduce economic risks associated with current wind farm viability assessments. By increasing national capacity to generate clean energy stationary energy emissions can be reduced. This project will also deliver high calibre graduates that will be potential future industry leaders.Read moreRead less
Electrohydrodynamically-Driven Microcentrifugation for Microfluidic Applications. Microfluidics has the potential to revolutionise the way we live. Imagine portable pocket sized devices for cheap and rapid medical diagnostics and drug delivery. Or miniaturised chemical/biological sensors as early warning detection systems against terrorist threats. The research is thus intended to not only commercially benefit various industries, but also to improve the quality of life as a whole by making medic ....Electrohydrodynamically-Driven Microcentrifugation for Microfluidic Applications. Microfluidics has the potential to revolutionise the way we live. Imagine portable pocket sized devices for cheap and rapid medical diagnostics and drug delivery. Or miniaturised chemical/biological sensors as early warning detection systems against terrorist threats. The research is thus intended to not only commercially benefit various industries, but also to improve the quality of life as a whole by making medical diagnosis or chemical/biological detection more readily accessible, portable and more efficient. Moreover, the fundamental studies, aimed at generating an understanding of the complex physics involved, has generic benefits to researchers in applied physics as well as providing practical protocols for microdevice development.Read moreRead less
Control of Transitions in Wakes and Swirling Flows. We will attack industrially-important problems in fluid mechanics by building new, and substantially enhancing existing, international collaborations between key complementary teams of internationally-recognised French and Australian researchers. Funding will support the exchange of 6 senior staff and 3 graduate students, which, in turn, will measurably benefit the research output of a further 20 graduate students and 7 post-doctoral fellows as ....Control of Transitions in Wakes and Swirling Flows. We will attack industrially-important problems in fluid mechanics by building new, and substantially enhancing existing, international collaborations between key complementary teams of internationally-recognised French and Australian researchers. Funding will support the exchange of 6 senior staff and 3 graduate students, which, in turn, will measurably benefit the research output of a further 20 graduate students and 7 post-doctoral fellows associated with closely-related projects. From the Australian perspective, the planned exchanges will bring new research expertise, knowledge and skills, which will be focussed on a diverse range of applications. Target industries (with existing collaborations) include Airbus and Dassault Aviation in Europe, and Aerosonde and Warman pumps in Australia. Read moreRead less
Numerical simulation of the fish-like swimming of linked bodies. Although Zoologists have made detailed observations of swimming fish there are still many unanswered questions about how they swim. We do not know how the fins and undulating body work together to produce the high speed of the tuna, or the fast turns of a fish escaping danger. We see dolphins swim through the sea's surface but we don't know if they do that because it is much more efficient. This project is designed to simulate arb ....Numerical simulation of the fish-like swimming of linked bodies. Although Zoologists have made detailed observations of swimming fish there are still many unanswered questions about how they swim. We do not know how the fins and undulating body work together to produce the high speed of the tuna, or the fast turns of a fish escaping danger. We see dolphins swim through the sea's surface but we don't know if they do that because it is much more efficient. This project is designed to simulate arbitrary fish motion and give answers to these and other questions concerning swimming. It may also help humans to swim more efficiently and provide simulation tools for the design of robotic undersea vehicles.Read moreRead less
Measurement and Prediction of Vulnerable Plaque Formation and Rupture. The major health problem of atherosclerosis, leading to large numbers of deaths from heart attacks and strokes worldwide, will be studied by a multidisciplinary team. Better understanding of how the disease evolves and its earlier detection will arise from this project, which will use synchrotron imaging and supercomputer prediction.
The Mechanics of Nanoscale Devices. Australian developments in biosensing, medical diagnostics, clean energy, communication and security technologies, are rapidly growing due to our mounting capacity in nanoscale fabrication. Vital for evolution of next-generation nanodevices is an understanding of how mechanical processes operate at such small scales. This application will contribute to this scientific knowledge base. This will in turn assist Australian industries to progress these applications ....The Mechanics of Nanoscale Devices. Australian developments in biosensing, medical diagnostics, clean energy, communication and security technologies, are rapidly growing due to our mounting capacity in nanoscale fabrication. Vital for evolution of next-generation nanodevices is an understanding of how mechanical processes operate at such small scales. This application will contribute to this scientific knowledge base. This will in turn assist Australian industries to progress these applications and devices, leading to economic, social and technological gains for the Australian community.Read moreRead less
The propagation of gravity currents over complex terrain. Dust storms, volcanic eruptions, rivers rushing sediment into lakes and seas, and spillages of toxic liquids and gases, are all examples of environmental problems that can occur, and when they do, they threaten both wild life and human communities. This project involves research that will provide quantitative understanding of key processes in these problems from which reliable software will be built to predict their consequences. The soft ....The propagation of gravity currents over complex terrain. Dust storms, volcanic eruptions, rivers rushing sediment into lakes and seas, and spillages of toxic liquids and gases, are all examples of environmental problems that can occur, and when they do, they threaten both wild life and human communities. This project involves research that will provide quantitative understanding of key processes in these problems from which reliable software will be built to predict their consequences. The software will produce an animation of dust containing fluids moving over a landscape of arbitrary complexity.Read moreRead less
The next generation of stellar models: incorporating the results of multidimensional hydrodynamics. This project involves the use of computer codes designed for massively-parallel computing, thousands of computers tied together into one cluster, to tackle difficult hydrodynamic problems that occur in stars. We will train PhD students in this area of cutting-edge computation, with applications in areas such as meteorology, aero-space and defence. The skills gained by the participants in this proj ....The next generation of stellar models: incorporating the results of multidimensional hydrodynamics. This project involves the use of computer codes designed for massively-parallel computing, thousands of computers tied together into one cluster, to tackle difficult hydrodynamic problems that occur in stars. We will train PhD students in this area of cutting-edge computation, with applications in areas such as meteorology, aero-space and defence. The skills gained by the participants in this project will be useful over a wide range of areas in the modern economy of the nation.Read moreRead less
Physical factors affecting deposition of combustion submicrometer particles in the human lung. Particles generated from combustion sources have a profound effect on human health, yet there is lack of scientific understanding of the role of different physical mechanisms on particle deposition in the lung. This program will advance scientific knowledge in this field through multidisciplinary efforts of a team from QUT and the University of Salzburg, Austria. It aims at quantification of particle d ....Physical factors affecting deposition of combustion submicrometer particles in the human lung. Particles generated from combustion sources have a profound effect on human health, yet there is lack of scientific understanding of the role of different physical mechanisms on particle deposition in the lung. This program will advance scientific knowledge in this field through multidisciplinary efforts of a team from QUT and the University of Salzburg, Austria. It aims at quantification of particle deposition in human lung through experimental studies and advanced modelling. The program will enhance and strengthen the existing collaboration between the universities and its outcome will be of significance in the vital area of human health and risk assessment.Read moreRead less