Innovative zero-energy membrane technologies to reduce water consumption in the dairy industry. The Australian dairy industry not only plays a critical role in our way of life, but processed dairy products contribute to 12% or $3.27b to Australia's export revenue. It has learnt to adapt to changing market demands through innovative membrane technologies, but now energy and water are key issues. This project aims to reduce water consumption in dairy processing by treating waste streams using nove ....Innovative zero-energy membrane technologies to reduce water consumption in the dairy industry. The Australian dairy industry not only plays a critical role in our way of life, but processed dairy products contribute to 12% or $3.27b to Australia's export revenue. It has learnt to adapt to changing market demands through innovative membrane technologies, but now energy and water are key issues. This project aims to reduce water consumption in dairy processing by treating waste streams using novel membrane processes including membrane distillation. The energy is supplied from low grade waste heat, offsetting the need to supply more power to the plant. Reducing the need for water in a zero-energy way will ensure the thriving dairy industry remains cost competitive and an integral part of Australia's culture and economy.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE0775513
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$400,000.00
Summary
Advanced Process Tomography Research Facility for Multiphase System Studies. The establishment of an advanced process tomography facility at UNSW has several important national benefits, including; increased capacity of the collaborating institutions to train highly qualified personnel to meet new and growing demands in the processing industries; the transfer of research-based cheap and efficient technologies to our industries to enhance their position in a competitive global market; the improve ....Advanced Process Tomography Research Facility for Multiphase System Studies. The establishment of an advanced process tomography facility at UNSW has several important national benefits, including; increased capacity of the collaborating institutions to train highly qualified personnel to meet new and growing demands in the processing industries; the transfer of research-based cheap and efficient technologies to our industries to enhance their position in a competitive global market; the improvement in our culture and living standards through superior and inexpensive food, biomedical, water, environmental, materials and military products; and the strengthening of Australian position, through international linkage projects, as a world leader in the development of novel processing technologies.Read moreRead less
Improving the scale-up of spray drying for bioactive extracts and fibres. The project will develop new processing techniques that will contribute to better functional foods and bioactive products from fruit and vegetable wastes. The total national crop of fruit and vegetables produces over 3 million tonnes of wastes, where the bioactive materials in the wastes have a potential value of $3 billion/year.
Engineering Nanostructured Bio-inspired Products. New nanostructured products that draw on biology promise to revolutionise our lives and economy. Designer emulsions and self-assembling particles inspired by viruses are two such products that form the focus for this research programme. The constitutive behaviour of bio-molecular films that control emulsion performance will be characterised and linked to molecular properties and manufacturing conditions. A broad-based technology platform for t ....Engineering Nanostructured Bio-inspired Products. New nanostructured products that draw on biology promise to revolutionise our lives and economy. Designer emulsions and self-assembling particles inspired by viruses are two such products that form the focus for this research programme. The constitutive behaviour of bio-molecular films that control emulsion performance will be characterised and linked to molecular properties and manufacturing conditions. A broad-based technology platform for the in vitro creation of self-assembling biological nanoparticles will also be developed. Key outcomes will be valuable IPR and fundamental engineering science knowledge to ensure that the value chain for this class of products can deliver commercial outcomes.Read moreRead less
Application of a Novel Reflux Classifier for Separating Nut Shell Fragments from Powdered Food Mixtures. An important operation in the food industry is the physical separation of valuable particles from a mixture containing waste materials, such as shell fragments. The purpose of this study is to investigate the application of a novel gas-solid fluidised bed system, utilising parallel inclined plates to radically amplify the differential segregation rates to produce separations based on particle ....Application of a Novel Reflux Classifier for Separating Nut Shell Fragments from Powdered Food Mixtures. An important operation in the food industry is the physical separation of valuable particles from a mixture containing waste materials, such as shell fragments. The purpose of this study is to investigate the application of a novel gas-solid fluidised bed system, utilising parallel inclined plates to radically amplify the differential segregation rates to produce separations based on particle size. Our aim is to develop a fundamental understanding of the principles governing the nature of this system. The project should result in considerable technological and economic benefits for the food industry, a well trained and educated person at the postgraduate level, and a stronger collaborative link between the University and Sanitarium.Read moreRead less
Wet granule mechanics and their influence on agglomeration behaviour and granulation processes. Granulation is a widely-used particle size enlargement process performed by spraying a liquid binder onto an agitated powder mass. It is currently impossible to quantitatively predict granule growth behaviour in terms of the fundamental properties of the particles and binder. This project will measure and model the deformation of granules and the strength of bonds formed between them and use this info ....Wet granule mechanics and their influence on agglomeration behaviour and granulation processes. Granulation is a widely-used particle size enlargement process performed by spraying a liquid binder onto an agitated powder mass. It is currently impossible to quantitatively predict granule growth behaviour in terms of the fundamental properties of the particles and binder. This project will measure and model the deformation of granules and the strength of bonds formed between them and use this information to predict their growth behaviour. Special attention will be given to the effects of strain-rate and particle morphology in granulation mechanics. Improvements in granulation technology will be of great benefit to food, pharmaceutical, agricultural, explosives and mining industries and opens the way to 'designer granulation' for special purposes.Read moreRead less
Optimising Removal of Proteinaceous Foulants from Membranes. Removal of proteinacous foulants from membrane systems imposes both significant economic costs in terms of chemical usage as well as significant environmental costs in terms of water usage and production of effluents from the cleaning and rinsing waters. The outcome of this project should allow us to develop methods for the prediction and optimisation of membrane cleaning performance of relevance to major Australian industries includin ....Optimising Removal of Proteinaceous Foulants from Membranes. Removal of proteinacous foulants from membrane systems imposes both significant economic costs in terms of chemical usage as well as significant environmental costs in terms of water usage and production of effluents from the cleaning and rinsing waters. The outcome of this project should allow us to develop methods for the prediction and optimisation of membrane cleaning performance of relevance to major Australian industries including the dairy, food processing and water and waste water treatment industries.Read moreRead less
Production of structured designer particles with high encapsulation capacities and efficiencies. This project aims to develop a superior encapsulation technology that is capable of producing particles with precisely controlled physical and chemical properties. The technology has application in a wide range of industries requiring packaging active ingredients into particle form to achieve desirable end-use performances. It has an economic impact of multibillion dollars per annum. In particular, i ....Production of structured designer particles with high encapsulation capacities and efficiencies. This project aims to develop a superior encapsulation technology that is capable of producing particles with precisely controlled physical and chemical properties. The technology has application in a wide range of industries requiring packaging active ingredients into particle form to achieve desirable end-use performances. It has an economic impact of multibillion dollars per annum. In particular, it will facilitate the release of new drugs to the market for the pharmaceutical industry, and increase the range and improve the availability of quality foods for the food industry. This will bring about a healthier life style to the Australian population.Read moreRead less
The Development of New Carrier Technologies for Spray-Dried Fruit Extracts. This project aims to develop new carrier techniques for spray drying fruit extracts based on the use of natural fibres, with the aim of overcoming a key problem in the operation of spray dryers for producing powders, the deposition of particles on walls. Carriers are non-sticky materials that effectively dilute the stickiness of any materials. The significance is that it will use waste products from fruit processing (th ....The Development of New Carrier Technologies for Spray-Dried Fruit Extracts. This project aims to develop new carrier techniques for spray drying fruit extracts based on the use of natural fibres, with the aim of overcoming a key problem in the operation of spray dryers for producing powders, the deposition of particles on walls. Carriers are non-sticky materials that effectively dilute the stickiness of any materials. The significance is that it will use waste products from fruit processing (the fibres from skins) to overcome this problem, and it will also be possible to dry sticky materials using material from the fruit itself, rather than additives such as maltodextrin.Read moreRead less
Microfluidic Studies of Stimuli-Responsive Emulsions. Breakthrough 'stimuli-responsive interface technology' has been developed in Australia to allow better control over emulsions, which are oil-in-water mixtures used widely in everyday products such as medicines. This project will increase our understanding of this new technology, by examining how the chemistry of the molecules at the interface interacts with fluid behaviour when the emulsion is made. The research will employ miniature lab-on-a ....Microfluidic Studies of Stimuli-Responsive Emulsions. Breakthrough 'stimuli-responsive interface technology' has been developed in Australia to allow better control over emulsions, which are oil-in-water mixtures used widely in everyday products such as medicines. This project will increase our understanding of this new technology, by examining how the chemistry of the molecules at the interface interacts with fluid behaviour when the emulsion is made. The research will employ miniature lab-on-a-chip systems, to give engineers and scientists design rules for this new technology, opening the way to new products that will improve our everyday lives. One immediate product to be researched is 'precision' double emulsions, which show unique properties for the delivery of chemotherapy medicines.Read moreRead less