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
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
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 Fouling Control in Membrane Bioreactors. Membrane bioreactors (MBR) are growing in importance for wastewater treatment because they offer an alternative for producing higher effluent quality wastewater within a more compact space compared to conventional processes. However, due to the pumping and bubbling used to keep the membranes clear of foulants resulting from the biological processes in MBR's, controlling fouling incurs significant energy usage and costs. The proposal aims to red ....Optimising Fouling Control in Membrane Bioreactors. Membrane bioreactors (MBR) are growing in importance for wastewater treatment because they offer an alternative for producing higher effluent quality wastewater within a more compact space compared to conventional processes. However, due to the pumping and bubbling used to keep the membranes clear of foulants resulting from the biological processes in MBR's, controlling fouling incurs significant energy usage and costs. The proposal aims to reduce the costs of fouling control by understanding the optimal conditions to remove these depositions and improve the design of MBR modules, operating conditions and shear delivery in the membrane system.Read moreRead less
Macromolecular Fouling in Membrane Bioreactors. As the demands for domestic and industrial water increasing in Australia and overseas, membrane bioreactors (MBR) offer an alternative for producing higher effluent quality wastewater compared to conventional processes. However, aeration costs used to remove fouling deposits (which reduce the operating performance) need to be further minimised. The proposal aims to study fundamental mechanisms involve in the deposition of foulant components by usin ....Macromolecular Fouling in Membrane Bioreactors. As the demands for domestic and industrial water increasing in Australia and overseas, membrane bioreactors (MBR) offer an alternative for producing higher effluent quality wastewater compared to conventional processes. However, aeration costs used to remove fouling deposits (which reduce the operating performance) need to be further minimised. The proposal aims to study fundamental mechanisms involve in the deposition of foulant components by using model systems of polysaccharides, proteins and microbial cells and comparing these with real MBR systems. The effect of bubbling varied gas compositions (air/H2S ratios) a novel approach in this study will be investigated to prevent or remove foulants in MBR systems. Read moreRead less
Design of granule microstructure in fluidised bed granulation: Modelling & experimental realisation. Production of granules with engineered microstructure is a common industrial problem. This project focuses on understanding how to control the microstructure of granules - including size, porosity, composition - produced by fluidised bed granulation by developing systematic, science based design rules. Designer granules can be used to develop and fast-track the development of innovative microstru ....Design of granule microstructure in fluidised bed granulation: Modelling & experimental realisation. Production of granules with engineered microstructure is a common industrial problem. This project focuses on understanding how to control the microstructure of granules - including size, porosity, composition - produced by fluidised bed granulation by developing systematic, science based design rules. Designer granules can be used to develop and fast-track the development of innovative microstructured products for niche markets and the next generation of high-value agricultural, food and pharmaceutical industries. This unique project clearly contributes to the National Research Priority of 'Frontier Technologies' and will further enhance Australia's world-class excellence in both powder fluidisation and granulation research.Read moreRead less
Friction-based modelling of the dynamics of nanoconfined fluid mixtures. This project will transform the molecular science of fluid transport in nanoconfined spaces by delivering a tool that will be critical to the development of emerging nanotechnologies. The tool will embed a novel theory in a framework for modelling transport over all scales from nano- to macroscopic. The project will have strong benefits for the advancement of leading-edge fundamental research and in its relevance to a numbe ....Friction-based modelling of the dynamics of nanoconfined fluid mixtures. This project will transform the molecular science of fluid transport in nanoconfined spaces by delivering a tool that will be critical to the development of emerging nanotechnologies. The tool will embed a novel theory in a framework for modelling transport over all scales from nano- to macroscopic. The project will have strong benefits for the advancement of leading-edge fundamental research and in its relevance to a number of novel nanotechnologies. It will be particularly relevant to scientific and industrial developments exploiting new nanomaterials such as AlPO4-25, carbon molecular sieves and carbon nanotubes, as well as in nanofluidics.Read moreRead less
Mechanisms of Ammonium Nitrate Decomposition and Stability of Industrial Explosives in Reactive Mining Grounds. This project is designed to probe reaction mechanisms of ammonium nitrate based explosives with pyritic shales commonly found in overburdens of mineral deposits, and to study the influence of various factors, such as mineralogical characteristics, carbonaceous materials, weathering, pH values and application of various inhibition agents, on the decomposition and stability of ammonium n ....Mechanisms of Ammonium Nitrate Decomposition and Stability of Industrial Explosives in Reactive Mining Grounds. This project is designed to probe reaction mechanisms of ammonium nitrate based explosives with pyritic shales commonly found in overburdens of mineral deposits, and to study the influence of various factors, such as mineralogical characteristics, carbonaceous materials, weathering, pH values and application of various inhibition agents, on the decomposition and stability of ammonium nitrate. Ammonium nitrate crystallisation, which significantly reduces the stability of emulsion explosives, will be examined using both chemical and microscopic tools. The outcomes of this research will provide a scientific basis that underpins the development of safe and cost-effective explosives for applications in dangerous reactive mining grounds.Read moreRead less
A multiscale-multifunctional approach to advanced diagnosis and operator performance in complex process systems. Major process system failures and subsequent poor diagnosis continues to produce significant company disruption, environmental damage, injury and possible loss of life. The benefits of this work will be reduced impacts and risks. This work will provide a new integrated approach with structured tools and diagnostic designs for process industries. It should have direct impacts on compan ....A multiscale-multifunctional approach to advanced diagnosis and operator performance in complex process systems. Major process system failures and subsequent poor diagnosis continues to produce significant company disruption, environmental damage, injury and possible loss of life. The benefits of this work will be reduced impacts and risks. This work will provide a new integrated approach with structured tools and diagnostic designs for process industries. It should have direct impacts on company performance through improved diagnosis, more timely response and hence reduced likelihood of major accidents. It will help to improve overall risk management practice in the process industries with less impact on people, property and environment, thus improving operational performance. Local communities will be direct beneficiaries of these reduced risks.Read moreRead less