Granular dynamics: theories, modelling and simulation. Particle science and technology is a rapidly developing interdisciplinary research field and is of paramount importance Australia in view of the heavy dependence on raw materials processing. This project will tackle the core problems in this field by developing novel theories and mathematical models to describe the flow of particles. Application of the research outcomes can lead to better process or product control, a decrease in energy cons ....Granular dynamics: theories, modelling and simulation. Particle science and technology is a rapidly developing interdisciplinary research field and is of paramount importance Australia in view of the heavy dependence on raw materials processing. This project will tackle the core problems in this field by developing novel theories and mathematical models to describe the flow of particles. Application of the research outcomes can lead to better process or product control, a decrease in energy consumption and an improvement in productivity, which, together with the research training offered through the conduct of the work, is very helpful to maintaining Australia's leading position in resource, energy, process and allied industries.Read moreRead less
Discrete particle modelling and analysis of complex particle-fluid flows. Multiphase processes are widely used in both conventional and modern industries in Australia and worldwide, however rarely reach more than 60% of design capacity because of a poor understanding of their fundamental characteristics. This project aims to overcome this problem using an extensive combined fundamental and applied approach. The resulting theories, computer models and simulation techniques will be applied to imp ....Discrete particle modelling and analysis of complex particle-fluid flows. Multiphase processes are widely used in both conventional and modern industries in Australia and worldwide, however rarely reach more than 60% of design capacity because of a poor understanding of their fundamental characteristics. This project aims to overcome this problem using an extensive combined fundamental and applied approach. The resulting theories, computer models and simulation techniques will be applied to improve process design, control and optimisation. Consequentially, productivity and Australian competitiveness will be significantly enhanced in its most important industries such as minerals, metallurgical, chemical, energy, and materials.Read moreRead less
Microdynamic modelling and analysis of gas fluidization of particle mixtures. The project aims to develop a comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms governing the particle-fluid flow in gas fluidization of mixtures of particles of different sizes. This will be achieved through detailed analysis of the particle-particle and particle-fluid interactions on the basis of the microdynamic or particle scale results generated by the newly developed discrete simulation technique. The microscopic fin ....Microdynamic modelling and analysis of gas fluidization of particle mixtures. The project aims to develop a comprehensive understanding of the mechanisms governing the particle-fluid flow in gas fluidization of mixtures of particles of different sizes. This will be achieved through detailed analysis of the particle-particle and particle-fluid interactions on the basis of the microdynamic or particle scale results generated by the newly developed discrete simulation technique. The microscopic findings will be implemented in the macroscopic, continuum-based modelling and tested by comparing numerical and experimental results. It will significantly enhance the present capability of modelling particle-fluid flow in gas fluidization which is widely used in mineral/chemical industries.Read moreRead less
Granular dynamics: from discrete simulation towards continuum modelling. The project aims to develop a general averaging theory to link discrete to continuum description of granular dynamics and a comprehensive understanding of the underlying physics. This will be achieved through detailed analysis of the particle-particle and particle-wall interactions at both microscopic and macroscopic levels, supported by the newly developed averaging theory and novel discrete particle simulation. The result ....Granular dynamics: from discrete simulation towards continuum modelling. The project aims to develop a general averaging theory to link discrete to continuum description of granular dynamics and a comprehensive understanding of the underlying physics. This will be achieved through detailed analysis of the particle-particle and particle-wall interactions at both microscopic and macroscopic levels, supported by the newly developed averaging theory and novel discrete particle simulation. The results, in terms of constitutive relations and boundary conditions, will be implemented in continuum-based process modelling and tested by comparing numerical and experimental results via typical case studies. It will significantly enhance the present capability of modelling granular flow that is widely encountered in many industries and in nature.Read moreRead less
The behaviour and design of innovative connections to promote the reduction and reuse of structural steel in steel-concrete composite buildings. This proposal will study the behaviour of innovative connections to promote the reduction and reuse of structural steel in steel-concrete framed buildings. Steel is one of the most recycled materials on earth, however it is the reduction and reuse rather than recycling which can provide significant benefits to building construction. Economic and techni ....The behaviour and design of innovative connections to promote the reduction and reuse of structural steel in steel-concrete composite buildings. This proposal will study the behaviour of innovative connections to promote the reduction and reuse of structural steel in steel-concrete framed buildings. Steel is one of the most recycled materials on earth, however it is the reduction and reuse rather than recycling which can provide significant benefits to building construction. Economic and technical issues have impeded the widespread application of the reuse of steel. These technical impediments can be addressed through the development of connections that promote dismantling of structures at the end of a building's life. This project will address this issue by developing innovative structural connections through experimental and analytical studies and design code provisions.Read moreRead less
Advanced high strength steels produced by energy efficient direct strip casting. Over one billion tonnes of steel is produced every year and one method of reducing the environmental footprint of this production is through strip casting. This process reduces the energy required to process liquid steel into thin sheet product by an astounding 90 per cent. This proposal aims to expand the application of this technology to new steel grades.
Pyrite: a deep-time capsule of ocean chemistry and atmosphere oxidation. Surprisingly little is known about trace element trends in past oceans, even though these data are vital for interpreting the evolution of the Earth's atmosphere, evolutionary pathways of marine life and cycles of major mineral deposits. Using laser-based analysis of sedimentary pyrite in deep marine rocks, this project aims to produce, for the first time, temporal variation curves for 25 trace elements in seawater over the ....Pyrite: a deep-time capsule of ocean chemistry and atmosphere oxidation. Surprisingly little is known about trace element trends in past oceans, even though these data are vital for interpreting the evolution of the Earth's atmosphere, evolutionary pathways of marine life and cycles of major mineral deposits. Using laser-based analysis of sedimentary pyrite in deep marine rocks, this project aims to produce, for the first time, temporal variation curves for 25 trace elements in seawater over the last 3.5 billion years. Preliminary research has validated the technique and demonstrated major changes in certain trace elements over geologically short periods. Outcomes will assist the minerals industry in the discovery of new deposits of zinc, copper, gold and iron ore in Australia.Read moreRead less
Oxygenating the Earth: using innovative techniques to resolve the timing of the origin of oxygen-producing photosynthesis in cyanobacteria. The early Earth was a hostile place with little oxygen in the atmosphere. Then cyanobacteria ('blue-green algae') invented oxygen-releasing photosynthesis. That profound event affected many fundamental processes, from the course of evolution to the formation of ore deposits. However, estimates of when these bacteria originated are disputed with uncertainties ....Oxygenating the Earth: using innovative techniques to resolve the timing of the origin of oxygen-producing photosynthesis in cyanobacteria. The early Earth was a hostile place with little oxygen in the atmosphere. Then cyanobacteria ('blue-green algae') invented oxygen-releasing photosynthesis. That profound event affected many fundamental processes, from the course of evolution to the formation of ore deposits. However, estimates of when these bacteria originated are disputed with uncertainties of hundreds of millions of years. We will resolve those uncertainties. We have developed new analytical techniques that we will apply to well-preserved 2.7-2.8 billion-year-old rocks in Western Australia. We will couple that approach to the use of the latest genetic techniques to reveal the origins of living cyanobacteria.Read moreRead less
Novel Atomic Level Investigations of High Temperature Surface Thermodynamics of molten steel. This project will develop a highly advanced research capability to investigate critical aspects of impurity interactions and surface phenomena in molten steel. Innovative research proposed in this project will pave the way towards developing novel atomic level technologies whose potentials are largely unexplored and untested, with profound implications for international standing of Australian science an ....Novel Atomic Level Investigations of High Temperature Surface Thermodynamics of molten steel. This project will develop a highly advanced research capability to investigate critical aspects of impurity interactions and surface phenomena in molten steel. Innovative research proposed in this project will pave the way towards developing novel atomic level technologies whose potentials are largely unexplored and untested, with profound implications for international standing of Australian science and steel industry. It will lay the foundations for improvements in steelmaking practices enhancing operational efficiency, environmental sustainability with immense economic/technological benefits. Significant savings are to be gained from the ability to process lower cost scrap and reducing contamination in the final steel products. Read moreRead less
Recycling of Waste Plastics in Electric Furnace Steelmaking: Kinetics of Carbon Dissolution into Steel. Waste plastics form an ever-increasing component of industrial and municipal solid waste and there are serious environmental hazards associated with current methods of plastic waste disposal. This project will produce an in-depth understanding on the critical aspects of recycling waste plastics in steelmaking processes as a carbon and energy resource. Potentially huge quantities of plastic was ....Recycling of Waste Plastics in Electric Furnace Steelmaking: Kinetics of Carbon Dissolution into Steel. Waste plastics form an ever-increasing component of industrial and municipal solid waste and there are serious environmental hazards associated with current methods of plastic waste disposal. This project will produce an in-depth understanding on the critical aspects of recycling waste plastics in steelmaking processes as a carbon and energy resource. Potentially huge quantities of plastic waste can be utilised in the steelmaking industry in a way which will be clean, economic and environmentally friendly. The possibility of recycling infusible and insoluble thermoset plastics will also be investigated.Read moreRead less