Force Interactions in Packed and Fluidised Beds at Micro-Scale Operation. Industrial processing in the 20th century was about increasing size to gain benefit from economies of scale. This century, the focus is on micro devices like lab-on-a-chip and high speed computer processors that deliver their product directly to the consumer. There are significant obstacles facing this new technology. Mixing is reduced due to laminar flow, and a large amount of energy is needed to move the fluid through su ....Force Interactions in Packed and Fluidised Beds at Micro-Scale Operation. Industrial processing in the 20th century was about increasing size to gain benefit from economies of scale. This century, the focus is on micro devices like lab-on-a-chip and high speed computer processors that deliver their product directly to the consumer. There are significant obstacles facing this new technology. Mixing is reduced due to laminar flow, and a large amount of energy is needed to move the fluid through such small devices. Particles are often added to improve mixing and heat transfer, but their presence adds to the energy requirements. This study will help us overcome these challenges. Read moreRead less
Coarse-Grid Eulerian-Eulerian Multiphase Model for Fluid Catalytic Cracking Unit. A fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) unit is an important refinery unit operation responsible for about 45% of total petrol production. The aim of this study is to improve the petrol production efficiency of Australian refineries thus allowing our country not only to maintain its self-sufficiency but also to permit lucrative exports. This will be done by optimising the performance of the FCC unit through novel computat ....Coarse-Grid Eulerian-Eulerian Multiphase Model for Fluid Catalytic Cracking Unit. A fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) unit is an important refinery unit operation responsible for about 45% of total petrol production. The aim of this study is to improve the petrol production efficiency of Australian refineries thus allowing our country not only to maintain its self-sufficiency but also to permit lucrative exports. This will be done by optimising the performance of the FCC unit through novel computational fluid dynamic simulations. The outcomes of this study will enable refiners to produce cleaner fuel (e.g., fuel with less sulphur) and decrease air pollution from the FCC unit (in the form of CO and particulates) thus helping Australia to preserve its diverse and relatively pollution-free environment.Read moreRead less
Selective generation of hydrogen from biomass and waste fuels. Biomass fuels account for 14% of global energy supply. This is likely to increase in future as the population increases, energy demand rises, cheap oil and coal reserves are depleted, and the effects of global warming become more readily visible. In Australia the development of a sustainable hydrogen economy is a national priority. The hydrogen economy could bring about improved energy security, substantially reduced greenhouse gas e ....Selective generation of hydrogen from biomass and waste fuels. Biomass fuels account for 14% of global energy supply. This is likely to increase in future as the population increases, energy demand rises, cheap oil and coal reserves are depleted, and the effects of global warming become more readily visible. In Australia the development of a sustainable hydrogen economy is a national priority. The hydrogen economy could bring about improved energy security, substantially reduced greenhouse gas emissions, improved energy efficiency and improved air quality. This proposal directly addresses this challenge by investigating the science underpinning a large-scale sustainable hydrogen synthesis process using biomass and waste fuels. 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
Jet breakup of emulsions for the production of designer microparticulate drug delivery systems. Drug delivery systems are an important and growing part of the pharmaceutical and biotechnology market. The growth is estimated to be at 23% p.a. and is tied to the requirements for more precise and complex delivery profiles by highly potent drugs or vaccines (bioactives). To achieve the required level of control and precision, improved encapsulation technologies are needed to produce particles of a p ....Jet breakup of emulsions for the production of designer microparticulate drug delivery systems. Drug delivery systems are an important and growing part of the pharmaceutical and biotechnology market. The growth is estimated to be at 23% p.a. and is tied to the requirements for more precise and complex delivery profiles by highly potent drugs or vaccines (bioactives). To achieve the required level of control and precision, improved encapsulation technologies are needed to produce particles of a precise size and narrow size distribution. This project aims to develop an innovative technology for the production of superior uniformly sized particulate drug delivery systems for the delivery of the "next generation" bioactives.Read moreRead less
Developing novel aerosol inhalers for pulmonary drug delivery from the fundamental understanding of powder dispersion mechanisms. The project seeks to understand how powder aerosol inhalers can be significantly improved. The outcome will provide therapeutic benefits to the Australian community for better treatment of respiratory diseases and facilitate environmentally friendly technology since these inhalers do not require any harmful organic solvents to operate.
Particle-scale modelling of particle-fluid flows in gas and oil extraction. Particle-scale modelling of particle-fluid flows in gas and oil extraction. This project aims to develop a particle scale model to study the pipeline transport of petroleum fluids. It will use a combined theoretical and experimental program, involving state-of-the-art discrete element modelling and simulation techniques, to describe the complex particle-fluid flow and erosion of pipeline transport in gas and oil extracti ....Particle-scale modelling of particle-fluid flows in gas and oil extraction. Particle-scale modelling of particle-fluid flows in gas and oil extraction. This project aims to develop a particle scale model to study the pipeline transport of petroleum fluids. It will use a combined theoretical and experimental program, involving state-of-the-art discrete element modelling and simulation techniques, to describe the complex particle-fluid flow and erosion of pipeline transport in gas and oil extraction, quantify the effects of key variables, and formulate strategies for optimum process control under different conditions. The research outcomes are expected to be useful for the process control of pipeline transport in Australia’s important petroleum and energy-related industries.Read moreRead less
Drag Force on Bubbles and Particles in Turbulent Flows. Australian exports are dominated by the minerals, metallurgical and chemicals industries, with minerals exports worth at least $40 billion annually. Many of the production processes are underpinned by the complex interaction between particles, bubbles and liquids. It is important that we understand the complex interactions taking place. This will enable us to improve existing operations and also to design completely new technologies, especi ....Drag Force on Bubbles and Particles in Turbulent Flows. Australian exports are dominated by the minerals, metallurgical and chemicals industries, with minerals exports worth at least $40 billion annually. Many of the production processes are underpinned by the complex interaction between particles, bubbles and liquids. It is important that we understand the complex interactions taking place. This will enable us to improve existing operations and also to design completely new technologies, especially in the emerging fields of nano and biotechnology. This project is important because it adds to our knowledge in the national priority area of Transforming Australian Industries, and its success will ensure that our industries remain at the forefront of innovation and are globally competitive. Read moreRead less
Combustion Characteristics of Biomass Chars in Pressurised Circulating Fluidised Bed Reactors. The development of new, cleaner methods of electricity generation, such as biomass-based integrated gasification combined-cycles and hybrid-cycle pressurised fluidised-bed combustion, have highlighted the need for a greater understanding of the combustion characteristics of biomass chars at high pressures and temperatures. The aim of this project is to gain a clearer understanding of the underlying mec ....Combustion Characteristics of Biomass Chars in Pressurised Circulating Fluidised Bed Reactors. The development of new, cleaner methods of electricity generation, such as biomass-based integrated gasification combined-cycles and hybrid-cycle pressurised fluidised-bed combustion, have highlighted the need for a greater understanding of the combustion characteristics of biomass chars at high pressures and temperatures. The aim of this project is to gain a clearer understanding of the underlying mechanisms that control the combustion of biomass chars in pressurised circulating fluidised-bed (PCFB) reactors. The fundamental knowledge gained in this project will have immediate practical applications as modern PCFB reactors are considered to be the most suitable systems for the combustion of biomass char particles.Read moreRead less
Micromechanic modelling and analysis of the dynamics of non-spherical particles coupled with fluid flow. This project aims to develop advanced theories and mathematical models to describe the packing and flow of non-spherical particles coupled with fluid flow. This will be achieved through a combined theoretical and experimental program, involving the use of advanced discrete particle simulation and detailed analysis of packing/flow structures, particle-particle and particle-fluid interactions a ....Micromechanic modelling and analysis of the dynamics of non-spherical particles coupled with fluid flow. This project aims to develop advanced theories and mathematical models to describe the packing and flow of non-spherical particles coupled with fluid flow. This will be achieved through a combined theoretical and experimental program, involving the use of advanced discrete particle simulation and detailed analysis of packing/flow structures, particle-particle and particle-fluid interactions at a particle scale. Research outcomes including theories, computer models and simulation techniques will be applied to representative industrial operations of importance to Australia's economic and technological future.Read moreRead less