A System Behavioral Approach to Big Data-driven Nonlinear Process Control. This project aims to develop a novel process control approach that utilises big process data to improve the cost-effectiveness of industrial processes. Existing monitoring systems in the industry have been collecting a tremendous amount of process operation data but little effort has been made to use the big process data to enhance process operations. Based on the system behavioural approach and dissipativity theory, inte ....A System Behavioral Approach to Big Data-driven Nonlinear Process Control. This project aims to develop a novel process control approach that utilises big process data to improve the cost-effectiveness of industrial processes. Existing monitoring systems in the industry have been collecting a tremendous amount of process operation data but little effort has been made to use the big process data to enhance process operations. Based on the system behavioural approach and dissipativity theory, integrated with machine learning techniques, this project expects to develop a novel framework for data-driven control using big process data. The outcomes are expected to benefit the Australian process industry, where many processes are controlled by inadequate logic controllers, by improving their operational efficiency.Read moreRead less
Distributed nonlinear control based on differential dissipativity. This project aims to investigate the process control methodologies crucial to smart manufacturing It aims to develop a distributed optimisation-based nonlinear control approach for plant-wide flexible manufacturing, which can achieve time-varying operational targets including production rates and product specifications to meet dynamic market demands. This includes a contraction-based nonlinear distributed control framework that e ....Distributed nonlinear control based on differential dissipativity. This project aims to investigate the process control methodologies crucial to smart manufacturing It aims to develop a distributed optimisation-based nonlinear control approach for plant-wide flexible manufacturing, which can achieve time-varying operational targets including production rates and product specifications to meet dynamic market demands. This includes a contraction-based nonlinear distributed control framework that ensures plant-wide stability at any feasible set-points or references and a distributed economic model predictive control approach that coordinates autonomous controllers to achieve plant-wide economic objectives in a self-organising manner. The outcomes of this project are expected to form a process control framework for next-generation smart plants.Read moreRead less
Dissipativity based distributed model predictive control for complex industrial processes. This project will extend and improve the model predictive control technology, which is the most widely used advanced control approach in process industries. The results will potentially benefit the Australian mineral processing industry where many processes are geographically distributed, leading to more cost-effective operation.
Integrated Approach to Plantwide Fault Diagnosis and Fault-tolerant Control. This project aims to develop a new approach to detect and reduce the impact of faults in industrial plants. Operations of modern industrial processes increasingly depend on automatic control systems, which can make the plants susceptible to faults such as sensor/actuator failures. Based on the concept of dissipative systems, the project aims to develop a novel integrated approach to distributed fault diagnosis and fault ....Integrated Approach to Plantwide Fault Diagnosis and Fault-tolerant Control. This project aims to develop a new approach to detect and reduce the impact of faults in industrial plants. Operations of modern industrial processes increasingly depend on automatic control systems, which can make the plants susceptible to faults such as sensor/actuator failures. Based on the concept of dissipative systems, the project aims to develop a novel integrated approach to distributed fault diagnosis and fault-tolerant control for plant-wide processes. It aims to capture the key dynamic features of normal and abnormal processes by their dissipativity properties, and to use these to develop an efficient online fault diagnosis approach based on process input and output trajectories.Read moreRead less
Development of nanoporous materials for capture and release of oxygen. This project aims to develop new materials to make lighter, more efficient oxygen concentrators. The project will combine materials that can capture oxygen with particles that can be magnetically heated, making it possible to release the oxygen rapidly and efficiently when needed. Expected outcomes from this project include new composite materials and better understanding of how gases are trapped and released within composite ....Development of nanoporous materials for capture and release of oxygen. This project aims to develop new materials to make lighter, more efficient oxygen concentrators. The project will combine materials that can capture oxygen with particles that can be magnetically heated, making it possible to release the oxygen rapidly and efficiently when needed. Expected outcomes from this project include new composite materials and better understanding of how gases are trapped and released within composite materials. Benefits from this project may include oxygen concentrators that are more portable and have longer battery life, both with industrial and medical applications.Read moreRead less
Nano-engineered catalysts for sustainable fuel production from waste . This project aims to address two major problems simultaneously-reducing the burden of non-recyclable waste currently going to landfill in Australia, and offsetting Australia’s reliance on imported diesel to support industry and transport needs. While approximately 95% of diesel consumed in Australia is imported, vast quantities of carbon-based waste ends up in landfill. Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) is a mixture of plant-based ....Nano-engineered catalysts for sustainable fuel production from waste . This project aims to address two major problems simultaneously-reducing the burden of non-recyclable waste currently going to landfill in Australia, and offsetting Australia’s reliance on imported diesel to support industry and transport needs. While approximately 95% of diesel consumed in Australia is imported, vast quantities of carbon-based waste ends up in landfill. Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) is a mixture of plant-based waste (including food, garden, paper, and wood) and fossil-fuel derived materials (plastics). Using an innovative and environmentally-sustainable catalytic process, the outcomes of this project are aimed alleviating Australia’s dependence on diesel fuel imports and better waste management solutions in Australia.Read moreRead less
Advanced chemical recycling of mixed plastics for monomer recovery. This project aims to develop innovative catalytic routes to the chemical recycling of mixed plastics for recovery of their molecular building blocks. Plastic pollution poses a significant threat to the Australian ecosystem. Efficient recycling technologies are urgently needed as Australia only recycles ~4% of its 3.4 million tons of mixed waste plastics. This project expects to design highly efficient catalysts for the stepwise ....Advanced chemical recycling of mixed plastics for monomer recovery. This project aims to develop innovative catalytic routes to the chemical recycling of mixed plastics for recovery of their molecular building blocks. Plastic pollution poses a significant threat to the Australian ecosystem. Efficient recycling technologies are urgently needed as Australia only recycles ~4% of its 3.4 million tons of mixed waste plastics. This project expects to design highly efficient catalysts for the stepwise breakdown of mixed polyolefin plastics into monomers for the subsequent manufacturing of virgin plastics in a circular economy, and to elucidate fundamental underpinning reaction mechanisms. Outcomes will stimulate the Australian waste plastic recycling industry, and minimise plastic accumulation in the environment.Read moreRead less
Manufacturing high value carbon products and chemicals from spent tyres. Manufacturing high value carbon products and chemicals from spent tyres. This project aims to develop an innovative and integrated thermochemical process for use of spent tyres. Australia disposes of more than 400,000 tonnes of spent tyres per annum in landfills, stockpiles and random dumping, incurring significant environmental hazards, serious health risks and wastage of resources. This research is expected to result in n ....Manufacturing high value carbon products and chemicals from spent tyres. Manufacturing high value carbon products and chemicals from spent tyres. This project aims to develop an innovative and integrated thermochemical process for use of spent tyres. Australia disposes of more than 400,000 tonnes of spent tyres per annum in landfills, stockpiles and random dumping, incurring significant environmental hazards, serious health risks and wastage of resources. This research is expected to result in new knowledge of the thermal behaviour of rubber and new techniques to identify, extract and use high value carbon materials and chemicals from thermochemical processing of spent tyres. The research outcomes are expected to provide a technological foundation for an emerging industry for environmentally responsible and economically self-sustaining use of spent tyres.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE150101687
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$340,000.00
Summary
Nanostructure Tailoring of Inorganic Membranes by Rapid Thermal Processing. This project aims to produce inorganic membranes with desired nanostructures using a Rapid Thermal Processing (RTP) technique for gas separation applications. The key concept of the research is that the RTP will be able to achieve thin-film membrane layer with a finer microstructure and pore size control without heat stress-induced cracking. RTP aims to deliver superior membrane performance with less than 10 per cent of ....Nanostructure Tailoring of Inorganic Membranes by Rapid Thermal Processing. This project aims to produce inorganic membranes with desired nanostructures using a Rapid Thermal Processing (RTP) technique for gas separation applications. The key concept of the research is that the RTP will be able to achieve thin-film membrane layer with a finer microstructure and pore size control without heat stress-induced cracking. RTP aims to deliver superior membrane performance with less than 10 per cent of the fabrication time compared to normal slow calcination. The outcomes of this new technology aims to make inorganic membranes a commercial reality and maximize the membrane manufacturing capability and productivity of petrochemcial, chemical and clean coal/energy industries.Read moreRead less
Advanced separators for lithium-sulphur batteries. This project aims to develop new membranes for use as separators in lithium-sulphur batteries. Currently diffusion of polysulphides within these batteries reduces battery power and lifetime. The new membranes are intended to block polysulphide diffusion over an extended lifetime, while transporting the other ions needed for the battery to function. The project is expected to generate new membrane materials and further knowledge about the design, ....Advanced separators for lithium-sulphur batteries. This project aims to develop new membranes for use as separators in lithium-sulphur batteries. Currently diffusion of polysulphides within these batteries reduces battery power and lifetime. The new membranes are intended to block polysulphide diffusion over an extended lifetime, while transporting the other ions needed for the battery to function. The project is expected to generate new membrane materials and further knowledge about the design, synthesis and larger-scale production of membranes for electrochemical applications. This project will provide significant benefits by producing potentially lighter, longer-lasting and cheaper batteries than existing lithium-ion technologies, with the potential to accelerate the adoption of electric cars.Read moreRead less