Nano- and micro-scale engineering of MoS2-based catalyst for conversion of syngas to ethanol. Domestic production of ethanol to provide a 10% blend in petrol (E10) can be achieved from waste methane gas that Australia currently vents or flares to atmosphere. This project aims to develop a conversion process for making ethanol from syngas (the product of coal or methane gasification). Small scale, modularised plants would make ethanol locally to the methane emission source. The benefits of local ....Nano- and micro-scale engineering of MoS2-based catalyst for conversion of syngas to ethanol. Domestic production of ethanol to provide a 10% blend in petrol (E10) can be achieved from waste methane gas that Australia currently vents or flares to atmosphere. This project aims to develop a conversion process for making ethanol from syngas (the product of coal or methane gasification). Small scale, modularised plants would make ethanol locally to the methane emission source. The benefits of local E10 production would be a reduction in the oil trade deficit of $1 billion per year, $500 million per year in lower carbon imposts to industry and government, 25 million tonnes per year of reduced CO2e release to atmosphere and significantly improved urban air through reduced emissions from car transport, with attendant human health benefits.Read moreRead less
Combined Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) and CFD modelling to study particle deposition in conduits. System geometry greatly influences flow hydrodynamics and hence the transport of colloidal particles and ionic species from the bulk to the surfaces that result in formation of unwanted deposit matter on the surface. The formation of unwanted deposits has significant environmental and economic penalties. This project uses a new approach that is combining the CFD modelling and experimentation inc ....Combined Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) and CFD modelling to study particle deposition in conduits. System geometry greatly influences flow hydrodynamics and hence the transport of colloidal particles and ionic species from the bulk to the surfaces that result in formation of unwanted deposit matter on the surface. The formation of unwanted deposits has significant environmental and economic penalties. This project uses a new approach that is combining the CFD modelling and experimentation including flow visualization by PIV to systematically investigate the effect of channel geometry and flow on deposit formation. The outcomes of the project will result in a better understanding and formulating of the effect of geometry on deposition of colloidal particles and ionic species on the surfaces. The results contribute not only towards the mitigation processes for unwanted deposition; it also advances the knowledge in coating applications.Read moreRead less
Free Surface Instability and Gas Entrainment during Blast Furnace Drainage. Iron and Steelmaking operations have underpinned Australia's industry base for many years. To remain competitive in a global market BHP has undertaken considerable research and development to constantly improve process performance. An area of on-going concern is the unexpected release of gas during Blast Furnace drainage resulting in hazardous conditions for the operators and overall loss of production. This project aims ....Free Surface Instability and Gas Entrainment during Blast Furnace Drainage. Iron and Steelmaking operations have underpinned Australia's industry base for many years. To remain competitive in a global market BHP has undertaken considerable research and development to constantly improve process performance. An area of on-going concern is the unexpected release of gas during Blast Furnace drainage resulting in hazardous conditions for the operators and overall loss of production. This project aims to identify the causes of gas release and to devise operational strategies and design modifications to prevent this occurrence. Once implemented the outcomes of the research will be a more stable operation leading to increased production and less environmental emissions.Read moreRead less
Multicomponent gas counter-diffusion in coal. Coalbed methane resources in Australia surpass $20billion at present gas prices. Using CO2 as an enhancement fluid, recovery of methane can potentially be improved by 50% adding a further $10b value, simultaneously permanently and safely sequestering the CO2, with possible carbon credits of up to $15b. The nature of the simultaneous exchange of CO2, methane and other gases within the coal dictates many of the engineering requirements for optimal exp ....Multicomponent gas counter-diffusion in coal. Coalbed methane resources in Australia surpass $20billion at present gas prices. Using CO2 as an enhancement fluid, recovery of methane can potentially be improved by 50% adding a further $10b value, simultaneously permanently and safely sequestering the CO2, with possible carbon credits of up to $15b. The nature of the simultaneous exchange of CO2, methane and other gases within the coal dictates many of the engineering requirements for optimal exploitation. It underlies the development of coal gas reservoir simulators, which currently do not incorporate this critical feature. This project is directed at understanding that counterflow and exchange.Read moreRead less
Inter-metallic Inclusion Reduction in Continuous Metallic Coating. The ZINCALUMER coating process is a core business of BlueScope Steel. Operational and quality issues are being experienced due to inter-metallic particles in the liquid metal bath. The particles cause defects in the metal coating and agglomerate, resulting in periodic shutdowns to remove the dross. Both of these factors impact significantly on the profitability of the operation. In this project a new strategy is being investigate ....Inter-metallic Inclusion Reduction in Continuous Metallic Coating. The ZINCALUMER coating process is a core business of BlueScope Steel. Operational and quality issues are being experienced due to inter-metallic particles in the liquid metal bath. The particles cause defects in the metal coating and agglomerate, resulting in periodic shutdowns to remove the dross. Both of these factors impact significantly on the profitability of the operation. In this project a new strategy is being investigated, whereby the fluid mechanics and heat transfer mechanisms within the bath will allow inter-metallic particles to be continuously removed in the metal coating before they reach the critical size that adversely affects product quality. This will also reduce dross accumulation, thereby reducing shutdown time.Read moreRead less