New Extraction Membranes and Beads for Use in Industrial Separation. This project involves the development and testing of new polymeric membranes and beads exhibiting high efficiency in the recovery of metal ions from hydrometallurgical solutions. These membranes and beads will also allow effective removal of toxic metal contaminants from wastewater streams before discharge into the environment and clean-up of contaminated natural waters. The research will ultimately lead to: (a) interactions wi ....New Extraction Membranes and Beads for Use in Industrial Separation. This project involves the development and testing of new polymeric membranes and beads exhibiting high efficiency in the recovery of metal ions from hydrometallurgical solutions. These membranes and beads will also allow effective removal of toxic metal contaminants from wastewater streams before discharge into the environment and clean-up of contaminated natural waters. The research will ultimately lead to: (a) interactions with Australian companies involved in metal processing, metal finishing and hydrometallurgy with beneficial effects to Australian industry; (b) training of high quality scientists; and (c) more efficient environmental protection and remediation thus helping to maintain Australia environmentally sustainable.Read moreRead less
The Application of Polymer Inclusion Membranes for the Removal of Thiocyanate and Cyanide from Gold Ore Processing Wastewaters. The recovery of gold at Stawell Gold Mine can be improved by using cyanide and thiocyanate free water in the milling process. The aim of this research is the development of a novel separation technology for the removal of these two ions from mine wastewater to allow it to be recycled. Novel polymeric materials, known as polymer inclusion membranes (PIMs), which have nev ....The Application of Polymer Inclusion Membranes for the Removal of Thiocyanate and Cyanide from Gold Ore Processing Wastewaters. The recovery of gold at Stawell Gold Mine can be improved by using cyanide and thiocyanate free water in the milling process. The aim of this research is the development of a novel separation technology for the removal of these two ions from mine wastewater to allow it to be recycled. Novel polymeric materials, known as polymer inclusion membranes (PIMs), which have never been used before in industrial separation, will be at the centre of this technology. In addition to increasing gold recovery, this technology is expected to reduce substantially the reliance of the Australian goldmining industry on fresh water. This research will also promote PIM based separation as a viable industrial separation technology, applicable in other areas.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE180100266
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$367,446.00
Summary
Granular interfaces for sustainable processing of raw materials. This project aims to develop an innovative interface model and a comprehensive understanding of the interfacial behaviours between granular materials using advanced numerical, experimental and theoretical approaches. This project expects to generate new knowledge of mixing and segregation in particle science and technology and a practical guide to applications. Expected outcomes of this project include the enhanced competitiveness ....Granular interfaces for sustainable processing of raw materials. This project aims to develop an innovative interface model and a comprehensive understanding of the interfacial behaviours between granular materials using advanced numerical, experimental and theoretical approaches. This project expects to generate new knowledge of mixing and segregation in particle science and technology and a practical guide to applications. Expected outcomes of this project include the enhanced competitiveness of Australia and energy efficiency in its important industries such as minerals, metallurgical, chemical, energy and pharmaceutical. These outcomes should provide significant benefits such as mitigated emissions and global warming in a carbon and resource constrained world.Read moreRead less
Rare Earth Metal Separation by Polymer Inclusion Membranes. The project aims to develop a novel hydrometallurgical method for the separation of the rare earth metals dysprosium and terbium from mixed rare earth metal solutions using polymer inclusion membranes with a crosslinked or non-crosslinked polymer backbone. These metals are crucial for the manufacturing of advanced technology products. The membrane-based method is expected to offer significant advantages over the currently used solvent e ....Rare Earth Metal Separation by Polymer Inclusion Membranes. The project aims to develop a novel hydrometallurgical method for the separation of the rare earth metals dysprosium and terbium from mixed rare earth metal solutions using polymer inclusion membranes with a crosslinked or non-crosslinked polymer backbone. These metals are crucial for the manufacturing of advanced technology products. The membrane-based method is expected to offer significant advantages over the currently used solvent extraction methods by eliminating the use of solvents and conducting the separation as a continuous process where the extraction and back-extraction steps take place simultaneously. These advantages are expected to make the separation process more cost-effective and drastically reduce its environmental impact.Read moreRead less
Reducing wear on rotary coal pulverisers. The aim of this project is to develop an understanding of the small-scale flows and particle breakage required to permit optimised redesign of the attrition stage of the 36 coal pulverisers at Gladstone Power Station, which, because of erosive wear, currently have a maintenance budget of $4M per year. CFD-DEM simulation of the air and particle flows will be used to determine particle flow patterns, particle-particle and particle-wall impact energies. Thi ....Reducing wear on rotary coal pulverisers. The aim of this project is to develop an understanding of the small-scale flows and particle breakage required to permit optimised redesign of the attrition stage of the 36 coal pulverisers at Gladstone Power Station, which, because of erosive wear, currently have a maintenance budget of $4M per year. CFD-DEM simulation of the air and particle flows will be used to determine particle flow patterns, particle-particle and particle-wall impact energies. This information will be input to comminution and wear models to predict pulveriser performance and wear patterns. Simulation results will be validated using measurements from scale visualisation and working models.Read moreRead less
Role of Reactive Particles in Explosive Emulsions. Concentrated water-in oil explosive emulsions are widely used in the minerals industry because they are cheap, easily detonated and relatively safe to handle. Their explosive energy can be significantly increased when reactive particles are introduced into the emulsion matrix. To do this, the interaction between the solid, oil, and water phases needs to be optimised. This investigation will increase our basic understanding of the physical and ch ....Role of Reactive Particles in Explosive Emulsions. Concentrated water-in oil explosive emulsions are widely used in the minerals industry because they are cheap, easily detonated and relatively safe to handle. Their explosive energy can be significantly increased when reactive particles are introduced into the emulsion matrix. To do this, the interaction between the solid, oil, and water phases needs to be optimised. This investigation will increase our basic understanding of the physical and chemical interactions that occur between the particle and the oil-water interface, and develop a more efficient explosive that can be produced continuously on a commercial scale.Read moreRead less
Novel conversion process for carbon dioxide to chemicals. This project aims to develop a novel sorption enhanced material and system to convert atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) to methanol. Climate change is one of the primary long-term problems confronting humankind today. Since the production of CO2 through burning fossil fuel is far greater than the current usage of CO2, there is currently little alternative to storage. As a result, there is concerted effort globally to develop alternate use ....Novel conversion process for carbon dioxide to chemicals. This project aims to develop a novel sorption enhanced material and system to convert atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) to methanol. Climate change is one of the primary long-term problems confronting humankind today. Since the production of CO2 through burning fossil fuel is far greater than the current usage of CO2, there is currently little alternative to storage. As a result, there is concerted effort globally to develop alternate uses and conversion technologies for CO2. This project will help further this goal.Read moreRead less
Gassing Mechanism and Stability of Foamed Explosive Emulsions. Mining of minerals such as coal involves crushing the surrounding rock strata, or the mineral ore itself, with emulsion explosives. One of the most important properties determining suitability of an emulsion explosive to a particular mining operation is its velocity of detonation, which can be adjusted by varying the number and size of air bubbles distributed in the emulsion matrix. The present project aims to develop new ways of g ....Gassing Mechanism and Stability of Foamed Explosive Emulsions. Mining of minerals such as coal involves crushing the surrounding rock strata, or the mineral ore itself, with emulsion explosives. One of the most important properties determining suitability of an emulsion explosive to a particular mining operation is its velocity of detonation, which can be adjusted by varying the number and size of air bubbles distributed in the emulsion matrix. The present project aims to develop new ways of generating air bubbles, to gain fundamental understanding of the foaming mechanism in currently used gassing techniques, and to invent ways to stabilise large bubbles within the emulsion. The project will provide scientific underpinning for the development of a new range of emulsion explosives manufactured by Orica for Australian and international markets, maintaining the Orica's position as a leader in the field of emulsion explosives.Read moreRead less
Production of a compact disk summarising the evolution and impact of Boger fluids. In 1977 the discovery of a unique class of materials, now called Boger fluids, was reported in the Journal of Non-Newtonian Fluid Mechanics. These materials have had a huge impact in the development of non-Newtonian fluid mechanics, to the extent that the Institute of Non-Newtonian Fluid Mechanics in the UK have offered to make a cd documenting the impact of these materials. Funding is requested to support, in p ....Production of a compact disk summarising the evolution and impact of Boger fluids. In 1977 the discovery of a unique class of materials, now called Boger fluids, was reported in the Journal of Non-Newtonian Fluid Mechanics. These materials have had a huge impact in the development of non-Newtonian fluid mechanics, to the extent that the Institute of Non-Newtonian Fluid Mechanics in the UK have offered to make a cd documenting the impact of these materials. Funding is requested to support, in part, the documentation of this important discovery.Read moreRead less
Special Research Initiatives - Grant ID: SR180100023
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$940,000.00
Summary
Thermal decomposition of PFAS. This project aims to investigate the thermal decomposition of per- and poly-fluroalkyl substances (PFAS). The project will focus on the catalytic destruction of PFAS reactions at elevated temperatures, which is expected to transform PFAS in a controlled and predictable way into benign products. By understanding the fate of these compounds during thermal decomposition, the project will allow the development of a new technology aimed at treating materials which have ....Thermal decomposition of PFAS. This project aims to investigate the thermal decomposition of per- and poly-fluroalkyl substances (PFAS). The project will focus on the catalytic destruction of PFAS reactions at elevated temperatures, which is expected to transform PFAS in a controlled and predictable way into benign products. By understanding the fate of these compounds during thermal decomposition, the project will allow the development of a new technology aimed at treating materials which have been contaminated with or have been used as absorbants for PFAS. The project will provide the technical underpinning of a new technology developed to treat fluorochemical-contaminated material and, in doing so, reduce the environmental impact of these contaminants.Read moreRead less