Scaling-up microfluidic drying as an efficient route to manufacture uniform and functional particles as high-value products. This project aims to scale-up microfluidic spray drying and demonstrate the method as a viable option to manufacture monodisperse microparticles as bioactive carriers or microencapsulates, with better functional properties and uniformity. It aims to transform the manufacturing of high-value products for pharmaceuticals, functional foods and biotechnology applications and l ....Scaling-up microfluidic drying as an efficient route to manufacture uniform and functional particles as high-value products. This project aims to scale-up microfluidic spray drying and demonstrate the method as a viable option to manufacture monodisperse microparticles as bioactive carriers or microencapsulates, with better functional properties and uniformity. It aims to transform the manufacturing of high-value products for pharmaceuticals, functional foods and biotechnology applications and lift productivity by managing innovation for Australia’s industries.Read moreRead less
Triboelectric separation - fundamentals and practice. Triboelectric separation is a novel way to refine mineral ores without using scarce water resources, based on the familiar generation of electrostatic charge by friction. This project will provide a practical dry particle separation process, and a better understanding of a common and important problem in electrostatics.
Immune-imprinting nanoparticles (iNPs). This research promises new classes of immune-imprinting, biodegradable nanoparticles (iNPs) with anti-inflammatory properties. The engineering of such particles requires fundamental understanding of their properties that enable specific cellular interactions to regulate immunity with new anti-inflammatory pathways. For pulmonary delivery, spray-dried amino acid microspheres with tailored surfaces as carriers can be generated using the innovative microfluid ....Immune-imprinting nanoparticles (iNPs). This research promises new classes of immune-imprinting, biodegradable nanoparticles (iNPs) with anti-inflammatory properties. The engineering of such particles requires fundamental understanding of their properties that enable specific cellular interactions to regulate immunity with new anti-inflammatory pathways. For pulmonary delivery, spray-dried amino acid microspheres with tailored surfaces as carriers can be generated using the innovative microfluidic drying approach. The potential applications of iNPs are wide-ranging and are not restricted to pulmonary targeting. The potential commercial implications for Australia's emerging biopharmaceutical industry are substantial.Read moreRead less
Modelling of Slug Pneumatic Conveying with an In-situ Microprobe Sensor. This project aims to develop a particle-scale microprobe to capture the transient dynamics of particle behaviours for pneumatic conveying. Slug flow pneumatic transport of granular materials such as mineral particles and food grains is extremely popular across the processing industry. However, without the fundamental understanding of the conveying mechanism at the particulate level, pneumatic conveyors are over-designed and ....Modelling of Slug Pneumatic Conveying with an In-situ Microprobe Sensor. This project aims to develop a particle-scale microprobe to capture the transient dynamics of particle behaviours for pneumatic conveying. Slug flow pneumatic transport of granular materials such as mineral particles and food grains is extremely popular across the processing industry. However, without the fundamental understanding of the conveying mechanism at the particulate level, pneumatic conveyors are over-designed and energy intensive. The project aims to enable accurate measurement of the motion, inertia and force information at the particle scale, so as to produce more accurate design protocols for such a conveying system. Improved pneumatic conveyors may have the potential to reduce the energy consumption in such systems by up to a factor of 10.Read moreRead less
Modelling and characterisation of biomass materials for pneumatic transport. This project aims to develop a particle scale microprobe to capture the transient dynamics of biomass compaction, dilation and associated airflow for pneumatic conveying and potentially beyond. Low velocity, dense phase pneumatic transport presents the ideal method for transporting delicate biomass feedstocks. However, without the fundamental understanding of the compactive and dilative response of biomass ensembles, pn ....Modelling and characterisation of biomass materials for pneumatic transport. This project aims to develop a particle scale microprobe to capture the transient dynamics of biomass compaction, dilation and associated airflow for pneumatic conveying and potentially beyond. Low velocity, dense phase pneumatic transport presents the ideal method for transporting delicate biomass feedstocks. However, without the fundamental understanding of the compactive and dilative response of biomass ensembles, pneumatic conveyors will be over-designed and energy intensive. This project will enable accurate measurement of the motion, inertia and force information at the particle scale, to produce more accurate design protocols for dense phase biomass pneumatic transport.Read moreRead less
Mudstones as methane sources: gas production from coal seam interburden. Carbonaceous mudstones associated with coal measures already exploited for gas present an attractive reservoir of methane. This project seeks to provide methods for accessing this gas. Mudstone associated with coal seam gas developments are very extensive and gas quantities may exceed even that in the coal itself. Further infrastructure and access permits are already in place for coal seam gas recovery. Unlike shale, which ....Mudstones as methane sources: gas production from coal seam interburden. Carbonaceous mudstones associated with coal measures already exploited for gas present an attractive reservoir of methane. This project seeks to provide methods for accessing this gas. Mudstone associated with coal seam gas developments are very extensive and gas quantities may exceed even that in the coal itself. Further infrastructure and access permits are already in place for coal seam gas recovery. Unlike shale, which is fissile, mudstone is much softer, more malleable and plastic, and consequently will respond abnormally to hydraulic fracturing and propping, so new methods proposed to be developed in this project are needed for stimulation.Read moreRead less
Powder blending for dry powder inhalers: a new approach for direct control of powder structure. Over 80 per cent of pharmaceutical products involve the processing of powders. This project will generate new knowledge of how to assemble fine and cohesive particles into the structure required for dry powder inhaler products, leading to the development of new low-cost medicines in Australia and the Asia Pacific region.
High value micron-sized particles from a novel antisolvent vapour spray drying system. Convective antisolvent precipitation is a novel route in producing particles from spray drying by adding an anti-solvent to the drying medium. This project will allow conventional spray dryers to produce more sophisticated ultrafine and encapsulated particles for use in food, pharmaceuticals and other high value applications.
Controlling hydrate slurry flow to enable deepwater oil and gas production. This project aims to investigate the plugging of hydrate slurries in pipelines to determine under what conditions they will flow satisfactorily without forming a blockage. Hydrate blockages are expensive and hazardous occurrences in oil and gas operations, so current prevention systems aim to avoid hydrate formation altogether through over-design. These over-designed hydrate prevention systems are extremely expensive to ....Controlling hydrate slurry flow to enable deepwater oil and gas production. This project aims to investigate the plugging of hydrate slurries in pipelines to determine under what conditions they will flow satisfactorily without forming a blockage. Hydrate blockages are expensive and hazardous occurrences in oil and gas operations, so current prevention systems aim to avoid hydrate formation altogether through over-design. These over-designed hydrate prevention systems are extremely expensive to build and costly to run during the operations phase. The project intends to examine the behaviour of hydrate slurry flow as a function of the oil's properties, amount of water and degree of turbulence. Outcomes are intended to be a sophisticated approach to avoiding hydrate blockages that is safe but more efficient and less costly.Read moreRead less
Data-driven monitoring of raceway dynamics in ironmaking blast furnaces. Raceway dynamics in ironmaking blast furnaces affect operational stability and cost considerably, yet their dynamic behaviour has not been well monitored online. The project aims to develop a data-driven model for monitoring the internal state of gas-solid-powder reacting flow in the raceway and predicting raceway anomalies online. It will be achieved by combining particle-fluid numerical simulations with data processing an ....Data-driven monitoring of raceway dynamics in ironmaking blast furnaces. Raceway dynamics in ironmaking blast furnaces affect operational stability and cost considerably, yet their dynamic behaviour has not been well monitored online. The project aims to develop a data-driven model for monitoring the internal state of gas-solid-powder reacting flow in the raceway and predicting raceway anomalies online. It will be achieved by combining particle-fluid numerical simulations with data processing and reduced-order state observer, supported by lab/plant experiments, and collaborating with two industry partners from coal and steel industries. The project outcomes including codes, models and raceway control strategies can help promote Australian metallurgical coal's global markets and ultimately the Australian economy.Read moreRead less