Novel Graphitic Mesoporous Carbon Materials for Next Generation Carbon Catalyst Supports and Carbon Electrodes. This project will bring about direct application benefits in terms of disclosing novel graphitic mesoporous carbons with high accessible surface area and graphitic framework as catalyst supports and electrode materials. This would lead to advanced processes important to the Australian energy and environmental industries, such as electrical double layer capacitors, greenhouse reduction ....Novel Graphitic Mesoporous Carbon Materials for Next Generation Carbon Catalyst Supports and Carbon Electrodes. This project will bring about direct application benefits in terms of disclosing novel graphitic mesoporous carbons with high accessible surface area and graphitic framework as catalyst supports and electrode materials. This would lead to advanced processes important to the Australian energy and environmental industries, such as electrical double layer capacitors, greenhouse reduction by hydrogen fuel, and hydrodesulfurization of diesel fuels. The techniques and synthesis strategies developed in this project are also applicable to creating other graphitic mesoporsous carbons important to advanced sensors, fuel cells and optoelectronic applications. Read moreRead less
Application of tuneable nanofluids in regenerative supercritical power generation. The proposed project combines the simplicity, flexibility, robustness and thermodynamic effectiveness of GRANEXTM cycle with the advances recently made in nanotechnology. If deployed across Australia to recover even 50 per cent of the 11,000 Gigawatt hour annual bioenergy potential, it will generate a revenue stream of approximately $550 million per annum while reducing greenhouse emissions by 14 mega tonne, which ....Application of tuneable nanofluids in regenerative supercritical power generation. The proposed project combines the simplicity, flexibility, robustness and thermodynamic effectiveness of GRANEXTM cycle with the advances recently made in nanotechnology. If deployed across Australia to recover even 50 per cent of the 11,000 Gigawatt hour annual bioenergy potential, it will generate a revenue stream of approximately $550 million per annum while reducing greenhouse emissions by 14 mega tonne, which is about 2.5 per cent of the annual national emissions. The proposed research will place Australia within the forefront of the research and development activities in the field of low grade heat recovery and will clearly contribute the Australian Government's National Research Priority an environmentally sustainable Australia.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE130101183
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$361,880.00
Summary
Next-generation expanders for renewable power applications: dealing with variability and uncertainty. This project will develop new strategies to design optimum expanders capable of maintaining good performance under uncontrollable working conditions. If these innovative design methods can be applied to engineering applications they will assist Australia to meet the Renewable Energy Target and to become an international leader in the field.
Lower greenhouse at lower cost: maximising the potential of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) in passenger vehicles. This project will develop tools for designing internal combustion engines that simultaneously achieve low greenhouse emissions without added consumer cost. The project aim is to be achieved through the effective use of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), which is an affordable fuel that has potentially low emissions if used properly.
Analysis of two-phase effects in sloshing of liquids in marine tanks. One of the winners in the current greenhouse debate is natural gas, and the global market will see the need for transporting large volumes of LNG. Australia's North West Shelf is one of the largest offshore gas reserves in the world. The gas market is one of the biggest contributors for the country's economy. Australia leads the world in the use of tankers for transport of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG). However, consistent re ....Analysis of two-phase effects in sloshing of liquids in marine tanks. One of the winners in the current greenhouse debate is natural gas, and the global market will see the need for transporting large volumes of LNG. Australia's North West Shelf is one of the largest offshore gas reserves in the world. The gas market is one of the biggest contributors for the country's economy. Australia leads the world in the use of tankers for transport of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG). However, consistent research in LNG is lacking. This research is a fundamental inquiry into the physics of liquid sloshing and the importance of two-phase effects on sloshing. The research can provide answers that ensure safe operation and transport of LNG from Australia.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE160100131
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$300,000.00
Summary
Multifunctional micro/nano-engineered solar thermal receivers. This project is designed to develop a new class of thermal receivers that overcome key challenges in today's concentrating solar thermal systems. The development of accurate micro/nanofabrication and characterisation techniques in recent years has made it possible to achieve thermofluid devices that are engineered from the bottom up to achieve high performance at relatively low cost. This project aims to develop a new class of solar ....Multifunctional micro/nano-engineered solar thermal receivers. This project is designed to develop a new class of thermal receivers that overcome key challenges in today's concentrating solar thermal systems. The development of accurate micro/nanofabrication and characterisation techniques in recent years has made it possible to achieve thermofluid devices that are engineered from the bottom up to achieve high performance at relatively low cost. This project aims to develop a new class of solar thermal receivers which use micro/nanotechnology to directly absorb concentrated solar energy with very little pumping power and minimal radiative heat loss. By tailoring the geometry and materials inside the receiver, the project expects to achieve a unique level of integrated optical, heat transfer and fluid flow control.Read moreRead less
Thermal Storage for Built Environment. Thermal storage systems with Phase Chage Materials (PCM) can be ulilised to reduce the energy required to cool and heat buildings. The PCM used has a freezing point around 20C. Thus alowing cool summer night air to freeze the PCM overnight. During the day warmer outside air is cooled significantly as it melts the PCM. PCM systems can be retrofitted to existing systems to precool the outside air, and thus significantly reduce the energy required to cool a bu ....Thermal Storage for Built Environment. Thermal storage systems with Phase Chage Materials (PCM) can be ulilised to reduce the energy required to cool and heat buildings. The PCM used has a freezing point around 20C. Thus alowing cool summer night air to freeze the PCM overnight. During the day warmer outside air is cooled significantly as it melts the PCM. PCM systems can be retrofitted to existing systems to precool the outside air, and thus significantly reduce the energy required to cool a building. This project deals with design, simulation and optimisation of this kind of thermal storage system. A laboratory prototype system will also be built and tested.Read moreRead less
Flow-induced vibration of slender structures and its control. This project aims to expand substantially the state of knowledge on the flow-induced vibrations of bluff, slender structures such as cylinders, beams, and cables. A framework is expected to be developed that describes the flow-induced vibration of these structures systematically, adding new data and drawing links between previously disparate areas of research. The significance of such a framework is great, as not only is flow-induced ....Flow-induced vibration of slender structures and its control. This project aims to expand substantially the state of knowledge on the flow-induced vibrations of bluff, slender structures such as cylinders, beams, and cables. A framework is expected to be developed that describes the flow-induced vibration of these structures systematically, adding new data and drawing links between previously disparate areas of research. The significance of such a framework is great, as not only is flow-induced vibration a problem in many engineering applications (such as marine oil risers, chimneys, and bridges) it can also be exploited for renewable energy generation. Control mechanisms are also expected to be developed to maximise the energy generation potential.Read moreRead less
Turbulent wall-bounded flow in adverse pressure gradient environments. This research will create additional research capacity in turbulence control and drag reduction. It will have direct benefits to the Australian economy via the transport industry by reducing the adverse impact of the carbon tax and rising fuel prices on long-haul air, water and road transport, on which Australia is disproportionately reliant.
New understanding and models for two-phase solar thermal particle receivers. The project aims to provide the new understanding of, and computational design tools for, next generation solar thermal particle receivers and their hybrids. Particle receivers, which heat fine particles in suspension, offer much greater efficiency than current tubular receivers, but are presently unreliable due to the poor understanding of the complex and coupled mechanisms that govern their performance. The results ar ....New understanding and models for two-phase solar thermal particle receivers. The project aims to provide the new understanding of, and computational design tools for, next generation solar thermal particle receivers and their hybrids. Particle receivers, which heat fine particles in suspension, offer much greater efficiency than current tubular receivers, but are presently unreliable due to the poor understanding of the complex and coupled mechanisms that govern their performance. The results are expected to speed up the development and roll-out of these devices, to deliver cost-effective, low-emissions energy technologies for future power generation and thermo-chemical processes. The aims will be met by the parallel application of advanced laser diagnostic measurements and computational fluid dynamics modelling techniques.Read moreRead less