Thermal enhancement strategies and development of a high-performance micro-scale heat exchanger for thermoelectric refrigeration with large cooling loads. Traditional refrigeration essentially utilises CFC-refrigerants which are potent atmospheric pollutants causing widespread ecological damage. Devoid of such adversities, electronic heat pumping mechanism of thermoelectric principle offers a practical ?CFC-free? alternative for conventional cooling methods. While the current thermoelectric te ....Thermal enhancement strategies and development of a high-performance micro-scale heat exchanger for thermoelectric refrigeration with large cooling loads. Traditional refrigeration essentially utilises CFC-refrigerants which are potent atmospheric pollutants causing widespread ecological damage. Devoid of such adversities, electronic heat pumping mechanism of thermoelectric principle offers a practical ?CFC-free? alternative for conventional cooling methods. While the current thermoelectric technology adequately meets light cooling demand, its potential for heavy-duty refrigeration is critically undermined by ill-developed methods for dissipating heat from thermoelectric modules to coolants, and remains grossly under-utilised. The proposed work will devise novel heat transfer techniques for raising thermoelectric cooling thresholds to suit large heat loads and develop a thermally enhanced micro-scale heat exchanger for application in commercial thermoelectric refrigeration.Read moreRead less
Engineered interlayers of bio-retardant and nano-reinforcement on polymers. This project will address the important need for a highly effective lightweight coating. Different interlayers of bio-retardants derive from organic compounds and two-dimensional sheet-like nanomaterials are fabricated to enhance the charring, thermal barrier and flammability resistance. Molecular dynamics are adopted to deliver more targeted fabrication to achieve increased efficacy of the engineered interlayers and pro ....Engineered interlayers of bio-retardant and nano-reinforcement on polymers. This project will address the important need for a highly effective lightweight coating. Different interlayers of bio-retardants derive from organic compounds and two-dimensional sheet-like nanomaterials are fabricated to enhance the charring, thermal barrier and flammability resistance. Molecular dynamics are adopted to deliver more targeted fabrication to achieve increased efficacy of the engineered interlayers and provide important insights on the combustibility of polymers undergoing mass diffusivity, thermal diffusion and oxidation process at high temperatures. Expected outcomes of the project are lightweight coated polymers possessing elevated resistance to fire with a significant reduction of toxic gas emissions and smoke releases. Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE170100174
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$193,000.00
Summary
Acoustic levitation facility for high pressure multiphase systems research. This project aims to create a specialised acoustic levitation facility that delivers precise control of a suspended particle/droplet/bubble within a high pressure continuous phase, and simultaneous measurement of multiple bulk and interfacial properties. Acoustic levitation enables container-less experiments, offering opportunities for applied engineering and fundamental science. This acoustic levitation system will be i ....Acoustic levitation facility for high pressure multiphase systems research. This project aims to create a specialised acoustic levitation facility that delivers precise control of a suspended particle/droplet/bubble within a high pressure continuous phase, and simultaneous measurement of multiple bulk and interfacial properties. Acoustic levitation enables container-less experiments, offering opportunities for applied engineering and fundamental science. This acoustic levitation system will be integrated with a specialised Raman imaging microscope to study crystallisation, mass transfer and molecular exchange, in application areas including energy transport, carbon capture and storage, and protein nucleation. This project is expected to open new avenues in engineering, chemistry and physics.Read moreRead less
On the mechanism of boiling instability in microchannels. This project will enable designers to create highly efficient miniaturised devices based on the boiling of fluids such as water or organics. These devices include micro-power generation systems, coolers for computer chips and solar collectors, and micro-chemical process systems. Such devices provide environmental, safety and economic benefits.
Heat Transfer Characteristics of Biological Tissues with Nanoparticles. Heat transfer of laser-irradiated nanoparticles in biological tissues requires a basic knowledge of the unique strong resonance absorption properties and a fundamental understanding of the thermal and chemical conversions as a consequence of these heated nanoparticles. This project aims to investigate the extent of the non-equilibrium heating effects of heated nanoparticles on the destruction of biological tissues. Comprehen ....Heat Transfer Characteristics of Biological Tissues with Nanoparticles. Heat transfer of laser-irradiated nanoparticles in biological tissues requires a basic knowledge of the unique strong resonance absorption properties and a fundamental understanding of the thermal and chemical conversions as a consequence of these heated nanoparticles. This project aims to investigate the extent of the non-equilibrium heating effects of heated nanoparticles on the destruction of biological tissues. Comprehensive experimental studies and computational modelling to be performed are expected to significantly enhance the understanding of laser-induced heating phenomena of embedded nanoparticles in biological tissues and the prediction of the level of destruction that can be experienced by these heated nanoparticles.Read moreRead less
Time dependent stratified flows in a differentially heated cavity under realistic conditions. Flows driven by the application of a horizontal temperature gradient has applications in nature and engineering. Although much progress has been made in the analysis of the case of a sudden application of temperature differences to the vertical walls of a container with insulating horizontal walls containing an isothermal fluid, the reality is that neither the insulated walls nor the initially isotherma ....Time dependent stratified flows in a differentially heated cavity under realistic conditions. Flows driven by the application of a horizontal temperature gradient has applications in nature and engineering. Although much progress has been made in the analysis of the case of a sudden application of temperature differences to the vertical walls of a container with insulating horizontal walls containing an isothermal fluid, the reality is that neither the insulated walls nor the initially isothermal fluid can be achieved. This project will, by analytical, numerical and experimental methods, make a preliminary investigation of the influence of conducting horizontal walls and an initially stratified fluid.Read moreRead less
Yield improvement in large-scale bubble column fermenters. For companies operating in the global marketplace, yield differences of a few percent can be critically important. Improving yeast fermentation yield requires major advances in modelling the bubble size distribution and how this impacts micro- and macro-scale mixing. Model-based knowledge transfer via full-scale plant trials is a key outcome.
Purging and destratifying of thermal and saline pools in Australia's inland rivers. The health of inland Australian rivers is significantly affected by saline intrusions into deep river pools. This study will provide tools which can be immediately used to predict required flow releases and understand river response to natural or managed flow release. This will improve the efficiency with which water resources can be used.
A theoretical investigation into the effect of nonlinear wave interactions in promoting transition-to-turbulence. The problem of transition-to-turbulence remains one of the fundamental unanswered questions in fluid dynamics. An understanding of the processes leading to transition is necessary if the active control of turbulence is to be achieved. This project will focus attention on a new class of waves, which have only recently been described the CI, in order to determine how they are triggered ....A theoretical investigation into the effect of nonlinear wave interactions in promoting transition-to-turbulence. The problem of transition-to-turbulence remains one of the fundamental unanswered questions in fluid dynamics. An understanding of the processes leading to transition is necessary if the active control of turbulence is to be achieved. This project will focus attention on a new class of waves, which have only recently been described the CI, in order to determine how they are triggered and how they may serve to actively promote the early development of turbulence in a broad class of fluid flows.Read moreRead less
The effect of diffusive mass transfer on interfacial fluid instabilities. A wide variety of industrial and physiological fluid flows fall into the general class of two-layer fluids wherein a fluid of one density/viscosity flows over another of a different density/viscosity. Such flows can ultimately become turbulent (that is, chaotic) through the growth of small background disturbances. An understanding of this process is important in controlling fluid dynamical mixing. This project will conside ....The effect of diffusive mass transfer on interfacial fluid instabilities. A wide variety of industrial and physiological fluid flows fall into the general class of two-layer fluids wherein a fluid of one density/viscosity flows over another of a different density/viscosity. Such flows can ultimately become turbulent (that is, chaotic) through the growth of small background disturbances. An understanding of this process is important in controlling fluid dynamical mixing. This project will consider two layer flows in the case when diffusive mass transfer acts at the fluid interface with the aim of determining how diffusion affects the process of transition-to-turbulence.Read moreRead less