Optimising permeable pavements with underlying reservoirs to enhance urban tree performance. This project will determine the optimal configuration of permeable pavements with underlying storage reservoirs and water delivery system to resolve the water security challenges that trees face in urban environments. This project will promote the healthy growth of urban trees and will lead to more liveable and healthier cities.
Drying sewage sludge using hot oil. The project seeks to investigate and develop an entirely new area of fundamental and applied research involving the process, mechanisms and kinetics of direct dehydration of sewage sludge by fry-drying in hot oil. Frying can be carried out as a drying process, though it not widely recognized or applied in this way, and has consequently not been exploited outside of the traditional food industries. It potentially provides a wide range of significant benefits ....Drying sewage sludge using hot oil. The project seeks to investigate and develop an entirely new area of fundamental and applied research involving the process, mechanisms and kinetics of direct dehydration of sewage sludge by fry-drying in hot oil. Frying can be carried out as a drying process, though it not widely recognized or applied in this way, and has consequently not been exploited outside of the traditional food industries. It potentially provides a wide range of significant benefits for sludge drying, including high efficiency and low costs, and produces a non-offensive product with a high energy value suitable for (renewable) power generation.Read moreRead less
Adaptation of Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) to Climate Change, Changing Transport Patterns and Urban Form. This research will (a) provide guidance on future adaptations of stormwater quality infrastructure, (b) provide better scientific understanding of pollutant movements in urban systems and (c) provide methodology to 'future proof' infrastructure design against the pressures of climate change and urban population growth. Project outputs will (a) enable water-sensitive urban designs to b ....Adaptation of Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD) to Climate Change, Changing Transport Patterns and Urban Form. This research will (a) provide guidance on future adaptations of stormwater quality infrastructure, (b) provide better scientific understanding of pollutant movements in urban systems and (c) provide methodology to 'future proof' infrastructure design against the pressures of climate change and urban population growth. Project outputs will (a) enable water-sensitive urban designs to be applied reliably and (b) minimise the cost of re-building assets before the end of their design life due to climate change. The ultimate benefit is the reduction in water pollution from roadways leading to improved human and ecosystem well-being of urban communities.Read moreRead less
A landfill cover that generates electricity: a Microbial Fuel Cell application. Landfills account for over two per cent of Australia’s greenhouse emissions, dominating emissions from waste and wastewater. Methane emissions are inherent to landfills because waste cannot be permanently sealed until a landfill cell is full. In this project, a microbial fuel cell (MFC) landfill cover will be developed as a means of achieving full biogas capture, from the time that waste is placed. The MFC cover syst ....A landfill cover that generates electricity: a Microbial Fuel Cell application. Landfills account for over two per cent of Australia’s greenhouse emissions, dominating emissions from waste and wastewater. Methane emissions are inherent to landfills because waste cannot be permanently sealed until a landfill cell is full. In this project, a microbial fuel cell (MFC) landfill cover will be developed as a means of achieving full biogas capture, from the time that waste is placed. The MFC cover system would consist of a relatively thin and deformable granular graphite layer colonised by current generating methane oxidising microorganisms, overlain by a proton exchange membrane and steel mesh as the anode layer. The MFC cover will provide the benefit of power generation as well as more complete greenhouse gas mitigation. Read moreRead less
Development of a novel technology for DSP separation and soda recovery in alumina refineries. The successful completion of this project will provide economic and environmental benefits to the Australian alumina industry. For example, this project will provide an effective and economical method for separation of DSP (desilication product) from red mud (thus reducing the pollution by the long-term alkalinity) as well as a new solution to soda recovery. The technology developed will be able to be u ....Development of a novel technology for DSP separation and soda recovery in alumina refineries. The successful completion of this project will provide economic and environmental benefits to the Australian alumina industry. For example, this project will provide an effective and economical method for separation of DSP (desilication product) from red mud (thus reducing the pollution by the long-term alkalinity) as well as a new solution to soda recovery. The technology developed will be able to be used as an example to the waste management and recovery of other Australian mineral, energy and chemical industries. The modelling and mechanism studies will also contribute to materials separation and processing.Read moreRead less
Development of a Novel Flue Gas Desulphurization Technology for Alumina Refineries. This project aims to develop a novel technology of flue gas desulphurization for alumina industry. The successful completion of this project will provide a practical solution to the SOx emission problem in alumina refineries. Specifically, we aim to make use of the waste causticiser sludge discharged during the causticisation of the liquor streams and the used filter aid after the polishing filtration of the ref ....Development of a Novel Flue Gas Desulphurization Technology for Alumina Refineries. This project aims to develop a novel technology of flue gas desulphurization for alumina industry. The successful completion of this project will provide a practical solution to the SOx emission problem in alumina refineries. Specifically, we aim to make use of the waste causticiser sludge discharged during the causticisation of the liquor streams and the used filter aid after the polishing filtration of the refinery pregnant liquors as reagent to remove SOx emitted by the power house and the alumina calciners. We also aim to recover some alumina during the process of flue gas desulphurization thus further reducing the cost of air pollution control.Read moreRead less