Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE210100680
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$423,275.00
Summary
Solar electrolysis for manufacture of sustainable energy storage materials. This project aims to develop a novel solar-driven manufacturing process able to produce advanced carbon materials which effectively sequester carbon dioxide (negative emission). The project expects to provide key data and insights into a new method of carbon capture and utilisation through advancement of the fundamental science of carbon electrolysis and carbonate regeneration. A combination of advanced electrochemical a ....Solar electrolysis for manufacture of sustainable energy storage materials. This project aims to develop a novel solar-driven manufacturing process able to produce advanced carbon materials which effectively sequester carbon dioxide (negative emission). The project expects to provide key data and insights into a new method of carbon capture and utilisation through advancement of the fundamental science of carbon electrolysis and carbonate regeneration. A combination of advanced electrochemical and engineering techniques will be utilised to achieve this from lab-scale experimental work through to process modelling. Expected outcomes of this project include a clear understanding of the practical potential of this negative emission technology in contributing to offsetting global carbon dioxide emissions.Read moreRead less
Green cool wine: solar powered solid adsorption refrigeration system with ice storage to provide cooling capability for wine industry. The project is to develop a solar thermal powered refrigeration system that is able to build up an ice bank (as a storage) through daily intermittent cycle, from late Australian spring. The ice bank will used in the vintage season in a winery for cooling purposes. The system is able to reduce the carbon foot print of the wineries significantly.
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.
Solar-thermal desalination system for parallel water-electricity generation. This project aims to develop a multi-functional solar-thermal desalination device to simultaneously produce clean water and electricity. Interfacial solar evaporation-based desalination technology has the unique advantage of using solar light as the sole energy source for affordable clean water production. However, its absolute evaporation rate is still too low for practical application and all of the latent heat releas ....Solar-thermal desalination system for parallel water-electricity generation. This project aims to develop a multi-functional solar-thermal desalination device to simultaneously produce clean water and electricity. Interfacial solar evaporation-based desalination technology has the unique advantage of using solar light as the sole energy source for affordable clean water production. However, its absolute evaporation rate is still too low for practical application and all of the latent heat released from vapor condensation during desalination is wasted. Solving these two critical issues by the study of energy nexus, design and fabrication of advanced photothermal materials and desalination devices could accelerate practical adoption of this technology and benefit millions of people who desperately need clean water. Read moreRead less
Multiscale engineering of durable absorber coatings for solar thermal power. This project aims to advance the long-term stability and efficiency of high-temperature absorber coatings for Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) plants. Solar energy is a vast and largely untapped resource in Australia. The project will design superior light absorbers and scalable and low-cost approaches for their fabrication. Optimal absorber properties will be achieved by multi-scale engineering of the coating composition ....Multiscale engineering of durable absorber coatings for solar thermal power. This project aims to advance the long-term stability and efficiency of high-temperature absorber coatings for Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) plants. Solar energy is a vast and largely untapped resource in Australia. The project will design superior light absorbers and scalable and low-cost approaches for their fabrication. Optimal absorber properties will be achieved by multi-scale engineering of the coating composition and micro-texturing via modelling of the light absorption and heat transport within these complex nanocomposite structures. The intended outcome of the project is a set of commercially competitive absorber coatings, with superior performance and durability, that support the development of CSP as a competitive technology for energy generation.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
Multi-energy driven photothermal evaporators for all-weather desalination. This project aims to develop advanced Interfacial solar evaporation (ISE) technology to stably deliver clean water. This project expects to facilitate desalination practices by generating new ISE systems that use multiple energy sources from the environment and can operate under different weather conditions. Expected outcomes of this project include new knowledge in the area of renewable energy, improved ISE technique and ....Multi-energy driven photothermal evaporators for all-weather desalination. This project aims to develop advanced Interfacial solar evaporation (ISE) technology to stably deliver clean water. This project expects to facilitate desalination practices by generating new ISE systems that use multiple energy sources from the environment and can operate under different weather conditions. Expected outcomes of this project include new knowledge in the area of renewable energy, improved ISE technique and enhanced capacity for desalination and industrial wastewater treatment. This should provide significant benefits to remote communities who suffer from severe freshwater shortages and enhance research capabilities to position Australia as a global leader in developing green and affordable desalination technologies.Read moreRead less
High Energy Density - High Delivery Rate Thermal Energy Storage. This project aims to address the intermittency of renewable energy sources using novel thermal storage media. Advanced heat transfer modelling and in situ neutron diffraction and imaging are intended to be used to optimise the microstructure of newly developed miscibility gap thermal storage systems. The new media store energy as the latent heat of fusion of one phase in a stable, high thermal conductivity inverted microstructure. ....High Energy Density - High Delivery Rate Thermal Energy Storage. This project aims to address the intermittency of renewable energy sources using novel thermal storage media. Advanced heat transfer modelling and in situ neutron diffraction and imaging are intended to be used to optimise the microstructure of newly developed miscibility gap thermal storage systems. The new media store energy as the latent heat of fusion of one phase in a stable, high thermal conductivity inverted microstructure. The high energy density of the latent heat (0.5-4.5 Mega Joules/Litre) requires storage volumes as little as five per cent of those relying upon heat capacity and the metal matrix has a hundred-fold greater thermal conductivity than current systems. It is proposed that a range of such materials will be engineered for concentrated solar thermal and space heating applications.Read moreRead less
Linkage Infrastructure, Equipment And Facilities - Grant ID: LE130100127
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$400,000.00
Summary
Controlled radiation facility to investigate turbulence-radiation-chemistry interactions in high-flux solar reactors. This project's facility will support the transition of Australia’s energy intensive industries, including minerals and resources, to a much lower carbon intensity. It will also underpin collaborations with internationally leading partners to develop novel solar-combustion hybrid reactors for the production of solar fuels and for minerals processing.
Thermal transport in multi-phase flows for concentrating solar applications. This project seeks to advance the field of heat transfer in high-temperature systems involving liquid metals, with emphasis on energy storage and solar power technologies. The concept couples a tubular sodium boiler with a sodium chloride phase-change storage system for continuous energy supply. Sodium chloride is low cost and has a melting temperature suitable for a wide range of industrial processes. The project plans ....Thermal transport in multi-phase flows for concentrating solar applications. This project seeks to advance the field of heat transfer in high-temperature systems involving liquid metals, with emphasis on energy storage and solar power technologies. The concept couples a tubular sodium boiler with a sodium chloride phase-change storage system for continuous energy supply. Sodium chloride is low cost and has a melting temperature suitable for a wide range of industrial processes. The project plans to address the challenge of sodium stability in highly irradiated tubes by investigating mass, momentum, energy and radiative transport in liquid metals. It is intended that this will inform the design and testing of novel sodium boilers to provide stable and isothermal process heat for continuous or on-demand production of power, chemical fuels and commodities.Read moreRead less