Ammonia recovery from wastewaters using flow electrode-membrane systems. This project aims to develop an innovative approach to the recovery of ammonia from dilute wastewaters using coupled-flow electrode-membrane technologies that also enable energy recovery. The outcome of the project is expected to minimise damage to, and develop solutions for, restoration and remediation of, soil, fresh and potable water, urban catchments and marine systems, and significantly improve the environmental impact ....Ammonia recovery from wastewaters using flow electrode-membrane systems. This project aims to develop an innovative approach to the recovery of ammonia from dilute wastewaters using coupled-flow electrode-membrane technologies that also enable energy recovery. The outcome of the project is expected to minimise damage to, and develop solutions for, restoration and remediation of, soil, fresh and potable water, urban catchments and marine systems, and significantly improve the environmental impacts of ammonia.Read moreRead less
Optimising CDI Water Treatment for Ion Removal and Energy Recovery. This project aims to develop capacitive deionisation (CDI) for the decontamination of water. The specific goals are firstly to identify applications where CDI could cost-effectively make brackish, contaminated water usable. The project then intends to optimise CDI design and operating conditions to remove particular ions of concern and to develop approaches to energy recovery. The main outcome is intended to be a photovoltaic-po ....Optimising CDI Water Treatment for Ion Removal and Energy Recovery. This project aims to develop capacitive deionisation (CDI) for the decontamination of water. The specific goals are firstly to identify applications where CDI could cost-effectively make brackish, contaminated water usable. The project then intends to optimise CDI design and operating conditions to remove particular ions of concern and to develop approaches to energy recovery. The main outcome is intended to be a photovoltaic-powered CDI unit that is capable of stand-alone operation with optimal energy recovery and inbuilt monitoring, and control technology enabling cost-effective and sustainable operation.Read moreRead less
Reactive oxygen species generation by zerovalent silver nanoparticles; implications to toxicity and contaminant degradation. Nanoparticulate silver is now being used for the purification of drinking water yet many questions remain concerning its mode of purifying action. Here we investigate the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by nanoparticulate silver and examine the relationship between ROS generation and the purifying action of "nano-silver".
Polytitanium coagulant for water purification: a systematic investigation to identify mechanisms and benefits over today's technologies. This project will develop a more efficient, environmentally-friendly process for water treatment, using an approach involving titanium that has been attracting interest in recent years, but which is not yet well understood. An Australian-Chinese collaboration will build on existing Australian intellectual property in this project.
Developing an innovative high performance thin-film composite membrane using functionalized nanofibrous support layers for engineered osmosis. Engineered osmosis (EO) is based on the principles of natural osmosis and is an emerging technology for low energy desalination and power generation by pressure-retarded osmosis. However, the process is limited by the challenge of the internal concentration polarisation (ICP) effects experienced when currently available membranes are used. Therefore, the ....Developing an innovative high performance thin-film composite membrane using functionalized nanofibrous support layers for engineered osmosis. Engineered osmosis (EO) is based on the principles of natural osmosis and is an emerging technology for low energy desalination and power generation by pressure-retarded osmosis. However, the process is limited by the challenge of the internal concentration polarisation (ICP) effects experienced when currently available membranes are used. Therefore, the aims of this project are to enhance our understanding of the ICP phenomenon in EO process and to evaluate strategies to mitigate the influence of ICP effects on the performance of the EO process by incorporating innovative functionalised nanofibrous support layers for thin-film composite EO membrane. A significant increase of water flux and mechanical strength is anticipated.Read moreRead less
Development and modelling of dust suppression technology. Over 50 per cent of Australia's export income is derived from industries that rely on bulk materials handling and processing. With greater throughputs and increasing integration of transport routes, ports and residential communities, more pressure is being placed on industry to control its dust emissions. There is an urgent need for Australia to invest in a more unified and scientific approach to develop and optimise dust suppression tech ....Development and modelling of dust suppression technology. Over 50 per cent of Australia's export income is derived from industries that rely on bulk materials handling and processing. With greater throughputs and increasing integration of transport routes, ports and residential communities, more pressure is being placed on industry to control its dust emissions. There is an urgent need for Australia to invest in a more unified and scientific approach to develop and optimise dust suppression technology for mining and export infrastructure. This project will help secure the sustainability of Australia's bulk exports by ensuring that products can be handled, conveyed and loaded safely and reliably. It will also reduce the risk of exposing workers and the community to unsafe concentrations of airborne dust.Read moreRead less
Energy efficient membrane-based hybrid system for sustainable desalination. Seawater desalination plants have been built in Australia in response to increasing pressure on water supplies. The sustainability of these plants is challenged by their significantly high energy cost and concentrated brine output. By exploiting the high residual hydraulic energy contained in the concentrated brine and using it in a membrane-based hybrid system with renewable osmotic energy, this project aims to provide ....Energy efficient membrane-based hybrid system for sustainable desalination. Seawater desalination plants have been built in Australia in response to increasing pressure on water supplies. The sustainability of these plants is challenged by their significantly high energy cost and concentrated brine output. By exploiting the high residual hydraulic energy contained in the concentrated brine and using it in a membrane-based hybrid system with renewable osmotic energy, this project aims to provide solutions for overcoming these challenges. Renewable osmotic energy will be generated from the salinity differences between concentrate and fresh seawater (or other water sources) by pressure retarded osmosis. This will be enabled by the development of highly efficient composite membranes using an electrospinning technique. Read moreRead less
Riparian rehabilitation and ecohydraulics: interactions between flow, sediment, vegetation and bank erosion in longstem tubestock rehabilitation works. Riparian lands are important for maintaining viable ecosystems, improving water quality and reducing sediment yields in rivers and streams. Research in Australia has shown that streambank erosion is the most significant processes in the continuing physical and ecological degradation of riparian zones. The recently developed longstem tubestock sys ....Riparian rehabilitation and ecohydraulics: interactions between flow, sediment, vegetation and bank erosion in longstem tubestock rehabilitation works. Riparian lands are important for maintaining viable ecosystems, improving water quality and reducing sediment yields in rivers and streams. Research in Australia has shown that streambank erosion is the most significant processes in the continuing physical and ecological degradation of riparian zones. The recently developed longstem tubestock system has shown promise in controlling streambank erosion using native vegetation. However, rehabilitation practices rely on ad-hoc recipes without a thorough scientific understanding of near-bank processes. This research will fill this gap by combining field and laboratory experiments on tubestock plantings in order to develop guidelines and predictive tools for riparian zone management.Read moreRead less
Establishing advanced networks for air quality sensing and analyses. Establishing advanced networks for air quality sensing and analyses. This project aims to develop innovative, cost-effective, high resolution air quality networks. Recent developments in sensor technologies improve the ability to harvest atmospheric data. This project will develop, validate and implement methods for high sensitivity atmospheric sensing and apply cutting-edge statistical and analytic techniques to the data sets, ....Establishing advanced networks for air quality sensing and analyses. Establishing advanced networks for air quality sensing and analyses. This project aims to develop innovative, cost-effective, high resolution air quality networks. Recent developments in sensor technologies improve the ability to harvest atmospheric data. This project will develop, validate and implement methods for high sensitivity atmospheric sensing and apply cutting-edge statistical and analytic techniques to the data sets, unprecedented in scope and resolution. Outcomes include an open access database to quantify and visualise intra-urban air pollution and human exposure and develop air quality maps and smoke pollution management tools. It is expected to advance the evidence-based management of air as a resource, increasing economic prosperity and enhancing human health and quality of life.Read moreRead less
A new end use of recycled water for sustainable Australian water. The economic, environmental and social impacts of this project would have benefits across Australia, and the rest of the world. Recycled water has never been used in clothes washing machines anywhere in the world, by introducing it here in Australia we would save approximately 20% of domestic water used for laundry purposes. This also has significant policy implications as this would be a huge step towards the implementation of a ....A new end use of recycled water for sustainable Australian water. The economic, environmental and social impacts of this project would have benefits across Australia, and the rest of the world. Recycled water has never been used in clothes washing machines anywhere in the world, by introducing it here in Australia we would save approximately 20% of domestic water used for laundry purposes. This also has significant policy implications as this would be a huge step towards the implementation of a program of recycled water usage in Australia.Read moreRead less