Non-linear dynamics of magnetic bearing systems. The aim of this project is to gain a much deeper insight into the effects of non-linearities on the dynamic behavior and on the performance of active magnetic bearings(AMBs). This project will focus attention on stability analysis, bifurcation control, malfunction analysis, and nonlinear dynamic behavior. The expected outcomes are better understanding and prediction of nonlinear behavior and control of AMBs and improved guidelines for designing sa ....Non-linear dynamics of magnetic bearing systems. The aim of this project is to gain a much deeper insight into the effects of non-linearities on the dynamic behavior and on the performance of active magnetic bearings(AMBs). This project will focus attention on stability analysis, bifurcation control, malfunction analysis, and nonlinear dynamic behavior. The expected outcomes are better understanding and prediction of nonlinear behavior and control of AMBs and improved guidelines for designing safer and more effective AMBs.Read moreRead less
Viscous extensional flow and drop breakoff. Honey falling from a spoon is an everyday example of a viscous fluid in a free extensional flow which may eventually break up into drops. Such flows are important in modern technologies including ink-jet printing, welding, soldering and molten metal processing, polymer and glass fibre spinning, and for rheological measurement. We seek to increase understanding of the mechanisms governing such flows, particularly the role of initial conditions and the ....Viscous extensional flow and drop breakoff. Honey falling from a spoon is an everyday example of a viscous fluid in a free extensional flow which may eventually break up into drops. Such flows are important in modern technologies including ink-jet printing, welding, soldering and molten metal processing, polymer and glass fibre spinning, and for rheological measurement. We seek to increase understanding of the mechanisms governing such flows, particularly the role of initial conditions and the geometry of the original containing vessel, together with balances between forces such as inertia, gravity, viscosity, viscoelasticity, and surface tension, through a theoretical, computational and experimental study of the fluid mechanics.Read moreRead less
Developing a new technology: advanced surface hardening and grinding in a single operation. Our advances will give Australian manufacturing industry first access to a significant technological advance in precision grinding, a critical machining process. This will improve our international competitiveness, through major cost reductions by simplifying the manufacturing procedure and by eliminating the use of toxic coolants. The technology will provide significant opportunities for further Australi ....Developing a new technology: advanced surface hardening and grinding in a single operation. Our advances will give Australian manufacturing industry first access to a significant technological advance in precision grinding, a critical machining process. This will improve our international competitiveness, through major cost reductions by simplifying the manufacturing procedure and by eliminating the use of toxic coolants. The technology will provide significant opportunities for further Australian research in precision machining by creating a foundation for extending the technology to more complex manufacturing processes.Read moreRead less
Stability, transition and heat transfer in thermally coupled natural convection boundary layers. Thermally coupled natural convection systems occur when a conducting vertical wall separates two fluids at different temperatures. Such configurations occur, for example, at a window separating the interior of a room from the outside or when a container of fluid is placed in a refrigerator. Improved building heating/cooling and ventilation, and more efficient refrigeration systems, require a thoroug ....Stability, transition and heat transfer in thermally coupled natural convection boundary layers. Thermally coupled natural convection systems occur when a conducting vertical wall separates two fluids at different temperatures. Such configurations occur, for example, at a window separating the interior of a room from the outside or when a container of fluid is placed in a refrigerator. Improved building heating/cooling and ventilation, and more efficient refrigeration systems, require a thorough understanding and predictive capability for these flows. This project will develop experimental, numerical and analytic tools to predict these flows and provide simple scaling relations for bulk flow parameters such as the heat transfer across the wall, which will be of immediate use in the associated industries.Read moreRead less
Towards new generations of lubricants using nanoparticles. Engines are essential to the Australian manufacturing, transport, power generation, mining and construction industries. Our project will develop the basic science for high-performance lubricants and wear-resistant materials using nanoparticles. These lubricants and materials will have a significant impact in reducing system failure from the chronic wear and friction of moving parts and optimise the cost structures of system manufacturing ....Towards new generations of lubricants using nanoparticles. Engines are essential to the Australian manufacturing, transport, power generation, mining and construction industries. Our project will develop the basic science for high-performance lubricants and wear-resistant materials using nanoparticles. These lubricants and materials will have a significant impact in reducing system failure from the chronic wear and friction of moving parts and optimise the cost structures of system manufacturing.Read moreRead less
Seeing the discrete in a continuum: an integrated numerical-rheological-experimental approach towards high resolution micromechanical continuum models of granular media. Processes involving granular materials are complex and rarely reach more than 60% of the design capacity, due to inadequate understanding of granular rheology. The short term benefits of the proposed project are: improved insights on the rheology of granular media; experimentally validated micromechanical constitutive models ....Seeing the discrete in a continuum: an integrated numerical-rheological-experimental approach towards high resolution micromechanical continuum models of granular media. Processes involving granular materials are complex and rarely reach more than 60% of the design capacity, due to inadequate understanding of granular rheology. The short term benefits of the proposed project are: improved insights on the rheology of granular media; experimentally validated micromechanical constitutive models with unmatched predictive capabilities; modelling techniques in the analysis of multiscale processes, germane to the Science of Complex Materials. The long term benefits are models of the required reliability for computer-aided design, production and management of particulate systems. These simulation tools will enhance Australia's competitive edge in the multi-billion dollar particulate and geotechnical industries.Read moreRead less
Enhancement of Heat Transfer by Stimulated Transition to Turbulence in Natural Convection Boundary Layers on Heated Walls. The aim of this project is to increase the heat transfer from heated vertical surfaces to an ambient fluid by stimulating an early transition to turbulence. Such passive heat transfer occurs in heat transfer devices, natural ventilation systems and in many environmental settings. Enhanced heat transfer will greatly improve the performance of these systems. The project will ....Enhancement of Heat Transfer by Stimulated Transition to Turbulence in Natural Convection Boundary Layers on Heated Walls. The aim of this project is to increase the heat transfer from heated vertical surfaces to an ambient fluid by stimulating an early transition to turbulence. Such passive heat transfer occurs in heat transfer devices, natural ventilation systems and in many environmental settings. Enhanced heat transfer will greatly improve the performance of these systems. The project will provide the length scales, frequency and amplification rate for the occurence of the secondary spanwise mode that is the primary mechanism for turbulent transition. This will provide guidance for the development of appropriate roughness elements and heating length and time scales.Read moreRead less
High Performance Twist Drill Design and Drilling Operations for Machining Mould Steel. In this project a high performance drill point design, based on low drilling forces and high drill-life criteria when machining mould steel will be developed together with a computer application software for drilling force predictions, based on the ¡®unified-generalised mechanics of cutting approach¡¯, and optimal drilling feed and speed selection for minimum cost and time per hole, based on a multi-constraint ....High Performance Twist Drill Design and Drilling Operations for Machining Mould Steel. In this project a high performance drill point design, based on low drilling forces and high drill-life criteria when machining mould steel will be developed together with a computer application software for drilling force predictions, based on the ¡®unified-generalised mechanics of cutting approach¡¯, and optimal drilling feed and speed selection for minimum cost and time per hole, based on a multi-constraint drilling optimization analysis. Particular attention will be given to the manufacture of the drill point geometry. It is anticipated that the application software will enable the drill design, manufacture, performance and drilling conditions to be integrated.Read moreRead less
Mathematical and mechanical modeling of nano particulate flow. Nano particulates are the basis for many new technologies, including coatings in the electronics industry, composite materials and medical and pharmaceutical applications. Worldwide industrial competition is increasingly determined by our capacity to handle such highly cohesive materials, and to exploit their novel physical, chemical and mechanical characteristics. Devising handling mechanisms and understanding nano particulate flows ....Mathematical and mechanical modeling of nano particulate flow. Nano particulates are the basis for many new technologies, including coatings in the electronics industry, composite materials and medical and pharmaceutical applications. Worldwide industrial competition is increasingly determined by our capacity to handle such highly cohesive materials, and to exploit their novel physical, chemical and mechanical characteristics. Devising handling mechanisms and understanding nano particulate flows depends on formulating accurate mathematical models which reflect the correct underlying physics. This APF proposal will utilise advanced continuum mechanics to develop the correct underlying conceptual ideas to resolve fundamental nanomechanical particulate flows, which will lead to the next generation of engineering tools.
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Predictive Mechanics of Cutting Models for Forces and Torque in Machine Tapping Operations with Straight and Helical Flute Taps. This project is aimed at developing a fundamental understanding of the cutting process as well as mechanics of cutting mathematical models and software for reliable predictions of all the force components, torque and power in machine tapping of both wrought and sintered metallic materials with straight and helical fluted taps. This investigation will provide useful fun ....Predictive Mechanics of Cutting Models for Forces and Torque in Machine Tapping Operations with Straight and Helical Flute Taps. This project is aimed at developing a fundamental understanding of the cutting process as well as mechanics of cutting mathematical models and software for reliable predictions of all the force components, torque and power in machine tapping of both wrought and sintered metallic materials with straight and helical fluted taps. This investigation will provide useful fundamental and practical information and data on the tapping operations, renowned as 'some of the most neglected operations in machining research' and as 'bottleneck operations in practice'. This project heads towards satisfying the internationally recognised pressing need for quantitatively reliable machining performance data and equations.Read moreRead less