Industrial Transformation Research Hubs - Grant ID: IH200100035
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$5,000,000.00
Summary
ARC Research Hub in New Safe and Reliable Energy Storage and Conversion Technologies. This Research Hub addresses safety and reliability issues, and environmental impact of current energy storage and conversion technologies. The research will deliver a new generation of technologies for storage from small scale portable devices to large scale industrial applications, using recycled and natural materials, and eliminating the serious fire risk in current technologies. Outcomes include innovative ....ARC Research Hub in New Safe and Reliable Energy Storage and Conversion Technologies. This Research Hub addresses safety and reliability issues, and environmental impact of current energy storage and conversion technologies. The research will deliver a new generation of technologies for storage from small scale portable devices to large scale industrial applications, using recycled and natural materials, and eliminating the serious fire risk in current technologies. Outcomes include innovative integrated energy conversion and storage technologies and new energy materials and devices designed for different scale applications, leading to creation of start up companies and commercialisation opportunities for existing partners, benefiting both the Australian economy and potentially transforming the energy industry landscape.Read moreRead less
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
Resolving the impact of pressure on hot and low-oxygen combustion. Despite the important role of renewable energy sources, combustion will remain essential for transportation into the foreseeable future. This project aims to investigate flames burning in a hot and low-oxygen environment. The objective is to better understand how these conditions could be applied to gas turbines. This project expects to generate new knowledge to enable a reduction in emissions, improvement in efficiency and incre ....Resolving the impact of pressure on hot and low-oxygen combustion. Despite the important role of renewable energy sources, combustion will remain essential for transportation into the foreseeable future. This project aims to investigate flames burning in a hot and low-oxygen environment. The objective is to better understand how these conditions could be applied to gas turbines. This project expects to generate new knowledge to enable a reduction in emissions, improvement in efficiency and increase in power output. Expected outcomes of this project include improved understanding of the governing physics to enable development of design tools for next-generation engines. This should provide significant benefits, such as reduced reliance on fossil fuels and a critical reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.Read moreRead less
Understanding particle-laden flows for clean high temperature processes. This project aims to understand and provide computational design tools for the complex heat and mass transfer processes within the new technologies that needed for the high temperature processing of minerals with low net carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, both with and without the use of concentrated solar thermal energy. These models are needed to achieve low-cost scale-up and development of the new technologies under develop ....Understanding particle-laden flows for clean high temperature processes. This project aims to understand and provide computational design tools for the complex heat and mass transfer processes within the new technologies that needed for the high temperature processing of minerals with low net carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, both with and without the use of concentrated solar thermal energy. These models are needed to achieve low-cost scale-up and development of the new technologies under development, because they operate in regimes of particle-laden flow for which present numerical design tools are unreliable. The project will underpin the development of new technologies that are needed for Australia to meet its greenhouse emissions targets and to capitalise on the anticipated global demand for low-carbon-intensive metals and other value-added products.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
Solid Oxide Electrolysis Cells with Novel Perovskite-based Cathode. The electrochemical reduction of CO2 and steam to value-added fuels in a high-temperature solid oxide electrolysis cell (SOEC) is practically promising, but technologically challenging. This project aims to develop next generation SOECs using a perovskite-based cathode and scale-up engineering for rapid, bulk production of H2, CO and syngas fuels. Expected outcomes include material engineering, new knowledge on energy conversion ....Solid Oxide Electrolysis Cells with Novel Perovskite-based Cathode. The electrochemical reduction of CO2 and steam to value-added fuels in a high-temperature solid oxide electrolysis cell (SOEC) is practically promising, but technologically challenging. This project aims to develop next generation SOECs using a perovskite-based cathode and scale-up engineering for rapid, bulk production of H2, CO and syngas fuels. Expected outcomes include material engineering, new knowledge on energy conversion technology, and advanced manufacturing technologies. The success of the project will provide a practical solution to reduce fossil CO2 emissions and potential technology for hydrogen production. These will significantly aid Australia in important climate goals and ambitions.Read moreRead less
Safe and Reliable Solid-State Zinc Batteries. The project aims to design and fabricate a new-type of flexible and durable solid-state zinc-based battery with satisfactory energy density and long-term lifespan for scalable energy storage. A variety of novel electrode materials and solid-state electrolytes with desirable crystallographic and thermodynamic properties will be developed to construct flexible solid-state zinc battery systems, by combining advanced material engineering, in-situ instrum ....Safe and Reliable Solid-State Zinc Batteries. The project aims to design and fabricate a new-type of flexible and durable solid-state zinc-based battery with satisfactory energy density and long-term lifespan for scalable energy storage. A variety of novel electrode materials and solid-state electrolytes with desirable crystallographic and thermodynamic properties will be developed to construct flexible solid-state zinc battery systems, by combining advanced material engineering, in-situ instrumental techniques, and atomic-level computation - an interdisciplinary approach. The successful completion of this project will be of great significance for low-cost, safe and reliable energy storage technology – the key energy and environmental challenges facing today’s Australia and the world.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE230100471
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$456,318.00
Summary
Designing advanced Zn-ion batteries towards practical applications. Aqueous Zn-ion batteries (ZIBs) are much safer and cheaper than current Li-ion batteries due to the water-based electrolyte and abundant Zn reserves. However, the state-of-the-art ZIB technique faces huge challenges for practical applications due to the low cathode capacity and poor Zn anode reversibility. This project aims to design novel cathodes with a new-type mechanism and highly reversible Zn anodes. Accordingly, on-demand ....Designing advanced Zn-ion batteries towards practical applications. Aqueous Zn-ion batteries (ZIBs) are much safer and cheaper than current Li-ion batteries due to the water-based electrolyte and abundant Zn reserves. However, the state-of-the-art ZIB technique faces huge challenges for practical applications due to the low cathode capacity and poor Zn anode reversibility. This project aims to design novel cathodes with a new-type mechanism and highly reversible Zn anodes. Accordingly, on-demand large-size ZIBs and flexible devices under industrial parameters will also be developed. The success of this project will place Australia at the forefront of implementing safe and low-cost batteries in largescale smart grid systems, household markets, and wearable medical devices.Read moreRead less
Industry Laureate Fellowships - Grant ID: IL230100039
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$3,516,522.00
Summary
Aqueous sodium batteries for household and smart-grid electricity storage. This project aims to design and commercialise safe, cost-effective, long-lasting, fast-charging, high energy density aqueous sodium-based batteries to store renewable energy for use in households and smart grids. With a focus on developing and scaling technology and in collaboration with industry partners, the project’s expected outcomes include an enhanced ability to store excess energy and modulate its release into a sm ....Aqueous sodium batteries for household and smart-grid electricity storage. This project aims to design and commercialise safe, cost-effective, long-lasting, fast-charging, high energy density aqueous sodium-based batteries to store renewable energy for use in households and smart grids. With a focus on developing and scaling technology and in collaboration with industry partners, the project’s expected outcomes include an enhanced ability to store excess energy and modulate its release into a smart grid during peak demand. Of benefits to Australia, this project will deliver access to reliable, safe and cheap batteries for smart-grid electricity storage in households and a competitive industry manufacturing capability. The downstream benefit is a reduction in energy costs and a contribution to net-zero emissions.
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Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE240100952
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$432,237.00
Summary
Developing aluminium-sulfur batteries with high voltage and low cost. As use of renewable energy sources increases, so too does the need for suitable storage systems for the energy produced. Aluminium-Sulfur (Al-S) batteries provide a reliable energy storage option, but suffer from a low voltage output and despite aluminium and sulfur being two of the world’s most abundant and low-cost materials, other components in batteries are prohibitively expensive. This project aims to address these challe ....Developing aluminium-sulfur batteries with high voltage and low cost. As use of renewable energy sources increases, so too does the need for suitable storage systems for the energy produced. Aluminium-Sulfur (Al-S) batteries provide a reliable energy storage option, but suffer from a low voltage output and despite aluminium and sulfur being two of the world’s most abundant and low-cost materials, other components in batteries are prohibitively expensive. This project aims to address these challenges by designing an Al-S battery technology with efficient electrode materials and low-cost electrolytes, making them both cost effective and capable of high levels of energy storage. The outcome will place Australia as a world leader in battery technology and support our future renewable energy storage needs.Read moreRead less